It was if the Taxol had realized its days inside Annie's system were numbered, so it wasn't going down without a fight. The crippling bone pain would join forces with waves of nausea to send Annie scrambling to the bathroom. Once there, she'd spend the next hour or so with her guts turning inside out. Not even massive doses of anti-nausea meds helped at this point. After the third such episode, I established a routine. Once Annie stumbled off, I got an ice pack from the freezer and wrapped it in a dish towel. I'd wait outside the closed bathroom door until the toilet flushed. At that point, I'd enter, help her lean back against the tub and place the cold pack on her forehead. I kept it there until she was able to hold it herself. Once the goose bumps showed up, I covered her in a blanket. I'd give her a few minutes to warm up. After that, I'd escort her to the bed. Then I'd leave her in the darkened room and wait for a text from her, letting me know the worst had passed.
