It was the third or fourth time I had ever gotten platelets, so there was no reason in my mind that I would have a reaction. It was the 15 minutes from-done-mark when I noticed a small mosquito-like bump on my stomach. This nurse knew exactly what to do. By the time my ears turned bright red, the small bump grew big and spread up to my neck. It got hard to breathe and swallow. This nurse had nurses and doctors called in and they attached an oxygen mask and pumped me full of Benadryl. She put her cold hands on my hot ears to help me calm down. Over the next several months of chemo infusions, she was often my nurse. She was wonderful, funny, kind, attentive, and caring while always being super professional. I won't miss much about having cancer, but I will miss all of the nurses especially Erica.
Note: This is Erica's 2nd DAISY Award!