Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Mid-Cycle Doldrums

Just tired. That seems to be the story of the middle of my chemo cycle (days 5-10ish). I am not getting sick anymore (hooray!), though my stomach is still pretty sensitive.

The Clan McCharmetzley worked some painting magic in my back room over the last two days. Warning - I'll be calling in favors from my guests over the next week or so to finish the job. My part of the project, though, involved mostly sitting and watching the magic (and acting as DJ). And I was still in bed by 8 o'clock! I know I should count my blessings that I feel as well as I do, but I do feel incredibly disassociated from my body. The one that now needs naps.

The blessing I DO count measures all the help I've received and am counting on this week to finish the back room project. You've all created/will create a room I can get well in. Thanks!

Thursday, August 23, 2007

It Works!

The official word from Dr. B is that the chemo is definitely working. The tumor hasn't grown, and feels softer. (Dr. S said that it felt like concrete at first)

Hooray!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Chemo #2 thoughts

It all seems much more real now. We were nervous for the first treatment - 'what will this be like?', 'how sick will I be?' - but now I seem to have settled into low level dread. At this point, I am writing off the rest of this week. Except for some knitting projects and a novel or two, I don't expect to have much oomph until after the weekend. And I am trying to get excited about toast. (Toast! Toast! Of foods you're the duke. The more you eat the less you...)

My hair has started coming out in clumps. There is quite a pile in front of my sink in our bathroom, and I've already blocked the bathtub drain. For all you men worried about balding, I have vast new reservoirs of empathy. Though, I must admit, the purple sheen on the pile still makes me laugh. I am just hoping by some miracle to keep my eyebrows.

Dr. S left a coil of tubing hooked into my port after the surgery, which should come out today. I am hoping that once it is gone it will stop hurting, and the feeling will come back into my left hand. (My pointer finger and thumb feel as if they are asleep all the time.) Since I have taken to knitting as my de-stressing activity (active meditation?), I could use the sensitivity back. It will be nice not to have any more needle sticks, though.

We are really hoping Dr. B sees a difference in the size of the tumor at the appointment today. It would be much easier to do this if we knew the chemo works.