OK, so it wasn’t Jenn’s driving. After the first chemo, I drove with Jenn, Jane, and Adrienne out to DC to see Kerri. On the drive out, I didn’t do so good, but that doesn’t surprise me when I’m in a car that I’m not driving. [Haven’t I mentioned this scenario before?] In any case, last night after the second round of chemo, I felt some of the nauseousness that was there after the first round. It was totally bearable, and again, the oral meds they give do wonders.
I’m doing OK today—went to the OSU spring game, which in and of itself is a weird event. TONS of Buckeye fans swooped into the Shoe to watch Ohio State play themselves. Scarlet v. Gray, or Red v. White according to the head umpire. It’s just odd—who do you root for? In any case, it was a gorgeous day and the grass of the field was green. They expected 40,000 fans, they got almost 64,000. But I digress.
I spoke with Dr. Yadav (you may remember him as the poison doctor). He said that with the remaining treatments, I will likely see the fatigue increase, but not the nausea and vomiting. Good—I’ll take being tired over puking any day. And the 2 pieces of good news: my white blood cell count was back in the normal range, and the doc noted that the legendary lymph node was smaller. BAM, take that you cancer ridden life saver. Hm. I haven’t named it yet (recall the tumor is Fred). Nothing comes to mind now, so I’ll have to think on it.
In any case, I’m now half way through the rugged first half of treatment. In other words, I’m half way to the easier part. I’m just going to keep on keeping on in the mean while.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Be careful what you ask for
OK, sure a few days ago I was seemingly complaining that the predictors of the start of alopecia (loss of hair) were wrong. No, I wasn’t complaining that I wasn’t loosing my hair (Dan :) ). I just think that when one is getting ready to experience something completely foreign, any insight comes in handy. And when that insight fails to prove itself, it’s disconcerting. I knew that it would fall out—it is more rare for it not to fall out. But I had mentally prepared for day 14, and on day 14 (and on day 17) it didn’t happen. It is sure as heck happening now.
It’s been thinning for the last week or so, and showers and head-rubs have been an adventure. The last 2 mornings, I have awoken to major “holes” in the sides—where my head rubs the most on the pillows. And today, it looks down right sad. I think the next step will be to take the clippers to it without a guard at all. That way there’s no question that I really don’t have hair (what is still attached needs assistance to fall the rest of the way out, and I don’t really have time to sit down and pull it (painlessly) out).
I think my leg hair is less “loose,” but I think that’s only because I made it through the 3 weeks between chemos without completely losing it. I suspect that since I just got another treatment yesterday, it will come out more gracefully now.
It’s been thinning for the last week or so, and showers and head-rubs have been an adventure. The last 2 mornings, I have awoken to major “holes” in the sides—where my head rubs the most on the pillows. And today, it looks down right sad. I think the next step will be to take the clippers to it without a guard at all. That way there’s no question that I really don’t have hair (what is still attached needs assistance to fall the rest of the way out, and I don’t really have time to sit down and pull it (painlessly) out).
I think my leg hair is less “loose,” but I think that’s only because I made it through the 3 weeks between chemos without completely losing it. I suspect that since I just got another treatment yesterday, it will come out more gracefully now.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Day 17
Strangely, I still have my hair. By all means I shouldn’t, or at least one would think not. I guess that “day” doesn’t fall on the same day post-chemo for everyone. Perhaps it’s because what I do have on my head isn’t heavy enough (ie. long enough) to fall out. Heck, maybe I just ain’t going to completely lose it. Whatever. I am still getting chemo, and I still might have to wear a hat on my head at night when the temperatures dip.
Things have been relatively quiet this past week. My body has been doing seemingly just fine. I still feel a semblance of fatigue, but nothing like a couple weeks ago. Figures—I get my next treatment Friday. Well, maybe. I found out today that my white blood cell count is low—lower then the normal range. I have antibiotics to take when this happens, but if the counts don’t go up or if I get an infection, Friday’s treatment will be out. Sometimes I am amazed at all of the things that factor into all of this. Every weird twitch, every new ache…makes me wonder “is it the chemo?” I wonder if I will think like that for the next six months.
I think this is the lull before the next storm. It is a good sign, though, that I have gotten some “good” time in between. I’ve been told that the side effects more or less repeat in the same pattern. But I was also told that my hair would fall out on day 14. It’s day 17.
Things have been relatively quiet this past week. My body has been doing seemingly just fine. I still feel a semblance of fatigue, but nothing like a couple weeks ago. Figures—I get my next treatment Friday. Well, maybe. I found out today that my white blood cell count is low—lower then the normal range. I have antibiotics to take when this happens, but if the counts don’t go up or if I get an infection, Friday’s treatment will be out. Sometimes I am amazed at all of the things that factor into all of this. Every weird twitch, every new ache…makes me wonder “is it the chemo?” I wonder if I will think like that for the next six months.
I think this is the lull before the next storm. It is a good sign, though, that I have gotten some “good” time in between. I’ve been told that the side effects more or less repeat in the same pattern. But I was also told that my hair would fall out on day 14. It’s day 17.
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