LIFE AT 60 - DAY 20 AFTER CHEMO

Well it has been several days since I last updated everything.  Ive almost come to the conclusion that the treatments are a conspiracy.  Just about the time you start feeling half human again, it starts all over.  Well at least that is the way it seems.  This week, aside from being kinda tired, I felt almost normal.  Well IT starts over again on Tuesday.  Blood tests, chemo, then the blasted Neulasta shot.  HOWEVER we are going to to something proactive on the shot.  We have done some reading and it seems that some people were able to stave off the ill effects of the shot by taking Claritin a couple of days before the shot and then for a few days after.  Gonna try it and see what happens, I'll keep you updated.

The one thing that has happened, and I kinda expected it, was that Im losing my hair.  NOT just the hair on my head, but my mustache!!  I had had that mustache for 40 years!  LOL  However the reports are that I look much younger without it so I guess all is good.  Im not totally bald on top.  I had my hair buzzed, but it is not growing out and it has been reduced to kind of a fuzz.  I really dont mind though.  For those of you who know me, I did not have much to begin with, so it is no big loss.

The last Dr visit was actually pretty encouraging.  Apparently the chemo is working.  There is "significant" shrinkage in the lymph nodes on the side of my neck.  The Dr  was pretty excited, which of course is contagious.  Most of the time, I cant find the problematic nodes so I do know that it is working.  I still have at least one more chemo after this next one.  Then they want to do a full round of radiation, 7 weeks, 5 days a week.  I guess part of me is wondering how much is too much, but another part is just thinking better safe than sorry.  My brain just never shuts off, so it keeps thinking all the time.  That can be bad at times.  LOL  I guess at this point after the 3rd chemo, we will have a chat with the doctors and go from there.  Personally I prefer minimal radiation, especially since it is aimed at my throat, but I know God is in control so Im following HIS lead on all of this.  What these Dr's probably dont realize is that they are being prayed for and that their decisions will all be the correct decisions.

It has been a pretty long tiring week this week.  It all got done, and the auction was yesterday.  Everything is gone, except the house, now we can concentrate on other things.  Unfortunately I was not a lot of help toward the end of this project because of all of the stuff that slowed me down.

IF my calculations are correct sometime around my birthday in June, I should be done with the treatments.  I am looking forward to getting on with life again, really dont like having to just sit around.   I must admit that there are some benefits to just sitting.  You get a chance to just listen to what God has to say.  You get a chance to spend time with your spouse, that you might have otherwise not have had.  That is something I have totally appreciated.  The one real drag is the weekly blood tests.  They are more time consuming than anything.  The power port really takes the difficulty out of that and makes it almost painless, just takes time.

The Dr has been a bit concerned about me losing some weight, but Im not really.  I needed to lose some anyway.  I just did not want to do it by starving.  LOL  Actually Im eating, just not as much.  Taste buds have been weird so nothing tastes right.   Maybe this round wont be as hard on the taste buds and it wont be as bad.

The weather in St. Louis has been awesome lately and it kills me that I have not felt up to getting out on my bicycle.  Im going to try to change that over the next couple of weeks.  I have a goal that I want to do a century ride, (100 miles), this year and to do that I need to train.  Even if I only get 10 miles at a time in that would be good.  Dr says its OK if I feel up to it so we will make that a goal.

God is still working, things are good, and Im going to sing in the Easter Choir at church this next weekend.  I've said this many times during this journey.  I REFUSE to give the C word any credence.  It is a bump in the road, and I know that God is in control of all of this journey.  Stay tuned, I will let you know more on Tuesday.  They are telling me it should only take 2 1/2 hours instead of 3 this time.  HOPE!!   LOL  The recliners are not terribly comfortable.