Cycle 8 : Days 6 - 12

Well, I have officially survived all eight chemotherapy cycles...YEAH!

This time seemed so far away on the day of my first infusion - May 10th. I sat in the chair with everything new – people who I needed to trust to take good care of me … the crash cart in plain sight … an IV stand beside me with three bags of liquids draining through a tube into the catheter in my chest – one of the drugs a bright red … medicinal smells … instructions, reassuring and comforting words from Rosa my oncology nurse … oral medication to minimize the side effects and in liquid form injected into the IV tube … Oh yes, the end of chemotherapy seemed far, far away.

I am a firm believer of “fake it till you feel it” so, I faked my way through the first infusion and each time I made it through another infusion I became stronger. I grew to trust the people who wore the gowns, gloves, and masks before administering drugs that could save my life … the crash cart became a normal fixture that was more reassuring than scary … I relaxed enough so that the medication given to combat the side effects lead to pleasant naps that helped the time to go by more quickly … and the medicinal smells just became the normal smells of a comfortable place.

Headaches … nausea and vomiting …bloating and weight gain … hair loss … pervasive salty taste … extreme cravings … mouth sores and cracked lips … fatigue so severe that I would cry … bone and muscle aches … steroid hot flashes … and the other side effects all went away, or in the case of the hair loss I should say that it is coming back.

I would do it all again if I had to … I am grateful for the peace of God that has guarded my heart and mind … that he has taken care of all of my needs … that he is aware of my wanderings and has put my tears in his bottle and book (Philippians 4:7,19; Psalms 56:8) … and that you have been here with me every step of the way encouraging and cheering me on … praying with and for me … and doing your own good job of catching a few of my tears.

Randy and I met last week with the radiology oncologist. Tomorrow I have the planning meeting which involves a CAT scan and decisions as to the exact areas that will receive the radiation. I will write another posting later this week and give you the scoop. Thanks for checking in on me and listening while I reflect back on the past five months.

P.S. Other than feeling a wee-bit tired I am feeling good.