Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Double your pleasure. Double your fun.

Today was "Chemo Wednesday" and boy are things continuing to change.

Let's begin with my dosage. Usually chemo doses are determined by weight and height. But the dose for my weight and height would kill me within a few minutes. So, my understanding now is, my first dose was set fairly low (for my size) to ensure they didn't kill me. Because I experienced "so few" side effects on the first treatment, the essentially doubled some of the more harsh poisons today. I'm definitely feeling the change. Much more fatigue and ache right off the back (as opposed to three hyper days on my first dose). This will be interesting, also to see how long the chemo, at this dose, takes to leave my body.

My "gene study" came back and (please be aware I've got a bit of chemo brain right now and am a little foggy here at work) my particular cancer has some kind of (misquoting) dermal receptors, which means they're adding a chemo treatment called (misspelling) herbatox which will help kill the cancer. It's side effects are promised to include large painful rashes and bad acne. I'm not looking forward to it. I'll also have to get the treatment every week. Which means two hours next week and an extra two hours (total of six) on chemo weeks.

But it's not horrible. I'll live through it and am really enjoying talking to people. I wish there was a general support group for cancer patients locally. I've found a few but they all seem to be focused on either breast cancer or prostate. Still... it's good to be able to talk to a few people and just laugh.

I also enjoyed the time with my Dad today. It's one of the pluses of my cancer I guess. Tomorrow is Kristin's day off and we'll get to spend the afternoon together after I get up.

"You'll take delight in God, the Mighty One, and look to him joyfully, boldly. You'll pray to him and he'll listen; he'll help you do what you've promised. You'll decide what you want and it will happen; your life will be bathed in light. To those who feel low you'll say, 'Chin up! Be brave!' and God will save them. Yes, even the guilty will escape, escape through God's grace in your life."
Job 22:26 (The Message)

1 comment:

Kristin Hawke said...

I love you baby. That was a great verse and the end.