Chemo #6, Day 1

From the waiting room on round #6..... First an update since I took a vacation from blogging. The past several days I've been feeling better than I have been. The joint pain was pretty much gone by last Friday/Saturday and we had a good weekend. We rented a vacation rental in nearby McCall for a couple nights over the weekend which was a nice, much needed getaway. We ate cinnamon rolls and made chocolate cookies, relaxed the video reins and let the kids watch 3 Disney movies, and went for a family bike ride.

Also, the past two days I felt a decrease in fogginess in my head and trusted myself for a couple short rides. I've never been so proud and happy for riding 3 & 6 miles on a paved road! As I was riding up the road (very slowly) I laughed to myself about how many times I have probably said/thought the words "I think I'm going to have a heart attack!" while riding a bike, and that now I am actually probably at a greater risk for having a heart attack after the drugs that I've been on. How's that for motivation to take it easy. I talked about this with my Dr. today and how I will probably always be afraid to exercise vigorously, to which he explained that the drugs I've been on will not cause a heart attack, just a slightly increased chance of congestive heart failure. Details, details..... I'm being a little dramatic and he also has tried to assure me this chance is low, but how do you get that out of your head?

Regarding the fogginess....as I was going down the side effect checklist this a.m. with my nurse I explained that I've been feeling "less drunk" the past few days while behind the wheel to which her eyes lit up. I just assumed that it was standard and hardly worth mentioning to be feeling a little drunk while behind the wheel. Fortunately I do very little driving these days. Definitely looking forward to this being over and the "drunkness" to continue to subside.

In other cancer related news it is fair to say that I'm sick of being bald. I have gone "naked" all summer but with the cooler weather have actually started wearing my little "chemo caps." Amazing how much heat your hair holds in. This weekend when I had my headwear and sunglasses on Ryan told me that I look like I'm in the witness protection program. I'm now in search of some cute slouch beanies to keep my head warm. I will return to work in November and fortunately that will be a good time to sport hats in the office. I was doing OK with the bald thing but it's funny that recently it bothers me. Maybe because I'm feeling a little better now that I am off the AC, and when you really feel like shit you quit caring and don't care that you look like shit?

Now onto October. I get nailed three times this month.....today, the 14th and the 28th. With any luck I stay healthy and that will be it.