And the Drugs Keep Comin' . . .

Since Monday was Louis Riel Day, CancerCare was closed and I had my chemotherapy yesterday.

I would much, much rather have my chemo on Mondays. I had forgotten that Tuesdays and Fridays are children's chemo days, so not only was the treatment centre very busy catching up on Monday's chemo treatments for adults, there were several little children being treated as well. There is a special area for the children to receive their chemo and it's really very neat, kind of like an indoor treehouse with toys and activity areas and cool stuff for kids to play with. However, the sound of the children comes through into the adult treatment area and it can be heart-rending. One poor child cried and screamed for the entire three hours I was there; it made me feel so sad for her and for her parents and made what I'm going through feel much less like a burden. At least I'm an adult and I can deal with this chemotherapy rationally and with fortitude. A child, especially a wee little one, only knows the pain and the sickness is coming again and can't understand why it has to happen.

I am so thankful my kids never had to go through anything like that.

Anyway, 'nuff o'that. My own chemotherapy seems to be going fine. Last week's treatment definitely had more side effects that put some crimps in my life, but there was nothing to terrible to deal with. The Oxaliplatin made me more nauseated than any of the other drugs, but the antinausea pills seemed to work quite well. The most distressing side effect was the pins and needles effect when I touched anything cold - what a strange sensation! - but that went away after about three days. This week's chemo is the easy stuff and I'll get Oxaliplatin again next week, then I get two weeks of no chemotherapy (yippee!).

The black dog has not shown up yet either, which is good news.

I see Dr. Cutie on Thursday this week. I will be able to report that the new chemo drugs seem to be having an effect on the fluid buildup around my organs. I have been measuring my waist every night before bed and my circumference has dropped from about 33 inches down to about 31 inches. There is still some fluid there but it is definitely decreasing gradually and I'm not feeling like I'm about ready to give birth at any moment. Just being able to take deeper breaths is making me feel better, especially when I have to cough or sneeze. It's darned hard to cough when you can't completely fill your lungs, all you get is a weeny little "hack-hack" that doesn't do much at all.

On the home front, everyone here is doing fine. I haven't been out to see Bear since my last trip but I hope to get out when the weather warms up a few more degrees.

To everyone at the board office that signed my Valentine's Card, thank you! I loved it and the flowers. Thanks so much!

-- Lori