Side effects

I'm making it through chemo cycle # 5. I pretty much spent the weekend lying in bed, taking meds at the proper times, reading. I'm working my way through the Sue Grafton Alphabet Mysteries. Don't know what's taken me so long, but I read the first three this weekend. I watched the Giants, who finally won one for me yesterday--and I didn't even have the heart to watch the end of the 9th inning. I was so afraid they would blow it, I didn't want to give them the added pressure.
The drugs helped keep the pain down--I wasn't comfortable--still not comfortable--but I'm getting by. I have yet to experience the nausea that used to be standard with chemo--that would be thanks to really good drugs. The bone pain is still around, along with some stomach pain--no nausea, just pain. Then there's the one I never heard about with chemo--peripheral neuropathy. My fingers and toes are either tingling or numb. It isn't fun. It is supposed to go away after chemo--or not. I've got no energy at all. My big exercise is going out in the morning and getting the newspaper. I am exercising my mind, since I've started doing the crosswords. I never really liked them before because I can't spell, but let's face it, I've got lots of time on my hands, so there we are. My sister and Margaret should be proud of me, because I think it was their influence that made me try the puzzles.
That would be it for now. Tomorrow should be better.
xxooxx

Feeling blah

The orcs were not waiting for the percocet to get out of my system, but neither were the euphoria fairies. I've just felt down, a little off, and have zero energy. I understand this is normal. So I read more yesterday. There was no Giants game, so I really didn't know what to do with myself. I did get a treat--my favorite cross stitch designer, Cheri Fulmer of Fulmer Craft in Wyoming sent me a kit of Saint Mary Lake in Glacier National Park. I perked right up for that. I've been doing Cheri's charts since the early 90's--I remember working on one of Sequoia National Park in a huge jury panel room in Redwood City in 1991--strange the things that come back to me. I think she would be the perfect person to chart some of the beautiful scenes in the Canadian Rockies--and I told her so, early on in this cancer journey. Maybe tomorrow's task--along with packing for my trip to Saskatchewan on Friday--will be to finish the chart I started in the hospital in February. There is so little left to do that I can almost taste it--not enough to take it with me to Canada where I would surely finish it--no better to start something new to keep me entertained while I wait between planes.
I had an appointment downtown today--just went and came home--by way of Long's to turn in a prescription and Peninsula Hospital to get my blood work done for Thursday's oncologist appointment. No retail therapy--no visit to Mrs. Fields--just BART there and back. I sort of dozed through the beginning of the Giant's game this afternoon--then it got exciting. I love it when they win. I'm sure they do it just to make me feel better.
xxooxx

Fog

The fog is finally coming in--not, however, on little cat feet. It is blowing a gale outside and I'm loving it. I'm hoping to be able to see and chew the air in the morning. It has been way hotter than I'm happy with for the last few days. Even with the heat, though, they have been productive days. Thursday afternoon I went back to the cranial prosthesis shop with my friend Dory. I picked up the CP that came as close as possible to my natural hair color. And I ordered two more, so that I can be a blond or redhead as the mood strikes me. The red one brings out every bit of Irish blood I own, so I think it will be part of my Celtic Fiddling attire even after my own hair comes back (presumably sometime in 2009). It was a little over the top, but what is the point of going through this whole exercise if I can't be a little over the top.
From the hair store we went on to Stanford Shopping Center, where I did my bit to keep Macy's in the black. It was good to shop. We followed that with dinner at Max's. I almost felt like a normal person.
Friday was dressing change day. That, too, was good. The wound is only 2 cm and may very well close on its own before I'm done with chemo. I see both surgeons about that on Monday. I hope they are as pleased with the progress as I am.
Today was the Spring Tea at church. I got to wear a new dress and new hair. The hair was warm--no, it was hot--but I didn't think yanking it off and fanning myself would have been terribly tasteful. The tea was delightful. I ate myself stupid and enjoyed every minute of it. My Oncologist made the mistake of telling me this wasn't a time to be dieting and I took her at her word. There is just something about little tea sandwiches and dainty cookies and fresh fruit and dainty cookies and dainty cookies. Oh, and did I mention the cookies? I came home and took a three hour nap. Cookies are exhausting.
The Giants must know I'm feeling better, because they are not doing at all well. I hope they don't think that they only time they can win is when I'm feeling like crap.
I'm going to enjoy some cold air now.
xxooxx

Doing well today

Still feeling fine...so far. I'm still losing hair, but in quarter inch pieces now so it won't clog the plumbing or break a vacuum cleaner--should anyone choose to come over here and vacuum.
I went to a fairly large Eastern Star function last night, in the cranial prosthesis. It was amazing the number of people who flat out didn't recognize me--and I wore a dress I've worn before. General reaction was "Keep the color." I'm planning on going to my own Chapter tonight--we'll see what the verdict is there.
Maybe the Giants will take pity on me and start winning tomorrow as I start feeling crappy.
xxooxx