My last chemo appointment marked the halfway point for my chemo treatments. Six down and six to go.
This was my first chemo since starting class at IUPUI. My good friend Deb took me down early to get my blood drawn to try and speed up the process for later in the day. Then she took me to lunch at the Campus Center, the cheese pizza was surprisingly yummy. Then I went off to class. The first one went well enough except that my port had been accessed and I had a needle in my chest connected to a length of tubing. It was quite uncomfortable. My next class was alright, we had read a short story for the day involving a guy with cancer ("The Pura Principle" by Junot Diaz) and it didn't sit well with me. Due to having chemo that day, I was a bit on edge and while trying to explain my dislike of the story and pretty much all of the characters in it, prefaced by saying I was a cancer patient, I started crying while trying to make my point. For those of you who know me, you know I hate to cry for no reason- if I am bleeding for instance, I am fine with crying, but a story isn't a very good one, so that was a bunch of fun. After class I went to meet Mom and our friend Christine for chemo. Because I had had mouth sores for the previous two weeks, the nurses decided not to order my drugs until they had a chance to talk to me about how bad they were. We worked out that the sores were manageable and fading so they ordered the drugs. We had a nice time while there though the person one booth down from me was listening to the tv at an annoying volume. After chemo we came home to a yummy dinner of ranch chicken and noodles and homemade rolls from Sandy. It was very yummy.
Chemo this time around was more tiring that previous treatments. I think this is because of the amount of activity I have taken up since that last. I am going to class four days a week for 12 hours and am using my brain a lot more than before. It has been nearly two weeks since my last chemo and I still feel a bit drained.
Since chemo, though, I have been busy. There is school- yay! I also put in a few hours at work with Mom and done some babysitting- money! (I definitely work for the money and it is a nice part of babysitting but I enjoy the kids' company and antics as well.) Last night Mom, Dad and I went down to the Super Bowl Village and had a good time. We parked for $0.50 at a meter near the Statehouse and got pizza for $8. It was the cheapest night we have had in awhile. We also got to see the Village People concert for free. (And I got to yell at a drunk guy trying to dance but running into the people around him, the yellow jackets removed him a short time later. It is one thing I hadn't realized that I missed from Bloomington parties, I really enjoy telling drunk guys that they are being stupid.)
Not much else in going on. It feels as if my hair is getting thinner by the day, I find it on my pillow and shedding on my clothes and whenever I run my hands through my hair (which happens a lot when you are thinking about your head). I'm not ready to shave it though. I tried on a wing I got for free and accept that I have been walking around with purple hair for the last few months, it could be my length (had I not gotten the messy bob) and color. As it turns out, purple hair doesn't really work with a transition to wig. Maybe if I had thought to start wearing it when I started classes but I think it would be quite noticeable now, not to mention confusing to some of the teachers that take attendance. As I am filling out internship and job applications, I think I might wear it to interviews but we shall see where things go. The future will come with whatever it wants, I just have to wait and see what it brings, like a church pitch-in.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Uncommon Cancer Patient
It's nearly my next and I've yet to tell you about my last.
So...two weeks ago I had chemo #4. We (Mom, Dad and I) went down early to buy a parking permit for IUPUI so that I can park closer to my classes and not be constantly out of breath. Time was running out at the permit office so Dad stayed to acquire the permit for me and Mom and I went up to get checked in. We met with my doctor after a bit of difficulty with my blood draw, someone didn't notice that I had a port so the first nurse that took me back couldn't do it and my name may or may not have been passed on to the port-drawing nurse. My doctor said everything is looking good. He did say that I won't know that I will keep my hair until I finish treatment and still have my hair, though the longer I keep it the better my chances. If by some chance you were wanting to shave your head with me, don't wait, shave it if that was your plan all along or keep it.
We went over for the actual chemo portion. My friend Tommy joined us. Mom went home after a bit but Dad stayed around giving the nurses a hard time in the way that he does so well. The chemo went well enough though a bit slow- I think I have said this multiple times.
The rest of the evening passed without much incident. I rested and then ate a yummy dinner and watched Bones and went back to bed. Good night.
The next morning was coffee group, a group of Mom's friends that started in our old neighborhood over 18 years ago. More yummy food and good conversation. When my aunt Becky got ready to leave, she mentioned that the family was going tobogganing over the weekend. I convinced her to take me with them. It was awesome. There were 13 of us. We went tobogganing, walked around the park, did puzzles, played some games and ate more good food.
Then I started classes on Monday. Yay! I am taking four classes, four days a week with two on each day. It works out nicely except that I have two literature classes on the same day. Lots of reading, but it could be much, much worse.
Since there was a three-day weekend, I decided to go down to Bloomington to see people down there. It was a great time. I was able to see friends that I met in Bloomington, my cousin who just moved down there and a friend I met in London. I didn't get to see everyone but it was really nice to see the ones that I did and there is plenty of time to go back.
Tuesday was back to class (grr Huck Finn). Which bring me to today. Yay! You are all caught up. Doesn't that feel good. You may have noticed that this covers two weeks which mean, you guessed it, I have chemo tomorrow. I will give you a bit of a preview since I have a feeling I will run late on my next post as well.
Our good friend Debra is taking me to campus early to get my blood drawn. Then we will grab lunch. Then I get to go to both of my classes. Then I will meet Mom and our friend Christine for the actual chemo.
Fun Fun Fun.
The End, for now
So...two weeks ago I had chemo #4. We (Mom, Dad and I) went down early to buy a parking permit for IUPUI so that I can park closer to my classes and not be constantly out of breath. Time was running out at the permit office so Dad stayed to acquire the permit for me and Mom and I went up to get checked in. We met with my doctor after a bit of difficulty with my blood draw, someone didn't notice that I had a port so the first nurse that took me back couldn't do it and my name may or may not have been passed on to the port-drawing nurse. My doctor said everything is looking good. He did say that I won't know that I will keep my hair until I finish treatment and still have my hair, though the longer I keep it the better my chances. If by some chance you were wanting to shave your head with me, don't wait, shave it if that was your plan all along or keep it.
We went over for the actual chemo portion. My friend Tommy joined us. Mom went home after a bit but Dad stayed around giving the nurses a hard time in the way that he does so well. The chemo went well enough though a bit slow- I think I have said this multiple times.
The rest of the evening passed without much incident. I rested and then ate a yummy dinner and watched Bones and went back to bed. Good night.
The next morning was coffee group, a group of Mom's friends that started in our old neighborhood over 18 years ago. More yummy food and good conversation. When my aunt Becky got ready to leave, she mentioned that the family was going tobogganing over the weekend. I convinced her to take me with them. It was awesome. There were 13 of us. We went tobogganing, walked around the park, did puzzles, played some games and ate more good food.
Really "fun" puzzle with my cousin Emily, though it was a group effort.
The whole gang, aren't we good looking.
Then I started classes on Monday. Yay! I am taking four classes, four days a week with two on each day. It works out nicely except that I have two literature classes on the same day. Lots of reading, but it could be much, much worse.
Since there was a three-day weekend, I decided to go down to Bloomington to see people down there. It was a great time. I was able to see friends that I met in Bloomington, my cousin who just moved down there and a friend I met in London. I didn't get to see everyone but it was really nice to see the ones that I did and there is plenty of time to go back.
Tuesday was back to class (grr Huck Finn). Which bring me to today. Yay! You are all caught up. Doesn't that feel good. You may have noticed that this covers two weeks which mean, you guessed it, I have chemo tomorrow. I will give you a bit of a preview since I have a feeling I will run late on my next post as well.
Our good friend Debra is taking me to campus early to get my blood drawn. Then we will grab lunch. Then I get to go to both of my classes. Then I will meet Mom and our friend Christine for the actual chemo.
Fun Fun Fun.
The End, for now
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)