Chemo 1A update

Perhaps it's the combination of the steroids and the taxol, but I haven't experienced the middle-of-the-night waking in months; until last night. I woke up shortly after 3 a.m. with terrible heartburn from some red and yellow peppers I had with dinner last night. After a quick trip to the bathroom and some fruit-flavoured antacids, I expected to quickly drift back into dreamland. Especially since that's been my experience since I started taking two lorazepam before bed.

But instead, I laid - albeit quite comfortably - awake in my bed until 4:30 a.m. (Did you know the birds start their mating calls as early as 4 a.m. That's pretty darn early, even if it does feel like spring.) Thankfully, I did manage to slip back into slumber and remain there until almost 7:30 a.m.

Friday and side-effect update
At least half the time I visit the cancer centre, something happens to complicate things. This time it was my bloodwork. The appointment hadn't been scheduled with the chemo suite, so the nurses there were waiting for the results from the lab (where they'd have to actually stick me with a needle) before calling me in for chemo. But I was semi-patiently waiting for the chemo nurses to call me in to draw blood through my PICC line. It wasn't until about an hour later that someone figure it out and I was called in. I thought they were backed up and didn't want to bug them asking why it was taking so long. They were wondering what was taking the lab so long.

Otherwise, the dosing of the new chemo, paxlitaxel, went without incident and its ninjas are now coursing through my body. Let's hope they have better luck battling those stubborn tumours occupying my abdomen.

I felt pretty good yesterday and managed to eat well. We visit friends we hadn't seen in a while and had a great time, and some great food. I love those days when I can eat.

I went out to breakfast with other friends today and all is still well as far as food goes. I've got a yummy dinner planned while the food still tastes good and stays down.

But I can feel the tiredness setting in and I'm waiting for the expected (and the forgotten) side effects of the taxol to start affecting me. Based on past experience, I'll lose my hair about 17 days from first treatment - so on April 2 or so I'll get out the clippers and trim whatever isn't falling out into a nice brush cut. It will make actually make my life easier and perhaps more beautiful as this stringly, thin style I'm sporting now does nothing for me.

I wonder if I'll become super sniffer again. I wonder if the metallic taste will invade my mouth. I wonder if on the lower dose once a week, will the bone pain will be as bad? Will I dip down into the land of the dark dementors with the depression and deep unhappiness? While I know what to expect, I also don't know what to expect because I don't receive as much at one time. Will the drug reside in my system, making each week progressively worse until I have time to recover during the fourth rest week? I don't know. So it's a matter of waiting and seeing what happens.

But for now, besides the tiredness and some slight stomach upset, I can't complain.

Tina