Chemo 2B take two

I'm almost afraid to say it, but yesterday, I felt better than I have in quite a while. Michael took the day off and we spent it together, which was extremely nice. We did some wii Fit together, we had massages, we watched the London Knights game side by side. The memories of having such a low-key, yet enjoyable day makes me smile this morning. I wish we could have more of them - or ones even better (as my health improves).

My stomach cooperated for the most part with only some relatively minor discomfort in the evening. But I ate a decent dinner, so I think I was too full. I think perhaps the tumours are shrinking, but I may need to stretch my stomach out a bit. And, knock wood, I haven't thrown up in a week.

My home care nurse came over yesterday afternoon and took the dressing off my port. One week after the procedure, I can now shower again - no more sponge baths - but she advised me against heading for the hot tub or swimming pool just yet. She comes back on Monday and hopefully then she'll proclaim the area healed up enough to start to enjoy some of those activities for which I had the port put in.

Today I head back to the chemo suite for the second treatment of the second round of the taxol. Hence the treatment 2B in this blog's title. While I've already done five rounds of the other chemical combination of cisplatin,and gemcitabine, I feel with the taxol regimen, I'm starting all over (which is quite disheartening). So the numbering starts all over.

To prepare the port site for the special needle that connects the IV tubing, I purchased some very expensive numbing cream, called Emla. It's a lidocaine/prilocane combination that numbs the skin so I won't feel the needle go in. A 30 g tube of the magic ointment, which is smaller considerably smaller than a regular tube of toothpaste, cost me $68. Yikes! But I'm sure it's better than the pain I'd experience without it.

So wish me luck as I head to the chemo suite today and pray I have a couple of days post-treatment to enjoy before the side-effects come rolling in. I'm steeling myself for them and praying I will be strong. I know it's only a couple of days, but it's all quite overwhelming. Until then, days like yesterday and hopes of more like them will help keep me going.

Tina