The Cancer Book: Chemotherapy, Round Two
Let’s get ready to rumble!
Actually, after dealing with chemotherapy, round one, I’d be happy with a lot less rumbling – rumbling here used as a euphemism for frequent vomiting and explosive diarrhea. And let’s not forget being just plain wiped out and bone weary for days after the treatments.
Either way, with the positive energy and just plain cheerleading of wife Rochelle, I managed to get my mind right and believe that this second round of cancer treatment would work a lot better than the first.
We were certainly ready this time. Like a good cancer warrior, I made sure to be hydrated to the gills, and had packed in as much extra eating as I could stand before we arrived at the oncology facility. Rochelle packed our iPads, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and anything else we thought would help us pass the time while I absorbed my cancer meds. The nurses were nice enough to give me a bed and a small room where Rochelle and I passed our day. The highlight of the afternoon was Rochelle, picking random popcorn kernels off my shirt and the bed as I ate noisily away (tip: a black t-shirt may be badass, but is not well suited for popcorn eating).
Seven hours later, it was done. Three bags of saline, two different types of cancer poison, and one packet of anti-nausea fluid had dripped into my system via the mini-port which had been installed in my chest for this occasion. As a bonus, nurses sent me home hooked up to a portable pump which contained a continuous low dose of yet another cancer-fighting poison. That pump would be removed three days later. Oddly enough, this drug is called something-something FU. FU? Really? Is that an FU to cancer, or to my digestive system? We shall see.
Upshot: This round has been a lot easier. I haven’t thrown up (yet), explosive diarrhea grenades have yet to be launched, and I’ve had a bunch more energy than the first time ’round. Rochelle and I are both cautiously optimistic about the treatments. However, my oncologist has scheduled a scan to see just what good the chemotherapy is doing. This is the scary part. The test. Kind of like when you see if your score is good enough to get you into college, or like a job application where you’ve answered all the questions correctly and you win a big prize. Or where they just kind of shake their heads and won’t look you in the eye.
Click here to read part 1: “The Cancer Book”
Click here to read part 3: “Dear Man“
Comments
I hope you get the prize and one day get to burn that friggen cancer book into a zillion little pieces…:) xo
Well done your really brave! Keep fighting
Lots of love, healing thoughts.
I love the fact the the therapy is called FU or something similar – very apt. Go Rochelle with your cheer leading and hey who knew peanut butter and jelly could be so good together. Best of luck with your treatment, tests and results – you sound like you are doing really well 😉
Hi! I love that you wrote about this journey to wellness. Believe it and fight it with good thoughts and prayer. My daughter likes Marshmellow and Peanut Butter sandwiches. If the Peanut butter and jam sandwiches don’t work, maybe you could try the suggested sandwich. I hope no N/V nor any other upsets.
Thnk you for displaying your bravery to others.
Happy Anniversary, sweetie. Xoxo
I wish you all the best with this 2nd round. You are quite a strong person my prayers are with you both. May they find nothing more than popcorn kernels and peanut butter and jelly on your next scans. Love to you both.
Thanks for the positive energy, you sweet people. I’d send y’all some remote Reiki vibrations, but I’m a novice in that department…..oh yeah, happy anniversary, Rock!
Im also going through chemotherapy. finished five rounds. two more to go. The little ailments are the most irksome in cancer treatment. I faced vomit, nausea, constipation, fever, back ache, joint pain, mouth ulcer, nails turning blue, tongue turning blackish, eye infection because of the eyelashes falling into the eye, and above all hair loss which depressed me no end. Still I keep smiling, counting down for the chemo to be over, radiation to begin and get over in course of time. I divert myself by painting, pencil sketching, blogging and chatting up with my friends….
Bye for the time being,,, lots of love from India.
I Am on my 5chemo and my third bout with cancer. I had nonhodgkins lymphoma 11 1/2yearsago. Now it’s back, this bastard will never give up and neither will I. I believe if you ever hane cancer you will never be cancer free, it’s only gone part time. An as long as there is the big money in the cure, there will never be a prevention. If people that hasn’t had or took care of us, then they have no ideal of our misfortunes.