Chemo Yesterday

I had chemo again yesterday. And again a marathon session. Got in to the Doctor's around 9:30am and left around 5:30pm. After working a rather long string of 12 and 16 hour days last week and the week before I hit the wall around Thursday and needed to sleep and sleep I did for 48hours. With a few breaks for food and what not.

For Ani and I it was a great way to spend out 5th wedding anniversary. We focused on the good times and the happiness of the day, and the days that have followed, and looked longingly to the days to come... then I feel a sleep again.

Before I passed out again - I did have a moment to say hi to Alicia who got here Thursday night, and has been a God send. I didn't think we would need an extra set of hands on chemo day but I could not have been more wrong. It has been great having people here on those days I don't know how we would done it without it.

I am feeling good today but a little crappy none the less. I have that post chemo feel. Again the best way I can explain it is like a really, really bad hangover with none of the fun the night before.

What I have learned is no more 16 hour days going to need to cut back to 12 hours days... ;)

We have been getting all your cards and well wish gifts of food and money and it is all been a huge help. I am working on the thank you cards and I am determined to get them out - I promise.

Feeling Good and a Quick Update

I wanted to thank everyone for all that they have been doing. From helping to pay to have some help clean the house. Huge help by the way. It means Ani and I can stay on top of things with out using up every once of energy we have and devote that energy to getting healthy.

Last week in an effort to help deal with the fatigue and increase the body’s own happy juices we joined a gym for the time being. I have to say it has made a world of difference for me. The best thing is it has a pool and a hot tub. I spend a few minutes chilling in the hot tub swim a few laps all just before bed and I wake feeling great.

I have to say that I am less than looking forward to my next chemo session. Even though it means we are half way done I am ready to have the end of chemo party. But that said I was expecting this all to much much worse. The best way I can describe it all is as low to mid grade hangover for days at a time. But without the party the night before.

Again thank you all for the love it gets us through the tough times.

Late in Coming

This blog is late in coming. If you are reading this then I would hazard to guess that you already know that on August 4th of this year I was diagnosed with The Cancer.

One of the first things you learn when you are diagnosed with The Cancer is that there are many types of cancer. And they are not all made equal. Some are as horrible as you can imagine. Others -- well they are scary they are not curl up in the fetal position with a bottle of scotch scary.

So let me start by letting you know that the type of cancer I have is NOT one of those scary fetal position ones. Its the - it sucks you have it and you live through it kind. The makes a good story in 30 years kind. And you all know I like a good story;)

This is the cancer that when you ask a doctor about it they say, "if you get to pick your cancer this is the one you want." It sounds weird I know, but its true. When doctors talk about this cancer they talk about curing it.

For you medical type folks out the there, I have Non-Hodgkin Defuse Large B Cell Lymphoma. The treatment plan for this is rather straight forward - Chemo. Now this is not your bucket list chemo or the chemo from the movies.

While it is not pleasant. It is not unbearable. I have yet to get "sick" - I do get nauseous at times but they have some solid drugs to take care of that for you. The biggest issue I have had so far has been the fatigue. I get to a point where I just can't go on any more and need to take a NAP. But again this is not every day and it comes and goes.

I have done two chemo treatments now and I have four more to go. That would bring my total to six treatments. The time between each treatment is 21 days. so my next one is October 8th [the day after our 5th wedding anniversary]. If all goes according to plan we should be done on Friday, December 10th.

I also wanted to use this post to provide you all with some additional back ground on the type of cancer I have because knowing is half the battle [Go Joe! - Sorry couldn't help it - you can pass up on a little 8 year old's G.I Joe humor it never gets old. Plus I have cancer you have to laugh at my jokes.]

Here are a few links to check out:

A UK Cancer Site: http://tinyurl.com/ylfv6tw

About.com Articles:
Over all info: http://tinyurl.com/2e6m4us
Prognosis info: http://tinyurl.com/2by7fpd

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society: http://tinyurl.com/2493tcf
(This is more 60,000 feet perspective - but still interesting)

So on the downside. I have now had two chemo treatments, and been at this now for about 6 weeks and I have lost NO weight. This is not the value added that I was looking for.

And finally for this post but more importantly NOT least -- THANK YOU!!!

Everyone has been great from helping with cleaning the house, to bringing over food, to thoughts, cards, warm wishes whatever it has made this whole thing more do able.

I knew that we were loved but I can now say that we have felt it in every way possible. Its always easy to do things when times are good but the real love comes out when the times are bad, and we have been loved more than I can ever say - thank you.

I also thought you all would like to see the before and after photo...