Enjoying the Sun

Hello. I have been enjoying the fact that my side effects are finally subsiding. The weather has been great, I took my wife on a date to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D (Great movie!).

I got an adjustable silver ring for my radiation phase of Chemo when I will be loosing a bit of weight.


I ran into Dave Chappelle in Yellow Springs on Saturday (I was like "Hey Dave" and he waved like "Do I know him?"). It has been a good few days, but Jess has a sinus and throat infection and I am able to take care of her for the fist time in a long while. That's all for now guys. Got a week before my last Induction Chemo.......gonna enjoy the weather for now.

Chemo Cycle Two - THROUGH!

Today was the last day of chemo cycle two - woohoo! As expected, Tony is verrrrrry tired, but he's doing great; I couldn't be prouder of him. I actually learned this time exactly how much chemo he's been getting, and holy moly! On Mondays, he gets 150 mg of Taxotere, 150 mg of Cisplatin, and then Mon-Fri. he gets 6,000 mg of 5-FU (that's a LOT)! At our last checkup with the doctor, he was apparently impressed with how well Tony was tolerating the treatment, because this time around he bumped the 5-FU up to 6,500 mg. Tony has vowed not to brag on how well he's doing next time, but they tell us he's getting bumped up again regardless (to 7,000 mg).

We also noticed this time around that Tony had some pretty wicked hiccups, which is actually a side effect of the chemo (odd, I know.) It doesn't sound like that big of a deal, but when you suddenly start hiccuping at 3 AM and can't stop, it's a little annoying. Luckily these only lasted a day or two.

Many of the side effects of the chemo (continued fatigue, GI issues, etc.) tend to hit this next week, so we appreciate the continued prayers. We go back for bloodwork on Monday and then for a checkup with the oncologist the week after.

We are 2/3 done with chemo...woooo! These are the things we are thankful for! Hope everyone has a great weekend. :)

Splitting Hairs

"Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony." - Morpheus, The Matrix

Wouldn't you know...it was just two days ago when I wrote the last post concerning Tony's hair. It seems that all it took for him to start losing hair was for me to write about how he wasn't losing hair! In fact, the very next morning when he took a shower, it started coming out...LOTS of it. He said he was just running his hands through his hair while washing it and the deluge began. My husband (thoughtful man that he is) left me several gigantic hairballs in both the sink and the shower because he knew I'd like to see how much he lost. (And yes, odd person that I am, I actually appreciated this).

After that, we amused ourselves by discovering that you could just grasp his hair in your fingers and it would come straight out. It was kind of amazing how quickly it got patchy-looking, especially in the back. So Tony decided it was time for a haircut. His friend Chris was kind enough to lend some clippers to the cause, complete with a hair-cutting cape. At first, Tony did a moderate buzz, leaving some length on the hair. And then he decided to go for it: he took the guard lower and buzzed it nearly all the way to the scalp. He said he was tired of trying to figure out where it looked patchy, and also said it felt empowering to do this himself. (I got to cut the back, though!)

So feel free to admire his head (he has a very nice, symmetrical one!) when you see him. Please just don't ask to rub the cranium though, as it is still a bit sore from the chemo. Also, Tony does kindly request that you not give him what he calls the "sad-cancer-patient-face" when you see him; he doesn't want anyone to feel sorry for him! He's really quite chipper, and we'd like to keep it that way! Have a follicularly fabulous evening, everyone! :)

"Are You Bald Yet?!"

It's been a little while since we blogged, and that's because...well, we've been busy enjoying a great week! Since the first round of chemo, Tony has really rebounded astoundingly well, and this week in particular has been almost exactly like the B.C. era ("Before Chemo," that is.) Many of you have probably seen him bopping around the hospital for work. We've gotten lots of comments along the lines of, "Gee, you don't even look like you have cancer!" It's been so very refreshing to have a good week: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It feels like a vacation.


In other news, I figured I would address one of the questions we hear quite a bit: "Are ya losing your hair yet?!" (which, for the record, is probably not on the "Top 10 List of Best Ways to Greet a Cancer Patient." Just sayin'...) That aside, however, the answer is....kinda sorta. He's noticed a few extra hairs in the shower when he washes his hair, but nothing monumental. Unless you count...THE NOSE HAIRS! Yes, yes...of all the undignified side effects, he is noticing the nose hairs starting to return to their maker. (Weird, right? This is the stuff they don't tell you in the pleasant little instructional chemo videos!) It's interesting, also, that so many folks seem to think that cancer patients only wear scarves or hats for their fashion appeal or to cover a bald head. This may be true in some cases, but in our experience it's more to cope with other things. For example, his scalp is a bit sore, and he already finds that he is more sensitive to cold. So if you see him sporting one of his many new hats, you'll know why!


We go back to the Cancer Center for another chemo-thon on Monday (March 8th). Luckily, I am on Spring Break from school next week, so I won't have quite as much to worry about.


Here are a few random thoughts to leave you with:

• We appreciate everyone's support more than you know. Everyone that has become a follower of the blog, thanks! I know it sounds weird, but all the comments and followers make us feel like we're not completely alone. And we could all stand to be reminded that we are loved, couldn't we? Go hug the nearest person! :)



• We especially appreciate prayers. It's extremely draining for both of us when he has the treatments - it's difficult for him physically, and for me emotionally. As it turns out, it's more than a little unnerving to see your better half getting poisoned. It's odd the things that bother me...and the chemo pump is really tough for some reason. I guess it's just a constant, week-long reminder of what's being done. The treatment works, but it's a pretty nasty process, and it's hard to see him not feeling well. So if you think of us, please pray that both of us stay healthy and strong - inside and out.

• We understand that lots of people don't quite know what to say to us sometimes, because the "C" word is so just overwhelming (trust us - we know!) And we want everyone to know that it's OK - because guess what? We don't know what's going on half the time either! This is a journey filled with lots of uncertainty, and we appreciate everyone's generosity, whether it's a message, a smile, or a pat on the back. We don't mind answering questions, either. To the contrary, we like sharing what's going on - especially if it means we can encourage fellow cancer fighters or help people better understand how to relate to cancer fighters. (See that? I've decided I like "cancer fighters" better than "cancer patients").
  
  
• Contrary to popular belief, some of the best encouragement we've received wasn't wordy or eloquent. Sometimes I am just so relieved when someone listens to my griping and then says, "That sucks." Because ya know what? It does. So if you've read this blog, talked to Tony, or listened to me vent/cry/update, bless you. And remember that we are simply called to encourage each other, not to have all the answers or pretty-sounding quotes. :)
  

Have a blessed day or evening, and we'll catch you next week!