Chemotherapy Week 2

We're just taking each day as it comes.

At first I kept thinking there would be a clear progress--L* would feel progressively better everyday. But the reason chemo works is that it goes through your whole system and kills off all these fast growing cells. So then there's these periods of suddenly more aches, suddenly more symptoms when she felt better the day before. Last week there were a lot of symptoms, including gastrointestinal woes at both ends of the extreme, really devastating fatigue, deep body aches, and a lot of sneezing which has now turned into congestion.

I do think L* is keeping a great attitude, and really trying to just be patient with herself.

Thursday I come home from doing some shopping The house is quiet so I assume L* is out on the deck or in the garden, but I don't see her there. I I call out "are you inside?" and her little voice calls out "yes." At this point, I notice that the bedroom door is closed, and that a heavy duty extension cord plugged into the kitchen outlet disappears into the bedroom. Uh-oh. What am I interrupting?

"You can come in" she says. I open the door carefully to see find two space heaters set up with a yoga mat between them. L*'s laptop is on the dresser, playing the cd of Bikram's beginning yoga class. hijole! what a woman!

Then she explains that she had planned to do yoga in her study at the front of the house, but when she plugged in the two heaters, the fuse blew. So we currently have no internet, no tv, no nada. (grin!) I get this all up and running again. She says "You leave and the whole house goes all to hell!"

Friday was a rough day. L*'s been decreasing her nausea meds so that she's not in a hazy fog and can do things, but the downside is that her nausea is back and strong. She's a pretty assertive little guy! So right now it prob'ly feels like a step back for her, 'cause we did go back and increase the meds.

Saturday night she woke up with aches and nausea at about 2 a.m. She took her medicines right away, but then needed
to take her mind off her symptoms so the medicines could get to work. So we played Scrabble. And we didn't keep score, so it was very fun. Then when she was all relaxed, we went back to sleep. (We bought a travel scrabble set, for when we go to the hospital and stuff. the tiles lock into place on the board so you can pick it up and turn it around)

Hey, I made rice pudding for the first time Saturday. (L* usually makes it). Except the recipe was kind of big and now we still have lots and lots left. (I never used to like rice pudding but now I'm getting older I like all those things).

Sunday we went for a little bitty hike up the creek, and then sat and played cards, and then L* laid down for a while, and then we came home. For dinner we had udon noodles with stir fry: L* did the stir-frying.

Forty-nine days since her brother T*s death. L* served him a bowl of noodle and stir fry, arranged a place setting like an altar, with roses, candles, sage, and an origami swan.

Also, L* has been making origami swans to welcome back the spirits of the night. She hung them in the corner of the bedroom.

L*’s mom brought her non-cheddar goldfish crackers and they are a big hit.