Wednesday, September 1, 2010

   Today was the 3rd day of my third round of chemo.  Because of the coming holiday, my appointment

times have been later, which for some reason, has goofed me up.  I have not been a powerhouse when

I get home, ready to leap tall buildings at a single bound, staying up until 2:00 a.m.!  Instead, I’ve been 

tired and fall asleep early, then wake up at 2:00 for the rest of the night!  One of my nurses says that 

she has patients who save up their scrapbooking and tape movies to watch for times like these.

   Today, Terry’s mom sent us a CD of Bill and Gloria Gaither, whom we have enjoyed for years.  We 

had the CD going in the car and I have a bunch of their songs on my IPOD.  I have programmed my IPOD 

with a lot of great praise music and at chemo was listening to “In the Garden”, which is an old Christian 

song, and I guess that I was crying while I was listening to it.  I opened my eyes to see a very concerned 

nurse standing over me, asking me if I was okay.  (It’s 2:30 a.m. now, and Im listening to it again, crying, 

my nose dripping on my laptop.  TMI!)  Terry says that tears remove toxins, which is interesting, because 

while I’m being pumped full of toxins, my tears are helping to take them away!

   I guess that part of the reason that I am writing this blog is to tell the story from the inside out.  Until I 

had cancer, I never gave any thought to how it feels or what chemotherapy would be like.   A nurse also

told me this week that the anti-anxiety drug that they give us is to somehow alter any negatives that we 

might feel about getting the chemo or just going to the chemo center.  For me, it’s a strangely comforting 

process - even though I’m being pumped full of poison!

I have my special chemo socks, the snuggly blanket that Blair made for me a few years ago, and my 

IPOD that helps to lull me to sleep.  The mix of drugs that they give me before the chemo itself, really

takes the edge off of the procedure.  So, it is really easy!

   Tomorrow, I go for the shot of Neulasta, which is the white cell booster.  Also, I won’t have the steroids 

that I get with the chemo, so this is when I start to do my emotional slide - hopefully I won’t slide very far 

this time!

   Thanks again to all of you who have sent cards and continue to pray for my recovery . .  God is at work!