Post chemo blues

The past week has been the worst of all my chemo side effects. The nausea last week was terrible with me getting physically sick for the first time. Dr L changed my cocktail with the intent that it would help my bone marrow in recovery (which is still to be seen). Ian was home the week-end which was wonderful. I had a little job list for him (2 chores) that between myself and the boys we could not do. He left this morning again and will be home next Thursday evening. He has managed to convince his employer that coming home every 2nd week-end should be a long week-end! Much better for everybody! Dylan turned 17 yesterday. I can still clearly remember the day he was born and now we have a budding young man in our home. Ian took him for another driving lesson yesterday and Dylan even braved the quiet streets rather than just the church parking area! Well done Dylan!!

Last round Chemo

Monday I received my last round of chemo!! I can hardly believe that the chemo rounds are done and I am not feeling a level of excitement and optimism yet. I am sure that in three to four weeks time when I don’t have to face the next cycle I will start feeling the levels of joy and gratefulness that I should be feeling now. Monday afternoon I got home about 14h30 and spent the balance of Monday and Tuesday warmly snuggled up in bed. Even Sean asked me yesterday “how can you sleep more tonight after all those hours sleeping today?”, but that is exactly what the body needs right how. I have been feeling really nauseas and the aching joints have not started yet.

Sunday afternoon siestas

Sunday afternoon siestas are just the best thing since sliced bread. This week has passed at a rapid rate again. I saw Dr L (oncologist) on Wednesday and left with all the necessary paper work for the medical tests required in the next few months. Six weeks after this chemo round I need to have the tumour marker test done and schedule a visit with Dr V (gynae). Three months on I need to see Dr L with lung x-rays, CT scan of my abdomen and a load of blood tests to check my kidney and liver functioning, cell counts and tumour marker. This cycle then repeats itself every 3 months for one year, then we move to every four months for another year. I did not ask what happens after two years as we will face that when we get there.

Tomorrow I am dropping the boys at school and then Anet is coming to collect me to take me to the hospital for blood tests and then chemo if the counts are ok. I need to wait about one hour for the results so we will have a light breakfast at the hospital; they have a really nice café where we can relax.

Chemo Round 8 rescheduled

And history repeats itself again. My neutrophils are again too low for me to get chemo tomorrow and this time I have a double dosage of Medrol to take for a week. Last round of chemo scheduled for Monday 19 May. I am feeling quite depressed right now but will be better tomorrow.

Blood tests – chemo round 8

I have just returned from the hospital after having my blood drawn to test if chemo can occur tomorrow. Normally I have quite a firm feeling on whether it is on of off, but not this time. We should know by mid afternoon.

The beginner’s meditation workshop on Saturday was great fun and I hope that the eight people who attended now have the discipline to practice meditation for a few minutes a day. We are getting together Sat 24 May again to share progress and do a small group meditation. After all the folks left Saturday I had a 2.5 hour sleep!! Best sleep I have had in ages!

Mothers day was quiet and I was suitably spoilt by Ian Dylan and Sean. Dylan had his first driving lesson Sunday morning with Mom in the passenger seat. First thing Ian asked me when we got home is whether I needed a double whiskey! Ian left Monday morning again (04h15) to catch the 06h00 flight and will not be home for 2 weeks.

Single parenting

I am exhausted as I sit here typing this morning. The past few days have been hectic in terms of Mom’s taxi servicing. Besides the school drop off and pick up we have had extra tutoring sessions, sports training, career assessment testing and a dog that needed the vet. Our small mutt, Candy, has been limping for the past 2 weeks. Last week I took her to the vet and she was on anti-inflammatory medication to see if it would better the situation. The closing from the vet was that if she was not better after 7 days then she would need surgery to the right knee as the suspicion was that a few strands of the ligaments were torn. Yesterday morning early I dropped Candy at the vet for she scheduled sedation so that they can take proper x-rays of the joints to ascertain the exact problem. Candy is a dog that we adopted 5 years ago from Animal Anti-cruelty. At the time it was said that she was about one year old which we accepted as we are not qualified to dispute this. So, the outcome of yesterday is that Candy is OLD – she is 13!!! She has arthritis for which she is getting pain killers and a weekly injection and she has a bad ear infection. Other than that she is in good shape.

Ian has got the feedback that he will only be coming home every second week-end. I just hope he can negotiate that he comes home Thursday evenings and then departs Monday mornings before the birds rise.
On the home front: We have received and accepted an offer to purchase on our home, but this offer also has the condition that the buyers need to sell their property. The good thing is that the buyers current property is an entry level type home where there is still movement in the market. So, new deadline for off / on is 31 May.

Monday 05 May

In SA we have just had a week that contained 3 public holidays. Madness really when you think of the economic effects, but it seems to have had a positive effect on Escom (our local power supplier) as all planned power cuts have been terminated. Who knows for how long. Ian was home all of last week and we spent a lot of time together, mostly having lunches out so that I could still have my little afternoon rest. The boys were occupied with their own social lives, depending only on us for the taxi service. This morning Ian started his 5 month assignment in Bisho (a small town in the Eastern Cape) and I am waiting to hear if he will be coming home every week-end or every 2nd week-end. I am feeling good currently and am focussed on putting together a little workshop which is planned for Saturday. I have eight family/friends coming around for about 2 hours and I plan to teach them how to meditate. Should be fun and it is not too hectic in terms of effort and preparation for me.

Arie is home again and seems much better. The doctor is saying he had a virus that spread from the kidneys, into the blood and affected the brain.