1/4 Treatment Done + Hair-loss + Stuff I Get in the Mail

On Wednesday  (the day before turkey day), I had my 2/8 treatment, meaning I'm 1/4 the way done with 1 cycle finished.

Yay!

I normally have treatment on Thursday's every other week, but because of turkey day, I had mine the day before... along with every other cancer patient in Seattle.  The wait for treatment was 2 hours (!), that was a lot of pissed off cancer patients. I was in around 12:30 PM, and didn't get home until about 6:30- talk about long days.

This go around, was a little better thank my first treatment.  "Better" being relative: I didn't have the painful salivary gland pain problem, and my jaw pain from the V wasn't nearly as bad.  The bone crushing pain from nulasta wasn't present- or at least I didn't feel it as I had taken claritin every day after getting the shot.  I did have some nausea, but it was pretty light and easily managed with the anti-nausea drugs (although I imagine over eating on turkey day probably caused some of it).  The fatigue though hit me pretty hard, spending half the day in bed for the last 4 or 5 days, and currently I'm starting to slowly move to my "up week" with some energy.

Oh yeah- my hair has started to shed.  I might need another "trim" in the next couple of weeks. Which is a normal side effect of most chemotherapy drugs.  Basically the drugs attack the rapidly growing cells in the body- which are the cancer cells, stomach lining (hence nausea), mouth (mouth sores+ pain), and hair follicles.  Newly diagnosed: Most patients shave their heads, because well- it's kind of messy.  It tends to come out in clumps and patches- although everyone is different.  Mine is kind of shedding evenly- and pretty lightly, so far anyway.  If you're wondering- yes, of course it grows back after treatment.

Head coverings:  So I decided to wear a hat for my hair loss, with my hair cut to reduce stray hair being everywhere (I do have cats, so it's not like I'm not used to it).  I currently have 3 1/2 hats- I didn't put together the frog hat yet my friend Lynn sent me (shame on me).  

I think it might be "indoor" only (but I will wear it!)

My friend Tom in CA sent me the hat on the right, and my boss sent me the scarf on the left.  Did you know I like gray things?  I do- it matches all of my clothes.  Which are gray.  Entirely gray.  (Technically I do own 1 red sweater- honest).

Mainly I decided on a hat- because well, I'm a dude.  Any hat or super short hair cut/buzz cut/bald head will due.  It's a pretty easy decision. I'm a guy: as long as I wear a peacoat- I'll look good. Most "head coverings for cancer patients" are geared towards women- for obvious reasons, with scarves and wigs.  The hair pieces for men look like they belong on 1970's porn stars.  No seriously:

That or I'd have to start teaching wood-shop or something.

I'll just get a pair of big rimmed glasses instead:

Post Op Post + Hats & Cats

Today is the first day I don't ache constantly since my port + bone marrow biopsy on Friday.

I had thought the bone marrow biopsy would be the worst, but I was so out of it, that I hardly remember anything about it.  The port though- that was a pain in the ass (well technically, the biopsy was, as it was on my illiac crest and my ass/lower back is tender from it- but you know what I mean).

I explained what it was like to have the port in me to my friend Will Corr, who visited me the day after- and commented on my port "It's like you're in a Cronenberg movie."  Yup pretty much, except minus, you know- the gross parts + murder.

Most of the aching from the port, and not so much the incision- it was the pressure of having a "thing" placed under my skin + muscle.  When I bend over, I can feel the weight of the port moving around etc.  Odd sensation.

Day-of was pretty bad, day after a little better- and today I can lift my arm above my head, and it's not a constant aching soreness.  Then again the meds they gave me are pretty *awesome* and won't let me drive as long as I'm on them.  Hopefully today is the last day I'll need them. I am surprised by how quickly I recovered from it though, 2 days isn't so bad.  The lymph node biopsy I had a few weeks ago put me out of commission for a week- then again that was a much more substantial procedure.

I also got a package yesterday:

I got my first hat.  I don't think I've worn a hat regularly since I was 11.  I think I'll need 3-4 more hats, Wendy will help me- so I can have some style with my hat selection.  I've been wearing it around, to break it in and getting used to wearing a hat- since I'll be wearing one for the next few months.  Oh and that's the Omega Man in the back there behind me, I do not want to be in a post apocalyptic world where Charlton Heston is the only survivor, or Will Smith for that matter.  Maybe Vincent Price though.

Wigs are typically geared more for women than men for obvious reasons- also, all of the men's wigs look like they belong on 1970's porn stars. I'm going the "hat" route.  I'll post thoughts on hair loss and chemotherapy in the future probably. I'll get my hair cut down to 1/2" in the next couple of weeks, since I won't be exactly needing it during chemo.  I haven't cut it in awhile, so I'm getting pretty mop-muppet-headed right now.

Thursday I'll finally begin my first chemo treatment, #1 of 8 (hopefully I'll keep the same amount of "looking forward to it" optimism after my 6+ treatment).  I'm making up a schedule of exercise, cooking, and stocking up pre-chemo-appointment that I'll be doing every-other week for the next few months.  I'm also curios as to how it'll effect me, whether my reactions to the meds will be strong side effects or minimal side effects.  The Doctor told me with my health and age, I should do fine with treatment, but I'll just have to see come Thursday and the days after. I'll probably post more about that next time, and what diet changes I'll be needing.  But for now: