On this round we turned the corner, went over the hump, started rolling downhill (hmmm). In a way this is a very heartening thing. I can see the end..literally less than a month from now. However, I have two more treatments in that time…not so nice.
Birthdays have become both more and less significant this year. On the one hand, Aidan turns 5 tomorrow. His party is this afternoon. I look at him and think, “Ah, he’s not a baby anymore. He’s not even a little boy.” He’s a big boy now and that’s a good thing. Sam and I have done a fair job raising him so far. He is kind and fair and polite to everyone (except his mother and sometimes his sister :). On the other hand, my birthday was on Wednesday and I just couldn’t get there. The day was an absolute drag. Somehow the anniversary of my birth has been eclipsed by the anniversary of my diagnosis. In the next few years, and really for the rest of my life, a great deal of emphasis is going to be placed on how many years I survive from diagnosis. Kinda takes the wind out of turning 36.
This round was both easier and more difficult. Most of the ‘side-effects’ were lessened. I wasn’t as nauseous. I didn’t have any mouth ulcers. I slept better. However…I’m sooooo tired. When they said the exhaustion was cumulative, they weren’t kidding. I’m pretty sure after the last round, I’m going to be a slug for a good month. The onset of winter (and chemo) have done strange things to my skin as well. I knocked on a friend’s door and split my knuckles open. And little injuries and bruises take an age to heal. I’m also dry, dry, dry. Like a normal winter magnified. We’re moving into the holidays and Sam will be home quite a bit for the next few weeks. That should make it easier to rest and recoup between rounds 5 and 6.
Thanks for everyone’s well wishes. We’re always glad to hear from everyone and see folks…just call if you’re going to drop by and check with Sam on my counts. I want to finish on January 3rd…no delays.
:)k
GrnGrl 