Nashville or Bust

Thru Chemo Gate #2

It’s been a long stretch of seven days and I’ve been avoiding the computer. A number of times I’ve floated towards the keyboard with intention to update on Dave’s progress. And every time I’ve found myself just as easily floating away — finding other things to take my mind off of stuff. But, as this long holiday weekend comes to an end and I’m busy getting the kids ready for ‘re-entry’ to normal schedules, I realize I have a few things to say.

Let’s start with the obvious: Cancer sucks.Bad.

Okay, so that was mature (not) but you get the picture.

Dave had his second chemo treatment this past Monday and as of Friday evening (day after Thanksgiving) it was finally ‘complete.’ As part of Dave’s treatment, (CHOP) he has to take one of the medications orally for five days. Yep, it’s not enough that he has to sit in the chemo lounge for several hours while an eerie cocktail of things I can’t pronounce very well, drips into his veins. He then gets to take five bitter pills after dinner for five consecutive days. Party on. Thank goodness for Jell-O cups. They’ve become the wiggly-jiggly chaser with smile benefits.

As we continue to figure this chemo thing out, we’re learning there is very little down time in which Dave’s body is “normal” and his mind “free.” And now that we’re back on track with a treatment schedule, this reality of how we will be living is admittedly wearisome. There are okay feeling days and flu-like, crappy feeling days during the first week. Going into week two (where we are right now) the immune system tanks and Dave is susceptible to any small germ. Currently, he has that awful golf ball feeling in his throat and ears so I’m sure tomorrow will bring with it antibiotics and more pill joy. Week three has some shining moments and days where we can almost forget about the disease. We really take advantage of those because we know that when the week is over, it is back to the lounge for more cocktail fun. Woo-hoo.

As far as chemo goes, there are four-to-six more rounds ahead. Dave’s doctor has discussed folding in radiation at some point once chemo reduces the tumor to a certain size. Then again, we’re still waiting on the full, post-surgery pathology report which may/may not alter the treatment plan. Dave’s been dealt some crummy cards but he still manages to outsmart the game.

And speaking of cards, here’s one Dave received this week (on a super crappy feeling day) that pumped him back up. I can only believe it was created by someone who has gone through all these gates as it has a certain voice of experience about it:

Front of Card

Inside left panel

Insight right of card with handy, dandy removable prop.

November 29, 2010 - Posted by daveandjacqui | Dave