Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Exactly as Planned

I have a nice change of pace being in the hospital this week. I'm slowed down, letting everyone else do the work. Walt comes by in the morning with coffee and the newspaper and in the evening to make sure I'm not crying.

I was crying most of the day Saturday. I couldn't seem to find the off button. I got my sinuses all irritated and then I didn't feel much better after all that. I was just scared. Worried not only about my health, but about all the people around me who seemed to be on a not quite even keel either. I need these people, all of them. And I appreciate them.

However, Sunday my head was in a better place even though my stomach was mostly in my mouth that day. Darn it. We were all scrambling to find something to settle the nausea. One of the things I've done at home often is let half an Ativan pill dissolve under my tongue, but it didn't have time to dissolve here. And so we've been down the list. Hopefully we have a combination of small bites and meds that will keep at least some of the food down this time.

I just started the 5th bag of chemo. Five of Six. The last one will start in the wee hours of the morning and I will go home tomorrow. Despite losing the majority of the food I have eaten in here, I have managed to gain weight, a few ounces each day. I guess that's an indicator of normalcy. After I spent 5 days in Boundary Waters eating dehydrated food, I only lost 4 pounds. sigh.

For once, a hospital visit has gone exactly as planned. I come in Saturday, get 3 days of chemo on alternate days, and I go home. Dr. McGuirk thinks I will not have to be at the clinic every day when I go home, but I'm leaning pretty heavily on transfusions again, so we'll see how that goes.

I feel great but I want to write because I might forget again. I watched the inauguration yesterday on TV and enjoyed that.

Last night I had a knock out headache so took heavy drugs and slept through the biggest loser, darn it! The headache is apparently part of the chemo side effects. I can deal with it as long as I know it's temporary.

So I'll keep you posted. Soon as I have a new schedule.
CSM

1 comment:

Mags said...

So good to hear from you! I can't believe how long 3 days seems sometimes! Very glad that things have gone as planned this visit and you have not had to deal with more "surprises." Keep up the great positive attitude! We're all here rooting for you!!