Mambo #5

Well, today was interesting right off the bat. It typically takes between 5 and 10 minutes to get from my house to the hospital.  Chantelle picked me up with 30 minutes to get there, but due to the weather, icy roads, and locals who seem to have forgotten how to drive in winter conditions - it took us almost an hour. CRAZY. But my good buddy Billy Dolan called for a little chat while we were en route and it totally helped the time go by.


Good news is I got a private room again and some great nurses today.  My hemoglobin is holding it's own at 117, dropped a bit but nothing too serious. I was REALLY tired as soon as we got there but didn't nap at all because I had LOTS of visitors today. It really does make all the difference. Chantelle came for the early shift and Mike and Parch for the late shift. It's nice having someone there who has never come before because I get to explain everything that's happening - makes me feel very knowledgeable, even WITH chemo brain.

Mambo #5 Posse below:

Parch and Mike - SUCH GREAT FRIENDS

Telly took the early shift AFTER getting in from meetings AFTER midnight the night before!  What a doll. I think she was as tired as me, but because I was pretty stoned, she was the entertainment today.

All Hail the Mighty Starbucks!

Again, the Decaf Soy Latte with no Flavour Shot is like the poor, dumb, ugly cousin of the Peppermint Mocha, but beggars can't be choosers these days. Since I limit myself to one or two coffees a week, I absolutely savored every drop. Thank goodness Chant shares my love of Starbucks. Actually, who am I kidding? I am a rookie compared to her!

I think poor Parchy got more than he bargained for after Chantelle left and Mike had to make a few phone calls. He was seated right beside me when the nurse removed the bandages to clean my port site. Those bandages are tough on my skin to begin with so it was rather uncomfortable having it pulled off when it was already so tender and he seemed a little squirmy while it was happening. Chantelle was quite glad to have missed it altogether. It is pretty bruised and bloody and irritated looking I think, but my nurse said from a nursing perspective it looks great.  And it really does hurt quite a lot less today, I even managed to wash, blow dry and curl my hair today! Funny, it kind of looks like a third nipple growing out of my arm.  Should be a good conversation piece once the bandages come off. 

I was surprised at how bruised and swollen it is down by my elbow until Parch pointed out that gravity likely has something to do with it.

So, at the end of my treatment Mike drove me home and after a quick chat with Tim, I hit the sheets for a two hour nap.  I was so out of it, I slept right through Bailey jumping off the bed, the dog walker arriving, taking Bails out and bringing her back.  Let's remember that every time my door opens, the alarm system beeps. Sweet Jesus, the house could have been invaded by a horde of burglars and I would have been blissfully unaware!

The only other news from today is that I got an appointment booked for my next CT Scan - March 13th. I am one part wild excitement looking for good news and one part pure panic that they will tell me my canser isn't responding as well as they would like to the chemo.  As ever, the waiting is the worst part of all this...but I will persevere. It's how me roll.*

*Chase Cory - 3 years old