Saturday, January 03, 2009

I'm still here, just tired, busy, and trying to relax.

I know I haven't posted in a while - I had relatives visiting, I had Hanukkah and Christmas to prepare for, and, oh, yeah, I spent a couple of days last week in bed in pain from the Taxol that is my final chemo drug. Hopefully that won't happen this time, but it was not unbearable, just approaching unbearable. The thing that was worse was getting sick from the Vicodin - I'll try sticking with Ibuprofen this time.

But anyway - it was a lovely holiday, and yesterday, during my 7-hour visit to my oncologist for lab work, doctor check, and chemo, I really enjoyed watching Season III of Weeds while simultaneously getting high on the Benadryl they were giving me in my IV. Though, I did worry that all the naked people in the episode where Andy does fetish porn (don't ask) might be inappropriate - fortunately, I was in a little room by myself.

I was advised to buy glutamine powder to take to prevent the muscle and joint pain I experienced last time, so I stopped at the hospital pharmacy on the way out, picked some up for $30, and then promptly lost it (I suspect it's still on the floor of the cab, though the cabbie checked and didn't find it - it's also possible that I threw it in the trash, thinking it was my McDonald's bag). So, after spending the entire day at the doctor's office, I got home and started calling around to see where on earth I could find Glutamine powder (answer: Whole Foods). I was happy to get home and into bed.

Today was used up on errands - Bean's guitar lesson, Bean's haircut, lunch at a great bakery that was closed last week when we tried to go there, returns/exchanges at Target, CVS for various meds/vitamins, my office for notes on my syllabus from last year so that I can redesign this semester's class, home (very briefly), back to the big city for my shot and then back to my office for some papers I forgot and then BACK to CVS for random things I needed. So again - good to be home.

I intend to watch the remaining episodes of Weeds tonight while eating cupcakes and Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream. Tomorrow is Bean's birthday, so if I am not in pain, we will play games (and I will try to squeeze in some work on my syllabus). I kinda wish my school had an interim session, and that I was not teaching it...

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad to see you blogging again. Your "final" round of chemo? Does this mean you are done with chemo now? (Correct me if I am wrong, but don't you go through radiation after being done with chemo?) How is it working while going through all of this? Would you quit if you didn't need the insueance? How's Bean holding up? Sorry for so many questions, I've been thinking about you the past couple of days. Btw, I got "feedjit" on my blog, and someone checks almost every day from "Motley, Minnesota". Is that you? (I try so hard to figure out who they all are.)

Plain(s)feminist said...

Not my final round of chemo - there are two more. But the drug I'm getting now is different than I got the first four times. It's my final chemo drug.

After chemo, surgery. Then radiation.

Working has been pretty easy - I have a flexible schedule, and I can do a lot of my work at home when I need to. No, I would not quit if I didn't need the insurance - I love my job, and I don't feel like I can't work. I feel pretty much like myself, except that sometimes I'm tired, sometimes my feet are numb, etc.

Bean is doing great.

Nope, I'm not Motley, MN.

;)

Erica said...

SO great to have an entry to read! I love your blog, I love the way you express yourself and share, and I've missed it! Welcome "back"! : )

Plain(s)feminist said...

Thanks, Erica - you motivated me to post again last night!

Renegade Evolution said...

glad to see you back, hope you're feeling better, and I've heard Weeds is awesome

Daisy Deadhead said...

Glad you are using the glutamine, it is worth its weight in gold!

(((hugs))) hope you are well. :)