Chemo Round 2

Today I'll be going in for my second round of Chemo infusion. I've been up all night due to the steroid they have me take the day before infusion. I take this for the first three days; these are my best days. Sure enough once the steroid is gone things start kicking in.

During my first round I felt like my symptoms were manageable. I had nausea, headaches, body aches. Overall these happened in short spurts treatable with meds or supplements. In other words, the entire day was not spent ill; just patches for me, randomly, and a bit daily.

As for not expected things, I had a weird reactions on day 10 that made my scalp bloody. Not clotting is a sign of platelet counts being too low. Labs performed than day had my platelets normal but my white blood cells were skyrocket high (normal max is 10 but mine were 21!) and my red blood cells were low. Like other symptoms, meds are given. They gave me antibiotics. Reminds me of healing a house (cleaning). In our small but comfy home we sometimes clean (heal) a room but in order to make that space work we dirty up another room (like our office or garage). By dirtying or cluttering we are in a sense making that room ill. It can be a tolerable ill until a breaking point is reached and intervention (aka cleaning or medicine if following analogy) is needed. I feel like major rooms in my body are being healed but others suffer and it's all treatable but it's a constant juggling and balancing act.

As for expected things, On day 14 I started to lose my hair. It's mostly gone now; the stragglers are just barely hanging on. With one hair wash these will be but a memory. I'm ready.

My chemo is a piece of cake compared to the pain Boston is experiencing now. I can't stop thinking about the Boston Marathon. My heart goes out to the victims, their families, and the town of Boston. It's just so heartbreaking -- especially the 8 year old who died. I can't help but think of my soon to be 8 year old who spectates my races. There for what's supposed to be a happy event filled with both trial and triumph. So innocent. So wrong. I'll be thinking of Boston as I go through my Chemo round today and pray for healing and answers.

Boston News links:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/04/15/us/site-of-the-boston-marathon-explosion.html?_r=0

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/16/us/boston-marathon-explosions/index.html