Number Nine, Up and Running

Chemotherapy day again. Number Nine up and running. 3/4 of the way through.

Kevin had an early appointment today--8 a.m. It was pretty quiet in the clinic for the first hour or more so he got in a needed nap which has helped him through the day. Another couple of hours of napping this afternoon has helped tremendously.

Doctor added Magnesium to his medicines here at home because of low levels in his blood work. His hematocrit, RBC and platelets are low too, apparently part of the game. I'm taking all sharp objects away from him--don't want him bleeding out over a paper cut this week.

Gorgeous day today--upper 70s and sunny. We ate supper out on the patio tonight then stayed outside and Kevin caught up on some work via his laptop.

Kevin went down to fill the feeders--a far cry from that blizzard day a couple of months ago when I caught him trudging up the hill in the snow just hours after chemotherapy. He looks like a dedicated bird watcher out there--the infusion pump draped over one shoulder like a binocular case and his hat in place to shield his eyes from the glare and his balding head from a quick sunburn. He's lost some more weight and looks more frail this week.

All in all Kev says he's feeling pretty good though. Not as blasted as he immediately felt last treatment; a wonderful and unexpected blessing.

But I still see the tell tale signs of those side effects creeping in---a cookie with only two bites out of it--anyone who knows Kev knows he would never willingly neglect a chocolate chip cookie this way--and room temperature water, no ice, sitting in his glass instead of the ice cold milk he believes is the only thing properly matched to a good cookie. The cold sensitivity is already in full swing, his appetite is fading and the perpetual headache of chemotherapy week has set in fast.

It's always such a roller coaster. There are no small health concernss for him right now because you always worry that they are indicative of some BIG something lurking below. We spend 11 days trying to build him back up so the chemotherapy drugs can kick the shit out of him again for these three long days.

So we go on from here and see where this week takes us on this road. He feels pretty good tonight, given the day. Even in the very real moments of side effects and doubts we remain certain of the blessings and bounty of our days.