Two Weeks
It's been two weeks since my last chemo. Chemo was every two weeks, of course, and so usually I would have spent last night Not Thinking About Chemo Tomorrow. It feels wonderful and weird not to have it looming there.
Lingering after effects of chemo that will take a long time to go away: I hate popsicles. When I was getting chemo drugs, I had to eat something cold. It reduces blood circulation in the mouth and reduces the likelihood of mouth sores. At first I would do popsicles or lemon ice. But the chemo also makes me feel sick. So I've come to associate them with nausea.
I don't really much care except that Adam LOVES popsicles and buys them when he's home. They're always in the freezer. I finally asked him if he could not eat them in front of me. I don't mind that he has them, and can ignore them, but the sight of them---ick.
On the good side, every time I slipped on my chemo schedule, every day after two weeks I felt almost exponentially better. So by this weekend, I should feel absolutely great. I don't think I really know what it means to feel good anymore (I think I feel pretty good now, even though I have some mild neuropathy and get tired walking around the block.) I can't imagine what it will feel like to be so much better. I'll wander around like I'm drunk.
Lingering after effects of chemo that will take a long time to go away: I hate popsicles. When I was getting chemo drugs, I had to eat something cold. It reduces blood circulation in the mouth and reduces the likelihood of mouth sores. At first I would do popsicles or lemon ice. But the chemo also makes me feel sick. So I've come to associate them with nausea.
I don't really much care except that Adam LOVES popsicles and buys them when he's home. They're always in the freezer. I finally asked him if he could not eat them in front of me. I don't mind that he has them, and can ignore them, but the sight of them---ick.
On the good side, every time I slipped on my chemo schedule, every day after two weeks I felt almost exponentially better. So by this weekend, I should feel absolutely great. I don't think I really know what it means to feel good anymore (I think I feel pretty good now, even though I have some mild neuropathy and get tired walking around the block.) I can't imagine what it will feel like to be so much better. I'll wander around like I'm drunk.
posted by Maureen McHugh at 9:29 AM
3 Comments:
Congratulationas on another milestone - your first week of NO chemo! There is nothing like the feeling of your energy returning. I remember one day getting all fired up about something and then jubilantly proclaiming, "I'm back, baby!" You will have that joy and energy sooner than you expect. And it will feel marvelous.
Richard, I might be actually a little drunk, too.
Jeanette, I'm ready to have the energy back, I'm already feeling pretty joyful.
Welcome back (though I am a couple days late). It took me well over a year before I could look back at myself during chemo and realize how tiring it actually was. And see how good I feel now. I thought I felt pretty good during chemo. But I didn't have to work, and I slept about 14 hours a day. I think back on the things that tired me (which I started taking for granted) -- and I mean tired me to the point of tears some times -- and I am amazed. Amazed at how I handled chemo and amazed how good I feel now.
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