Yesterday was a long session, 10am to 4:30pm.
But, unlike last cispatin-round, no nausea so far. And the nurse found a vein the first poke.
My blood count was a little iffy whether or not to go forward with the chemo that day, but the oncologist felt that staying on schedule was more important than the low numbers, especially since I felt pretty good.
One thought I had after completing the first round fairly unscathed is that some of the chemo patients I've met become so obsessively focused on analyzing their feelings and body-state in real time that they give undue weight to things they'd otherwise just shrug off. Woody Allen once said, "More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly." I see that a lot with some cancer patients.
There are many legitimate issues I've been going through--fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, some nausea--but when I don't focus on it, when I don't let it occupy more of my attention that it requires--it's easier to get through the unpleasant times.
Compared to what others are going through, dialysis patients for example (three times a week, three hours a session for the rest of their lives), I don't think I have it so bad. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Five more treatments and I'm through.
Besides, my wife thinks I look okay bald.
