Diagnosis: Afterparty

Just as I did for every hospital treatment that first week (the ones I was getting anesthesia for: liver biopsy, colonoscopy, port placement) I made sure the apartment was super clean, bed ready to jump into, and everything prepared for me to come home and hibernate.

And just like every other hospital treatment that first week, I came home from chemotherapy on Wednesday feeling great, not sleeping, making dinner, and business as usual! Minus the fact that I came home with a fashionable pump in a belt bag for the second portion of chemo, that I had to constantly shuffle around, sling over my shoulder, or attach around my waist, there was nary a chemo symptom to be found.

I was overloaded with preparation on how to combat the inevitable debilitating nausea. I was sent home with two different nausea medications and told I could rotate them on a schedule; a method to best attack the nausea and keep food down. I was told I can always call the oncology center and receive hydration in an IV if the vomiting got too severe. I was ready.

The nausea never came.

The fatigue? I was warned I would feel like I was hit by a truck. The fatigue never came.

Another major symptom I was also promised would be immediate was cold sensitivity & peripheral neuropathy. Meaning touching anything cold would become painful, and cause tingling in my fingers and toes. Nothing happened at first. But on Thursday, while I was cutting some carrots for my juice, I finally felt it. The carrots were super cold, and after peeling them, and cutting them into chunks, my fingers started to tingle. Luckily Jimmy was home, and he quickly took over, and I regained feeling in my fingers. Outside of that little incident, which I now have a better game plan for, it’s honestly been smooth sailing over here- hence the lack of updates. I got the pump taken down on Friday (with more nausea warnings!), and still, no nausea. Perhaps it’s the ridiculous amount of garlic in my daily juice? Perhaps I’m like one of the 1% of people chemo will not affect? Perhaps it’s just beginner’s luck. I know the symptoms will become cumulative over time & that 1 easy round does not a smooth journey make. However, I’m just happy to take this as another win for now. Or perhaps, this is all a sign of how invincible I am & that cancer doesn’t stand a chance.