Round 2

Round two of chemotherapy started this week. This time, it's out patient and I am very happy about that. One of the hardest things about the first round was being in the hospital for 4 1/2 days. I didn't go outside the whole time, and I love being outdoors. I started to get cabin fever at the end, spending so much time in one room.

With round two of chemo being out patient, I get to go home, sleep in my own bed, and breathe the fresh northwest air every day.

The two weeks since I last posted here have been a bit up and down. I was feeling pretty good on that Monday I wrote, but later that week it all caught up with me and I had a couple of days when I felt so fatigued I could barely think straight. On day 10 of cycle one, I had a blood test that confirmed my white cell count was super low, meaning I was very immunocompromised. By Christmas Eve, I was feeling better, but then I didn't sleep well and Christmas Day I felt just OK. By the evening of Christmas Day, I could tell I was fighting a fever, which is a little scary when immunocompromised. I talked to the on-call doctor and she was super helpful. I monitored my temperature closely and, by Sunday I was doing better. No trip to the ER required, which was a relief.

Last week, I felt a little better each day, some days more than others. By the day before round 2, last Sunday, I was feeling pretty good...maybe a lot like I did before chemo started.

And now I'm doing it all over again.

I have some anxiety about round 2 because the chemo drugs are being given over a shorter period of time which I'm afraid may exacerbate some of the side effects, like nausea.

As I type this, I'm halfway through round 2. So far, I've kept the nausea at bay. I can definitely feel the effects of the chemo. I was tired and bit weak yesterday evening, and am feeling that way today, too. It's to be expected. 

But after tomorrow, it's 2 of 6 down! 30% of the way there!

I'll post again early next week with an update.