Round 4/"Magic Mouthwash"/Eyebrow Update

I completed round 4 of infusions this week. There's not much to add as it all went as it usually does. I'll have the usual after effects as I've described before. I'm really hoping I can get past the nadir next week without going to the hospital. Now that four rounds are done, I've got just two remaining. It makes me so happy to think that, next round when I finish my three days of infusions, I'll be able to say to myself, "Just one more round!"

I had a CT scan and saw my medical oncologist last week. The scan revealed no additional cancer, which is a great result. It also showed that the tumor I do have is about the same size. The doctor told us early on that it wasn't common for tumors like mine to shrink very much, so it wasn't unexpected. He recommended we continue with the chemotherapy treatments. Once I've completed all six, then we'll assess next steps for other possible treatment, including surgery and radiation.

During the last round of chemo my mouth got pretty sore. This is a common side effect of chemotherapy. The chemo drugs target fast dividing cells and, as it turns out, that applies to the cells in our mouths. During the first two rounds, my mouth got a little sore but it wasn't significant. With round 3, the soreness was definitely more pronounced, and made it a little hard to chew and swallow for a couple of days. When I reached out to my care team to ask for help, I discovered something informally known as "Magic Mouthwash." (I don't think the pharmacists call it that.) 

Magic Mouthwash is a mixture of lidocaine, Maalox, and Benadryl. The ingredients are meant to numb the mouth and give protection before eating and/or to give pain relief after eating. My mouth soreness resolved on its own before I could get this concoction, but I now have a bottle at the ready. If the soreness gets to the point that it did last round, I'll definitely be swishing and spitting with this stuff for a day or two. I sure hope it lives up to its (informal) name, "Magic Mouthwash."

Finally, what you've all been waiting for: Yes, I still have eyebrows! They have thinned, but they are definitely still there. My hirsute ancestors' genes are robust, apparently. (It's strange. The hair on my head, except for the eyebrows, is gone. I haven't shaved my face in many weeks. The bit of hair on my hands is gone, but not my arms. Same for my feet/ankles, but not my legs.) I just may get through this with my eyebrows intact!