Friday, November 2, 2012

A Slow Week Online...

Apologies for the quiet week on the blog front, but a couple of days at Kelowna General Hospital played a role in my inability to tickle the keyboard here. But, as I sit here on Friday afternoon, it's exciting to know I have only TWO more radiation treatments remaining. The treatment side will be finished!

Right now, I'm feeling pretty sluggish after the chemotherapy on Wednesday. It's been typical for me to be lethargic after the three chemo sessions. I've got it figured in my mind that chemotherapy is the process, but it's the bloody drug that gives the creeps. The culprit is a concoction called "cisplatin", which I think I've mentioned before.

This gunk gets poured into my body over a two-hour period, one greasy drop at a time. There is absolutely no pain associated with the process, just the notion that impending doom will surface for a few days. Before and after the drugs, fluid is constantly fed into me through the IV. So, in actuality, I gained three pounds while in the hospital. Sure, it's all fluid!

I can feel how this crap has made me feel bloated from head to toe. It's especially prevalent in my knees for the first couple of days, which makes it difficult to bend to much. I haven't gotten sick to my stomach at all, which seems to be a side effect many people tend to assume is automatic with chemotherapy. Not sure how or why I've dodged that bullet, but I'll take the good fortune in stride.

The shitty part of the deal for me is the impact the drugs have on my appetite. Eating has been pretty low on my priority list for many weeks, due to lack of taste and pain. But, I recognize that I am NOT eating for fun these days...it's about survival. After the chemotherapy, it's actually the sight and smell of food that turns me off. So, the upcoming weekend will just be another "gut check" of sorts to at least find a way to get some calories into my system.

I've got a few more thoughts for later...will get it all put together over the course of the weekend.

Thanks for dropping by!

3 comments:

  1. ONLY TWO MORE TREATMENTS DAD!! I am so excited :D

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  2. Almost there Glen! Keep up the fight and keep the postings coming. We miss your updates!

    Think of it this way. You just made a 15' birdie putt on 16 at Shannon and now your making the walk down the hill looking at the lake. It's a couple tough finishing holes but your on track for your personal best. Your almost there buddy!

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  3. Yeh, nice to have the treatment side winding down. Hoping to play a few symbolic shots at SLGC later in the week. We have a great stretch of finishing holes!

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