Oh Where Is My Hairbrush?

So I am halfway through chemo round 1, and fairing much better this treatment than last. Thank God.

Monday morning I was getting ready to go teach my British Literature class at the co-op where my boys get their math (Adv. Math-Matt; Alg 2-Mikey), physics (both), worship band (Matt), and art studio (Mikey), and Mikey noticed that there was hair all over my shirt. Went upstairs to check the pillow, same story. But no patches, or was it even really noticeable, so off we went to co-op. Then chemo, which I was nervous enough about to make my hair fall out, just because I wasn't sure if every chemo would be as hard as the first one was, which, again, thankfully, it wasn't. Later that night, Amanda was running her fingers through my hair and, I thought, enjoying herself a bit much, watching it fall through her fingers. Tuesday morning I took a shower and looked down and there were a few handfulls. Then I dried my hair and it was just flying everywhere. Not in clumps or anything, more like a cat shedding. And not noticeable beyond thinning. But it kept flying every time we touched it, so I decided to get the upper hand and asked Dave to go ahead and shave me. So it's done. Not the end of the world or anything, but a wardrobe adjustment that I'm trying to figure out so I feel comfortable and not a walking billboard. As you can tell from the photo, Dave shaved his head for me, with me, because we're cheesy like that.

This 2nd treatment has been like day and night from the first. The anti-nausea meds seemed to work really well to keep things at bay. And I'm on day 3 since, and done with them for this treatment, with no incidents of hurling, or even near hurling. Which is good, because I hate to hurl. I still am dealing with a minor headache I just can't seem to shake. But it is not anything like the caffeine withdrawal headache I was plagued with last time, on top of the chemo. Which may have been the hardest part of it. The other side effect I got last time that we're hoping doesn't happen again this time, is that I got thrush in my mouth. Yes, thrush is something babies get. But I can understand why they don't eat now. Thankfully, my friend Heidi, who is a pediatric nurse and sees these kinds of things, helped Dave figure it out on the phone that night, and the oncologist concurred. I had meds to deal with it the next morning, and was on the mend to the point of being able to eat, and taste, the day after that. Please feel free to pray about the headaches and the mouth issues. I understand that mouth sores and such are common with chemo, and I already have sensitive gums, so this is something that makes me nervous.

My mum went with us to the chemo treatment, and then took me for my white blood cell shot Tuesday, and then stayed around even today, helping out and just making sure things were ok, like mum's do. I think we were all pleasantly surprised that I was fairing so much better this time. I even got out a bit today. Went to see my tennis team play. Went to the chiropractor to get "straightened out", if that is possible, with me. Even took a short walk to a friend's house, who is also battling the nasty c-word. Her name is Linda if you wouldn't mind praying for her when you think of me.

I am really so very grateful to God that I am feeling so well, and it's only Wednesday! I still have a whole weekend and another week to boot, before my next chemo treatment. I'm also very grateful for all the prayers, which I know are carrying me, and so smoothly, as God is being so merciful to me, to delight in answering them. Thank you, and please don't stop.

And now, it's time, for silly songs with Larry. For those of you who don't know Veggie Tales, you're in for a treat. This is, to me, the most appropriate way to end, the "Oh Where Is My Hairbrush" post.