2/3 Done

Today was the 8th installment in the 12-part series know as "Toad's Chemo".

To begin with, Johnny was very tired this morning from staying up so late to watch the Yankees win. (SIDE NOTE: Many people don't know this, but Johnny is a big Yankees fan!) I head off to chemo with a sleepy Toad.

Our update with Dr. Ansari held no new information. Things look good from the physician perspective and Johnny and Dr. A spent more time talking about hunting than cancer. I think that is good! Johnny still doesn't like the fact that he is so cold intolerant these days. This, too, shall pass, we were told.

Accessing the port and lab draws were relatively uneventful. Hooking up the chemo made Johnny pretty "urpy" today from the smell of the alcohol wipes they use. We will try to remember to cover his nose with a nice smelling cloth next time. It was the closest he has been to getting sick during chemo.

Then, he slept the rest of the time.

OK, well he did wake up for lunch that Sonya brought us from Panera . . . YUM! Sonya, it was so nice to finally get to spend time with you! Lunch was great, but the time with you was even better. Love you.

Usually when we get home, Johnny is up until early evening - like 6-ish. Today he kept his eyes closed for the whole ride home (and I took the scenic route along Riverside Avenue to look at the pretty colors, too). When we got home he headed straight to bed with a little tummy ache and body aches. He attributes the body aches to moving tree stands yesterday, but was willling to take some medicine to help knock out the pain. He also took some additional nausea meds.

I really hope that this is just a fluke and he will continue with the normal trend he has established with chemo. Who knows. One thing we have figured out is that anything can happen, even when you think you have it figured out. Hopefully he will have a restful night and just sleep through the bad part.

On the bright side -- he smells baby-fresh again! You can't beat that!

There are some other side effects that he has been experiencing. I've talked about the cold intolerance before, and that continues like gang-busters. I even bought him this neoprene head cover with a little nose/beak cover thingy so that only his eyes are exposed. It looks like something a deep sea diver would wear. When he has been out in the cold recently, he feels little nerves in his face, especially his nose. His hands get cold easier, too.

Another thing that has happened is the skin on the palms of his hands has darkened considerably, along with the fortune-teller lines. They are really dark. I'll bet if he actually went to a fortune teller, she would freak out from the color of the lines! It might be fun to do, actually.

Nothing really earth shattering, but interesting nonetheless.

I'm just ready to be done with all of this chemo crap, get on with the surgery and start the final healing process. Hopefully by his birthday next summer we will have the "all clear". I can tell you when that happens, we are going to have one heck of a party! Seriously.

OK, now on a totally different subject matter altogether: Have you ever heard of FarmVille on Facebook? Jake needed a new "neighbor" so he asked me to start a farm on this little game on FB. Before you start making fun of me (I'm already a level 7 after only 2 days!) you need to know that there are a boatload of people playing this. I am talking grown, professional adults. Not just kids! I am completely addicted and was upset today because Hematology/Oncology's Wi-Fi didn't work so I couldn't harvest my soybeans. I know! I was telling Sonya about it and one of the hem/onc nurses came over and said, "Are you talking about FarmVille?" She is a level 26! All the really cool kids are playing it. So, if you get on FB and start a farm, please send me a gift. I promise I will send you something in return. Visit my farm, and you will notice I have a plan to surround it with fruit trees.

And I don't want any messages sent to me telling me that I have lost my mind. I won't answer you anyway because I will be busy farming! Have to go now, my strawberries need to be harvested and the cow milked.