Today was our first round of Chemo and I am very pleased to report that it all went remarkably well. We spent several hours at The out-patient Cancer Center at Cedars Sinai. We were there from about 8am to 5pm. We had a private room, with a TV and a DVD player and mom was in a bed (as opposed to a recliner chair which is what most chemo patients are in). It was actually, a totally pleasant experience. We watched a couple of movies in our fancy room, I did the morning shift, Dad and Nikky came for the afternoon shift... it was relatively pleasant.
And so mom actually felt better today... the side effects (if and when we get them) will happen in the next few days... hair will fall out in the next few weeks... but right now she feels great. She is as peppy and happy as I have seen her in weeks. Which, is really welcome because we had a pretty hard weekend- a lot of pain, anxiety about today, nervousness, and non stop, serious head aches. I wouldn't say that the pain as any worse than it's been for a while, it's just that the consistency is unrelenting. And THAT is the rub. Imagine- having a stiff neck and a head ache for three months straight. It's getting pretty old, and she has just about had enough.
That being said, as I write this now, she is sitting up with Dad, Carter and Nikky, not in pain, and downright agreeable. We are enjoying tonight.
One thing I want to tell you all, because a lot have people have been asking, is that we ARE seeing a nutritionist, and we are on tons of supplements and she IS doing a protein shake. She is also seeing a acupuncturist several times a week. Dr Ha is his name. We love Dr Ha. He is a Chinese acupuncturist that is amazing- he makes mom feel so much better. He is like a human fortune cookie- he says the greatest things that make us smile...
The main thing that we are dealing with right now is that her neck still hurts like a mother fucker. And it's not just her neck. The stiff neck causes a headache, and so she gets in bed to relieve the headache and she gets a stiff back and then she tries to take a walk to relive the back and that makes her headache worse, and it goes on and on and on, and all she can do, literally, is stay in bed. And, if you know my mom, you can imagine why that just doesn't work for her. And so, it's painful, and obviously frustrating.
Her further frustration is, that she wants to get physical therapy, because, before the cancer diagnosis PT (Physical Therapy) was the only thing that gave her any relief. But since we discovered the tumor, we have not been (at doctors advising) doing PT. Claudette is (as many of you know she can be) CONVINCED that PT will help and she will tell just about any doctor or nurse she can get her hands on all about how right she is and how wrong all her doctors are. (which they probably are but I tend to agree with the people with degrees...)
But Claudette, as she always has, knows what is best for herself- and I am pretty sure that she will get her way in the end- even if we have smack a few doctors around to do so.
But thats what we love about her isn't it?
Other than all of that- the move is on- we have one of 11 rooms packed. Good god. Angela Foster is coming this week and I am looking forward to giving Dad and I some quiet time before the real shit hits the proverbial fan. Tate, the cats and I are moving back home for now- and hopefully mom will be strong enough, soon enough so we don't have to move back in. (not that its bad here, but home is always home).
And so.
We will keep you posted- people always say cancer sucks, it's brutal and long, it's a fight, and you have your good days and your bad days.
And I guess I never knew what that meant. I mean, how could I? But its true. All of it.
But the support helps. And we know the treatment is working now, and that helps. And the good days help, and so does all your friendship.
So thank you.
Till next time,
as you already know,
we will remain,
The Carters.
ps- Attached is what dad made this week.
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