The Week That Was - Ended December 18, 2009

Our friends came over for dinner last Friday night. We brought in food from Riz, always wonderful and tasty. Unfortunately, Daryl who organised the evening came down with stomach flue and could not come.  We had a great time. I monopolised Judith all night which was wonderful.

My back had started hurting in the afternoon. This is listed as a possible side effect of getting Neulasta. The pain was not so bad. I went to bed around 9, and the pain was getting worse. I took a couple of Tylenol 1s, just so I could get to sleep. Woke up every four hours to take more Tylenols. The process lasted about 30 hours. This was the most painful back pains and the strangest experience I have gone through.

At the risk of offending some of you, it felt like someone had put firecrackers up my ass. Once lit, my hips would start this uncontrollable surge rising off the chair in spasms. Janet could not stop laughing when she saw it happen. It takes about an hour for the Tylenols to kick in. In the meantime, the lower back pain had started to spread up toward the middle back. This was a bone pain as opposed to a muscle pain. Heating pads did not work. But the Tylenols did.

I woke up on Sunday morning at 4Am, about an hour late for my Tylenols. No pain. I got up and went downstairs, ate something and just reveled in a pain free life. Janet and I discussed this a bit further in the morning and wondered whether this was the Neulasta finally kicking in. I spent Sunday full of energy but tired from teh previous day. Monday confirmed that the Neulasta was finally working. Only took a week.

I spent Monday and Tuesday just doing things. I had energy. I went shopping. I did not nap in the afternoons, except for about 30 minutes around 5PM. Lasted longer in the evenings. Good times.

Wednesday started in such exciting fashion. Blood work followed by the last Art Therapy Session, which I have already covered. I went for Christmas lunch at David’s office. Did not last very long, but it was good to see everyone. Went home after for a well deserved rest.

Thursday was chemo day. I was a bit apprehensive hoping for an increased white blood cell count. I was confident that it had gone up based on my energy level. Sure enough, the count jumped from 0.9 to 8.4. We arrived at the Chemo Daycare at 8:30, and had to wait till 9:30 to be taken in. Left there all done around 12:20. I am handling the chemo a lot better than previous sessions. Next chemo is set for December 30.

In the meantime I have a tooth that has to be removed surgically. I am seeing the dental surgeon on Tuesday. They will have to decide whether the operation is possible or not, or whether there will be too much bleeding. Avastin makes bleeding a dangerous option.

Chemo tires you out. There is no other word for it. Stayed home all day Friday. Thinking of going out tomorrow afternoon.

Janet is off work till January. We might go to a matinee one day. Looking forward to that. And oh yes, we need a new vacuum cleaner. Our old one is now about 25 years old, hated and despised by all. I asked the salesman what makes a good vacuum cleaner. His answer was suction. So I bought this thing that has had amazing suction. But all good things come to an end.

Life is so exciting, no?