#18 - Years!

Another big week in the books for us.  Angie's mom, Kathy offered to spend a treatment week at the house and help keep the kids on track with school, and to help Angie around the house while we were trying to knock down a fifth round.  She was a big help, and the kids loved it.  We made the trip to  MDA on Thursday for the typical blood draw, biggest gainer weigh in, and pre-treatment check up with the doctor.  As usual, everything went like clockwork and we were in the exam room in no time.  It was very nice to hear my regular PA and doc confirm what I had been told two weeks prior.  They were both impressed with the response and also confirmed that I was working on treatment number 5 of 6.  After some additional small talk about a nice family style Italian restaurant in town, I was sent on my way with orders for Chemo # 5 and a little Angie in my life. (Cue Lou Bega)

Chemo wasn't scheduled to start until 4:30, so I sent Angie and her mom for home to meet the kids coming home from school.  I ended up waiting quite a while to get things started.  I have noticed that the biggest difference between treatment #2 and #5 is that I started getting sick long before I ever started receiving drugs.  As a matter of fact, the mental association of the word chemo provides me with some nasty, albeit brief, flashes of sick.  I can't describe it as nausea, but it is terrible none the less.  Making the decision to post an update here actually gave me a quick flash.  It seems to pop up quite often. I hope it goes away but something tells me that the association might stick with me for some time.

The actual treatment went well,  I don't remember much.  I typically pack my ipad, my phone and prepare to keep myself entertained for the 6+ hours but I never seem up to actually using any of it after I tap into that first bag hanging from the IV pole.  I am usually pretty groggy from that point on.  The nurses were great, the port access was spot on, and I was done around 11 (I think).  A good friend of mine working late downtown swung by and drove me home (Thanks Scott) I am pretty sure that I spent most of the night in my bed, and most of Friday on my living room floor.  I started coming out of it Saturday morning but didn't seem to come around as fast as the last few. I didn't feel 100% until late Monday.

Sunday marked 18 years to the day that Angie and I were married and my new authoritarianism dictatorship began. By my account it has been a wildly successful reign.  I have been successful in squashing most of the  revolts such as the "Puppy Revolt" of 2013 and the "Try On These Skinny Jeans" revolt of 2011. Unfortunately others such as the "Broadway Les Misrables", and "Birthday Pedicure" revolts, both of 2012, were utter failures.  All kidding aside life is good.

As any dictator would do on an anniversary, I organized a child watch campaign, and a two-person parade to dinner/ night on the town Kim Jong Un style.  It was great to get away for a night.  We have typically spent previous anniversary's talking about the years that have gone by.  This year, I think we spent more time thinking and talking about the future. It was great.   Alright, this is mushy enough, I will end there before I pull some facebookish like declaration that would gag a maggot. (Angie, we can discuss offline)

Thanks for watching the kids Kathy.



Before I sign off,
After a long debate at bedtime this evening. Hudson has proven the following facts about giraffes.

• Giraffes don't lay eggs or sit on nests.
• Giraffes have furry horns, but they don't use them to poke dogs
• Giraffes don't eat dogs
• Giraffes don't chew on wood to sharpen their dog eating teeth.
• Giraffes don't use their long necks to keep their bodies away from dogs while they are trying to eat dogs.
• Giraffes don't have lips, they just have skin that looks like the shape of lips (still debating)
• Giraffes do Spar but it looks more like really bad dancing.

Gotta love em,

Corinne Mattinson,  thanks for the beanie,  I tried to be as "bad piggy" as possible to do it justice.