Had an odd night’s sleep. Slept well but my legs and back were bothering me – aching almost like cramps. Woke up at 5:15 am (my pre-cancer treatment daily wakeup time), puttered around until 6:00 am when Ann woke up and then went and rode the LIfeCycle for 24 minutes. My guess was the lack of activity was causing the aching. The bike worked like a charm. Bike, breakfast, and it’s time for nap. Good Morning!
Today we’re packing up for a two-day trip to Boston’s wonderful Longwood Medical Campus. Beth Israel Hospital is around the corner, but the Longwood campus features Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Brigham & Women’s Hospital – all connected by bridges, all bright and welcoming. There’s even a hotel and food court connected to the campus.
Tomorrow morning, I get some blood drawn (a trip to Dana Farber wouldn’t be a trip to Dana Farber without a little blood), see the oncology team, and then head over to the infusion room to start Round Two of chemo. This time, after having near six liters of fluids pumped into me plus a diuretic, I don’t need to endure a ride back to Worcester fraught with pit stops. Instead, we’ll walk over to the hotel and stay there, which will be far more comfortable. The next morning at DFCI, they’ll give me a couple of liters of fluid to flush my system and then we’ll be on our way back to Worcester, well rested.
Maybe I'm naive or foolhardy, but I have no anxiety about Thursday's chemo treatment. I understand that I'll have a couple of rough weeks, but I've been there before and came back. I also realize that I started my first chemo treatment stronger physically than I am now and the therapeutic effects are cumulative. The bottom line is chemo is no stranger, rather a friend that has to hurt me to heal me. If I don't fight it and do my best to get along with it (go with the flow in hippie talk) my days will be lighter. A week from now, I may not be so cavalier, but this is how I feel today. Relaxed. Good to go. Bring It On!
Had a visit from nephew Eric today. He is in town on business. We talked music (including his new band and recording project) and film. Then I filled him in on the Sher family, specifically Yussel, an artist in oils and charcoal, and a mentor to me as a young poet. Yus was a beatnik, a denizen of Greenwich Village, and defied convention. Thought it would be good for Eric to be well versed in all the family history!
My back and legs are aching again. Will ask the docs tomorrow what they think. If this is a side effect, it is a late blooming one, though I did have lesser aches when the chemo was doing its most intense work. Then again, I was on painkillers for my mouth, so who knows?
We counted all the meds to determine what refills are needed. I start the steroids tonight. Time to finish the packing. Tomorrow morning, we head to Boston. Onward!
Love…
Richard
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