Published intermittently by Elaine Madrid
Dear Friends,
Just an update on my progress. Thought the day after Thanksgiving would be appropriate since I have a lot to be thankful for. My side effects from the chemo are minimal. There was some nausea which has been taken care of with medication, but the hair is gone. It is trying to grow back but I think the cycle will repeat each time I have chemotherapy – hair dies, hair grows back, hair dies, hair grows back. The brown colonists are hopeful, but the gray colonists are so faint that those areas look bald. Now I know what guys go through as they watch their hair disappear. Better to just shave it off and be done with it. Good thing it’s winter (although it was in the 80’s here yesterday); wearing hats is not as conspicuous this time of year. A very humbling experience – thank goodness my hair is not my identity.
More highlights of the experience:
Best news: scans showed that the cancer has not spread beyond the lymph nodes. Hooray!
At least they told me I’d pee “red” the day after chemo. No “tidy bowl blue” surprises…
If I’d lost my hair before Halloween I could have gone as Mr. Clean.
Our bedroom is 99% complete so we’re not sleeping on a mattress on the floor as we were right after surgery, but it was easier to roll off the mattress with one good arm than it is to climb out of bed.
More free lunches and gifts. More new hats and scarves. Lots of nice cards and emails. Thanks!
Fun at the Carson rubber stamp show – felt pretty good - so nice to see friends.
Second 4 cycles of chemotherapy makes your face puff up – I already have a round face – who’ll know?
And, I did NOT have to host Thanksgiving dinner; just took pies and wine to Mary and Patrick’s house.
Thanks for your love and support. Keep a good thought.
Elaine
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