Round 2

As I write this I'm at the chemo clinic getting a my second dose of docetaxel/taxotere.

It's too early for the ill effects to really start kicking in (I will likely feel the full force of it within about 12 hours). I am feling tired from the IV dexamethasone (steroid), an also IV Benadryl -- both to reduce nausea. The "dex" steroid will also keep me awake and give me some energy (enough so that I will have to take sleeping pills so tht I *can* sleep for the next few nights). I'm also taking more oral steroids (more dex) the day before, day of, and day after chemo. Lots of nausea prevention, and even still: this is and the most consistently nauseated that I've felt on any chemo.

In addition to all of the above, I took my own Ativan/lorazepam anti-nausea pill and a librium anti-anxiety pill before coming in.

So it makes sense that I feel a little tired right now.

I had a good weekend but was afraid that I may have overdone it, energy-wise. Twice in my last chemo series, my neutrophils (part of white blood and associated with immune function) were too low for me to safely get chemo, and they sent me away. Not today, though.

Jen and I shopped for and bought a new mattress Saturday (i had tge energy to visit 3 stores, which was impressive for me). Even after essentially closing down Palmer's bar in West Bank Minneapolis Sunday with friends from the touring Irish band Solas who were in town for the night, and then a busy day at home the following day getting ready for my dark week ahead, my cell counts we're normal (they always do a full blood panel very week). So that's a relief. I hate the side effects of this drug, but I want the (hopeful) benefit, so I was glad that I could proceed as planned today.

Yesterday's food and house preparations reminded me of preparing for a big snowed-in blizzard. These were common in the mountains when I lived there. Though slightly more common in the winter than the summer, just for the record.

Tonight I have the pleasure of Jen's company for likely a very bland dinner -- by my request, necessitated by the chemo. It's a testament to her well-established cooking ability that she can do that so well if need be.

The docetaxel has just finished and I'm just now starting to feel the first waves of nausea. And also the initially-entertaining but then soon afterward extremely annoying chemo hiccups, which last for a few days, sometimes affecting my sleep.

Here we go again.

Wish me luck, and hopefully I'll have another update in a week or so.