Chemo round 2 and I have to think of a more compelling headline

It’s been too long since I posted!  I suppose it’s a good thing that it feels like time is flying by since my cancer treatment seems likely to last at least a year and a few months…and I guess it’s good to focus on the day by day.   And the day by day has been pretty great so far!!   Maybe the whole year will fly by?That would be nice although I also want to enjoy the many amazing moments that happen.   Many of these moments are a credit to some who might read this – especially my colleagues since they’re most affected day-by-day by my shifting schedule.   I’m so grateful for the support I’ve gotten in various forms from my Duke Law ADO team.   The empathy and concern I’ve received from alumni has been very touching too and I can’t wait to get back out on the road and see folks across the country.  It may be a while, but it will happen.

Okay – so getting to the cancer treatment part.  Friday I had my second chemo treatment.   The basic drill for Fridays is I go to the lab so they can “access” my port, take blood to run blood tests, and place a catheter for the chemotherapy transfusion.  After that, my friend Jennifer and I went to meet with my medical oncologist, Gretchen Kimmick.   She had good news on my labs – they basically looked like my labs before chemo so that means I’m tolerating it well.   I asked if it was possible my ridiculous amount of water consumption is helping with that…and got a shrug.  Basically, there’s not a lot of science into who gets which side effects.   But, she did say, “you will lose your hair soon.”  So I’m waiting for that.  In even better news, she measured the tumor and it actually shrunk from 8×9 cm to 7×8 cm which is a lot for one treatment and means it’s working.   Once again I was so grateful for a friend to be there with me – I was so excited about my bloodwork I apparently missed the details about the tumor shrinking, Jen did not miss that important update!!   Whew, thanks Jen!   Once I realized this I did emotional cartwheels for an hour at least.

Next we went up to the chemo floor.  Learned a handy tip – no matter what time your appointment is the wait time is typically 45 minutes from when a patient checks in form chemo.  They have these handy little pagers (like some restaurants do) that notify you when it’s time to get your vitals checked – so if you happen to come to chemo with me remind me to go ahead and check in even if we’re early.  Many days I won’t have the doc appointment (only every third week) in between the port draw and chemo so this is especially important for those days.

Chemo was uneventful but fun (!) – somehow I managed to get a window room again!  My nurse was awesome and Jennifer and I settled in with snacks and chit chat.  The chemo only takes an hour and a half to administer but there’s lots of process beforehand.   My long time equestrian friend, Elizabeth Hays, joined us too and Jen and Eliz got to discuss all things teenager and Eliz and I downloaded a bit about horses.  This Friday’s chemo nurse called us the “party room” as did last week’s and I think perhaps that’s because I’m there on Friday nights but if you feel like coming and laughing a lot let me know.

After treatment finished I went to move my horse Banner to a different farm…unfortunately he wasn’t fitting in with the herd.   Kind of sad change, because of leaving human friends there, but I think is the best for him and I’ll keep up with the humans.  He is definitely a low man on the totem pole as far as his personality and fingers crossed he’ll start to settle in and put on some weight.  It might mean fewer donkey-riding opportunities for Scooter, but we will still go there for dog field trips because we must!

Saturday I was still kind of high on my positive cancer news.  While I took a moment to remind myself that it’s a marathon, and there’s still much more chemo, surgery, and radiation in my future, I decided to seize the day.  I went to turn Banner out with his new pasture mates and then met up with my friends Melanie and TJ Watson to go to the Red Mountain Hounds Hunter Pace.   This is always a blast and I’m finally in good enough riding shape I knew I would be able to walk afterward unlike the last few I’ve done with them (wherein at one point I had to request to slow the horses to a walk for a moment because I could no longer feel my legs.)  I was pleased to be able to keep up until mile 5 or so when my awesome mount Fiore (one of theirs) clipped her front shoe and pulled it while we were cantering down a rocky trail.   I told TJ and Mel to keep going because I wanted our team to win (!) and walked Fiore a good couple of miles to the nearest pasture so I could get back on her and ease on in for a DNF.  She was very compliant and I learned that hiking the hunter pace is, in fact, harder than riding it.   But I did it!

Sunday.  I think it goes without saying that I was exhausted.  I slept most of the day and went out to see Banner and give him a couple of shots he needed for NC.   Melissa and her son Liam came out to meet him and walk around the farm some too.  It was a nice evening.  Too tired for cooking or grocering I picked up some takeout afterward, went home, ate, and slept.   Well, I tried to sleep, it was a restless night as my legs seem to get sore a few days out (and I don’t think it’s all from exercise) and Scooter decided that there was a skunk or cat or raccoon or something circumnavigating outside the house so he wanted to go on patrol every two hours or so.  Sigh.

I still made it to the office and was able to join the team “huddle” for the first time in a few weeks due to my varying schedule.   I’m excited to get on a routine of being in the office most days – I am thankful that working from home is an option for me but it’s more fun and energizing for me to be in the office.

I took a nap late afternoon/early eve which was one of those epic naps that you have when one is exhausted and the mind is clear.   Made myself get up to finish this and some work things so I can sleep tonight.   Scooter has been out a lot today and I hope that helps!!