Sunday, August 2, 2009

What? 2 updates in 2 days? You better believe it!

And now, a continuation of the weeks of chemo. When we left our description of chemo, I was expounding on the gross things that seem to surface during Week 2. But all Week 2's must come to an end and give way to Week 3's.

Oh Week 3, the sweetest of all of the weeks. How I wish I was living in Week 3 right now! Gone are the nose sores and fungal mouth of Week 2. The nausea and fatigue of Week 1 is but a distant, ethereal memory. Week 3 rides in as if on a breath of fragrant Spring air, fresh and rejuvenating, ready to lift me to new heights of wellness.

In all seriousness (ha! like I can be serious), Week 3 is the BEST! WEEK! EVER! I've plowed through the white blood cell nadir of Week 2 and have regained a healthy immune system. I've stopped taking my chemo pills and have managed to excrete any infusion remnants. My bone pain has subsided, and I've slept off my percocet hangover (I like to picture this like something out of a drug movie, with puking and sweating, but it's just a long nap). Thinking no longer feels like trying to push a watermelon through the eye of a needle. In short, I'm pretty normal and healthy.

But the best thing about Week 3 is that I am not only normal and healthy, but that I'm in a position to compare that normal, healthy feeling to the rest of chemo. So, while I am really just regular HM, compared to the HM of weeks 1 and 2, I feel like super HM. To illustrate how amazing this feeling is, here is a list of things that I have resolved, in all seriousness, to do during the last 2 Week 3's: train for a marathon, write my young adult novel (kids, this will happen, but probably not during chemo), learn to skateboard, go clubbing in NYC, etc. I feel peppy and vibrant and inspired.

Unfortunately, Week 3 is followed shortly by another Week 1, but I'm encouraged by the fact that there will be a final Week 3, followed by no chemo. I'm hoping that going through chemo will prevent me from taking this feeling of vitality for granted, and that I'll have the perspective needed to really flourish once it's over. Then, I can become one of those people who gets really into the pink ribbons and starts talking about how cancer is the best thing to ever happen to me and living each day to the fullest. You'll love that.

2 comments:

  1. Hey,
    I really wanted to comment on this blog - your perspective on this whole treatment has been amazing, and really inspiring. That, and you're witty as hell, and I love that you're on ONTD too =P
    I can't wait to show this to my girlfriend - she's been diagnosed with spinal cancer and has been in a deep depression ever since. Hopefully this will perk her up as much as it did for me. You're full of win.

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  2. Awww! Thanks for the kind words! If you want to give your g/f my e-mail address, post a comment on my LJ and I'll send it to you.

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