Who Knew I was So Delicate?

Chemo, round two, is in session. I can hear the sound of the 5FU whooshing into my body. It sounds just like when a CD player changes CDs. Remember that sound? Before MP3 players? When Bennett was just born, I wanted to buy a CD player for the bedroom. I went to Best Buy and when I asked the gal there where the CD players were, just looked at me as I had just woken up from 1974 and asked where the eight-track tapes were sold. She helped me find one in the sad, beat-up clearance department.

I digress. The theory about the mosquito bites proved to be true. Not backed up a doctor's knowledge of medical science, but my WBC counts were just right to do round two. I was very excited. They tweaked the meds- - reducing the Irinotecan by 25% because of my "delicate bone marrow." How does a person who is 6'2" and weighs 226lbs, oh make that 229 today, have delicate bone marrow and tiny veins. It boggles the mind. Changing the meds based on each individual is normal, and does not change the efficacy. Of course I want the biggest dose, the fastest dose, the most aggressive action. The docs, on the other hand, are much more sober in their approach and want to use the most effective meds, leaving the even heavier hitters in case we need them later. Dr. B. says there is no reason to use different, more aggressive, but possibly less effective drugs at this time when we know the combo that we are using has been very effective on colon cancers in the past. I am pretty lucky he's in charge.

This gives me pause, of course. Why would we want to save drugs "for later"? I know the answer, my cancer is a big one and he has to make sure to keep things in the arsenal. I am trying to have this information be comforting and not make me wig out (no pun intended). Actually it is comforting. We are not at the last ditch protocol, we are no where near exhausting the tweaking of the drugs, we are not even close to the next scan, etc etc. Let me be here now.

What is happening now? Bennett is sleeping - here is a picture of her in the hay hut that Pat built last year at Snow Farm. It's a big hit with little kids. And I should also say, the high school students. There is a hay bench inside and a little window for peeking out.

I ordered some yarn with cashmere in it to make hats for my head - thanks to Mary's gift certificate. I guessing I am down to 50% of my hair - again not half of my head is bald! I do have what looks like a pretty severe case of male-pattern baldness.
I am trying to figure out if this is the week to call the hairdresser - or should I say remover? Losing my hair is not just a drag, it's a total mess. Hair is flippin' everywhere, and that's just gross.

Needless to say, I will keep you posted.

 And while I am at it, here is a picture of me with my majestic pump and port. The biggest bummer about having the pump, other than having cancer, is I can't shower until I return it on Friday at 11:30. Really until I get home, some number of hours after that. I told a friend, who replied "oh, how very European of you." I am already beginning to feeling very internationale.