Of course the shirt I chose is the first-ever ME STRONG shirt!

I know the quality of this picture isn’t great but had to share!

No Scan But Hopeful It’s Working

We got to MD Anderson around 7:45 am to see Dr. Westin at 8 prior to starting round 2. The meeting went well. My lymph nodes seem to have shrunk to the touch. No scan this time so she isn’t positive but it appears they are all smaller. I feel encouraged but not willing to celebrate yet. After the next scan, I will feel better.

Being on the clinical trial I have agreed to a minimum of 6 treatments. Hopefully, that is all I will need. The 6th treatment is on January 12. The Disney half I signed up for is on Jan 6. Wouldn’t running that be a nice way to show cancer what I think about it. Then ME STRONG 5K on January 28? Sorry cancer, you can’t stop me.

Side Effects Come In All Colors

My dancing partner

Yesterday was a long day. The nurse hooked up the IV around 11:30 and the infusion lasted 8 hours. We left the hospital around 7:45 and I was exhausted. I forgot about one of the side effects I get from the Cisplatin. My neck and chest turn red, similar to a sunburn. A little on my face too. I don’t feel any different but notice it when my dance partner and I head to the bathroom during the infusion. It’s a side effect I don’t mind at all.

Forcing Myself To Eat

During the infusion, they bring lunch and dinner if I’m there late enough, which I was for round 2. I had fruit and a muffin and soup for lunch. It was actually good. I think it was better the first time I had it. Dinner was chicken salad which was OK. I think I just didn’t feel like eating. I slept more yesterday than during the first round.

They give me Benadryl through the IV to be sure I don’t have a reaction to the chemo. What kind of reaction you ask? Well that my heart doesn’t stop of course! Spoken very casually by the nurse. She said that it rarely happens but they give the Benadryl just in case. The good thing is it helps me sleep the time away.

I still had the vein pain with 3 of the drips. It’s brutal. Emend for nausea and the 3 hours of hydration before and after the Cisplatin. The ice on the IV helps tremendously.

Thank you everyone for the well wishes, prayers, and love being sent my way. I feel all of it and am so grateful for each and every one of you.