Tick Tock: Some idea as to where I've been and what I've been doing

Time is passing by and so many tales are slipping past my typing fingers. I can only hope that posting about Izzy's birthday has broken the ice. I have been so out of sorts lately I just haven't had the inclination to write. Besides, it's not so appealing to write about food when just trying to eat is a chore.

Aside from my time spent at chemotherapy and doctors' appointments, most of these last two months have been spent at home, either in bed or on the couch, with occasional forays into the kitchen. One of my jobs is making myself eat and drink. I need to drink at least 2 liters of fluids per day and on some days it is quite a struggle. Eating is equally challenging as well, especially on post-chemo days which can last for 10 days. Between trying to keep hydrated and searching for appealing foods, I barely have time for much else. On bad days I only emerge from bed to pee. On good days I make it out to pick Izzy up from school and even spend time on the playground. There have even been occasional outings to restaurants which I hope to post about soon.

The good news is that since I stopped posting in March, I have finished four rounds of chemotherapy (10 sessions) and I am more than halfway done with my treatments. The treatments and side effects can only be described as awful and I am not looking forward to the last 2 rounds which could be comprised of as many as 6 more sessions. I was given a week off last week which is why I have the energy to write. The week off was not because I begged for it but rather as a result of low platelet counts, which are definitely not a good thing but are common with certain types of chemotherapy drugs. Last week my platelets were 82,000 and normal is 150,000-450,000.

One latest tidbit of news is that yesterday I managed to walk to my neighborhood bakery, and back, which is something I haven't done since January. Izzy and A. followed along, on bicycle and scooter, in case I needed some assistance on the way home. Miraculously I did not. What I do need is a pedometer to clock my mileage and inspire me to walk more and regain my strength and stamina.

And food, what about the food? I am still being sustained by meals from friends. Tonight there was grilled chicken, Israeli couscous with roasted vegetables and a mesclun salad, thanks to M. There are several memorable meals to recap which I hope to get to shortly.

p.s This post from the Yummy Mummy most certainly brightened my chemo-dimmed life. Check it out for a good chuckle.

Chemo Day Two: Not Much To Recommend It

Except for my pre-infusion breakfast from Le Pain Quotidian, which was an egg salad tartine. Never to be eaten again.

And so began my second day of chemo, this time with a Cisplatin IP infusion, inserting chemicals directly into my abdominal cavity, two liters there and two in the IV. My dear friend L. tended me thru it all and A. arrived to add a bit of massage to my day. From 9-5 it was a long day and I was thankful to get home and get in bed.

The aftermath has been wretched. With nausea and all of the other attendant pains I wonder how I will ever make it through the rest of my treatments. I am on three different anti-nausea meds and still can barely eat more than a few bites at a time. I started my day with a few spoonfuls of oatmeal with blueberries and then tried a few sips of a peach smoothie later. Dinner was a dumpling or two with a bite of chicken.

On the bright side, Claudette was here to tend to me and entertain Izzy until he went off on another playdate at his friend's I.'s house.