Round Two:
So far so good. My Mom came with me today, it took about 3.5 hours to get all the medicines in. They do one at a time. My procedure is called CHOP-R each letter stands for a drug. First I take a Prednisone (sp?) pill. The next one has the dubious nickname of the 'red devil'. It is put in via IV. The nurse has to push two big syringes in by hand to make sure it goes in slowly but is also getting to the right place as it is very damaging to tissue. Red devil is the one that has caused my hair to fall out. Yes it is almost all gone.

I had cut my hair shorter in anticipation of this and Wednesday of last week it started coming out. It was not falling out everywhere but if you pulled on it it came out with no resistance. Very strange, and when I realized it was happening there were a few tears for sure. It made everything so real. Anyways went up to Whistler to relax and recoup for the weekend before this round and it was coming out a lot more. Sunday when we got home we had a family vote. Leave it to be patchy or shave it off. The boys voted for the shave. So while they danced and sang to try and keep me smiling (their idea not mine & it worked) Don shaved it off. Don should never be a barber. I have a little stubble left that is slowly disappearing. Biggest difference is that my head is always cold so when I am not wearing a wig I always have to have a hat.

Back to the treatment. Next was one they call Vinchristie. Done by drip IV takes about 15 min - another one that is hard on your system and can be hard on the veins going in. Nurse said I have good veins as I went all smoothly. The second two are together and take about an 1.5 hrs. It goes in smoothly but gives you what they call wasabi nose - like you have snorted wasabi or horseradish. It is annoying more than painful and certainly clears the sinus's.

I was home and having a nap just after lunch and am enjoying having my Mom here for a visit. Last time the side effects I did have showed up Friday afternoon so I am not looking forward to it but also consider myself lucky based on the last time.

Thanks again, for rides for my kids, power chemo balls, flowers, ice cream and magazines, cozy coats (more about that later), good vibes ( I was levitating in the chemo room), prayers and most importantly LOVE.
xo S