sueprogress - Wednesday, May 30, 2007 8:38:55 PM

I'm hooked up to this darn chemo pump again, and must carry it everywhere I go!  But it's all made more bearable knowing there are only 2 days of radiation left, and 2 1/2 of chemo. A nurse comes out to disconnect the pump Saturday at noon. That will be cause for a celebration whoop and little dance, no matter how I feel. I'm likely to feel nauseated in the next couple of days as one of the chemo drugs has a 24 to 48 hour period of effectiveness, and can only be given once. There are other meds that help, but not as thoroughly as that one.

Had a reasonably good weekend, even with a fair amount of fatigue. It's a precarious balance, taking in enough liquid, food, salt, and rest to keep myself feeling decent, rather than overtired and unsteady on my feet. And trying to maintain this balance will be necessary through the next several weeks of recovery.

I'm begining to feel the loss of all the folks involved in my treatment these 61/2 weeks. The nurses in radiation have been terrific, providing lots of attentiveness and TLC. I will have to develop a new schedule or structure for myself to complement the acupuncture appointments (which  I will continue for some time), and will decide to return to work as I feel able. But, of course, I also feel tremendous relief along with the loss of the nurses and structure.

All my treators comment on how well I've done. Although I haven't felt well much of the time, it is unusual to come through this treatment without the pain of a sore throat or mouth sores, and therefore maintain one's ability to eat. I'll never know what helped me prevent these kinds of pain, but my best guess is that it's been the combination of homeopathic remedies, daily acupuncture, along with the prayers, love, and support from all of you. Thank you for being there. The next 3 weeks are likely to be challenging for the above reasons, so if you feel like calling, writing or emailing, I'd love to hear from you.