Side effects, stuff, friendships

 Hey everyone.

So its Sunday morning. I had chemo this past Monday, did the Granix shots Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday... Then I had a follow-up appointment with my oncologist on Friday. Busy week. Here is the update...

Chemo went fine, no issues. It was the 2nd infusion of the 2nd cycle, so 2 drugs instead of all 3. They didn't give me the one pre-med that makes me tired in the afternoon, but they did give me Benadryl because of my reaction to the CARBO now... That makes me snooze during chemo, so I got my nap while getting my drugs... The chemo just really gives me nausea, but I can deal with it, and they gave me some meds for it too. But the chemo also kills my white blood cells, so thats why we need do do these Granix shots every time after chemo.

I'm getting used to the Granix shots and how they affect me. Wil is doing a great job giving me the shots too... I'm taking Claritin every day - its supposed to help with the bone pain from the Granix shots and chemo. I also take Tylenol as needed for the pain.The first day, I don't notice any side effects. However, but Wednesday morning, I start to feel pain in my sternum and upper rib cage. Then Wednesday evening starts in more of my neck. So Thursday morning, I'm almost incapacitated - I couldn't do much this past Thursday morning. The pain bothers me to the point of almost getting a migraine... So I rested  Thursday and didn't do much. I had been planning on going out to get the Startbucks red cup since its was the day, but I couldn't do it. Thankfully, Wil went and get me a hot chocolate in a red cup 💗 I was able to get out of the house that afternoon to get Alex from school.  By Friday, I'm used to the pain, and the neck pain is manageable, so I can make it through the day fine.

The oncologist checkup went fine. There wasn't much since we didn't do labs again since they were done Monday. We will test the CA125 (cancer marker) again when we do the next chemo on Monday, Nov 27. I mentioned the neck aches and also I had noticed a little swelling, so I did get a referral for a massage therapist that only works on cancer patients. I'm looking forward to that...

I woke up Saturday morning to an awesome text - my amazing friend Cari is coming out to visit again. She had been here the weekend right after my surgery last July. And she and Diana came out to visit in September last year also. It will be great to see her again. She and I were friends in middle and high school. Always got back together over the summer of college years. She lives near Chicago now, so its not always easy to catch up. She was one of our stops on our cross-country road trip back in 2016. She has been supporting me throughout this journey with so many little fun gifts and lots of fun hats. True friends last over time and distance.

I've come to value those true friendships more over the past year. I was able to meet up with my oldest friend from preschool in NYC this past summer. I hadn't seen her much since we graduated high school. But I'm so glad we were able to get together while the boys and I were on the East Coast in July.

I was also able to see some of my high school class while in NJ this summer. I wish more had made the reunion, but at least some were there.

Then in August, I was able to see so many of my Pokemon friends because of being at the Pokemon World Championships in Japan.

I've spent the past year trying to reconnect with people. I haven't done the best job, but I'm working on it.

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