Round 3

Funny, I just typed that title and it made me think of a boxing match.  That is kind of how these chemo treatments feel.  You step up into the ring and fight, instead of a physical opponent though, you are battling the chemo.  You just don't know what to expect, will you get knocked out or just beat up?

 Of course in our case the chemo is supposed to be saving Dave's life, so I guess it's not the best analogy, but you get the idea.

Here is a photo of some very expensive drugs, they look just like water.  It still amazes me that someone was able to come up with this concoction.  My niece (the one with breast cancer) recommended a book to me after reading one of my earlier blogs.  It is a Pulitzer Prize winner called The Emperor of all Maladies, A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee.  It is a very easy read and really informative.  It is a history of cancer, but also of chemo.  It made me very thankful for smart and persistant doctors and researchers (and the test subjects!).

This next picture is Dave walking with his IV pole.  This is the room lined with awful green recliners.  I was actually trying to get a picture of Barbie (the gal that did our chemo teach, her name isn't Barbie it's my nickname for her, but I hesitate to use her real name since I've kind of made fun of her in the past!)

We've come to love this nurse and actually like it when she is there, the friendly banter makes this time bearable, actually I'll say enjoyable.

She asked who his nurse was and someone answered Dave by saying, "You are Teri's today" to which my husband replied, "Better be careful my wife is sitting right here."  Without a hesitation Barbie says, "She is probably grateful for a reprieve!"  It was so quick and said so seriously that we all cracked up.

Anyway, besides the laughs it was quite uneventful.  They did reduce the 5FU by 20% to try to cut back on the pain in Dave's stoma.  This is the drug that is in his pump he is wearing for 48 hours.  So far he is tired, sensitive to cold (to the touch and taste), and it hurts to eat.  He still has constant pain, but factors that in as his new normal.

I did see a friend Bob in one of the green recliners (Hi Bob!)  It's a little strange, he looks so good (and is fine, Praise God), he seemed out of context, like a seeing a Caribou in Bora Bora (I don't know, it's the first thing that popped in my head and it's late).  Cancer just doesn't look the same on any two people.  Bob looked like he could have been sitting in Starbucks waiting for a friend (except for the tubing from his body to the IV pole...that would have been weird in Starbucks).

It just made me realize I have a new respect for cancer survivors.  I feel like I'm in the company of someone pretty special that has endured the roller coaster ride of emotions and countless treatments.  I'm really proud of Dave and any of you that now have "Cancer Survivor" on your life resume.

So we made it through Round 3, the bell rang and we are out of the ring until March 13 for Round 4.  I'm thinking the real test though is how we do in this in between time.  I'll keep you updated!