And So It Begins...Again: Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Well, it's that time. I just got the call from Sally with INOVA Fairfax. They have a bed available for me in the oncology unit of the hospital. I need to be there by 10:30 a.m., which means I should be done with both my 24-hour Taxol infusion and my several hour (maybe 4-6?) Cisplatin infusion by tomorrow at 5 p.m.

If you know me at all by now, you know that I'm not really dreading this (I mean, of course I am to a degree) but rather I'm just looking forward to being that much closer to this long nightmare being over -- one that has been filled with more diagnostic tests than I can count, pains both big and small, weekly blood work, night sweats, nausea and vomiting, fainting, LOTS of bleeding (although, that is ALL done now), some "I really am God" doctors and some nice doctors, some might-accidentally-kill-you kind of nurses and some FABULOUS nurses, accupuncturists, nutritionists, my breakdowns (and breakthroughs...), parental breakdowns, friends' breakdowns, etc. etc.

So, now that I've taken my steroids (at midnight and 6 a.m.), drank 16 oz. of lemon water (my new morning ritual to make my body lining more alkaline), had breakfast (mixed berries and a half cup of Ezekial cereal with coconut milk), walked the dog, then retraced the walk route to find my cell phone, which I thought went into a neighbor's trash can along with the poop bag but fortunately did not, I am now ready to shower, pack an overnight bag and the dog, head over to my parent's to drop off the dog and pick up my mother, and get this party started. Wish me luck! I'll be back with tales from oncology world on Thursday.

Oh, but before I go, a BIG thank you to Kristin, Shawn, LEW, and Bella for hosting a very fun and delicious dinner (salmon over a mint pea mash -- one of Giada's recipes) last night. River had a great time with Bella and it was so fun for me to have time with so many friends (Christy, Tom, Gunter, Annika, Amelie, and Harper; Melissa and Dave; Krista and Michael; and Melissa S.) before I start the last 63 days of treatment, which sort of feels as though I'm entering a 12-step program for some sort of addiction since it's going to be so intense. Thank you all for joining and being such wonderful, generous friends!