Don't Forget the Emend!

Preparing for my fifth round of chemo tomorrow, I am feeling strong! The night before chemo always brings a bag of mixed emotions because by the time it is ready for another round, I am feeling so good - 100% recovered from the previous treatment and I know that in less than 24 hours I will be knocked down by another wave of drugs. But I know the drugs, while they may feel like they only make me weaker, are actually making me better.

And now I know to carefully watch the nurse's pre-treatment regimen.

After my third chemo treatment, I was unusually tired. I slept all afternoon, evening, and night. It took a full seven days for me to feel "normal" and during those seven days I felt completely wiped of energy. I simply figured that the chemo was catching up to my body and that was what my recovery was going to resemble from here on out. However, after my fourth treatment, I realized that the nurse from round three forgot a very important pre-treatment drug, Emend. Emend is a powerful anti-nausea medicine (the one that Sally the Drug Pusher so adamantly insisted I take). I sheepishly admit that Sally was right, the Emend is a miracle drug. It does make it a little bit difficult for me to sleep, but thus far I have been successful at finding things to keep me occupied at 2:00 am. The nurse for my fourth treatment remembered this wonder drug and my recovery was vastly different. My energy level was that of a normal human (only slightly lower than the usual crazy-Lori energy level). And I felt 100% after about five days.

My family visited this past weekend and we had a great time discovering Indianapolis. Saturday was a very active day starting with a family run/workout followed by a bike ride and ending with rock climbing. After rock climbing and discovering my new respect for it as a sport (especially one that is meant for long-limbed people), I mentally recapped the day. I basically had three workouts and felt great! It was so encouraging to be participating in normal life, I practically forgot that I am fighting this battle called cancer. But after mastering (I use that term very loosely) a sport for which my limbs are approximately 12" too short, cancer ain't got nothin' on me!

Our six person family bike ride that almost ended very poorly when I was allowed behind the wheel and steered the right side of the bike into a brick wall.