Good Week

I've kind of come to measure weeks from chemo Friday to chemo Friday. And this past stretch of seven days leading up to another chemo Friday has been a pretty good one.

We did get out for a couple of bike rides. I did stay true to the work on the Bowflex. And I got some good design time in on the computer.

The Torisel has had much less side-effects on me than the Nexavar had. But it still has had some nuiscance effects.

One standard, with chemo, it seems is some appetite loss and digestive woes. Torisel has been no different. But it is better overall than it had been previously. And I am eating, sometimes with a little reminder from Barb.

One thing I never experienced on Nexavar was rashes or hives. The Torisel does give me both. But I think the rashes and hives are almost more of a reaction to the infusions every Friday, rather than just a result of the Torisel alone.

My energy on the Torisel is much higher. The Nexavar had worn me down. But, now afternoon naps are mostly a thing of the past. The only day I'm likely to seek a nap is on Fridays after treatment. And I think that's more of an effect of the drip bag of Benadryl they give me before every dose of Torisel.

The strangest thing has been my hair growing back, not just on my head, but my arms, my legs, my belly. And my hair is returning dark and thick. My beard is the darkest and roughest it's ever been. It's sandpaper.

I do still have a blonde vertical streak down the back of my head, so I'm told. But just this week the hair on the back of my head started getting a little curly. Curly? What's that about? I have no idea.

I do have a gigantic afro wig that I wore on Halloween a couple years ago. It's pretty darn realistic. I'm tempted to wear it into the cancer center today. But I'll probably chicken out. Two Friday's ago an older gentleman came into the chemo room singing a Sinatra tune! And I don't mean singing to himself. He was belting it out for everyone to hear. That's my kind of guy!

It's an adventure. In summary I'd say that I can deal with the Torisel without much effects to normal life. I do have to keep rebuilding myself physically. My strength and endurance is still not what it once was. My tummy is still sensitive. And I do have to take care of the itchiness from the hives and the rashes. But I don't think there is such a thing as chemo without side effects. So I'll take it and make the most of it.

If the corporate headquarters of the Hilton hotel chain gives their approval, I'll be building a new website for the main restaurant at the Harrisburg Hilton in the weeks to come. I hope they don't have to ask Paris.