I have made it now through the first 3-week phase of chemo plus study drug. First two weeks not so bad. But after the third infusion (last Wednesday, June 8), the beast started rearing its ugly head. In addition to the Benadryl stupor and the steroid face swelling, I began to experience extreme dizziness. I think this is what many patients refer to as "chemo brain fog." It is a sense of vertigo, almost feeling drunk or high on something... sort of disconnected and out-of-body; it is at times accompanied by an overwhelming fatigue. I can still function my daily activities, but find that I just need to sit and relax with great frequency. And I do just that.
Yesterday I noticed that hair loss was beginning to occur. Today it was even more dramatic. This was my trigger to give myself a haircut; it is thought that hair loss is less noticeable when the hair is short. As I trimmed, I preserved many longer locks of hair to later create something called a "halo." This is an elastic headband on which is sewn snippets of hair to create the "illusion" of having hair under a hat or cap. Not sure how this will fly, but I am going to give it a try. Meanwhile, have wig - will travel. And I have found a pattern for a crocheted sunhat; am enjoying creating this in a variety of colors.
This coming week marks a break from treatment. So it's 3 weeks on, 1 week off. I am very much looking forward to this 7-day respite.
Thanks, as usual, to so many of you who have sent cards and emails and FB messages of support. It is great to have a squadron of cheerleaders. My friend Mark Rossman wrote this gem: "Stay strong. Stay tough. Be mean. Attitude wins the day." Yup, works for me!
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