Chemo # 2 and a new do

Well jeez I didn't think I would be gone for so long.  I have a lot to catch you up on.   I had my second treatment on Nov. 16.  I was optimistic since the first one seemed to go so well.  I even drove myself because of a schedule mix up.  I saw the doctor before the treatment and since things went well and the only real side effect besides being tired was the rash, she cut back on the steroid (it caused the rash).  The treatment itself was just like the first.  I felt pretty good when I left.  All was good until it was time for bed and then I felt woozy.  I spent some time on the bathroom floor.  I never got sick, but sure felt like it.  

This was getting to be normal and not fun!

Thursday morning was not too bad.  I picked my uncle up from the airport at 10am.  We came back to my apartment, I worked the rest of the day.  Meanwhile, my hair had really started to fall out.  Some of my guy friends had already planned to come over to shave it so it worked out my uncle was there.  Somehow he was nominated to do the shaving.  We got pizza and had lots of laughs as my uncle went to work.  I kept hoping my hair wouldn't fall out and I would be spared for some reason.  I had just gotten good at making the short hair look good.  But the bald head isn't so bad.

Head shave in progress (stolen from Snapchat)

Things really went down hill on Friday.  I felt so nauseous but slept a lot so that helped some.  You don't feel sick when you are sleeping.  I took 2, 3 hour long naps during the day.  Everything tasted so bad, even water.  I had a hard time eating or drinking anything.  I also had a metal smell that was like stuck in my nose.  I couldn't get rid of it.  I have read that some people taste the metal and others smell it.  My nose is like super sniffer, still very sensitive to all smells.  I felt bad for my uncle, Saturday and Sunday were very much like Friday.  We were set to fly back east on Tuesday for Thanksgiving.  I know he was getting nervous about the flight.

The after shot with some friends

Monday morning I emailed my nurse and told her how crappy I was feeling and that I hadn't been able to eat or drink much.  She told me to come that afternoon to get some IV fluids.  So my uncle took me over to the hospital where I got fluids and some meds.  I had lost 4 lbs since the treatment less then a week before.  I came home and went back to sleep.  I woke up Tuesday morning feeling better but still not great.  We were able to get to the airport and the flight wasn't terrible.  We even got upgraded to business class when we requested to have seats next to one another since our tickets were booked at different times.  

Flying in a mask is so much fun!

My trip back to PA and Thanksgiving will be another post - tomorrow or the next day I promise.  Mom is coming this week just in case the treatment on Wednesday goes like the last.  And it's starting to look like Christmas around here :)