The calm

But is it a true calm, or just the proverbial calm before the storm? I guess I will find out tomorrow, when I expect the joint and muscle pain to start again. In any case, this time I am armed with pain medications that I know will alleviate my aches. What I am more worried about is the question of whether or not that nasty fever will be back. If it does return, I may be in trouble and end up -- once again -- in the hospital, and may have to switch medications for the last two rounds of chemo (which I'd really like to avoid if possible...). Thus I am facing tomorrow with a bit of trepidation. 

But today was a nice, calm day. I didn't get much done, but then I didn't plan to get much done. Today was all about resting and being nice to myself, after that week in the hospital and then the next round of chemo so shortly thereafter. Actually, I don't really even remember what did all day long, other than talk to friends and write a few emails. Oh, I did watch a few cooking shows on TV and snuck out briefly to water a few droopy plants in the garden. But other than that, I merely rested. Oh, that felt so good.

Last night I even got a wonderful, uninterrupted night of sleep. I did take an Ativan, just in case, since I was pumped full of steroids. But I guess I was also so pumped full of benadryl that I just slept, slept, slept. When DH woke me this morning I was still hard asleep. Actually, I was sleepy enough that he went and took the dog out while I slept some more. Upon his return I had already fallen fast asleep again... Wow, I don't think I've ever gotten this much sleep with decadron in my system. Maybe benadryl is the magic pill for that? 

Thus today was a really good day for me. Plenty of sleep, no pain, once again no nausea whatsoever. Ah, if it could only stay this way. But of course I know that everything may well change when I wake up tomorrow. The weird chemo roller coaster will start up all over again... I cannot wait to be done with my biweekly poisonings. So I take my hat off to you ladies out there who have been on chemo for months on end, or even years. I admire your strength and your courage to face the rigors of chemo over, and over again.