Happy Thanksgiving Day

No turkey, stuffing, potatoes, green been casseroles, or pumpkin pies at the Jordan house today. Snacks and pizza for us. Knowing that my taste buds would be shot and nausea would be the order of the day, we planned on a pizza Thanksgiving. Kathy and Kevin came in last night and they will spend a quiet day with us noshing and watching football.

Typically a night or two after chemo I am up six to eight times during the night to pee. Last night was that night and though it was not a restful night, Sharon pointed out that it is the last time I will have to put up with the experience. As I heal from the effects of the chemo I can look forward to many "last times". This is something I really am anticipating. No more days of nausea, no more numb fingers, no more numb tongue, regrowing fingernails, no more sore booty.

The last chemo session!

Tuesday November 23, 2010 marked my last chemo infusion. It did not go without problems. It seems my port was done and not working properly. As a result the chemo nurses had to find a good, large vein in an arm. I volunteered not to have the last infusion but they were dead set on get ng those bad chemicals into my body. Luckily I had sucked on an Ativan before they started in on me and I really did not care what happened. Ativan can be a very useful drug.

They found a vein on the back of my right forearm and got the IV going. A bag of ice on my arm to help reduce problems from the chemo and then I sort of nodded off until the job was done. Sharon got me home and I napped the rest of the afternoon away. Today I did not roll out of bed 'till just before 11am and I have been pretty useless all day. Fora nausea I am using Emend which works better than all the other drugs I have tried. It really keeps the nausea away. Yes I do have occasional gagging sessions and waves of nausea, but less than when I am using using the other drugs.

My fingernails are still a major issue. They are all slowly coming off. I was able to trimk some of them today - they are less painful today. Sharon is looking for some light gloves or mittens for me to protect my hands. My Michael Jackson look?

Tonight or tomorrow Kathy and Kevin will be here for Turkey Day. We are celebrating with pizza! No fancy feast of turkey and the trimmings for us. An easy pizza Thanksgiving for us.

A late update.

I have not posted since November 13.

Though the chemo went well last week the after effects did not go so well. Lots of nausea through the weekend Into Monday. I have to wear bandaids on some of my fingernails and the other ones not coming off are painful. Oh how I want this to be over.

Today, Saturday I feel well except for fatigue. Tonight Sharon is cooking as I write and keep her entertained. Veal scaloppine with wine and cream over tagliatelle. I think I wrote of this recipe a month or two ago back when I could cook.

Now to see if this this e-mail posting to the blog really works!

Colby Jordan

One more chemo session to go. Oh how I want this to be over. The chemo this week was not as bad as the previous session. I added an additional anti-nausea drug, put an Ativan under my tongue, kept some cinnamon oil handy to overcome smells, and dreamed the night before that the session went well. Now I am suffering the usual after effects - mostly nausea.

Weighed in on the Wii today. I am down to 212 from 232 in 100 days. My goal is 200 pounds. I wonder if the Wii will still consider that to be obese? It wants me at 153.

L.C. plays with the camera lens.

After the last post the kitties have only gotten one more mouse (that we know of.) L.C. has learned to open the cabinet under the kitchen sink. She can go in at willl to wait for a dumb mouse to come out.

The week is winding down and chemo is on Wednesday. I saw Dr. Kozuh this he and told him that during the last chemo I was on the verge of vomiting and was having a really tough time getting through the infusion. This week they will give me Ativan as part of the infusion which should effectively knock me out. I am also adding an additional anti-nausea drug and breathing cinnamon oil in a mask. I WILL make it through two more chemo treatments.

My fingernails are worse this week - with three of them on the verge of coming off. They are almost separated from the nail bed all the way down. Ow!

Last night I went over to the bistro with a bottle of Champagne. I didn't want to spend another eveing just sitting at home. Sharon came out of the kitchen and joined me for bubbly and onion soup then went back to work. This short evening out was good - did not tire me too much and it got me out of the pattern of work, home, work, home.

Two more chemo sessions and we will stop pumping poison into my body.