Radiation recovery

As usual, I keep fooling myself into believing I'll dodge those grievous side-effects that I was warned about, just like I lucked out with my two rounds of chemo. But nope, radiation decided to break the rules.

For the first 15 sessions, I was practically breezing through – barely any changes. However, after crossing that checkpoint, it's like the side effects started to accelerate in a geometric progression. 

And now, even a whole 10 days after ringing the final treatment bell, my left side is casually shedding skin layers like an aging python. Pass the daily compresses, please!

2nd AC chemo

The second AC chemotherapy is done! ✅ 

The morning blood work was nothing out of the ordinary, and my white cells were back to normal and the red cells a bit on a lower side, but chemo was still a go. However, the doctor said that because they still suspect that I might have pneumonitis because of Keytruda, I should go and get a CT scan to completely rule it out. So before the infusion I had to get this scan. 

Maybe because of this additional scan stress, this chemo was much harder going in, as well as the actual infusion: a metal taste, a burning sensation and all I was able to do is try to sleep, no watching any movie.

Two down, two more to go. Becoming like a mantra now...

On the plus side, before chemo we walked around the building with a friend of ours Artem who is an architect and currently building another cancer hospital in F L and to hear what he actual looks for was quite interesting.

4th day after chemo #3

Well, it has been now four days after my 3rd chemo and this time everything changed. 

Before, I somehow managed to avoid most of the long list of the side effects, getting the obscure arthritic pains as the main thing in addition to expected fatigue. And most of the side
effects kicked in on third or fourth days after the infusion.

This time around, there wasn't several days before the side effects started to appear. 

Saturday, the next day after my chemo I started to feel wheezy, and more fatigued than usual. By Sunday I joined the ranks of the regular folks --- mild diarrhea  :(  

I am inching closer to the famous "hugging the toilet state", but not all the way there yet -- no nausea or loss of appetite. Who knows, I am still hoping to "magically avoid" the inevitable....

4th day after chemo #2

So the second chemo is over and done with, come and gone. It's really starting to feel like I am in the middle of a game and don't understand all the rules and penalties yet. I am way ahead at the finish line of the game without much effort. 

I barely have any side effects so far after the second chemo, beyond the expected fatigue. Now several days in, I am starting to get the tingling and arthritic pains a bit, but nothing dire. And this is now a familiar territory, so easily dealt with. 

The long, long list of side effects -- loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, fever, coughs, etc. -- have all passed me by so far. I keep waiting for something unexpected to round the corner and slam me. That's the scary part.

I am starting to worry that I don't worry enough or that I am not getting whatever other cancer patients suffer through: no depression, sadness, or feelings of loss, that so many talk about.

I just go on with daily life, like the main course at a great restaurant, with chemo as an obligatory side dish.

Maybe the 3rd chemo, this time with minimal premeds, will rear its real ugly head?