Cycle 12, Day 5
This one collects a whole month of photos.
I'm glad this round of treatment is done. I'm exhausted, I'm so sick of feeling sick all the time. It feels like the side effects (best case scenario, side effects) never really leave. I'm so run down. I need a break - a real break. And I kind of get one.
I feel good this afternoon, not great, but good. I had something called hydration yesterday. For me, it's a litre of IV saline over four hours. Hydration keeps me up all night, because I need to use the bathroom. The need to use the bathroom keeps me on the edge of sleep. Last night was all nightmares. This afternoon, I've recovered. I'm tired, but I went grocery shopping.
The break I get is from chemotherapy. I need a break from it, my body needs to recover. If I don't take a break, my quality of life will get too low and, eventually, I'll refuse treatment. I want a long break. Last time I had roughly six months. My oncologist doesn't want me to take that long. Every day I'm not receiving treatment, I'm losing ground to the cancer. It's the worst optimization problem I've ever had to think about.
I talk to my current oncologist for likely the last time in mid May. It'll take a few weeks to get me fully transfered to an oncologist in Sudbury. And a few more weeks after that to schedule treatment. That's likely what my break looks like. The six month break did very little to reduce the intensity of the side effects I was feeling. It was almost as if no time had passed. I've had a hard time making myself go to treatment for the last few months. I think I'm likely to refuse further treatment before the cancer spreads somewhere serious. I'm not
there yet, though.
I don't get a break from life, though. I don't have nearly as much as I used to left, and I'm going to get rid of even more, but I packing is still exhausting. Now that I'm off chemo, I'm hoping I recover some of the energy I used to have so I can get stuff done.
At the zoo
We look silly, but the hippo looks great
Home after chemo
Chemo suite, cycle 11
At the marsh
Best room at the junk store
Goderich, Ontario
Goderich, Ontario
Goderich, Ontario
Final visit with my oncologist
Got my medicine!
After cycle 12
From the comments
James Petrosky: My hair hasn't started to come back yet, but the facial hair really has. I'll take the small victories, even if the texture is different than it used to be
This isn't even an anniversary I remembered, but on this day in 2022 my partner and I sat with the surgeon I'd been seeing for my abdominal pain and had all our worst fears confirmed by the results of test after test. And you know what? It's fine. I forgot. My partner and I went to the Toronto Zoo, not to mark time but because it's a fun way to spend a summer day.
Apparently the beaver at the zoo has passed away, and that hit me much harder emotionally than August 17 ever could. The beaver wasn't the fattest or roundest of the fatrounds, but they slept right against the glass window that opened into their lodge, so you could always get a good view. The beaver was probably my favourite exhibit.
I have no appointments in the next month. I've grown used to seeing someone every week or two. It's honestly become part of my identity. I'm not upset about it, obviously, but it's still weird. I've been busy, and my strength has been returning, which is also nice.
At a restaurant in Balm Beach
At Tiny Marsh, looking for water fowl
Relaxing in my yard
Balm Beach breakwater
Balm Beach breakwater
At the Big Chute Marine Railway
I'm a big fan of hydro
At the Coldwater, Ontario, museum
Steam tractor (at the Coldwater Museum)
So many apples (they're pretty tart though)
My partner and I at the Toronto Zoo
My partner and I at the Toronto Zoo
If there was ever a real life fire flower
A bear made of garbage
Cycle 13, Day 6
Gang, I hadn't realized how bad my fatigue had gotten until yesterday. In the full summer heat I used to be able to see twice as many exhibits as I did yesterday. It wasn't cold, but I had a chill much of the day. The immediate chemotherapy side effects aren't too bad (but I think they're getting worse), but these slower acting side effects that build cycle after cycle are really draining. Fortunately, the seasons are changing and its getting easier to do things.
From the comments
James Petrosky: Bonus fact no one wanted to know! Pretty much the only hair I have left on my whole body is on top of my head or in my dramatically depleted eyebrows. This fact occupies a lot of my brain time but never comes up and this feels like the place to share.
James Petrosky: Yes this includes eyelashes. Strongly recommend not removing your eyelashes, I get so much more stuff in my eyes now
James Petrosky: Another bonus fact! I adore sea horses. They're one of my favourite animals (most of my favourites are what I like to call "fat rounds" - beavers, wombats, capybara, not long delicate fishies) and I was super happy to be reminded of this statue
Cycle 5 Day 11
I visited the Toronto zoo with my partner today ❤️ It was a good day, but I learned how much by ability to produce and retain body heat has been affected.
Rhino
Assorted geese
This fish hid behind a pillar for five minutes and I just wanted to be friends
Long friend
Big kitty
So little, so huge
❤️
Meerkat
Spikey boi
More geese ❤️
Fast kitties
Lions 😮
Damn I love geese
I made a friend!
More friends!
Bears are friend shaped
So many wolves 😮
From the comments
Some additional photos (without me in them)
Goat friend!
Sumatran tiger
Froggies ❤️
Frog butt 😮
Cheatah kitten (big)
Show kitty
Wolfies