MIscellaneous update

I seem to have my first side effect from taxol -- maybe -- though it's not the classic one I was worrying about (neuropathy) yet. (wouldn't mind skipping that one!) It's, um..... I kind of have the walk-quicklies, since Monday. I'm not sure it's the taxol, and I've had digestive upsets before, and it's not that bad (though I don't like the gas I get beforehand, especially when it keeps me up at night.) When I first got it it was overnight after I'd had chili with beans for dinner, so I didn't think any further than that, but it has continued after every meal since then, regardless of the fact that the food has varied widely and has not included beans since then -- so I'm thinking it must be the taxol.

I was kinda tired on my bikeride today - had trouble keeping up with the others. The others happened to be a fast group today, and the ride was a hilly 40 miles, but I've done it before with no trouble..... and I even pumped my tires before I left this morning! I'm thinking the main culprit was my poor night's sleep last night -- though I know there are cumulative effects from the taxol, and if this happens again (despite better sleep) I will know it's chemo related.

Meanwhile I'm thinking no more rides until next Wedensday, and then only if I can get Miss Em a playdate..... but that's pretty standard, for me..... MOnday rides are hill rides, and not so tempting. I do get tempted to do the Tuesday Maryland rides sometimes. (I did that this week -- a Tuesday ride with two Marylanders and one other VA woman -- that was a fast 45 mile one, surprise surprise! Then I did a Wednesday trail ride, which was brief (18 miles), then I rode the old bike to Georgetown on Thursday, which was even briefer (12 miles round trip)..... I walked the dog for an hour in the evening, but I guess it wasn't enough because my night's sleep was choppy. Then today I did a 40 m ride. So I'm thinking that ought to be enough biking for a little while, time for some swimming and strength training -- and sleep, if I can get it!

This week my in laws (who arrived yesterday) are taking Matthew camping tomorrow until Wednesday. Alan is also going to Geneva tomorrow, for a week. So we're going to have girl time, and I'm thinking I will do one ride if I can find E a playdate at the appropriate time, and other than that we will go to the pool (if she brings a friend I can swim) and, hmm, I guess she can stay home alone or be at a friend's house when i take Pinky on long walks. I will plan to take her to at least one movie, and out to lunch a couple of times...... she loves shopping but I'd like to avoid that if possible. Aside from the fact that she has enough clothes for now, I don't much like shopping myself......

Although I did kind of enjoy our stop at G street fabrics yesterday..... we picked out several pieces of brightly patterned material -- one of which I'm wearing wrapped around my head right now! But see that was okay not just because it was for me, but mainly because we did it in like 5-10 minutes. The kind of time I have for shopping is brief -- it's probably a patience thing.

Meanwhile my dog is still barking at nothing (or nothing much), my son is still staying up late and sleeping late, my husband is still having job search angst (would you believe his job funding disappears at the end of October? I might get my mastectomy in before it ends, but we will probably have to Cobra. It's a pity because our health insurance has been great so far.) My daughter is okay -- except when she isn't. She'll be starting a new school in a couple of weeks. It's the local middle school, but she didn't go to the local elementary school (she went to the bilingual immersion school 3 miles southof here.) No one from her elementary school will be there..... and none of her local friends are in her grade....... OH and of course all the meetings and orientation and everything are on Thursdays, which is my chemo day. I did call them at the beginning of the summer, asking for the dates so I could plan around them (I could have scheduled one chemo for a Friday or something, had I known early enough.) In the end I will have to go to Georgetown twice on the 28th, once early in the morning to see the doctor, and again in the afternoon after orientation and HOPEfully a teacher meeting or two. I hope the doctor visit doesn't run over. I have been getting home close to 5 when my chemo is scheduled for 11:30 am -- though this chemo doesn't take a long time; they just don't mix the meds until they see my face, so I wait at least an hour before starting my premeds. (Yesterday it was over two hours because the pharmacy was busy! Luckily I found a friend whose chemo was done just 5 minutes after Joan arrived, because I had left my book at home.) I shudder to think when I will get home on teh 28th! Luckily my in-laws will be here, so maybe they will hold the fort and do dinner and the dog.

NOthing else. The tumor hasn't disappeared yet, which is too slow for me. However, we all know how patient I've always been...... :-D