LAST chemo -- taxotere & carboplatin

Yesterday it was. Biked there & back, nothing new there. Weather was good this time. This was more than a fitness accomplishment….. I also arranged for a friend of Em's to keep her company after school since she didn’t want to be home alone. This wasn’t really a supervision issue; she’s 11 and responsible, and I think Pinky would go for any would-be intruders….. it's more about company. However, when I realized how late I was I was relieved that Rebecca was here with EMily. (She lives accross the street, too, and her mom and sisters were home -- so had anything been needed.....)

Matthew had gone to debate after school and then NOT to baseball conditioning. I had told him the night before that if he did that I would probably not be able to get him at that in-between time (4-4:30), only after both things (5:15 or later.) He had acknowledged, but I guess he hadn't been paying attention.... He took the late bus home but was pissed because he was the only one on it.

Anyway they were all home when I got here -- Em, Matthew, and Rebecca. Thank goodness. Pinky had peed on the floor and Em had cleaned it. I could see she had gotten a snack -- I hope Rebecca ate some too!

I was too tired to make dinner OR drive, and had ALan pick up takeout form Chipotle on his way home. Joan's suggestion -- good idea!

Oh yeah -- I was LATE at chemo because of the extra saline I had the nurse infuse in an effort to avoid another vein burn from the taxotere. The first one I got (Africa) 6 weeks ago is still pretty red, and sore to the touch. The 2nd one, (Puerto Rico) from 3 weeks ago, is much smaller, healing well, and a little itchy. I'd had the nurse give me an extra bag of saline after that one, on NYEve. THIS time I got saline WITH the taxotere -- 2 bags -- AND a bag at the end. We will see to what extent it made a difference. I can feel it's made a difference already -- no pain. However, the vein does look a bit bluer and more pronounced than before, so maybe there will still be a bit of a burn. However, all that extra saline cost me an hour -- it was after 5 by the time I got home.

Then today I went on a bikeride to McLean, with the babes -- it was the first day in a long time with temps predicted to break 50, so I had to! However, I had to detour to Chevy Chase MD halfway through it to get my neulasta shot. Last night I sat down at the computer to figure out a route starting from partway through the ride...... . This is not a ridiculously hard thing but it's time consuming and takes focus, and I was SO TIRED...... I sat down at the computer & opened up my email first (generally a bad habit) and right at the top was an email from Joan with a route! I felt like the shoemaker with the elves! Then today JOan actually left the ride early and rode it with me. She said she was worried about some spots on the map that Google had not let her represent properly..... She clearly knew this route already, or something close to it.

In the end I did I think 37 miles. (Hey at least I figured out what kind of battery my bike computer needs today! Any day now I will actually go and get one!) I'm tired. I made it home in time to get EM to the dentist, but she wasn't ready so we were late. They saw us anyway (phew!) Then I made dinner, though I was too tired. Alan came home and finished making it. I walked the dog twice today but neither time for very long...... no poop. (I will give her a sweet potato -- that should work by morning -- or later tonight if Alan takes her.) then I had to take Matthew to a party. Now I'm going to go have a bath and do my eyedrops and rest I hope..... until he calls for a pickup. This time next year maybe he will just take the car -- or if there is any interest in drink or anything in that vein by then we'll do the same as tonight; I'm not usually tired early when I'm not on chemo.... though, I don't know, maybe this day would tire me by now anyway!!