Where Have You Been!?

Well it finally happened, after almost two years undergoing chemotherapy I got sick. Over the past month I have been dealing with pneumonia and a pretty nasty sinus infection. Had I got this pre-cancer I probably would have bounced back in a week or less, but my body is a dumpster fire inside and I am still trying to get over all of it.

I received round 7, marking half way on this new treatment, with my friend Miranda. We have been friends since the summer before our 6th grade school year. She drove up from San Francisco to be with me. For those of us going through treatment for cancer it is rare for friends to stick around that aren’t in the same situation. To say I am grateful for her friendship is a huge understatement. Miranda has been my best friend for over three decades. I love her to the moon and back.

Round 8 I got to have Scotty B back at my side. I think I was starting to get sick at this point. Lordy cancer treatment can make you tired! Typically about 4 days before my next infusion I am a bundle of energy and hunger. I was not before this one and spent a lot of time “resting” on the couch…

Then last Friday I had my 9th infusion. I was lucky that my infusion schedule fell between Christmas and New Years. This gave me the allusion that I would be healthy to enjoy the holiday with my family. I did enjoy the holiday but not with the energy and excitement I had hoped because during this time is when I got really sick.

I had to wear that sweet mask so I didn’t infect any other patients. Up to this point we thought it was just a bronchial infection but found out the following day it was pneumonia. I wouldn’t say I am averse to hospitals but given the option I would rather be at home. Up to this point I have yet to even do an overnight stay with any of my surgeries. Could be I am just hard headed but I think for those of us with cancer the hospital is a place we would prefer not to be. I feel like I am sicker when I am there. Thankfully I got a strong enough antibiotic to stay away from there. I’m still not totally back to 100% but I feel a 1,000 times better now.