9 treatments; 11 days; 10 more days of chemo

Last Wednesday I met with my oncologist and he said, "Well, I am glad you are feeling better and your bloodwork is good, so we are going to start Xeloda." Xeloda is a pill form of chemo. It is considered a low dose of chemo compared to what I was on before radiation started. I thought, "Great, just when I get one thing figured out I have to compensate for another." I said, "Okay, let's do it. But I get Christmas week off, right?" My oncologist replied, "Yep, that is the deal." So, Wednesday through Friday went pretty well and then Saturday hit. Saturday stunk except I do have to say that I have learned to manipulate this well enough that I go to things like book club and Mason's birthday party that he was invited to. I do these things and then return home within 3 hours to the bath tub, my bed, and my couch (whichever is necessary) with my lotions, potions, and creams. The trick is that the event must be close to home in case I have to return and I must be home within 3 hours - 2 is better. Sunday was a bit better, but today looks like a bad day. The hard part is I won't be able to truly tell until about 11:00am. The worst part is that in my depression and pain this weekend I decided to dye my hair because my roots were horrible. They discontinued my color and the new color is a bit too ashy for me. So, now I am a pathetic butt burned cancer patient with a bad hair dye job. Wonderful! People keep asking me what other side effects I have....well, my fingernails always feel like they are going to rip off, I can't feel the tips of my fingers again, my feet are super sensitive, my bowels are all screwed up, I am TIRED, my butt itches CONSTANTLY, but I do not feel nauseous. So, I guess that makes me a tired, pathetic, butt itching, butt burned, appendage painful, bowel questioning, cancer patient with a bad dye job. Oh well, I got to do the things I love this weekend despite it all and I was strong enough to go through the neighborhood with my family last night and look at the Christmas lights which was a true joy for me. Mason is the cutest. He had to stop at everyone's house, sit on the curb and watch the lights......pretty adorable. 9 more treatments, 11 more days, and 10 more of chemo....it can't come soon enough. Love, Ang