Better living through chemistry

You know, when I was taking the Xeloda, all I could do was complain about the neuropathy in my feet and fingertips.  Now that I have stopped taking Xeloda, I find myself complaining about feeling like I did before I started the chemo — feeling generally yucky, no appetite, nausea, and generalized pain (oh, and the neuropathy in my fingertips is still around).  Just to give you a sense of what the issue with my fingertips is: did you ever dip your fingers into melted wax when you were younger?  You had some sensation through your fingers, but it was “muted.”  That’s a lot of what I am feeling now.  My fingers continue to be very dry and using the ‘moo goo’ is not really helping.

I say better living through chemistry because I can take some vicodin to help with the generalized pain, some other medicine to help with the nausea, and while I was feeling yucky earlier this evening, I am now feeling acceptable.  As long as I take my medications, I’ll be fine.

But enough of my complaining.  I can still say that I am well enough to go to work (and actually be productive-ish).  My family is healthy.  I have had the opportunity to spend time with my wife; visited with my extended family a couple of weeks ago, and I continue to have kids that are healthy and happy.  I am looking forward to spending time with my family and friends this holiday season both here and abroad.

As always, the question is not how am I doing? but how am I doing right now; and right now, I’m doing okay.

Thank you for another year of support and I look forward to beating back my cancer in 2011.  More on new treatments in another post.

INDY!

Merle

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