The morning started late as I surprisingly slept in late to 9:40ish. I had to rush a bit to get my pills taken with food at 10. I also started writing the blog late as I went slow for a bit. The ants found my donuts, and this required a response.
It is day 8 in cycle 2 of chemotherapy with two more cycles to go. The extreme cold sensitivity and the sleeping issues are still going. Again, this matches my previous experiences, but the side effects are more intense. I imagine cycle 3 will be uncomfortable, and I am steeling myself for that.
My hand is still bruised, and I am using painkillers for it. However, it is slowly resolving, and I will need to be more careful in cycles 3 and 4 not to damage my hand with the shock of using a cane.
It is still cold and sunny in Oregon. My allergies are harsh, and I need to use my inhaler to not feel like I am drowning. I need warmer and rainy days, and Friday has us return to our usual damp patterns.
I am a bit late for it, but one of my fav game makers is streaming at noonish. The team from Orange Nebula, just across the river in Washington State, is taking questions. This team produced the new Unsettled board game and, still a fav, Vindication a few years ago. They use Kickstarter to publish games. I ask a hard question on the stream, and Marc, the head of the group, remembers me and thanks me for the profound question. It was nice to be remembered kindly, and they even waved to me. My question asked them if they had to give up some game designing and become logistic experts. Marc’s and the group’s answer was yes; it has been harsh that now they have to find the passion for game design to make it thru the plain work part of the job.
I enjoy the stream while making lunch, Mac & Cheese from a box. I eat the whole box. I am still losing weight, and I find I can eat and still be hungry.
It looks like Orange Nebula is going full-out on creativity for Unsettled. Marc leaves a kind note to me on their Facebook page. I am looking forward to the new add-ons (planets) for the game; I have signed up for the latest Kickstarter.
I am tired again. I do manage to shower and dress. Without any issues, Air Volvo reaches the Forest Grove Rehab and Care Center at 3900 Pacific Highway, Room 44A.
Today Susie is still in bed. This is because I am between lunch and dinner, and it is my experience that Susie usually gets a nap about this time. Susie looks tired but excited to have me there. We do the FaceTime process with her mother, Leta, and her sister, Barb, also answers. Susie starts to get tired, and soon I am headed back.
Susie asks to come home today, and I have to tell her to wait. It is always heartbreaking to answer that question, but I can see she is tired of the bed and the same days happening repeatedly. So how do I find the strength to do Cycle 3? It is the hope I have to bring Susie home after I am well enough to help care for her that makes it all worth it.
I read and sleep. I order, using the cards from GrubHub, some Chinese food. I eat that while watching the BBC News, and it is so sad to see the war. I read and then sleep again. This will mess with my sleep in the evening, and I do not really sleep through the night. I take the chemo pills and see that the bottle is more than halfway gone. I also received Cycle 3 pills today.
Again, thanks for the GrubHub cards, as they really help. I cannot predict when I will suddenly be exhausted. The cards let me save a bit of energy.
Sorry if it seems that today’s story is more an outline. The day seemed that way to me too. It was nice to reconnect to Orange Nebula on Thursday.
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 