Chemo #3 is DONE!

A distant memory, and none too pleasant. Actually, the process itself isn't that bad, but that foggy, nauseous, hit by a truck feeling sucks.

(The only hair I have left, on Gab's beautiful poster!)

Truthfully, this time 'round, I felt surprisingly good on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. I thought it might be because I as soon as I woke, I raced downstairs to pop my Emend for the day. That's the anti-nausea medicine I take day of and the two days following.  I read that it is more effective if taken before the nausea actually strikes. But those two mornings I also felt a bit more clear headed than the previous cycles, and I don't think the Emend does that.

I'd like to attribute it to the extra TLC from my Mom and Dad -- what else could it be?!

Even felt good enough to hit DQ on Thursday for blizzards.

Blizzards all around and a regular banana split for Grandpa.

Banana split blizzard with vanilla ice cream for me. I could eat these, craved them actually, through the first half of my pregnancy with Gaby. I'm so glad Nick reminded me of this, cuz we've made the trip to DQ after every round of chemo, in those first few days when little else in the way of food holds any appeal for me. And they've always been both filling and yummy.

Me and my Daddy!

But man, or should I say woman, cannot live on Blizzards alone, so eventually, I revert to my second chemo food of choice, which I also ate for a short time during my second pregnancy and haven't eaten again since. Until now.

Hamburger Helper. Beef Noodle. Only. Can't even think about trying any other varieties. And of course a cucumber salad, which is just sliced cukes dressed in sour cream and white wine vinegar, seasoned salt and pepper. The cucumber salad I could eat anytime. The hamburger helper, not so much. As I said, haven't had it in almost 10 years and don't imagine eating again once chemo is done! We'll see.

The other indulgence I've allowed myself is bottled water. Chilled in the downstairs fridge. I usually do not drink bottled water. Our fridge filters water just fine and I fill up my cool Kal LoveLife water bottle, keeping it in the fridge full time. But with the altered taste of just about everything I put it my mouth, I realized that I had a better chance of drinking more water by going bottled. Even IT doesn't taste great the first 2 or 3 days after chemo, but for me, it's the best tasting liquid at that time.

A case of 32 is $4 at Sam's and I do recycle all of the bottles. I DO intend to revert back to my old ways once chemo is done. But for now, this is how I do it.

And that's also a Zofran on the tray, another anti-nausea medicine I supplement the Emend with. The Emend seems to be very effective, but doesn't last the day. And I only have it for Tue/Wed/Thur and find I need to deal with nausea longer than that.

Besides the added bonus of my Mom and Dad being here to cheer me and take care of us, there is always the kindness and generosity of friends and family.

Amy brought over these beautiful flowers from her garden, as well as some equally beautifully arranged herbs, some veggies and some eggs from her chickens. The veggieswere yummy grilled! I added some mushrooms and onions as well as the zucchini Kathy brought over from her garden a couple of weeks ago and we had them for dinner when I was able to enjoy them (Monday)

Julie left tea biscuits in the door. Something else I feel like eating.

Cards from near and far. Janine, Jackie at the golf course, A. Verna and Andrea and Don. A collection of headcoverings and hats from Mary Ellen. Beautiful and appreciated.

Emails, IM's, voice messages, you name it. I would love to take more time to answer all of these beautiful sentiments that come my way. Like Peg and Jennell, who left messages on my cell phone, which I'm VERY BAD at listening to. I just heard them YESTERDAY, and I think they were a week or two old! Sorry ladies. And Heidi, I'm sure you found the information you were looking for elsewhere, as I just heard your message yesterday too! Sorry.

I feel I'm truly on the home stretch now. In two weeks, I'll feel crappy again. But it will be the last time that chemo will make me feel that way. And I'm thinking, because it's the LAST time, maybe that will perk me up and get me through it. We'll see.