Well this post is just a bit late! What a week it has been. It started out like the previous 11 weeks, Chemomonday. My buddy for the day was Alexa. Thank you Alexa. We did the usual – take the ferry and walk to SCCA. We stopped at Whole Foods on the way to pick up lunch and for me to hop into the bathroom to apply Lidocaine and Saran Wrap to my port. I know the bathroom code by heart. They never seem to change it. We then finished the walk to SCCA and checked into the lab.
The lab was really quiet for a Monday. This is very unusual. I was able to get my favorite port accessor, Bo. He is very good and I have seen him for more than half of my chemo visits. After lab, we went to the 5th floor, checked in for chemo and sat down to wait and eat lunch. This is were the story gets interesting (not really but saying it sounds good.)
While hanging out, my left ear started get red and hot, what I call Hot Ear. It occasionally happens to me and goes away after a bit. Well this time it didn’t go away but continued to spread until both ears and my face were red. This was not the flushed face I usually get on Tuesdays after Taxol. This was the white eyed, red faced, raccoon look of an allergic reaction. It was red and hot and hot and red. A very attractive look to accompany a bald head and angry, rashy arms.
When my chemo nurse, Cathy, saw me she was like “What’s up with your face?” I said I didn’t know and that it wasn’t only my face with an issue but my foot needed a little looksie, too. (On the Saturday before chemo my left foot was swollen on the top just below the middle and second smallest toe. The skin in between the toes was sloughing off and just plain yucky. While the swelling was down, the skin was still pretty bad off. I am such a joy to take to chemo!)
Cathy called the lab to see if they had used anything new while accessing my port. They hadn’t. She then talked to the oncology nurse who talked to the oncologist. Those chemo nurses are on the ball and take really good care of their patients. I was given IV Benedryl for the allergic reaction. In about 10 minutes my face started looking better. in about 20 minutes it was almost back to normal. No one knows what happened, just one of those mysterious things. It happened again the next day, but not to the same extent. As for my foot, again, who knows what is happening. I was told to soak it in an astringent solution and apply Neosporin. It was so much better in a few days that it is hard to believe how bad it had looked.
On Tuesday, we moved. Yes, we moved. We moved about 50 yards into our construction zone. I hired Hill Movers and they sent three guys to carry our belongings from one 3 story townhouse, 50 yards down the street, into another 3 story townhouse. This is almost like a movers worst nightmare. Loads of stairs in both homes with no driving break in between. They were awesome! And they were tired. David and his friend Nick stopped by and helped with the move.
On Wednesday my dear friend (and Realtor) Eileen came to help me move the rest of the stuff that the wasn’t ready for the movers. It turned out to be way more than I thought. Eileen must have made twenty trips (just like the movers) to the new townhouse. We got some unexpected help from a friend and his two boys who happened to be in town on a visit. Thanks Jim, Logan and Taylor. Wednesday night, the move was finally complete. Eileen, you rock and I owe you big time for all your help.
Thursday I was exhausted. Scott came home from work and worked on the house for hours.
Friday I was exhausted. (I do have a separate story about my encounter with PHONE GUY that my Bainbridge Island female friends will appreciate.) Scott came home from work and worked on the house for hours.
Saturday I was tired. Scott worked on the house for 12 hours.
Sunday I am tired. Scott is still working on the house.
Our contractor has been working as much as possible but there is a lot to do. The final product is beginning to emerge and it is a beauty! Scott has done the lions share of unpacking while installing the kitchen, helping lay the floor, building out a closet, setting up the internet and cable, and doing a million other things. I, on the other hand, feel like a slug.
Would I recommend renovating and moving at the end of six months of surgery and chemo? I am not sure I would. But I would recommend not putting your life on hold when a great opportunity presents itself. The cancer treatments are temporary. The renovations are temporary. We seized the moment and we are very happy that we did.
She might get started around 10:30…..
