The Lighter Side of Chemotherapy??

OK. So realistically chemo sucks. It’s poison chemicals doing a number on the body.

But once in awhile something amusing happens. And sometimes some endearing things happen.

The other day I was sitting on the couch watching TV with my husband Stu. We were watching my newest obsession: The Property Brothers. Stu watches it for the renovations. I do too sort of. But mostly because Drew and Jonathan Scott are hotties. Anyway…Stu looked at me and said you smell like chemicals. I smelled my arm. Whoa. I did. The stuff is just oozing out of my pores. I immediately put on some body crème. It helped a lot.

This time of year I get chewed up by mosquitoes. Well now. Not a single one has landed on me. Spider bites too. Nada. They can smell poison a mile away. Cool. A chemo benefit.

As much as I despise my bald head, I have to say that summer humidity will not be a problem. No bad hair days.

My nails have been slowly turning grey. Not an attractive thing. The solution? Fabulous nail polish in a darker color. Who cares if it’s warm weather? I’m sporting purple nails. I love purple.

My poor feet have chemical burns. And after burns what happens? Peeling. Massive peeling. It’s almost funny. Again, I have great crèmes to combat that. I go through them like Stu eats through a bag of potato chips. Lotions and crèmes used to last me forever. Now I go through a tube or jar a week. It’s kind of fun choosing new ones. Always the product junky.

 

One of our cats, Zoe, has been glued to me since I started chemo (she also happens to like the smell of all the lotions). But she knows something’s up. She’s not the most affectionate cat. She’s a princess. But she’s been a constant fixture in any room I’m in. At night she sleeps on my feet. If it’s cooler out she’ll sleep in my face. If I’m cooking in the kitchen she’s right there. Watching TV? She’ll be on the floor next to the couch, or on a chair. Pets have an uncanny sense of things.

I also get a steroid drip. It makes me so energetic for two days that I can’t sleep. I do all the things in the house that I can’t manage after a few days when it wears off and I hit the floor.

And finally, at last Monday’s chemo spa I had my usual bag of Benedryl to combat any allergic reaction the Taxol might pull. Benedryl knocks me out. By the way…it’s great for long haul flights. Just saying. Anyway, since I was in a private room I decided to turn down the lights. Stu was there too and we decided to both take a nap. I reclined my chair all the way and he had a comfy chair and put his feet up on a stool. I reach for the remote to hit the light switch. Hit it a bunch of times because the light wasn’t going out. Of course it wasn’t. I hit the call button instead. OOPSY. Half a dozen staff came running in. I was very apologetic and they were all relieved especially when I said OK…shall we order pizza???

These are the moments I’ll remember. The bad side effects I’ll try to erase. Who needs that anyway?

Have a great weekend all.