How was your first chemo?

Chemotherapy is poison. How do you think I'm doing?! :-) I had a friend who didn't know what to say so he just said "...um.. good luck I guess." Actually all in all if you ask me how I'm doing I will give you the honest answer. I'm doing pretty good. I know that prayers and anointings have really given me the added strength and positive attitude. I was actually in a really good and quirky mood when I went in on Wednesday. I told the nurse that I can't guarantee I'll always be in such a good mood but I was feeling good about it. Treatment day started like any other day but I was working from home. Then it was like, well, it's time to go in and get poked. The IV was the most painful IV I've ever had and I let the nurse know about it. I think it was because it was farther up my forearm and there isn't as much meat there for protection. They check up on you non-stop to see how you are doing because they want to make sure that none of the drugs are burning as they go in because they can really do some damage to your veins.

First they gave me way too many pills to take for anti-nausea and to combat some other side effects of the various drugs, like fever. The first 3 drugs are pushed in and the last goes in through a saline drip which takes the longest. It was recommended that to make it go easier you should drink A LOT of water the day before, day of, and day after and I make it my job. They told me that my urine would be pink because of one of the drugs and sure enough, not even 10 minutes after administering the drug I had to go and it was pink as can be. I've also noticed that things that come out of my body smell very medication-like.

Wednesday night I was feeling pretty good. Moving around, but yet tired too. My stomach felt not normal. I dont know how to describe it. I wasn't getting sick and actually I was able to eat a normal meal - the Carter's next door brought over some delicious corn chowder (thanks!). My stomach didn't feel normal, it maybe felt a little queezy, but I guess the best I could say is that it felt like a minor hangover. So I'm figuring the hangover will get stronger and longer as we go on.

My appetite has been surpressed. Breakfast is my most difficult meal - I just dont feel like chewing anything. Today was my best day in terms of appetite. Yesterday we did some shopping and got some oatmeal because its healthy and it helps to not have really dry food first thing in the morning. I was down another half pound today and HUNGRY. So I took a shower (and yes I am using baby shampoo to try and take care of my hair and scalp) and then had a PB&J wrap and some oatmeal with organic whole milk. The other day Jesson came over too so that he could help out with some nutrition stuff and I think it will help to start doing some breakfast protein shakes with some whole milk and fruit.

My energy level is as close to normal today as it has been since treatment. Yesterday when we were at the store it was kind of difficult because my energy just dropped and Sarah felt really disconnected. She said it perfect though. It can just be really hard on her because right now I dont look sick, but I am and my energy isn't the same.

But enough on that. Keep the prayers coming. Strength for the journey. I might even try and do some biking today. I truly believe that everyone's prayers have given me strength and that God is healing me even more than the drugs. I'm doing alright, I just ask that you dont stop praying. I need you all a lot right now.