Round and Round and Round She Goes

 Entry 1     10:46 a.m.

Jenny is up and out. She shuffled into my room before leaving to go see Heather and do a bit of Christmas shopping. I do worry about her.  This extended chemo respite, its been some time now, and will be some time--maybe a week--before she begins again. That makes me nervous.  Her receiving chemotherapy makes me nervous. Her not receiving it makes me nervous. It isn't six of one, half-a-dozen of the other.  But I don't know. I just don't. If I haven't noted it, the doctor suggested this chemo regime will have milder effects on her body--and didn't mention loss of hair. But it is gemcitabine which caused her hair loss before, and that is the primary constituent of this chemo.

I read a study from 2014 on GTX for people receiving the drug after second, third and fourth line failure, and it is fairly positive in terms of extending life. At least something positive to ponder.  

Entry 2     3:53 p.m.

Jenny's new chemo regimen involves a pill and an infusion.  The pills will be shipped to our home. The longer it takes to receive them, the longer the gap in treatment.  Last chemo was the 18th of November.  Holy shit.  Is that true?  So, there is going to be at least a month's gap. 

Jenny is drinking more water, and it is clearly helping. She still has low energy, but she isn't as peaked or out-of-breath after walking a few steps. She received a bolus of saline the other day, and two when we were in on the second. She just stopped taking in fluids and I hadn't really noticed, because I am working all day, and bring her stuff to drink in the morning and of course check to see if she needs fluids during the day, but it hadn't clicked she was not taking in fluids. So, now she is, and I am being a bit of a nag to make sure that she gets sufficient fluids.

Jenny went shopping today, which is shocking, at Pacific Place with her friend Heather. She reported back that there were lots of places to sit, and was exhausted when she got home, complaining of pain under her rib cage--where her tumor resides. So, the block worked partially, but I expected it to work completely, and didn't expect this lingering pain.  

I have been working all day, and wow am I busy. I am trying to tie things up so I can have some holiday time with my family.

Proof that Abby is getting softer toward her mother. Yesterday she called from school excited ajust after 1030 a.m. I told her I'd call her back. It was 11:44 before I had a chance to ring her. She answered on the first ring--she never answers her phone, to be clear. "Can we go to Barnes and Noble tonight, I have something I want to get mom?"  I couldn't refuse that. We went, and she bought Jenny the Pooh Corner Lego set--it's for adults, the nostalgia trade is for suckers.  We are suckers. Jenny wished for a Lego set, and gave three options--its something she can do while sick and immobile.  So, I bought her one.  Then, Leiney bought her one. And now, Abby--with my money--bought her a third.  She will be busy, Jenny will. I could feel the love. 

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