I think I've found the winning combination. I signed up for an hour of acupuncture and an hour of massage the day before each of my remaining treatments. Yesterday was the first appointment. The acupuncturist worked on relieving fatigue and stress. I basically laid on the table thinking good thoughts while listening to calming music. I drifted to blue skies, ocean breezes and morning Mai Tais. Swimming pools, sandy beaches and Roy's blackened Ahi appetizers. This sounds specific, but actually focusing on any lounge chair in the shade of a banyan tree would work, and it did.
Next the massage therapist worked on reducing the stress balls in my neck. This was heaven. She worked on my head too, which felt so much better without hair on my head and I loved it. The hour flew by and all too soon it was time to go home.
This brings me to the realization that men have been hiding one of the best kept secrets of all time. No hair equals: WAY less time in the shower, non-event hair blow drying, untold $$$ saved on hair product, no worries about humidity, no worries about rain hats, and TOTAL ENJOYMENT at the hair salon sink. Bald heads feel GREAT rubbed with oil !!
I'm off to my treatment, I have no headache and I feel good. We'll see what Taxol has in store for me this afternoon. It should be "a walk on the beach" compared to the chemical mix I've been given the last 2 months. As always, I THANK YOU for your support and loving well wishes. You're JUST the best.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Well, frequently, too frequently lately, life seems to have tricks up its sleeves. Today started out so auspiciously; Kathy and I met at the Yawkey Center, our chats with Dr Erban and the NP were cordial while they informed us of the occasional and mild side-effects of Taxol. No problems, we thought.
As we had done so many times before we then proceeded to the Infusion Center on the 8th floor. After greeting the medical staff, we set up shop in Room 416. That room had a special postive Karma for us; it was the one that she'd been in the day following the blood pressure crisis in December. We figured the Feng Shui there was good for an encore. The preliminary infusions were so uneventful that I blithly went out into the hallway for my 4 PM conference call. At about 4:25, something told me to go back to Room 416. As I turned to enter the room, Kathy's eyes met mine as she was leaning forward in bed and gasping, "I can't breathe". Within 10 seconds, 4 nurses were working on her like a pit crew changing tires at a stock car race. They administered an antidote, hooked her up to Oxygen and started monitoring vital signs continuously. Soon, her face and neck were crimson, her eyes were bloodshot and puffy and she was experiencing a sharp pain in the small of her back. The nurse in charge said, "Yup, that's what happens with this drug sometimes". BUT, shaken as she was, she was breathing. It took about 30 minutes for her to recover. By then, we all decided that we had had enough entertainment for one day and it was time to go home. I'm relieved to report that she has regained her customary composure and radiant appearance, however we've decided against going out dancin' tonight.
Tomorrow we'll try the Taxol bit, again. This time she'll be pre-drugged with a compound intended to mitigate its side-effects and they predict that the infusion should be fine.
Stay tuned for our next exiting episode.
Steve
Boy, you two sure have a strange idea of "fun". We're so glad you were there together.
Cheers and prayers to a much better tomorrow.
I hope the follow-up round of taxol went well. Those side effects sound very difficult. I am so glad you have a routine that helps and I hope you were able to get another acupuncture appointment before the second round. You did a great job describing how relaxing the massage/acupuncture is. In fact, that paragraph is so well written I felt like I was on that beach drinking a mai tai even though I've never been.
Lots of love from central VA,
Matt
Kathy-
Hope you have better luck today.
Sounds like you are in goood hands
with all the staff. We are wishing you the best.
Love,
Lisel
After that experience it must be tough to get yourself ready for another round !
Stephen, I am so glad that you were there..
Kathy, as always, love and hugs!
Sarah
Post a Comment