feeling better

Christmas Eve and Christmas were pretty hazy as far as the mental state goes -- and before you make jokes about "how can we tell the difference," when I don't even feel like using my computer, you know something's wrong. ;) I managed to make it through the Christmas Eve service at church, complete with singing, but immediately took a two-hour nap upon arriving home, then got up and wandered around mom & dad's respective gift-wrapping stations, then went to bed.

Sunday was better, and today I'm better still and came to work. The only pain (aside from the cold I had that is still hanging in there) has been these small sores on my tongue, which were alleviated by brushing with water and baking soda. The sores are still hanging around, but only noticeable when I eat.

Speaking of eating, no nausea to report, which is good. I've been trying to snack on crackers and drink plenty of water to keep my stomach from being empty. I was told that foods may taste different and I may like different foods; I should just listen to what my body tells me. So far, nothing has really turned me off, although anything greasy or fried sounds rather unappealing (which may just be a mental thing, but I don't want to take any chances).

My white cell count should be lower 7-10 days after the treatment, so around the middle of this week. Sick people, stay away! (This does not bode well for my plans to attend a friend's New Year's Eve party. *sigh*)

Just to be a little more specific, as I said before I'm doing the standard ABVD treatment rather than the experimental Stanford V method, so I'll be treated every other Wednesday afternoon well into May or June. After that, I'll have 3 weeks of radiation therapy Monday through Friday (quite a drive to be making every day for 3 weeks, especially as each session doesn't last that long; "it'll take you longer to get undressed than for the treatment itself"). Then I should be good to go, although it could take as long as five years to "feel like I did before the chemo."