The End of the Beginning

Thursday October 9, 2014 - Cycle 1, Week 1, Day 4

Dave had a very hard time getting out of bed today.  Like...barely able to move enough to get out of bed.  As mean as it may have been, I told him he HAD to get himself out of that bad.  But then I paired it with "just think, tomorrow you can sleep in and I won't be harping on you to get out of bed!" That helped a little, I think, and he got up and out of that bed.

Today he decided before we left that he wanted to stop at McDonalds to get an egg mcmuffin.  I told him I thought it would be better if he just got a biscuit and some jelly.  Well wouldn't you know it, by the time we got to McDonalds, that mcmuffin was no longer wanted and the biscuit and jelly was the winner.  I believe he told me later in the day that he had to really struggle just to finish that biscuit.

I picked him up after treatment that afternoon and we went to get Aria and head home.  I don't know what Aria was doing, but she was whining about something...so Dave got mad.  When he got mad, I got mad.  This super awesome time continued when we got home.  It's difficult to take care of a toddler who's acting a little extra bratty.  It's difficult to take care of your sick husband who feels so debilitated by this whole experience.  It's EXTRA difficult to take care of both at the same time and still maintain your own sanity!  Today was the first day that I asked my mom for some help over the weekend.  I just needed for her to keep Aria for one night....just one night was all I wanted.  I found out the next day that had Aria not been ready for bed yet, mom was going to come get her then and keep her a couple nights.  I really do have the best parents!

My sweet friend Beth brought her family over tonight and also brought Dave and I dinner!  Super yummy homemade food from the Little Dutch Bakery here in town.  DELISH!  Dave was able to eat 2 helpings of the chicken and rice casserole, a piece of bread, and one twice-baked potato.  I also think it was good for him to be able to converse with friends.  And it gave Aria some time to play with her friends and burn up some of her energy, so that's always a plus!

(FYI:  I'll NEVER ask for food or help from anybody...but if you just show up with something, I certainly will not turn you away!)

Dave went to bed early (like, 730 early) tonight...and Aria helped tuck him in.  She told him a story and sang him a song, then she gave him lots of hugs and kisses, turned the light off, and closed the door.  She's so cute sometimes.  I have no doubt in my mind that it lifted his spirits some.

I stayed up until after 11 tonight because, well, just because the peace and quite sure was nice!

So here we are at the end of treatment for the 1st cycle.  The side effects we've seen are:
- queasiness and nausea
- constant metallic taste in mouth
- fatigue
- neuropathy (extremities first, then whole body)
- reddish tinted skin
- EXTRA fatigue
- depression
- general weakness and soreness (like when you've got the flu)
- loss of appetite

We have not yet seen vomiting or hair loss, but we understand that this is just the beginning.