Something different.

For reasons I am having some difficulty determining, this week has been more intense than earlier periods.  While I am still feeling quite good in general, some little things seem to be creeping in here and there.  Nothing big at all.  In fact it seems more like a sense that something is a bit different although I just can't put my finger on it.  Not even bad different, just different.

My new round of chemo treatments started Tuesday and lasted 3 days, followed by a shot here locally on Friday.  The 3 trips to Duke involved 9+ hours of driving, followed by several hours sitting in waiting areas (don't you just love doctors offices).  The chemo treatments took about 6 hours over the 3 days and involved transfusing about 2 liters (2 quarts) of chemotherapy drugs into my body.  That was 2 liters of powerful and aggressive drugs designed to kill cancer cells in large numbers, with unfortunate collateral damage to other fast growing "good" cells.  Add to that 400 mg of prednisone, acting as an immune system suppressant, and I can't even begin to imagine what must be going on inside my body right now.  So I guess if I'm feeling a wee bit different than normal, it shouldn't come as a big surprise.  I am told that chemotherapy can, not necessarily will, have a cumulative effect on the body.  But I thank the Lord daily that I am able to withstand the side effects so well.  I seem a bit more tired this week but an extra nap or two may be just what the doctor ordered.

As I have said before, this blog will reflect both my good days and my not so good days.  Up until now I would say that just about all of my days have been good or better.  So a few bad days were bound to creep in there somewhere.  I have every faith that in a few more days, when the drugs and their effects have had a chance to run their course, I will be back to where I was before.  Life itself has it's good days and it's not so good days and we all need to find ways to weather the bad and rejoice in the good.  Deep down in the core of my inner most being, where my soul and spirit dwell along with The Holy Spirit, I still believe that I am going to beat this, regardless of how I may feel from one day to the next.  My God is far greater than a few lousy cancer cells.