At the Quarter Pole

I just finished the first of my four remaining weeks (actually 96 hours – noon or so on Monday to noon or so on Friday) of chemotherapy. The 5FU dosage this time was a little higher and was combined (unlike before) with an additional dosage of leucavorin, a folic acid used in combination with chemo to enhance the chemo's effectiveness. By Friday the cumulative effect made me feel rather out of sorts. I was glad to get off of it, though I know it still resonates in my system for a few days afterwards. I have already decided that since there are only three more weeks of this left, I might wind up taking the Friday off of each week (even at no pay) if I feel much like I did this time (or worse). But at least I have three weeks off now before week 2 of the treatment.

As I have officially used all of my available paid time off at work, it coincides nicely with my ability to go back to work full time. I will start that process tomorrow (Aug. 3) and we'll see how that goes. Unlike in the past, I'm sure I'll feel just like working 8 hours and then going home - no overtime at this point. It will be nice to be home by 5:00 p.m., as I rarely have been in the past. I may very well feel like taking a nap, as my strength and stamina are still not back to normal. But all in all after what I've been through, I think going back to full-time work within 6 weeks of major surgery like I had for someone of my age is a pretty fair accomplishment. I can be impatient sometimes and wish I was already fully recovered (I'm still far from it), but when I stop and think about the progress I've made and the fact that Dr. Ondrula is extremely happy with my recovery (he suggested the earlier start of my chemo since I was doing so well), I cannot be dissatisfied at this point. Just a couple of weeks ago Cyndy was "ordering" me to be "up and around" a total of 2 hours for every one hour I was lying on the couch (not counting sleeping time). That was a major challenge at the time. Now it's nothing, as most of my day is spent other than in a prone position.

More later on the results and effects of my full-time working. Thanks again for all of your support.