Uno

Back when our kids were younger, we occasionally played the card game Uno. Yes, this was back before video and computer games and no electricity was required to play. Anyway, the point of the game was to be the first to rid yourself of your cards. When you got down to one, you would call out "Uno", as a reminder to the other players that you only had one card left. Well, when it comes to my remaining chemo treatments, I am happy to say "Uno."

My last 2 hour IV of oxaliplaten is tomorrow along with an IV of leucovourin and my hookup to the 5FU drug which gets pumped into me. Then I will get disconnected from the 5FU on Wednesday AND THAT WILL BE IT! This will complete a period of having chemo treatments for 9 of the past 10 months. My greatest hope at this point is that after a sufficient period of time after my disconnect (or more accurately, after the Monday IV, as the oxaliplaten creates by far the most side effects), there will be no more signs of side effects. I will hopefully be able to grab a cold can of pop without a sharp tingling going through my hands. And I anxiously await being able to drink a cold class of milk or green tea or whatever without it tasting, as my nurse once suggested, like the oxaliplaten drug itself. I'm not as worried about the taste sensation because that pretty much has been going away by the Sunday just before my next cycle (such as tonight). I am more concerned about the sensitivity to cold, as that has never gone away since this all started. It diminishes slightly during the two week period but doesn't go away and then I get another IV and the whole thing starts over again, or at least goes back to its full potency. My hope is that given sufficient time after tomorrow, the sensations will cease. I have read that in rare instances, that sensitivity becomes permanent, but for most people, it goes away once the chemo treatment stops. Though I know I'm different than a lot of people in a number of ways, I certainly hope in this case I am like "most people."

I got the results of my recent blood tests the other day. Dr. Beusse was absolutely flabbergasted at them. They were good before and even better this time. He didn't even have an explanation as to why. They took another sample that day and the next morning, Saturday, at 6:00 a.m. I got a phone message from Dr. Beusse himself (that's a first) saying that my white blood cell count is too low and I need to notify Dr. Y. I had Dr. Beusse's office fax those test results over to Dr. Y last week, but I will remind him of that tomorrow when we meet. That could affect the dosage of chemo that I receive tomorrow.

One funny little note. I had Dr. Beusse about rolling on the floor when I told him this story. I was in a group meeting at work recently and I happened to be "active," if you get my drift. Immediately a scene from the movie "The Jerk" (at least I think that was the one) with Steve Martin came to mind. Steve is a half-witted guy and he is at a dinner table with a lot of people. So he says, "Does anybody mind if I go to the bathroom?" And the reply is "No, go right ahead." So Steve sits there for a few moments, heaves a sigh, and then says 'Thank you'". I thought of doing something similar at the meeting. "Excuse me, does anybody mind if I 'do my duty'" (another drift warning)." Someone would say "No" and I would wait a few moments, heave a big sigh, and then "Thank you. Let's continue the meeting." But I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and held off. But at least Dr. Beusse thought it was funny.

So next time I post I'll be done. It's a little disconcerting to know that, while I feel pretty well right now on Sunday, by Wednesday I know I will feel awful again and all I can do is have the patience to wait it out, knowing I'll come out of it in a few days. But knowing the end is near makes it a little easier to endure. There definitely is a light at the end of the tunnel. Each cycle is definitely cumulative, as I was warned, as I have felt progressively worse with each cycle, but the end is so close, I can taste it (my taste buds for that have not been affected). So, UNO!