Round 2...

On Tuesday, I started round 2 of the chemo treatment. Peg and I went in to MGH and I had the infusion. I saw Dr. Michaelson very briefly, but my bloodwork was not back yet, so they didn't have anything to go on. I emailed Kara, the RNP, the next day and asked her about the results of my bloodwork, and she said that I was a rockstar, that it was top notch....nice to hear. Went to work the next day and felt fine. That night, while sleeping, I felt cold...odd, since there were no windows open...I finally made myself get up and pull up the quilt...I then started shivering violently under the quilt and ended up with a massive headache. I took some aspirin and went back to sleep, but felt pretty awful in the morning and didn't go to work. I took my temperature around noon and it was 102.5, which didn't seem too bad, but they had told me to call if I had a fever, so I did. They wanted me to go to MGH! Yikes...I really didn't want to do that. So, Kara told me to take 2 Tylenols, which I had just done, and to call her back in two hours. Two hours later, the fever was down. She told me to see what happened in 6 hrs....well, in 6 hrs the fever was back to 102.5, so I put cold compresses on my forehead, and went to bed around 9, after taking 2 Tylenols. All was well this morning, temperature has been pretty much normal, it went up a bit, but not too bad. I spoke with Kara today, and she said that the fever could be from the infusion, that the Gemcitabine can cause a fever, but they are more worried about infection, with my white blood cell count being lower now. She said that 100.5 is the point at which I need to get my blood checked and that I could go to Jordan Hospital to get it done. That was really good news, since it's just a mile or two down the street from where I live....I've been pretty wiped out today also, just no energy. Tody, I also spoke with my niece, Robin, who is a pedi nurse at Maine Medical, and she explained to me how serious fevers can be when one has cancer....it was a great heads-up, so, I will keep a watch on that.

But....I did have energy on Monday. Took myself and my roller blades to the beautiful Cape Cod Canal. I haven't been on them for 3-4 years, so it was with some trepidation that I put them on, waiting until there was no one looking (I'm so weird-like anyone would care), and off I went. I went almost all the way between the Sagamore and Bourne bridges and back. It was very fun and I was happy to be on them again, flying along with the sun on my face and the wind in my hair. I have to do it again...the canal is perfect because it is quite flat. Keith tells me that there's an obscure little bike trail up in Colchester, and Maia would be able to ride her bike along with us...now that will be fun.