A Spork in the Road

I have a new thing this week: I’m waking up at 6:00am feeling perky. This may win Weirdest Chemo Side Effect Ever. And this isn’t because I’m going to bed crazy early. I go to bed at the same time as ever. Also, I don’t feel tired during the day, as I would expect. I mean, I’m the person who dragged my ass around all day if I got 7.8 hours of sleep instead of 8 or more, and that was BEFORE I started pumping toxic chemicals through my body. It’s certainly a welcome side effect, but how unexpected, and how weird!

Other chemo effects, as felt between Cycles 1 and 2:

• I can’t taste salt, or sweet, for the most part. Tangy gets through, although I generally avoid acidic foods.
• Kale gives me major all-day indigestion. Better to stick to potatoes and grilled cheese. (But then, kale can give anyone indigestion, so maybe this shouldn’t be in the side effects list.)
• I always ache or twinge somewhere. Right now, for instance, I feel like a teensy gnome is gently scrubbing the insides of my ribs with steel wool.
• I have a new respect for the bladder. I drink massive amounts of water every day and I am stupefied at the sheer volume of which my bladder is capable. I can’t believe that much water fits inside my body, let alone a single organ.
• I celebrate bowel movements. (Constipation hasn’t been too bad for me so far, but it is a factor.)
• Mouth pain was indeed very much less severe this round than last. My mouth was on the verge all weekend but never kicked into full-blown mouth tingly soreness.
• The neuropathy in my hands and arms is also milder this time around. My fingertips feel a little weird still, but my wrists haven’t ached as much and I’m retaining mostly normal sensation in my hands.
• My hair is still growing. I may need another buzz cut next week. (Last night I dreamed it was halfway down my back and I was cutting it all off to donate for wigs. In my dream it was still falling out, though.)

I’ve found yoga to be especially helpful. So far it helps me with what minor bone pain I’ve had, and with minor nausea, and with general aches, and with the neuropathy.

So I’m going to go do some yoga!