Thursday - the low day.

Well, Radiation is a cake-walk compared to chemotherapy.

I visited Carl twice Wednesday, August 11, 2010, and a little bit on Thursday afternoon, August 12, 2010. On Wednesday his voice was getting a bit hoarse, but he still used the stationary bike for way more then 30 minutes. Thursday is the worst day when he is getting the Adromycin - Ifosfamide chemotherapy combination. Carl basically won't eat today and will try to sleep most of the day away. There is an array of auxiliary drugs that he got for the side effects, but he still is feeling horrible.

Chemotherapy is like watching Carl age two decades in one week. He goes in fit, lean and lightly tanned, and then ages visibly each day. At least we know he will recover - after the chemotherapy course is over. Tomorrow (Friday) Carl will be lifted by the thought that he can drag his weary body out of the hospital, get disconnected, and go home to be left alone by the medical professionals.

Here is another funny thing about the inpatient chemotherapy. The third shift staff has to take blood daily between 11:00 PM to 3:00 AM. So Carl basically tries to stay awake until they come in so they don't have to wake him in the middle of the night to take the blood sample. Crazy, huh?