Sunday, December 18, 2016. It’s the final countdown (got to love the band Europe). Stat line and thank you’s to follow. After four days of chemo — including an early drive to the city yesterday in the snow and rain — I was excited to sleep in this morning. Probably explains why I was up around 2: 00 a.m. (although I was out cold a little after 9 p.m.; my Mom had to help me get from the couch into bed).
Sleep has not come easy at any point. Whether it a function of the steroids or just the excitement of actually beating this thing and being so close to the end, I have recently embraced the lack of sleep. Jen, however, is exhausted (it’s just after 9 p.m. and she is in bed) and I am sure she is sick of continuos episodes of SportsCenter and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in the middle of the night. But she is selfless and makes sure that I actually turn the TV on when I can’t sleep no matter the time.
We have one more day of chemo (Wednesday) before the eight-month protocol is in the books. And to think I was just getting the hang of this! [This past Wednesday, at the check-up before the four-day blast, I suggested to one of our PA’s (physician assistants) that even though my blood counts were good on Wednesday, it might be a good idea to do a blood check Friday. Sure enough, after a blood check early Friday am (and feeling lightheaded on Thursday night), I needed two bags of blood. This saved the weekend and, among other things, ensured I could get to both of Jake’s basketball games (although I missed my nephew’s first birthday today because my white blood count is low and it is not a good idea to be near lots of little kids or otherwise over do it (though I did get to spend several hours with Aunt Lynette and Robert, which was awesome)). But just when I was about to give myself a real pat on the back, I forgot to take my pills last night because Jen wasn’t home for the first time (she went to dinner for one of our close friend’s birthdays after I assured her that she should go; I was able to stop by early to see everyone, but Jen staying made the reality of one more treatment (and return to normalcy in a few weeks) real. For the record, it would have been OK with me if Jen wanted to have a Saturday night out with our friends at any point, but that just isn’t Jen.] We have never been people to wish away time. That said, as happy as we were to see the holidays coming, we will be just as happy to turn the page on 2016. Thom Patterson (a senior producer for in-depth digital projects at CNN) seems to agree. Sleepless nights leads to lots of internet surfing and I recently came across Patterson’s year in review type article, which begins as follows (link to full article at the end): “Dear 2016, Pack your bags; we’re done. It was one disappoint after another with you. Just how bad were you? Let us count the ways.” Speaks for itself.
Blood check and check-up tomorrow followed by a day of rest Tuesday. Not sure there is anyone else in the world (other than Jen) as excited about a chemo treatment this Wednesday.
Josh Sussberg 