Friday, April 27, 2012

More City/ More Chemo


our street


Spring time in the city, of Chicago
That’s correct!  Second City, I’m here! Though I have yet to laugh at the next SNL cast, I’ve kept myself humorously busy.  Expanding  over fifteen miles of lakefront area codes I’ve joined three soccer teams, interviewed at bakeries, restaurants, sky rises, started a new “now is the time to get aggressive” cancer treatment, strapped on the bicycle helmet, and found multiple organic food suppliers.  Basically, loving it.

Dress rehearsal:
Cubs/Cards game
My hair is growing back quite aggressively. Two bra implants, one handmade by a friend, have given me the balance, the breast, and the confidence to wear fitting shirts.  Playing soccer, riding my bike, and walks to the dog park are helping rebuild the muscle I lost this past year.  Honestly, I’ve been out of shape on and off for years; after thirty how many of us aren’t?  However, working in the hospitality industry and my active lifestyle has allowed me to jump in on kickball in the park and family volleyball games in the past without much worry. 
So, when I was recently faced with similar social events at which my body complained and then resisted, I realized my rehabilitation went beyond therapy around my scar and arm.  My whole body needed to recover.
I’ve pushed myself more and sometimes it pushes back and I’m out for a day or two.  What a game!? Other than muscle loss my drug induced obstacles (from Xeloda and Tykerb) are burning of the hands and feet, diarrhea, nausea, and feeling tired and week.  Sometimes I can barely walk.  Often times food and its powers frighten me into not eating.  And at times my laziness makes me sad.  But they are all intermittent and can be reduced by getting plenty of sleep, exercise, wearing comfortable shoes, applying lotion, sucking on hard candy, and drinking lots of water--simple steps that make the daily routine enjoyable.
I continue to receive Herceptin for an hour every three weeks.  This treatment was started in Boise at St. Lukes, where an hour meant an hour.  Now at the UofC, the same treatment takes upwards of four hours.  I don’t like it. I waist a day because the staff is over stimulated by nearly dead people.  (Wow, that’s dark.)   I’m being treated by Dr. Olopade, noted as a “genius” doctor and the UofC ranked #14 in the US for cancer treatments. So, I put up with the poor day-to-day practices.  
Six weeks ago they started me on daily doses of Xeloda and Tykerb, 13 pills a day total.  Xeloda is meant to stop cancer cells from growing and decrease tumor size.  In another month I will have my quarterly scans (CT and Bone) which I’m hoping will show the Xeloda likes me and not the cancer.  Tykerb helps slow or stop the spread of cancer cells. It can cause severe liver damage.  My doctors and I are monitoring this closely since the cancer has already spread to my liver.  It is crazy how that little, tasty, brown glob is so important.
8 K 


On Stage:
As I noted above I’ve been applying and interviewing at dozens of jobs around the city.  Armed with my trusty Samsung map app and freshly updated resume I braved Chicago’s pothole broken roadways like a new kid at the hopscotch courts.  Often noisy and periodically last to join the trafficked areas I gave it my all, though, not without laying down some rules of my own.  I wanted a part time (2/3 days a week), job with weekends off to spend with my gf, and a fun and casual environment.  And sure enough last week I joined the Red Door Restaurant team.
In an attempt to do it all, I’ve also joined a once a month breast cancer group, as well as a free form writers club.  Online I’ve signed up to receive emails to an adventures meetup where I continue this competitive streak.

Oncore:
I expect my dad and Sherry in a week where we’ll tour the city with cameras and neck straps, street maps, full stomachs, and thinning wallets.  On the sightseeing list is a big bean, comedy routine, deep dish pizza, Chicago dogs, a lake, a tower, and me.
Okay, that’s it for now…

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for the update Nichole! Been thinking about you, sounds like you've been busy.

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  2. I miss you like crazy. Somehow, I miss me, too. I'll get out to Chicago one of these days when I get my act together again. Thanks for the peppy writing. I really feel like I'm spinning 'round the world with you. I want to know more details, though! A writers group has to be pressing you to do that. Take me through a mid-day snack, for example. Or perhaps something funny from your tours with pops? (i.e. Can I remotely join your writer's group?)

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