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| 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:
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| 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.
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| 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…
