1 week after 3rd chemo...

Hi All
This has been a very interesting week, though not necessarily a good one chemo wise!!. I wrote last Fri night, so you all know I had a very long, positive, job interview last Fri, & yes it has started well... & I went to Camelot for a great concert....

However, last Sat I was supposed to be a volunteer selling torches at the Symphony in the Domain, I turned up with Fran & Peter, but I just was not able to do it, so they gave me an orange wrist band so that I could sit in the volunteer area & I kept our position there - it was hot & humid - fortunately some kind soul lent me an umbrella. The concert was fantastic & I always love the end with Tchaikovskys 1812 & fireworks over the city & everyone with sparklers and/or torches - so beautiful. We ended up having 8 of us sitting together. Went for coffee to 21 in Double Bay with Jeannette, Mimi, David & couple of others, it's funny I can't walk far, but can drive to the ends of the earth!!

On Sun, Evie & I went to Cafe Bondi for chat & dinner, but by 8pm I had flaked & had to go... Mon was a write off, being day 4 & even though I had been following new regime of taking the dexamethasone once a day, it didn't make a difference to the reality. I also knew that going to my new job on Tues which is a 15 min walk, & I just can't walk that far - true & nuts, but so be it, I went to my doc & RTA & now have a mobility sticker, so that I can drive & park for free, it's only a temporary one, 3 months, but will get me over this crap.

Tues I drove to work for 930 & was there for 2 hrs in training with Frances, an orthoptist, she's just a lovely girl, I met the other front desk girls, one of whom was leaving that day, I'm replacing her!! but after 2 hrs I was shattered, couldn't even go buy sushi, just had to go home & sleep....

Wed was Australia Day, felt very shaky but picked up Evie & went to Alans for BBQ, was lovely to see everyone, but after 2 hrs had to go home!! Went with Terry & Alysa to dinner & saw Black Swan at Roseville in the early evening. Thought Natalie Portman is brilliant, movie is very dark, but great thriller. Darren Aronofsky knows how to make these sort of movies, I wrote on FB that I saw his movie Requiem for a Dream in 2001 & I don't remember any other movie I have ever seen having such an effect on me. I couldn't move for 30 mins after that one.

Yesterday I worked from 930 - 430 but it's quite easy sitting there - & I'm familiar with the software, dealing with people, answering the phone, etc - so all in all we were all very happy with each other for a 1st real training day. I wasn't needed today as they are training someone else as well... I will work again next Tue - let's hope that next week is better, chemo wise, than this one!!

Last night drove to St Ives for a Minyan, Ray K had lost his father & I felt I wanted to go to show my respect, Ruth has been very supportive, as have all of the rest of you, but this was a real way I could show my support for them.

I was talking to Andee on Wed at Alan's & as sleeping is still an issue & the doc I saw on Mon felt I shouldn't be taking the sleeping pills so much, I had stopped them. Andee told me about a natural product which I went & bought yesterday & took ONE (as recommended) slept 6 hrs straight last night, followed by another 3, amazing!!!!!! feel a lot better today - I think the humidity, heat, chemo, all have had a negative effect, but I will take this product till the cows come home if it lets me sleep more than 2 hrs at a time!!!!

Hair is a natural insulator & since I have none, my head is a sweat bucket, it's strange sleeping with no hair, I haven't got used to that yet... my pillow feels strange & I need to keep turning it round!! I should just put a towel there for more absorbency!!! as long as it's not scratchy.

I don't feel this post has been as smooth as the others, but I guess that's ok, can have an off writing day!!

Take care all, till next time.

Cheers
Debbie xx