Well, friends, we did it. We have hit double digits in chemotherapy cycles! Round TEN completed earlier this week. It was, however, overshadowed by Rowan’s birthday stuff, as it should have been. But we’re here to talk about it now!
Chemo is getting rougher. Its noticeably harder on Brady. It makes complete sense. The most of these pills he puts in his body, the sicker its going to get, right? It makes total sense. But it sucks. I’ll explain.
To throw in a super quick recap, Brady takes pills called Temozolomide, or Temodar, depending on the brand, I suppose. They’re the same. His chemo cycle is best (not disrespectfully) described as a menstrual cycle. His cycle is 28 days long, and he takes his chemo for the first five days. He takes his dose of pills in the evening. First, he takes an anti-nauseant (ondansetron) about a half hour before he aims to go to sleep, and then once that’s set in for those thirty minutes, he takes his temozolomide. The dose is dependant on the weight of the patient. He does that for five nights, and then waits out the remaining 23 days. Then onto the next cycle.
The last couple of cycles have been worsening. This last one was particularly hard. He took his first dose on the first evening, and was noticeably draggy in the morning. He has napped twice in the last few days since coming off chemo. He never naps anymore, so this speaks volumes. I know we both hope this part is over soon. He’s not sleeping very well at night, and he does not enjoy needing a nap.
I think chemo also is feeling harder and harder because we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes that just makes it worse somehow. We just want it all to be over. Yet, I was asked just yesterday whats next. And we don’t know! We know he will have a cycle in March and April, and he will have another MRI in June-ish. So maybe after this, we just get to breathe? But we don’t know. So its hard to even think that way.
Brady has not had too many ill effects from his chemotherapy, but whether you have noticed or not, Brady has been losing hair 💔
It hasn’t all fallen out like happens to SO MANY, but it has thinned greatly.
Chemo tried to take something away from Brady, but little did chemo know that Brady was itching to get a good short fresh look. So instead of chemo taking his hair away, Brady took back short hair. 💜
Look at them clean lines! 😍
He is SUCH a happy man!! 💜 He got his hair cut and washed, and even got his beard done. He feels fresh and crispy, and he looks it.
I keep typing “Suck on this, chemo.” And I do feel that way! I refuse to give chemo anything it doesn’t deserve!
Yet, I also want to make it known that I am grateful for chemotherapy. There is a place for it, and facing cancer in his early thirties, I am incredibly grateful there is treatment.
So. Yay chemo. But also, the countdown is on.
Two 👏 more 👏 cycles 👏
The March cycle lies right after our first gig back at Clearcut!! My goodness, we cannot wait to sing together again!! Who wants to come???
The April cycle is oddly marked by the one year mark of Brady coming home 💜 Its funny how trauma carries SO MANY anniversaries. But it does. That will be a crazy time in the brain and heart. That day will come, and the very next day, Brady will start his LAST chemo cycle.
Lord protect us. You have yet to leave us, and we know you never ever will. Keep us strong in YOU. We prayerfully ask for GLORY STRENGTH – the strength that comes directly from You and not our own bodies or even our people. Flesh fails, but You do not.
Praise God for continued healing!! 💜