I’m feeling pretty good these days… no serious side effects, no serious problems of any sort, really. Well, other than a visit to the hospital the other night ’cause my temperature spiked to 38c. All the blood tests showed that my blood counts are in the normal range; I’m able to fight whatever caused the spike without intervention. So, at 2 am they sent me home.

The only concerns that I have are weight and vanity related. Okay, and the fatigue. But I’m starting to win out over the constant tiredness. It seems to have shifted from being chemo/radiation related to being tied to my shoulder issues. Let’s hope I can get that under control before the end of the month…

Weight and vanity. On the weight side, I’m now below what I weighed at my wedding… and I’m having trouble putting the weight back on. My appetite is back, although some of the taste buds in my tongue are still dormant. Savouries are an attraction, but the sweets still just don’t do it for me. In conversation with one of the folks at the Cross Cancer Institute, it was pointed out that a lot of the calories that I am taking in are being used by the body to rebuild the damage caused by the radiation and chemo, therefore I shouldn’t expect to see any immediate weigh gains. Dr. Williams suggested that I increase the intake of Ensures to three a day as the base, and then continue to increase my eating on top of that. Not a bad strategy…

I look in the mirror and see an emaciated old man. I don’t feel that bad, but I sure don’t like the way I look. I suppose that it wouldn’t be nearly as traumatic if my damned beard would grow back, or my head hair would thicken up again…

During my most recent visit with Dr. Williams, earlier this week, we settled on a way to get me back to work. I expect to be able to do 2 or 3 half days a week beginning April 21st… and then transition into full time by the end of the first week in May.