So I’ve survived one more chemo day … I type this as the monitor beeps saying I’m done … with any luck this will be my last …

Had some fun taking pictures by my tree before the infusion.

I won’t know until next Monday (the 13 – which also happens to be Canadian Thanksgiving) – what is happening with my chemo. I have an MRI on Thursday night and various doctors appointments on Monday. If the tumors are gone (or small enough), then we’ll stop chemo and get ready for surgery. If the tumors are still present on the MRI – or haven’t shrunk as much as we had hoped – then I’ll continue with chemo for another six weeks (although I may see if I can take a week off in order to give my blood counts a fighting chance of rebounding). My  red blood counts (RGB/hematocrit) are higher than they were last week (still low, but better). My white counts are still trending downwards.

So another week of appointments. I’m going to try to take it easy this week – listening to my body – and doing whatever I feel like doing. Pretty much like I have been doing since starting chemo with a little more emphasis on resting.

One side effect that I’m now having is pain under my nails on my thumbs and first two fingers. It isn’t painful when I do nothing, but when I use my fingers it hurts (even when typing I’m aware of the pain). The finger tips also are sensitive to the heat – in particular the heat of the gas burners on the stove. So I’m going to try to shift to meals made in the oven. If anyone has any recommendations for favorite casseroles, please post recipes or links in the comments. Thanks.