This past Thursday, I finished my final AC infusion. This is the icky medicine that is harshest on the body, the one that makes hair fall out and the constant nauseated feeling. We call it bubble guts. It just feels bleh and doesn’t really go away. Some of the medicine I take helps, food helps, and my DiGize does a pretty good job…but this medicine is powerful stuff. THANK GOD, I am done with it (praying forever and ever).
When I went to my infusion on Thursday, I wanted to take a gift basket to the nursing staff and Doctor G, to celebrate being done with “the red stuff”, my awesome Godfather, Bill Thom, helped me put it together from his groovy local store off Barton Springs Road, Thom's Market. He filled it with yummy, fun local snacks and sips to thank them for all their hard work, for being so gentle, patient, and loving to all of the patients there. It is a hard job and yet they all do it with happiness and ease, making us all feel more comfortable, because they know we are on a difficult road and every kindness helps us move forward toward healing.
My AC infusions always go pretty smoothly, it is weird being hooked up to a IV pole when shuffling across the room to the bathroom. It is even stranger being the youngest person, by far in the room. But I greet everyone with a smile and chat with almost anyone who wants to chat. I have made some pretty good friends with wonderful women, each carrying their own story with them. I love learning about their lives…their grandchildren, their love for canning, learning how to quilt, their love for Jesus, how these certain pot candies have changed their life (as far as crappy cancer goes) and their gardens winning best prize in their neighborhood.
When I finished my infusion, hubby and I went out to celebrate…and what better lunch spot in the middle of July in Austin for lunch then tacos. So, Velvet Taco it was. I got the Rotisserie Chicken taco and the Beer Battered Fish Taco, both were quite yum. Evan got the Pulled Pork Taco on a Hibiscus Corn Tortilla (it was pink!) and a bacon cheeseburger that was the bomb. We recommend going there! They had everything from crazily indulgent, to clean and healthy. Next time I will definitely order the crisp tots with a local egg on top. https://velvettaco.com/menu/
Now, I hope and pray that the effects of this last AC infusion don’t take too much of a toll on my body. It’s interesting how this medicine affects different people, some have told me that it cumulatively gets worse. Others say that your body normalizes as the medicine progresses. For me, it seems that it hit me hardest after the first infusion and then I didn’t react as badly as the other infusions continued. I definitely had rough days, but not as many it seemed as my treatment progressed. I do hope my eyebrows don’t go with this last infusion, I haven’t completely lost all of my hair, so I am praying my eyebrows hang tough.
I am starting to understand what survivors meant by not relying on all your favorites during chemo because you would later despise them. I haven’t felt so much about that with what I eat, but what I smell. I bought Dr. Bronner’s peppermint lotion and body wash before chemo and now I cannot stand the smell (big bulge eyes). Grapefruit seems to be a scent I can handle right now, haha. The taste in my mouth is awful, so so frustrating as I am a foodie and libations lover. Food can temporarily fix the terrible taste in my mouth (which I relish in this temporary satisfaction), but nothing seems to fix it. I have to force water down to not become dehydrated. I am truly looking forward to being done with this God forsaken medicine. This medicine is the epitome of a Catch-22, it will kill my cancer, but in the process, it makes you feel just dreadful. Therefore, here’s to 4 down and 12 more to go! October 19th…I am coming for you.
