An update

It's been roughly six weeks since my last blog post. I have now done 14 chemo cycles. Some long term side effects are now manifesting themselves. Back in September, I mentioned occasional tingling in my fingertips. The tips of some of my fingers, as well as the tip of my tongue, are growing numb. This may or may not clear up next spring or summer.

I had to skip chemo this week. My white cell count had dropped too low to safely receive treatment. This is the second time it's happened, and that's pretty damn good after 14 cycles. I know people who had it happen on the first cycle. Frankly, I'm grateful for the extra week off. I almost called the hospital Monday and told them that mentally, I just wasn't up to it. But I decided to fgo ion anyway, and my white blood cells got me the vacation I needed.

I took a spill in a restaurant parking lot the other day. One of knees just buckled as I was walking. I fell and landed hard on the knee that gave way. I've got a huge scab on it, but no swelling or other evidence of damage.

I've had this situation with my knees buckling for a while now. I sometimes walk with a cane to help catch myself if one knee or the other suddenly folds. I didn't have it with me when I fell in the parking lot.

My oncologist's assistant has suggested I may need physical therapy to strengthen my knees. They make machines that do that. I used to use one when I was doing weights (about 110 years ago).

My weight is fluctuating between 203 and 206 these days – downtown from a pre-surgery weight of about 240 and an all-time high of about 260. But there's quite a bit of flab here; I'm not in danger of wasting away just yet.