Side effects

Friday's visit with the Doctor went very well and we are still on the original course of treatment as it seems to be keeping the Cancer from growing or changing.  How long this will last? who knows - but we will continue with the regiment including the PET scans and see where it takes me.  Meanwhile,  research and success stories of Gene targetted and Immunotherapy accummulate. 

 So far my side effects have been minimal - certainly compared to the alternative - and do not give me cause to think about changing anything.  My feet are swelling more and by the end of the day,  I seem to have lost my ankles.  The nausea in days 3 to 5 after chemo continues as well as exhaustion.  And then there's this:...

These two pictures were taken within two days of each other...the top one on Friday evening at the Murder Mystery Stave Puzzle weekend and the bottom one Wednesday before out to dinner to celebrate John's birthday.  The effects of the steroids I took Thursday and Friday and the Chemo on Friday morning give me a moon face that I hardly recognize as my own.  

I have much to be grateful for.  I certainly am not going to let a few changes like that influence my moods and joy of life.  Every day I am grateful to be alive, to be able to interact with friends and family, or to just enjoy the air.  As I was taking my morning shower today, and I thought...  I still have a body to wash... it's still here!  That's cause for celebration right there!