Kind of an auspicious occasion. My first week without a chemo treatment. I’ve been laying low and taking it easy, trying to recover from the “normal” side effects that I’ve had over the last 12 weeks. Now, I’m just hoping that the more significant side effects go away as well.
The skin on my hands and feet are still pretty much like crepe paper. I’ve got old man hair, that’s for sure. It’s very fine and I can’t do anything with it. Let’s be honest. It’s not like I really did anything before with my hair, but that’s definitely not an option now. I think the worst part is that during a meeting today, I caught myself on camera from the back. Yeah… that bald spot is starting to become a crop circle. I always claimed that I would shave my head if I went bald. If my hair doesn’t get its act together we’re having a come to Gillette meeting in the very near future.
I was asked a few days ago what I was going to do this week, now that I don’t have a chemo infusion. “Go to work, I guess” was my response. It still is my response. I’ve been fortunate that after the first couple of stumbles I’ve been able to work while going through chemotherapy. I’m not going to say that it’s been easy, not by any stretch of the imagination, but I’ve been able to work. I know too many other folks that have not been able to work while going through chemo to consider myself anything but fortunate.
I will ask you to do something these upcoming Thursdays. Whatever your favorite variety of cancer is, wear a shirt, an outfit, a ribbon, a something of the supporting color. If anyone asks why you’re wearing Pink, tell them it’s for Breast Cancer awareness. If you’re not sure what color corresponds with a particular type of cancer, below is a list of the most common cancer types:
- Lung cancer: white
- Brain cancer: grey
- Breast cancer: pink
- Liver cancer: emerald green
- Lymphoma: lime green
- Prostate cancer: light blue
- Stomach cancer: periwinkle blue
- Bone cancer: yellow
- Leukemia: orange
- Colon cancer: dark blue
If you’re curious, I’ll be wearing a pink shirt on Thursday. I have been for many years now for Breast Cancer Awareness and there is no reason to change now. There have been too many women that have had a significant impact in my life that have been effected by and succumbed to Breast Cancer for me to do anything less.
The Story So Far 