Who, What, When, Where, Why....Our Brains On Chemo

Part five in the continuing series about going through cancer:

One day during chemo, I wrote an ethical will, this is a will that Jewish parents leave for their kids with notes about things they would like for them to do in their lives in the future and traditions to carry on. Even when we're dead, Jewish mothers are calling the shots!

On another day, I was lying in the chair and another man also going through chemo came up to me and asked if I would like to meet for coffee sometime. To think, all I needed to be "hot" again, was to get cancer!

Overall, you become each others cheerleaders in the chemo room. Give me an N, give me an E, give me a D, we are all rooting for each other to hear that they see no evidence of disease in all of the patients. You become part of a bigger family when you are in chemo week after week with the same people.
You compare mouth sores, hair loss, surgeries, bills and lack of ability tom pay said bills. You get to know spouses, kids, and dogs of all of the families.

You know the minute you're told you can't have something, you immediately crave it. I wanted a manicure, pedicure and my teeth cleaned, weekly, but cancer patients are highly advised to stay away from all three of these while in treatment.
One day the roving news reporter(my oncologist) was making his way towards me, "I have great news Beth, he said." Really doc? "This has been a joke?, I don't have cancer? You are going to unhook me, and I can go home?

"You're close Beth", he said, the tumor attached to your chest wall has reduced in size and now, your surgery will be much easier. My face lit up, as I had not had good news in a while, and, this was great news.

One good thing about going through chemo was, it gave me a free pass to say no to anything and everything. It was okay to show up empty handed as people were just excited that you were there. It was okay if you slept all day, and great if you gained weight, imagine that!

Chemo had a cumulative effect on me. During the first four treatments, I was like, what's all the fuss about? Then, Bam! All of the sudden, I didn't know my name, your name, I would grasp for words, call my husband all day with, who, what, when and where.
I gave him many opportunities but, he insisted he was my husband.

During chemo, you are asked to eat healthy and, if you're able, to get some exercise. I proposed a chemo triathlon! At this point, all I had to do was add handles to my medical files and I would have had the best ten pound weights ever.

tbc
To celebrate BCA month, please schedule your mammograms now. Keep in mind, more men than ever are getting breast cancer.
Podcast coming soon: Find The Funny In The Not So Funny
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Email bkdp01@gmail.com
Twitter @bethkaufman3