Swimming in a pee of green-blue... Leukemia update for Dec.

Hello one and all...

To some whom I have talked with quite a bit, I may seem to have disappeared for a bit. True. I had just been doing 5 days straight of a new chemo (for me), which I just finished yesterday.

For those of you taking notes and doing research - it's Mitoxantrone. And it was nice to find out AFTER I just finished it, that this was by far the most intense in the series of chemos I had done. So... I had been feeling not quite ill, but more in a flustered state of mind where I didn't really want to have any conversations that required putting too many sentences together. And as most of you know, me not being able to communicate is truly frustrating.

But that's all done with, and I thought I'd put up a blog to fill you in with the - always adventurous - new news. For one... amongst the side-effects, I only had a bit of a headache and very subtle nauseated feeling. I found that ginger works pretty good and dealing with that.

Then... I had a very neat party trick. About an hour after each chemo shot... I would pee a green-blue. That was fun.

The first time was the freakiest. I had already been warned, but forgot. So... I got out of the hospital and went straight to the Whole Foods Market to shop. While there, I had to pee (in the bathroom, not the store). I casually glance down and "WHAT?!" It was an odd mixed color of green and blue. Certainly not the yellow that we all take for granted. My mind began thinking frantically about if I had eaten some really bad vegetables earlier in the day.

But upon remembering the effects notes, I quickly resumed my normal day. HA!! Yeah, try it. It's fun.

OK... so yesterday was Friday, Dec. 2.
Right before going to the hospital, I remembered that Trans-Siberian Orchestra was playing in town. I had to go. Their show is amazing, and it was seated, so I wouldn't have to worry about overly exerting. So, promptly after receiving my final dose of major chemo, off I went straight to the concert. Amazing how loud music removes all nausea and fatigue. hehehe... Good stuff.

I ran into friends I hadn't seen in at least 10 - 15 years, met with the band, and home I went. And now, I feel "ugh!" Not too bad, but I could choose to feel a bit more... "peppy". Of course, at 3 am, I might just be tired. Hmm... there's a thought.

I had mentioned to the nurse at the hospital that I can see how others might feel bad and that I'm lucky to not feel that way. But she gave me more of an assurance that it really is myself to thank for my relative well-being, as I am always "up" all the time. Always busy, always pretty cheery, and just plain don't have time to mope about silly crap like... well, cancer.

A nurses’ assistant laughed the previous day and had said, that she couldn't see me dying... ever! Ah well, I guess I'll keep my attitude. it seems to work, and inspires others to stop whining. Thank God! hehehe...

And with that, I bid you adieu, as I head to bed. Ciao 2 all, Phillippe :)

PS... for those new friends out there who don't know what's fully going on... I reccomend reading my earlier blogs, going back to the beginning of August. Fun stuff. Yes, I'm still planning on writing a book about it all. PSS... Oh yeah, and for anyone who is sick and getting treated, I might mention that after 5 days of getting chemo IVs, OUCH!! My arm has it's spots of dull, throbbing pains from where they stuck me. Trust me, they missed more than a couple of times and had to "re-do" a few times. Grrr... but, grin and bear it. Gotta do what you gotta do.