It's been a long time since I posted anything here.
That's because I had to undergo more chemotherapy. For those of you who have experienced chemotherapy or who have seen a loved one go through it, chemo is a horrible dreadful experience. It often sucks the life out of you and that was my experience. I spent many MANY days just flaked out on the sofa or the bed having only enough energy to watch YouTube videos of George Carlin, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens or segments of Family Guy.
Otherwise, even the mere act of getting up to use the bathroom required enormous energy that I could barely spare.
Yuck!
However, on June 5th, I had my last chemo session (for this round, I'm probably going to be needing more later this year or early next year). I then experienced that psychological relief that could only inspire me to try and move more. It still takes a fair amount of effort on my part to do more than walk a couple of kilometres but at least I can do it and not feel as though I had to lie down for two or three hours to recover.
Today, June 13th, I was not only able to walk a couple of kilometres and not feel that exhausted burning knot in my whole body afterwards but I was able to get on my Catrike and cycle a whole 6 kilometres. Ordinarily, I'd be up to blasting off 20 or 30 kilometre trips but I'm still recovering from chemo and that, dear reader, will take more time.
Today, Adam and I ventured south along Bridlepath. We then eased onto Trapper's, onto Autumnwood via a shortcut and then turned onto Baden. Crossing Albion proved to be an easy venture for the both of us and, within a scant few minutes, we were following the oval pathway that circumvents Deer Park.
Though not as fast as I normally am, the pace I set was both invigorating and totally relaxing. I even saw a weird bird that looked to be red, white and orange (or maybe it was my glasses).
Before I knew it, we had completed the oval path and had regained the street. It was a matter of a short jaunt back home. I checked my trip odometer and it said 6.782 kilometres. So, yes, 6 kilometres may not seem like much but it meant everything to me. I felt, and continue to feel, as though I were nearly a human being once again. I only have to see a bit more hair growth on my predominantly bald head for those feelings to strengthen but I'm sure it'll happen. Right now I look more like a cross between Charlie Brown and Uncle Fester.
Adam was very accommodating to my limits, knowing that I am just barely out of chemo. He knows, as I certainly do, that recovery takes awhile but I am improving each and every day! Cancer is a nasty disease process second only to the powerful chemotherapy drugs they dripped into my veins every 3 weeks. It's a poison, under normal circumstances, but applied in cancer treatment it's the difference between getting sicker and not. In some cases, it's the difference between life and death, and I still have some life to live here - hopefully a lot on my Catrike.
I think I'm getting back to living.
