Trouble with Other Body Parts and a Sailor's Welcome

Dearest Friends and Family,

I apologize for the blog gap, but it's been a busy few days. What with chemotherapy session #1, follow-up visit with the surgeon, and a brief visit to the local ER after tripping over my dog and breaking my nose. Yes, my friends, the physical transformation continues. No boobs, thinning hair, two black eyes and a big, fat schnozzoli.

Just in case you need a closer look...

Don't worry. I won't be posting pictures of my chest. 

So chemotherapy is fun. You have an appointment at 12:30 for blood draws. You have an appointment with the doctor at 1:15. You have infusion at 2:00 and you're done at 4:30. Add in the driving, it's full day, which wouldn't be so bad except that you have to have someone with you. Someone who may have a family to take care of, work colleagues to keep happy, and their own busy lives to deal with. Not only is cancer a time sink for me, it  is one for my loved ones. 

The good news is that the side effects have been very tolerable. No puking, which is the best news. I'll keep you posted on the hair thing. I wonder if I will still have a swollen nose and black eyes when the hair falls out. So many beauty challenges, so little time (or, should I say, so few effective resources...)

On the home front, the husband has returned from the high seas, handsomely tanned as predicted, scruffy, but not as happy and relaxed as he might have been. That may have had something to do with the welcome home he received. I think I will include here a message he wrote to some friends that describes his home coming.

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 OK, Amy is laughing about this now.....

7PM: I am dropped off at wonderful home after a long arduous vacation (thanks again Elise for picking us up!!) expecting to walk in to give Amy a huge hug, and hugs to Whit, who is home on Spring break, dogs etc and finally to be able to resume taking care of my wonderful wife...

Well, it didn't exactly unfold that way:

Walk in, Whit comes out from the office, hug, great to see you, is mommy upstairs sleeping?

Whit: "you haven't heard?" (is this a joke or something?)

 Me: "heard what?"
Whit: "Mommy's in the hospital" (uh oh)
Me: horror-stricken look unable to speak
Whit: "no, its OK, she tripped over Lilly and landed on her face, she's fine really...we can go pick her up in 15 minutes" (huh?)

 Me: "if you took her to the hospital why didn't you stay with her?"
Whit: "no, the ambulance took her... the blood was dripping into her eyes so we decided to call an ambulance..." (not sure what to say here- oy vay? yikes? OMG? WTF?)

It took a while to sort out the whole story, but evidently about a half hour before I got home, Amy tripped over the dog, landed on her face, perhaps broke her nose, and was taken to the hospital by ambulance after a consensus was reached among EMTs from 5-6 emergency vehicles lined up in our driveway.  She was treated and released promptly, we picked her up and brought her home, ice pack on the nose, Amy laughing all the way.

If our plane had landed on time I could have been around for the festivities (although the good news is that I have an alibi if there is any question about how Amy got the cut on her nose and two black eyes).  Of course, if the mechanical issue that caused the delay forced a flight cancellation, who knows what I would have eventually come back to....

And did I mention that Amy is undergoing chemo.  And that she is hosting a reunion for her college roommates Friday night (I am designated "cabana boy" in Amy's words).  And its her birthday tomorrow (which we are looking forward to celebrating with others' on Sat if we get there.)

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