The Routine - round 1, day 1

the alarm is set for 4:30am. it doesn't go off this morning. i'm up about 4 and anguishing about the 30 minutes of rest i've got left. i give up and get up about 4:20.

my day starts with purple. nexium is the power of purple. it makes the rest of the day's pills possible. first is nexium, then the little green steroid that is supposed to make my brain shrink. it does that, but it also gives me killer heart-burn (without the nexium that is), swollen hands and legs, and a ferocious appetite. the last pill of the morning is my anti-seizure pill. all of these must be taken with food. so, for pretty much the first time in my life i am eating breakfast every day. that is if you consider crackers, donuts, or pretzels breakfast.

i walk out the door at 5am with lunch in hand. at some point in the 55 mile journey to work our regular 'shelia and mike' must turn into 'kevin and taylor'. my radio is broken in the car, and CD is stuck inside and has been there since Christmas. at least it is a good one (worship CD jason gave me). i do a lot of praying in the car: early morning, fog, deer, rural georgia back roads, interstate. i roll into work about 5 after 6. this is a new schedule for me. this start time allows me to leave at 2:30. i am hoping this time will allow me to do my radiation every day after work, and still get home before rush hour. we shall see. tomorrow i will have to commit to a schedule.
2:25 and i'm running out the office door to my car. 30 minutes later i am hunting for a parking space at piedmont hospital. today is my final 'dry-run' for the radiation therapy i will be beginning in earnest tomorrow. 20 minutes of fittings, pictures, etc and i'm back in the car again. hit peachtree south, right on spring, merge on connector, south, south, south. quick stop at target to get the new CASH CD. quick bite at rolypoly, a prescription refill, fresh tank of gas, 13 hours and 115 miles later and i am back home.

this is the first week of 6 weeks of radiation. tonight just before bed i will start day 1 of 5 days of chemotherapy. my precious temodar pills arrived in the ups yesterday. 5 days worth of chemo pills - $1800 (praise the LORD for health insurance, my cost was only $115). i'd be lying if i said i wasn't scared about what tonight's experience with these pills will be. i will take the chemo for 5 straight days, then have 23 days off before starting round 2. this week the chemo and radiation will be doing the one-two punch on my brain. say a prayer for me this week. it may be wrong to ask for avoidance, but i am praying for an uneventful 5 days, and at least the strength to make to saturday.
so that is my new routine, for now. i thnk 'cool water' is my favorite track on the new CASH CD. i've always said water is God's second greatest gift.