Remember when I used to write here and update my blog often??
Yeah, me neither.
It’s not that I haven’t wanted to. To be honest, this second phase of chemotherapy has been pretty brutal. To recap, after my “one month recovery” from radiation, I started a second phase of chemo, which is a week long of treatment every 4 weeks. My first in mid-April, second in mid-May, and now…… I’VE STARTED MY LAST CHEMO SESSION!!!
I’ve wanted to update the blog, to let everyone know how I’ve been doing, but really, until the last few weeks, I’ve just kinda felt like crap (my aunts read this blog, so I’m reluctant to swear… I know it’s “my rules”, but how am I supposed to be everyone’s favourite nephew if I’m swearing like a sailor?!?!?)
As I said, I had my second chemo treatments after the May long weekend (for my non-Canadian readers, we celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday the third weekend in May….GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!…. or something), and I was ok for the first few days, but after that I really felt like crap (use your imagination, people!!). Everything I put into my stomach made me feel nauseous, even if I took my anti-nausea pills before.
And the chemo made it really hard to try to eat anything…. so I couldn’t eat and I couldn’t put anything through my feeding tube. It wasn’t until about two weeks ago that I started feeling a little bit better. I’ve started to eat “real food”, and have had pasta, chicken cutlets, lasagna, hamburgers, and some lamb. That’s the most food I’ve eaten since February!!
Other than that, it’s just been trying to feel better. I had lost a ton of weight over that couple of weeks, but since I’ve been eating real food (and not to mention over indulging on ice cream and pie!) I’ve been able to gain a lot of what I lost, which for right now is good. I was actually able to maintain a decent weight during the radiation, which was the most important part.
Now, with the last chemo session starting, I think I know what to expect. I will feel reasonably well until about Friday, and gradually start feeling unwell for most of next week. And then, hopefully by the end of June, I’ll start feeling better. And that’s when my final recovery starts!!!
I have an MRI scheduled in late July to have a scan and have them determine if the tumor is gone, and if there is any disease left in my body. I find out my results in early August. Fingers crossed that everything is gone, and I don’t have to go through any more treatments. I’m hoping by the end of the summer to be as close to back to normal as possible. I think the summer will really help with recovery, with the sunshine and nice weather. And with my son being home on summer vacation (my daughter isn’t in school yet), it’ll be a nice time to spend the summer with the kids at home, which I wouldn’t normally be able to do while working. I’m looking forward to feeling better and trying to start leading a normal life again.
As long as everything goes well with the MRI, I’m hoping to go back to work in September. I haven’t really talked to my doctors about it yet, but when we started back in February, they figured that was a pretty realistic goal. As nice as it is to be home with the kids, and pick up my son from school and stuff, I really miss working, getting out every day, interacting with people, and just building stuff. I’m looking forward to going back.
A Little bit of Calcio (or Soccer…. or Football, perhaps)
So the Champions League Final happened…… And as you probably know, Juventus, la mia squadra del cuore, was playing, and unfortunately lost to a Barcelona squad that might be considered the best team ever. It was a decent game, and Juve held their own. The early goal didn’t help, but Juve were able to equalize and control the game for a good portion of the match. In the end, though, it wasn’t meant to be, and after Barca took the lead, a late goal killed any chance of Juve lifting another CL title. I’ve been meaning to rewatch to game, to see the game a little bit more objectively, but really, I’m not sure I can handle the heartache again….. If you’re looking for a good perspective from a Juventus fan, I suggest you check out my friend Aaron‘s take on the game.
I’m pretty rational and pragmatic when it comes to sports. I don’t get too high with wins, or too low with loses. I wasn’t always like this, but I think as I’ve grown older, and understand that sports are more business that sport, it’s taken something away from the game for me. I could go into more detail, but I’ll leave that for a separate post another day. But this game, reaching the final of the Champions League, was fantastic as a Juventus fan, to see the club come back to the top of Europe after being so low 10 years ago, and having to fight it’s way back to the top of Italy, and playing with the best teams in Europe.
And speaking of Juventus, I really have to recommend a great book, for fans of Juventus and fans of the beautiful game. Adam Digby has written a fantastic book about Juventus, it’s history, how the club was formed, it’s greatest players, the tragedies the club has endured, and the successes that make it the most loved club in Italy, and one of the most successful clubs in the world. And even though Adam is a life long, die hard Juventus fan, he takes a very balanced approach in his writing (as he does with all his work). I suggest all Juventus fans, and fans of the history of the game, to check out his book, Juventus A History of Black and White. It’s a fantastic deal for a book loaded with information and fantastic stories. I’ve really enjoyed it, and plan on re-reading it many times over, and sharing it with my kids.
Thank You
I’ve said it before, but it’s really important for me to say again. I really need to thank everyone that has stood by me. All the visits, phone calls, text messages, tweets, Instagram messages, emails (I think that covers everything) from friends, family, neighbours and even strangers, mean so much to me. It’s amazing to know so many people care. For that, I really can’t say enough, or thank you enough.
And to the staff at Princess Margaret, and the rest of UHN, who I don’t think anyone reads this, but incase they do, I want them to know how wonderful they have been to me and my family, and how grateful and indebted to them I will be for the rest of my life. They truly have made this time in my life and good as it could have been.
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Ok, so I promise to (sort of) keep my blog more update to date than posting every two months. And I’m hoping that this last chemo treatment doesn’t kick the crap (imagination!) out of me again. But even if it does, it’s only a couple of weeks, and I know I’ll get through it. So the chemo can kick the crap out of me, but I’m going to kick cancers ass!
Enrico
