Ode to the Hair. . .Chemo Round 2 begins with good news.

Oct 27, 2009 - Well I am officially in the ranks of the unadorned, the skin-heads (not the gang), those in need of the hair club, a current (or former NBA player), or to put is simply, the bald. I returned to work this week as a bald man and it was interesting watching peoples' reactions. My co-workers were pretty cool with it. If they were shocked, they hid it well; but they did comment on it. I had three different clients come in and only one of them made any mention of my lack of hair. The other two checked out the head, but did not make any mention of it. One actually stayed and talked with me for a good ten minutes and never mentioned it. I guess I just looked too good.

I had to talk with other 'baldies' to get to know the ropes. "How often do you shave? What do you put on to get that nice sheen on the scalp? How do you avoid sunburn?" I went out and picked up a nice hat on Wednesday. Now I look a little more stylish when I go out.

Thursday Oct 29th 2009 - We begin round two of chemo with a visit with our oncologist. We have not seen him since our October 2nd appointment when we were told what kind of Lymphoma I have, and that we were beginning chemo the following Thursday. Results of the PET/CT scan show that I have infected lymph nodes in the right groin area that go down the right leg and into the pelvis. I have something in my chest, but he thinks this is a misread. The kind of Lymphoma I have does not travel well, so he is convinced that it is pretty localized. What this means for me is we stop chemo after six treatments. After that we go with some radiation to be sure that we leave no cancer cells behind (sounds like a good slogan for an education campaign, just don't tell this to a school teacher - trust me.) My oncologist is pretty convinced that we will kill most of the cancer cells after the third round of chemo. But again if three rounds are good, then six should be better right? It's the American way. If I can get a 32oz Big Gulp, why not get a 64oz Bigger Gulp? Supersize my chemo please, and yes, I would like fries with that.

So it looks like I will be done with this cancer thing sometime in February (yeah). Unfortunately it looks like I will not be able to do the PF Chang's this year. I have been told by not one, but two of my health care professionals that chemo is my marathon. So I will have the chance to follow and cheer on my wife this year as she represents 'Team Watson.' So again, God has been good in getting us into a running club for her to train with other runners. Otherwise this would be an extremely suckie Fall for training.

After two lab visits and having to wait, I finally get a chance to use this brand spanking new power port for round two. I was disappointed when I went to the lab and offered to use the power port, only to be told that the lab does not use them. Evidently you have to have specialized certification to use the port. After my first experience with it, I think maybe this is best. After the nurse cleans the skin, she sprays me with a numbing spray that is rather cold and stings a bit. She then sticks a needle in me that looks like a bent paper clip, and feels pretty much the same - she pushes it into my chest. It is like getting a lapel pin pushed into your chest (don't ask how I know this.) The advantage is that I don't feel the chemo drugs going into my body. The chemo treatment ends an hour earlier, so we are out of there by 12:30 rather than 1:30 which is when round one ended.

Side effects are still bearable; a little weak, a little nauseous. So as I write this I watch the Suns crush the Warriors, feeling good. . .Until next time.