Chemo Lessons, Smartypants, and Cleaning Day

So last week's first adventure in double dose chemo did not go as well as I'd expected but I learned some things. Mainly, that I must take the stool softener for at least a few days before I start the chemo. I also learned that if you are stopped up on one end and the food has no place to go, it comes out the other end because it doesn't all fit in the stomach at once. As a researcher, this is important information that I will keep in mind for next time. I should have consulted an old person on this whole constipation thing, I'm way out of my knowledge area. However, now that I think it through, it makes sense from an engineering and physics perspective.

The neuropsychologist at MDA called with testing results this morning. You might remember, they did a battery of tests at some point in my treatment and a follow up battery just two weeks ago. He said I was stable on almost everything, however, I improved on visual memory (which is important because the tumor was so close to the occipital lobe). I didn't have a deficit in visual memory before, but there has been improvement. Some of you may remember that last time I was "severely impaired" and in the fifth percentile on word finding and the neuropsychologists did not have a tumor related explanation for this, they assumed it was due to fatigue. The good news is that I greatly improved in that category and I now am within normal range! So now I have proof that I can recognize and name an accordion and most other musical instruments. I'm told I will have a follow up battery in 6 months and then eventually the follow up will be annual. On the one hand I figure if I stay stable I get to feel intellectually superior. On the other hand, if I decline, either due to aging or tumor progression, I will have a record of it. At least I will have a meter for how far I can push the brain tumor excuse!

 We made some inquiries yesterday about the refund for proton therapy. We know that the paperwork has been filed and is in MDA's system, but we were not able to get in touch with the person handling the process. We hope to hear back from her today.  

We are finally feeling like we are getting settled in. Aidan has started basketball camps, Jason and I are back at work, and today was cleaning day (my favorite day of the week). And although cleaning day is my favorite because it's the day someone else cleans my house and makes it smell awesome, it's also exhausting to clean in preparation for the cleaning people. Therefore, I already feel like I need a nap and it's only 10 AM. I mean, it's 2 o'clock somewhere, right?