One week after hospital discharge, and some pictures

I got out of Sloan Kettering one week ago today. Yesterday was actually the first day in weeks that I didn’t make a journal entry – since there was nothing new.

And there’s still not much new – still have chemo fatigue. I can take all the rests or naps I want, I still feel fatigued! And that’s the point of chemotherapy fatigue. You can’t correct the low blood cell count by resting or taking it easy. It’s simply a question of waiting – my guess is two to three more weeks.

Here are a few pictures, a couple of which were taken this morning.

First, here is moi, taken January 10th, the day after I entered Sloan Kettering. The IV stand is next to me. The day I was disconnected (January 28th) I had this HUGE sense of relief! Funnily enough, It hadn’t bothered me, at least consciously, for the 19 plus days the IV stand was my “friend” and it was always within 3- 4 feet of me. It was attached to me through the three IV tubes connected to my IV catheter. But what a great feeling, the morning of the 28th when it was disconnected. For the first three days after I got home, whenever I got up from bed or a chair, my thought was “Careful, don’t pull the IV tubing out!”

Here’sthe view, out my window. It looks south on York Avenue, from 66th St. I must say I hardly ever looked out the window. The dome on the left is (I think) part of of the Rockefeller Institute / Foundation. But I’m not sure – never actually asked anyone at Sloan.

Here I am this morning with the boys. I look pretty pale. Of course, sitting between them, a lot of people would look pale!

And lastly, from this morning, here I am with my sweetie, Brigid! The ol’ hair, had begun to grow back. When I went into MSK on January ninth my head was starting to look like a chia pet. But it had fallen out by about  the 25th, courtesy of the six days of high dose chemo that began my hospitalization. Now the few hairs that had persisted all through my chemotherapy are still there. You can’t tell from the picture, but kind of weird-looking to have a few long hairs sprouting from an otherwise hair-free dome. But I refuse to shave the “faithful remnant” off.

And my eyelashes that had begun to grow back, have not fallen out – yet. Since God (or Zeus or Darwin or somebody) gave us eyelashes to (presumably) protect our eyes, I’m glad they are persisting. Again, you can’t tell this from the picture.