"Veins are like Dogs"

This has been another excellent week. Virtually no side effects from Gem-Tax treatment #3 (which was on January 3rd). That's if you don't consider going bald to be a side effect. Looking like a silly kewpie doll doesn't affect my ability to do what I want to do, so from that standpoint, I don't count it as a side effect (just a necessary nuisance). I'm shedding more than Sniglet. Truly, in the morning I have a layer of hair on my pillow case. I use the same special mitt to pick it up, as we use when Sniglet has taken to sleeping on a dining room chair, leaving a layer of white fur. The difference is that her kitty fur is pretty and soft, and what's left of my hair deserves no comment. There's not even enough for a decent dome wrap.

I've started wearing my cute wig when I go out, and want to thank Nike profusely for designing ball caps especially for women!! Men's ball caps have too large of a brim, and they look like I'm heading out to substitute for a long haul trucker. I'll be into collecting caps for my new head wardrobe.

On Monday night I was vascilating -- should I wear a ball cap or my wig to Ladies' Night Tennis? Since the TGs (Tennis Girls) had raved about my Michelle Pfeiffer look on Sunday night, when we celebrated Chris V's birthday at Pat's, I opted to stick with the wig. Can't hurt to be Michelle Pfeiffer on the tennis court. Wrong choice! It was fine, until it was my turn to serve. Oh dear, with every serve, as I tossed the ball, the wig was sliding upward. Needless to say, it was quite distracting and I lost that game for Ann T. and me. Thank goodness, Ann and I had shopped at Changes before tennis (40% off sale!); Ann had purchased a ball cap, which she willingly let me borrow. Thank you, Ann! The moral of this story is "Don't wear a wig when playing tennis"!

There are benefits to being bald:
1) It only takes me about 20 minutes to get ready.
2) You don't have to shave your legs or armpits -- now that is a real bonus!
3) In the winter, the wig serves as a hat, and has kept me warm in our blustery weather. Plus, the hairstyle doesn't suffer in the elements.
4) I save lots by not having haircuts nor foils. ("Save" means more to spend on something else.)
5) No need to pluck wayward chin hairs.
6) Save time in the shower because there's no need to shampoo and condition.
7) Don't need a bikini wax.

Now for a few tips for my readers:
1) When you see the "cancer look" (aka baldy) don't assume the person doesn't feel well. I feel just great.
2) Don't talk to us in a whiney voice, sympathetic voice. Speaking for myself, I'm living life like a totally normal person.
3) If you have questions about the disease, please ask. But remember, a key reason I have the blog is so that I can live life normally, and not have to talk/think about cancer, so don't go on and on about it (nor tell me what happened to your second cousin, twice removed, who had some form of cancer).
4) Feel free to post your questions in the comment section of the blog.

So.... are you wondering why this entry is titled "Veins are like Dogs"?? I learned this from Nurse Mandy, last Wednesday. Here's the story. As I mentioned in a prior post, I have opted not to have a "port" installed for the purpose of blood draws and infusions. Instead, the nurses have to insert the I.V. each week. It hasn't been a problem..... until LAST week, that is! Initially I had a nurse I haven't seen before (she may have been new, I don't know). She didn't approach the task with confidence, right off the bat. Not good "on stage" behavior for a nurse. She starts with the left arm, and has trouble with the vein. Once she supposedly got the vein, she couldn't get blood out of it. I'm thinking "Eeeek, have I become a vampire?? How can there be no blood??" Outwardly (emphasis on outwardly!), I'm handling this calmly, and suggest that she try the other arm. Same problem on the other arm, so she mumbles something about getting another nurse to step in. Good idea! Imagine my relief when my buddy, Mandy, walks in with a bright smile, announcing "Your veins like me". She starts with a heated compress on the arm, and then masterfully inserts the needle. No problemo for Mandy. Later in the afternoon Mandy shares her vein theory. They are like dogs, and they know if someone is afraid of them, and the nurse has to take confident command. Veins will take a "fight or flight" response when adrenalin rushes. When this happens, the blood goes to the core, and there is less blood remaining in the outer extremities. Now, isn't that interesting? Another lesson learned in the past week: If the nurse can't get it right on the first arm, ask for another nurse.

How about an update on the reptile feet? (Refer to blog back in November when the bottoms of my feet were peeling in layers.) As a result of that unintended process of exfoliation, I now have the softest nice skin on the bottoms of my feet. An amazingly positive side effect. I hope Dr. P. won't charge extra for that service.

I have resumed working with my personal trainer, Christin. She's been wonderful, recognizing that I've lost some strength in the upper body and core. We're starting off easy, but I definitely feel the workouts. Yesterday we decided that I'm ready to move the half hour sessions up to 45 minutes.

Thank goodness last night's promised snow storm wasn't significant here in the Greater Seattle area. I have my Gem-Tax appointment this afternoon, and also was going to ask Dr. P. to go ahead and give me a shot for the anemia. Last week the red blood cell count was at 27, and normal is 35. It's been on a downward trend over the past month. I still don't feel much in the way of fatigue, but am concerned that I might experience additional shortness of breath in Sun Valley (town is at 6,000 feet). I'm leaving for Sun Valley tomorrow, rendezvousing with Kimmy in Boise. Al and the Mixes are coming down on Saturday. The forecast is for very cold temps. We'll bundle up and drink hot totties. I am so ready for a "Sun Valley Fix" since I didn't get to go on Labor Day weekend or in October. I'm looking forward to seeing the flat screen TV and closet organizer, which Al, Steve and Terry installed last fall. My plan is to ski five days in a row! I have eleven ski days in so far, all at Mt. Baker.