It's a new week

Thank you for all the prayers and support last week. My next infusion date is April 6.

I am feeling like myself again and planning to enjoy this down time before Round 2.

Today was my 2nd post-chemo shampoo. So far, so good.

Chemo. Round 1. Day 7.

I woke up feeling like myself this morning. I went for a run. Then I walked down the beach. I went to church. I believe the worst of it for round 1 is behind me.

The only odd thing today was food aversion (my usual yogurt and banana) and food craving (eggs with jalapenos).

My next infusion is scheduled for April 6.

Chemo. Round 1. Day 6.

Highs

• Running at the beach this morning

• A sweet “chemo care kit” from Wallaby Windows of Coastal Carolina which just did our window installation in the living room

• Having the coconut kefir that I “like” (Does anyone actually like kefir?)

• Ginger candies from Rachel and lunch with her at Drift

Lows

Persistent low-grade nausea (and yes, I could take Zofran or another one of the three anti-nausea meds that were prescribed, but I would prefer to avoid them as they have their own side effects)

---

Chemo. Round 1. Day 5.

Highs

• First Day of Spring

• A walk on the beach

• Time with Clara

Lows

• Bone pain

• Tummy issues

I woke up feeling almost normal today. I opted out of post-chemo steroids as I'm trying to minimize the use of pharmaceuticals as much as I can. I took anti-nausea meds Tuesday and Wednesday night because my oncologist insisted on it, but I didn't like the side effects of the Tuesday night dosage and opted for half that on Wednesday. Half dose wasn’t great, either, so even though I was supposed to take it last night, I decided not to. However, nausea has been minimal today. I find I get nauseous when I'm hungry, so snacks are my friend. 😂

I am experiencing some bone pain, so I got another B12 injection this morning, hoping that will mitigate it to some degree.

This week hasn't been bad, but I recognize there will be a cumulative effect so not expecting each time to be this smooth.

Thank you for caring and for praying. We'll see what the Lord has in store in the days ahead.

Chemo. Round 1. Day 4.

Today’s highs

• Food tasted amazing today. My taste buds were on high-alert!

• A walk at the beach

• Having my hair washed for the first time in nearly a week. (There are very specific rules around washing one’s hair when cold capping.)

Today’s lows. Thankfully both of these had subsided by afternoon.

• Nausea

• Bone pain

I’m hopeful that I will wake up tomorrow feeling more like myself, having the energy to get out and do something.

Chemo. Round 1. March 16, 2026.

4:40 am Wake up and start the day. This includes reading Scripture, writing in my journal, and having a cup of coffee.

5:20 am Do an easy workout while watching a 60 Minutes story about one of my favorite podcasters.

6:15 am Take a walk around the neighborhood and listen to the first half of a sermon.

6:45 I check my bags one last time to make sure we have everything, and Rick applies Lidocaine to the port site, per instructions.

7 am. Breakfast

7:20 am We leave for the Zimmer Cancer Center

7:40 am Port access and labs

8:15 am A quick appointment with Dr. Robinson to review labs. All is well.

8:40 Crystal, my awesome capper, arrived and got right to work educating me about what is ahead. Rick took photos and videos of us both.

9:09 am Pre-meds and cold-capping begin

10:32 am Taxol starts. Icing my hands and feet is far harder than icing my head, surprisingly.

1:00 Ethan visits

1:45 Carboplatin starts

2:17 Finished at Novant. Cold caps are changed every 25 minutes, so we change the cap before heading home.

3:00 pm Home, ready to cap for about 4.5 more hours

All in all, a good day, in spite of it all.

4:45 pm update. Clara is here, and the world is even brighter than it was 5 minutes ago.

“I’m confident as seasons change, His faithfulness remains.”

— Maverick City Music

Embracing a new routine. March 13, 2026

Because I am trying to minimize hair loss by utilizing Penguin Cold Caps - The Original Chemo Cold Cap during chemotherapy, today was my last opportunity for the foreseeable future to wash my hair under warm, running water and use styling products and heat to dry it, so I snapped a photo before getting into the shower. What will my hair look like in the weeks ahead?

Because of my experiences in Haiti, I don’t take warm running water for granted. But today was different. I appreciated the warm water running over my head in an entirely different way. Washing my hair was not a task for the morning. It was a luxury to savor.

Ironically, when I went to use the shampoo and conditioner I love so much, both bottles were nearly empty, and I had to shake them down to get enough of each product to adequately clean my hair.

Starting today I am not allowed to use styling products on my hair, but I was told I could add just a bit of nourishment to the ends, so I chose to use this oil that I have loved for many years. (This oil is the reason my hair is always shiny! I am going to miss being able to use it as usual.)

I am allowed to dry my hair with heat one last time today, but I have decided to let it air dry to see how manageable it will be as I adjust to the new normal.

Many things will be completely out of my control in the days ahead, but I’m hopeful that having this one option will give me something on which to focus my time and desire to “do something.”

If I keep my hair, that will be a win. If I don’t, well, that was what was expected anyway.

A day in the life of a chemo patient. March 12, 2026

9:45 am

Today is the day I am scheduled to get my port inserted. We’ll leave for Novant Health Scotts Hill Outpatient Surgery Center in just a few minutes.

The worst part of the morning so far? Fasting. I'm hungry. 😂

Because of the later surgery time, I was able to walk at the beach this morning. For that I am thankful. As an added bonus, I found two shark’s teeth.

I bathed in the antibacterial soap… again. This soap and I have had too many meetings. I am not a fan.

10:25 am

Rick and I are here at Scotts Hill and waiting to be called back for prep.

11:15 am

Still waiting to be called back. Still hungry.

12:30 pm

The procedure is finished, and I wake up fairly easily. I’m hungry, so the nurse gave me a snack.

1:30 pm

I am discharged.

2:30 pm

I arrived home. But before that, because I was so hungry, Rick stopped at PTs and got me my favorite veggie burger. Now to rest up for the remainder of the afternoon. It is rumored Clara might stop by. That would make my day complete.

I’m likely to be a little sore for the next couple of days, but this puts me one step closer to being ready for Monday. Now it’s time to pack my bag for my infusion!