Nicole's Notes

Any wig will have to wait until I'm back in Boston in January, because for insurance to cover it, the doctor needs to write a prescription for a "scalp prosthesis". The American healthcare system (or lack thereof) is so weird.

I feel bad that I've been off work since the beginning of December, but the office seems to have survived (and I was able to fix the problem the fax machine was having over the phone!). I didn't go back to work earlier this week, because of the pink eye - it's so darn contagious.

My next round of chemo begins the first week in January. It'll be a lower dosage, because of the side effects I've had (which are unusually severe, but then again, what about this whole business has been "usual"?). If my side effects are as dramatic with the lower dose, I may ask my boss if I can take an extended leave of absence until the chemo is over.

The holidays so far have been great fun. I'm still sleeping a bit more than usual, but what the hell, I'm on vacation! We're still planning on heading to the middle of nowhere (Muskoka) for New Years, which I'm sure will be relaxing as usual. I'm avoiding the shopping malls during the Boxing Day Sales, because of the crowds and my "compromised" immune system. Compromised seems so shady, you know? Like I've done something vaguely obscene that has rendered me susceptable to illness.

Well, it's nearly midnight, and I should get some sleep. I just wanted to wish everyone happy holidays, and to warn you all that in lieu of Christmas cards, which just didn't happen this year, I'll be sending random "happy winter" or "happy February" cards. ;)