Nicole's Notes

Hair update: Still falling out. I have a real comb over thing happening just now. I bought a couple of wigs from the American Cancer Society's TLC catalog, but one has to go back as it's not the colour I thought it would be. The other is a bit too big (it poofs out from my scalp a bit in the back). So back they'll go, and replacements are on their way here. I had originally thought to go to a wig shop to buy one, since one of the tenants at work (that I hear from a lot) is a specialty cancer-oriented wig place. Turns out they're 10 times the price of the wigs in the catalog, plus they charge a fee just for a consultation visit. The oncology nurses were quite indignant about that. I'm just as happy with my $45 dollar wigs from the catalog.

I've been wearing scarves to work most days, except Friday, when I wore my new Gatorade baseball cap (thanks Shayne!) and today, when I didn't go to work (lips are super ouchy - that's a technical term). I've developed a few guidelines to scarf wearing, which I will now share with you:
(1) Slippery material is a bad idea, as the scarf slides about and constant readjustment really makes your hair mat underneath.
(2) Large scarves are not necessarily better, as they get caught between your back and the chair, dislodging every time you move your head.
(3) Cotton scarves are better because they breathe, and keep your head warm when it's bloody cold out.
(4) (not really a scarf tip) Don't wear white turtlenecks when you're losing your dark hair, as coworkers will feel the need to pick random hairs off your shirt, and since that process is pretty endless, you'll both wind up embarrassed.

So my lips are chapped, and painful. My tongue feels less swollen than yesterday, which is good, but my tonsils still feel like I might choke on them and I still have the whole "dry mouth" thing happening. Not very fun. I'm on medicine that's meant for people with cold sores, as it seemed to help during the December side effects. Or that might just have been the whole "time heals all" thing since I didn't get the meds until the end of the second side effect week. So far, I've managed to avoid the whole windburned face effect by slathering on the moisturizer. And I've no appetite, but I wanted to lose weight anyhow. :)

I'm determined that I'll return to work tomorrow. I spent all last week catching up on stuff from December (since I missed 2.5 weeks due to side effects and 1.5 weeks due to holidays), and I don't want to let it get behind again (although I prepared for that on Friday, just in case). Folks repeatedly told me that they missed me when I was out. Aww. It was worth it to take the vacation time, to see everyone and de-stress.

In other news, Jason took Penny the Chemo Kitty to the vet for the next round of rabies/etc. shots, and now the vet thinks she's not pregnant. Says she doesn't feel swollen anymore, but is getting too fat (she put on a pound in the last month, and that's a lot on an 8lb. cat). Apparently cats can randomly decide not to be pregnant if the conditions aren't good for kittens in the first couple of weeks of pregnancy. They reabsorb the not-yet-kittens into their bodies. Weird, huh? This may have been what happened with her, or she could simply have been fixed by a really good surgeon who didn't leave big scars. Anyhow, I'm giving Penny until the end of the month to ante up with the kittens before the free-for-all feeding frenzy is over. Then we'll get her some of that cat food meant for indoor couch potato cats.

Speaking of which, she's currently beside me on the couch as I type this. She's all tired out from attacking the catnip snake my Mom got her for Xmas. She loves it so much she ripped its eyes off. Literally. Now that's love! I'm using the new laptop Jason bought (documentary expense). There's a draft from the window next to my desktop, and besides, this way I can pet Penny when pages are slow in loading or when I'm searching for weblog inspiration.