[2021-01-17] Long may it continue
I've never slept so much in my life. This is the hardest of the six rounds of chemotherapy to recover from. It's as though the effects of the treatment have been cumulative.
But I've learned to be gentle on myself. If sleep is what my body needs, then sleep is what I give it. I was in bed for 14 hours last night and another few hours this morning.
I have also been taking the anti-nausea medication that my oncologist prescribed. I remember his saying before I started chemo, "Don't be a hero. Take the medicine." I have followed that advice.
A few people have asked whether I will continue to write Jenesis. The answer is yes. My cancer journey hasn't ended. It is simply moving to a new phase.
The next phase in my campaign against ovarian cancer will begin in a month, once my immune system recovers somewhat from the chemotherapy. I will start taking the drug Lynparza, which targets cancer cells and is part of my maintenance therapy. The drug's side effects are said to be more severe in the first month, though less than chemotherapy.
Another part of my cancer journey could come from the results of genetic testing to determine whether the BRCA2 gene mutation found in my tumours is present in all cells of my body. If it is, I may have more decisions to make because of a potential for increased risk of other types of cancer. But I'll face that in February, which is when the genetic testing results are expected.
I don't believe that cancer will be something I'm ever done with. It will always be a part of my life. As I sit here writing this today, that doesn't seem as scary as it might have felt in the past. Perhaps that's because I've made it through the first two interventions: surgery and chemotherapy. There's nothing like climbing a mountain, or two, to realize that I could do it again if need be.
As well, my mission to raise awareness of ovarian cancer is far from complete.
My friend who sends me pertinent quotes in response to my blog posts shared this one from entrepreneur and investor Naval Ravikant: "Three things in life—your health, your mission, and the people you love. That's it."
This sums up well where I am today in my cancer journey. Long may it continue.
