The first day of Taxotere. I just don’t know if I can do 4 more rounds of this. I am trying but this is a down day.

It probably started over the weekend, taking Nick to orientation at Georgia Southern. I was pretty good during graduation, lost it a little during the toast I wrote for him an much more during the toast Scott wrote for him. (More on that in a later blog.) I was ok getting ready to go. Then the orientation session started. They played a video of all the reasons different students like Georgia Southern. At the end of that, one young man talked about his class ring and what that symbolized for him over the 4 years of his college life. It made me think of Andrew and giving him his ring and all Nick has to look forward to both good and bad away from us. In that split second, I realized how much I will miss, because he and Andrew are not the kind to call and spill their guts about what is going on in their lives. It is like pulling teeth. “What happened today” - “nothing.” “Any plans for tomorrow” - “no ma’am”. “So that big red smear all over your clothes isn’t blood? “Oh that’s nothing.” I have to watch the nightly news to make sure it isn’t anything serious. Well maybe it isn’t quite that bad, but close. Big hint Andrew and NIck. I also learned a policy from my sister-in-law Shelagh, don’t call the first week of school, let them call you. Well unless we don’t deposit money in Nick’s account, I am not sure he’ll be making any calls.

Back to Georgia Southern. They asked all the members of the class of 2013 to stand to a round of applause. Then they gave all of them key rings with miniature class rings on them. Ok, I sort of lost it.

What does this have to do with chemo. Nothing but maybe that is why I am so emotional today. Or maybe it is because I am going back into the office and hooking in to make myself sick or not. I just don’t know. I did find out the last kind of chemo I was taking is called the “red devil”. Great, glad I didn’t know that before I started taking it. But that name is sure appropriate. Well we will see what this type of chemo will bring.

Really weird. Turning your nails dark is one of the side effects of this type of chemo. To help prevent that, I had to come home and put Sally Hansen Hard As Nails on right away. Just what you want to do when you get home from chemo, give yourself a mani and pedi. But I don’t think they would appreciate it at Nail Gallery if I brought in my own polish. I already bring in my own fragrance free soaps and scrubs. So I am now Sally Hansened up. Don’t look at it if it smudged - give me a break.