Week #11 – A day of rest….

Monday was my chemo treatment.  6 hours in “the chair” but this time with a window…bonus!  We also got the great news that my CA-125 levels have been steadily dropping with each treatment and are currently sitting just a few numbers above normal…extra bonus!!

Tuesday we watched season 4, episode 1 of Halloween Baking Championship.  (Tonight we will watch season 8, episode 1 of Halloween Wars….buwahahaha!)

Wednesday I brought home Whitey’s ice-cream as a surprise when my 6 o’clock student canceled.  The evening progressed and so did the bone-crushing ache.

Thankfully I now take a daily regimen of Gabapentin to make the pain so much more tolerable, not totally gone but, tolerable.  Unfortunately, over the last couple of weeks I’ve noticed that my feet have started to show increased signs of neuropathy – they feel as if I’ve walked for miles in shoes that were too tight - and now that feeling is all the time.  Fortunately, my constant teaching and gig schedule seems to have kept my hands from the same fate as my feet. 

Thursday I headed out for a “Tiny Tour” (far enough away to need an overnight – in this case 3 nights in Des Moines). I arrived to the hotel early and took my time getting ready. (After the long drive it was nice to just relax for a bit.) That night I played in Ft Dodge, a town I’ve played before but tonight at a brand new venue, Shiny Top Brewing.  They treated me very well, including providing a PA and sound guy – the same guy who convinced his uncles (the “shiny tops”) to have live music and 18 months later it’s still going and growing!

It was a long drive back to the hotel that night.  The BCA is always worse at night (mostly because I only take my dose night) so I was glad for the hotel room…and the Doctor Who marathon!  300mgs of Gabapentin, 10mgs of Melatonin and 5mgs of a Colorado edible and I drifted off to sleep in no time.

Friday I woke up…kinda.  The ‘gaba’ makes me a bit groggy in the morning and today I was really feeling the BCA more than usual.  I took another gaba and laid in bed for as long as I could – watching Dr Who and drifting in and out of sleep.  I finally got hungry enough to get dressed and headed out with an idea of grabbing something quick for lunch and going to the movies - House with a Clock in the Walls…I drifted in and out of sleep during the movie, too, but not because of the gaba. 

That night I had show #2 so, back to the hotel, got myself ready and grabbed some dinner on the way.  When I arrived at the venue I was told it was double booked and that I wasn’t needed.  The owner gave me my full pay and sent me home.  I went back to the hotel, took my evening ministration, got back in bed, turned on Dr Who and thanked my lucky stars for a night off.

Here’s the thing about me.  When I’m playing music, when I have a show no matter how I feel – sad, sore, tired, bone-crushing ache – the music makes that all go away.  For those few hours I’m on stage I’m not sad, or sick or tired.  The music energizes me, it lifts my spirits, it makes the world a happy place and all I care about is the music.  That’s why I haven’t stopped playing gigs – its one of the few things in my life right now that makes me feel normal.

Saturday was a two-fer!  I laid abed as long as I could then got dressed, packed and headed out to my first show.  I played a cool little “vintage” craft fair on a miserable, cold, rainy day and it didn’t matter because I was going to play a show!  (Lucky too, for the few folks who’d been turned away from my Friday venue – especially that lot from MN!!)  It was only an hour show but I had time to walk around the fair and had a scrumptious cinnamon-sugar-honey woodfired pizza and hot apple cider.  It doesn’t get more autumnal than that!

After my afternoon show I headed to my evening show – a blessedly easy show.   A blessedly easy show because the audience is always attentive and the show is from 6-9p – easy!  The evening was capped off by the company of friends.  Their presence at my show was special to me for a number of reasons.  One, because they’re old friends of my wife – I met them many years ago and now count them as friends of mine.  Two because they are just about the nicest people I know.  Three, because they brought their extended family to the show – 8 people who were in town for a baptism.  In fact, it was for this reason I was staying in a hotel. 

You see, when I asked the Leahy’s for a stay-over at their place for the weekend Dana told me they had family staying at the house...so, she booked a hotel for me.  I tried to refuse, saying there were others I could call but she insisted, saying it was the least they could do.  It was the gift of this hotel room that made this tiny tour with this bone-crushing ache a blessing in disguise.

My chemo treat this week was a room of my own - a respite for my body and soul.  Thank you, Dana and John.