The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Good Morning Everyone,

I wanted to start with saying sorry for the delay on this post. It has been a pretty tough past week. I have suffered with a constant headache since my lumbar puncture was completed last Wednesday. I still have the remnants of one today but nothing compared to the weekend.

The headache is the muse for my post today. Most people are very curious about cancer and more specifically the chemotherapy. The media bombards everyone with how terrible chemotherapy is but really there are really good drugs for the terrible side effects. The worst side effect is the nausea and there are at least 4 different types of drugs at the doctors disposal to help fight it. There is some side effects that there isn't really drugs for, mouth sores, hemorrhoids (thankfully I didn't get these ;) ), and of course head aches.

The head aches are specific to my form of cancer because of the intrathecal chemotherapy I receive. They are caused by the needle hole in your spine not healing right away and your spine leaking spinal fluid. The thing with the headache is it isn't as painful as a migraine, what makes it hard it is the duration. Anyone can deal with a headache for one day, but after the third straight day it starts to wear you down. And this my friends is what makes chemotherapy the hardest, having to deal with a side effect day after day with no end in sight.

When I was in the hospital one nurse told me that the patients that do the best in responding to chemo are the ones that the most curious. I never really put much thought to why until yesterday. It is because knowledge brings a light at the end of the tunnel for the side effects. First, going into the treatments knowleadge allows you to know what to expect and how to try to prevent the side effect. Second, it allows you to have an idea how long the side effect might last. This is the key to getting through the treatments because it provides the light at the end of the tunnel. You can deal with almost anything when you know how long you have to fight it. This is because it allows you to mentally to prepare yourself for the battle ahead and you can start the countdown. What makes the battle the hardest is not knowing how long you have to deal with something and therefore having no end in sight.

I think the lesson through all of this is no matter how daunting or difficult something might be look for the light at the end of the tunnel because with that you can deal with anything.

I hope everyone has a good day, I am off to PMH today for some blood work and catchup appointment. Maybe I can convince the doctor for some really strong pain killers and make that light at the end of my tunnel a little brighter :)

Until tomorrow,

Aaron