Here we go again...

This is so not fair. Ken felt so good last week. We were in Nebraska with my parents and had a really good time. We just relaxed and enjoyed 5 days of retirement life with my folks. Ken felt great physically. We bought some fireworks and Ken loved sending the Roman candles into the air. We watched the neighborhood shoot fireworks before and after the big show, till midnight. Nebraska has less restrictions than Colorado, so they were shooting some really big fireworks at home. It was amazing.
But as the weekend started to wind down, Ken was more and more upset and depressed. I feel so bad for him. He is so brave and quiet when he feels sad. He drove all the way home on Sunday, but didn't talk much. He absolutely wanted to be anywhere but Denver on Monday. We had no choice. We went to the University of Colorado Hospital Cancer Center for his 5th round of chemo yesterday. It was tough for Ken to walk in. He knew what to expect and was almost sick before we even got started. We are so ready for this to be over.
We started with blood tests. The nurse drew blood from his pic line in his arm. Then while we waited for the test results, we went to the BIC office so Tamia could change Ken's dressing on his pic line. Then we headed to the infusion center. It was not long before they came in to say that his blood tests looked fine and we could get started. It is pretty boring for Ken. He just sits in the chair and lets it all drip into his arm. It takes about 5 1/2 hours. He can get up and move around, but he doesn't. No one moves around much. Ken was in chair #19 again. They have about 30 chairs and they were pretty full yesterday. He even had 2 different people in the same chair next to him yesterday. One at 9 when Ken got started and another by 11. Ken didn't pay much attention to what was going on in the ward. He was pretty nauseous as we started. So he slept most of the day. Amazing what a difference a day makes. Those drugs really wiped him out.
I spent the morning refilling his medications in the pharmacy and filling his pill boxes for the next 21 days. He has some meds he takes for the first 5 days, some that he takes day 6 thru 15, some he takes on Mondays and Thursdays, and some he takes every day. Then he has some he takes just when he needs it, for nausea and hiccups. It is crazy and was tough to keep straight. So we got 3 of those weekly pill boxes and made labels for day 1 thru 21. I put all his meds except the as needed ones into the boxes. It is easier for him. And we don't have to look at all those prescription boxes every day. A little easier to manage.
So where are we now? Ready or not, ready for round five. Ken felt pretty bad last night. He was able to eat a little so he could take his meds. But he wasn't happy about it. He even had the hiccups a little already. It just isn't fair. I feel so sad for him. They say each round gets a little harder because the drugs compound each time. We know he will get thru it. Only 6 more weeks. The weeks seem to pass by and we are getting thru. But each day is hard for him. I don't know how he manages to look so in control. I know he isn't on the inside. But he is amazing and tough.
We are headed back to Denver this afternoon to get his $3400 shot. He will try to work every day the rest of the week. I don't know how he does it. He is so thankful to his staff for carrying on without him. We are so thankful that everyone understands and is supportive. But we are so ready for this to be over...