I want to start by thanking everyone who has sent messages of encouragement and prayerfulness–I read and appreciate all of them. If I haven’t responded, it’s because I don’t know what to say, plan to think about it, then seventeen thousand and eight other things get in the way.
And then I need to apologize for not making regular updates. I’ve been tired, and sitting in front of this crappy laptop with the crappy external keyboard is a pain in the butt.
The infusions have started
I’ve had two treatments already, ten more planned, always on Thursdays. The clinic is right off the Marienplatz, so Mr Radish drops me off and picks me up (I am not allowed to drive myself). After the first one, I came home and slept for two days. Yesterday’s included the “antibody therapy” so it took an extra 90 minutes, but I stayed awake until bedtime.
So far so good; no nausea or vomiting. We’ve had Maultaschen in beef broth for supper on Thursdays (ready-made, like I said, I’m tired) because they are soft and comforting. Sunday after the first treatment, I was up for an outing to Munich with Mr Radish and his parents. The cortisone makes my face redder and hotter than the worst sunburn I ever got at a baseball game, but it only lasts a couple of days and the lidocaine gel that’s been sitting in the fridge for at least four years (it’s smuggled over from Iowa) helps a lot.
Yesterday I was the only woman in the room not knitting for the first hour, until the cold gloves to ameliorate tingling in the hands came out. The first session I read an actual book *gasp* but it was too hard to concentrate in a room full of action, so yesterday I had headphones and podcasts.
What no one told me
Last Saturday I had to pee every 45 minutes. Good grief. Totally logical; they’re dropping a couple of Volksfest beers‘ of liquid into me and my still-recovering lymph system, but GOOD GRIEF.
Speaking of beer, I have gotten along fine on reduced rations. The alcohol-free wheat beer I had on Sunday was awful, but it was cold and wet on a hot day (everything else on offer at the spot my MIL chose for lunch had too much sugar and/or citrus, that’s just the way it is here). We went to Regensburg on Wednesday and I had a local dark lager for lunch and it was delicious.
My mother is so disappointed I have proved I am not an alcoholic. Lol. I look forward to something delicious next Wednesday, but as I type this, I’d rather have a mint tea.
The Power of Pocket Pancakes
Wednesday night I made a batch of buttermilk pancakes with chopped walnuts, and they were perfect to pack on Thursday morning in the pocket of my Brewers hoodie, as one does. Will continue to do this for the 8 a.m. appointments (the noon appointments are shorter and I can eat before I go).
I am not making this up
The infusions are made in the Unicorn Apothecary.
No, seriously, the “Einhorn Apotheke” in Munich specializes in oncological pharmaceuticals and supplies the clinic.
Draw whatever conclusions you like from that! Lol.
