Healing and Hustling with Zandra

Round 8 is done, and I decided to make the most of the weekend with some special visitors. My friends Kim and Mickey flew into town, which was a huge deal—it’s been at least 16 years since I last saw Mickey and about 3 since I saw Kim! I can’t believe they took the time out of their lives to hang with me, so I was ready to celebrate, even with chemo in my system.

Friday night, we kicked things off with a happy hour, combined with a birthday celebration for Mickey, whose big day was over the weekend. We all toasted with mocktails (well, maybe I did), and I tried to ignore the sad fact that my taste buds are still on strike. Watching them enjoy the food while it all tasted like cardboard to me was kind of like watching people open presents that you picked out but don’t get to keep. But hey, I was in good company, and that’s what mattered.

On Saturday, Kim, Mickey, Natalie, and I embarked on a shopping spree. Now, you have to understand, shopping has never really been my thing, but with them around, I figured I’d join the marathon. We hit more stores in one day than I have all year. There was so much laughter, I’m surprised we weren’t kicked out of a few places. But by the end of it, I was wiped out. Chemo and shopping? I don’t recommend that combo.

Sunday rolled around, and I woke up early, but my body was not on board. So, I decided more sleep was the answer. Later, Kim and Mickey came back for some football. We watched Kim’s beloved Buffalo Bills snag a win, followed by my Titans, who—let’s just say—took a nap on the field. Then we played Sequence. Mickey and I teamed up and gave Kim and Natalie a good old-fashioned smackdown. I have a feeling it’s a game they won’t forget anytime soon.

As they packed up to leave, I couldn’t help but think about how lucky I am to have friends like them. They made me forget the chemo for a little while, and I needed that more than they know.

Now for the update on chemo life, because, yes, the side effects didn’t take a weekend off. On Monday night, the bathroom and I got real familiar. Every 1.5 hours, I was back at it. Let’s just say this wasn’t the kind of “detox” they advertise in health magazines. I was grateful not to have stomach cramps, but sleep? Forget it. By the time morning rolled around, I was off to an MRI, silently praying I wouldn’t have an “incident” in that machine. Thankfully, I survived it incident-free.

Then there’s the new list of “fun” side effects to mention. I’m pretty sure neuropathy has begun creeping into my hands—my fingers feel cool, slightly numb, and just… weird. Then I have this random cough that doesn’t seem to be tied to a cold. Each time I cough, it’s like someone’s poking me in the chest and abdomen with a stick. And speaking of chest, I’ve got a nice little knot in the middle of it, which showed up a week ago. Nurse Marti called it a cyst, and she suggested the surgeon can take it out during my upcoming surgery. So, one more thing to look forward to!

And let’s talk about my face. Thanks to chemo, I’m breaking out like a teenager. Dark spots are popping up everywhere. My fingernails? They’re going goth—turning dark around the nailbed. Even my hearing is a little wonky; everything sounds a bit muffled, though no ringing yet, which Nurse Marti asks about every week. Marti and I will have plenty to chat about this round.

I’m calling this round a win because I got through it, but seriously—if chemo had a Yelp review, I’d rate it zero stars.