Scope it Out 5K -- part deux

Last year at this time, I was on full-blown chemo, low in weight/strength, and pretty much bald. So, running in the Scope it Out 5K was not really an option -- due to the factors other than baldness. I walked the entire thing in about an hour...strolling along the water, listening to the birds chirping. Who am I kidding? The birds were all dead because it was so cold that morning!

This year, I was now on "chemo-lite" pills, almost back to normal weight, as strong as ever in my life...and full of hair (like Austen Powers). Running was now an option, but just how far I didn't know. I started off pretty well. Everyone was in my way, so instead of weaving and making it 3.2 miles vice 3.1, I jumped to the sidewalk and ran there. If any security people would have told me to get back on the road, I was totally prepared to pull the cancer/chemo card (still in my wallet in the car, but they didn't know that.) Eventually, the log-jam cleared and I went back to the streets. At about mile one, Jess caught up to me (I was slowing) and we did about a 1/3rd of a mile together, but I had to stop and walk a little.

After that, I walked for a block and ran for a couple of blocks for the rest of the race. Around mile 2, a fan was cheering who was wearing a pitt jacket. I yelled, "go pitt" and he smiled (even though Pitt had lost the night before on a last second shot. Ugh.) I kept going. While I approached five blocks to go, I was thinking, "do I run one more, walk one, and then run three? Or run two, walk one, run 2?" Just then I heard my name called. I looked back and Erin was catching me. I didn't even know she was in the race. She caught up and I told her to keep talking, but I wasn't going to talk. She kept me running the next four blocks without walking. With one to go, I said "come on." She knew what I meant and we sprinted the last block (or what felt like a sprint to me). I finished at 33:02. After I stopped, my legs were so limp that I had to hold on to people. Plus, blisters on both feet after mile 2. Ugh.

During this race I still didn't hear any birds. Must have been my gasping for air that was blocking out the chirps.

"Nope, nada, zilch..."

I had a routine office visit with my oncologist last week. "Nope, nada, and zilch" were my responses to his questions of "any pain?" "any side-effects from the chemo pills?" "any problems at all?"

You simply can't imagine how nice it is to be able to give those answers. :'-)

Workin' 9 to 5...

Well, more like 10:15am to 6:15pm (I like to sleep in.) But EIGHT hours is my longest day in 14 months!

I followed it with a mile on the treadmill and some weight-lifting. Man, am I pooped!

Updates all around...put it on my tab!

Well, last week was the first week of my "chemo-lite" pills. I took them for seven days and had seven days off. Tomorrow I start back on them for a week again. I didn't feel any side effects. No fevers, no mouth sores, no nausea, no runs, nothing!

I had my blood tests today and that didn't show any side-effects from the pills, either. In fact, my platelet count increased from 122,000 to 134,000. 150K is where I want to be. It just takes a while to come back after all the full chemo treatments I had.

Also, I tipped the scales at over 145 lbs today at the hospital! That's a gain of almost 4 lbs in two weeks!

At the gym, I am consistantly running an 8:40 mile. Not where I want to be, but getting more energy. I'm working out on the bench press with 185 lbs. Not back to where I was, but inching closer. Besides I don't weigh enough to lift too much right now!

So everything is looking good!

I'm sure I'll post a blog after my trip to NYC next week for the Big East Tournament!