Yesterday was my once-every-six-weeks visit to the KU Cancer Center.  This time there would just be blood tests, the expensive bone-strengthening shot, and a consultation, and the first appointment wasn't until 1 p.m.

Like the Friday before, the morning began with lots of black ice on the roads, slide-offs and rollovers, but by the time we were ready to leave, the roads were dry.  The best pan-fried chicken in America is at a restaurant called Stroud's (the Food Network concurs), which has an old farm house north of the city but has opened a branch close to the Cancer Center.  This restaurant is open only on Fridays and weekends, so I thought it was a perfect time to go.  All of our KC friends were busy, so it was just going to be the two of us--and half the population of KC.  There wasn't parking within a half-mile of the restaurant, so after four trips through the parking lot, we gave up and went to First Watch.  We parked at the Center and then walked the block and a half to the restaurant.  It was so cold and windy that I didn't think I was going to make it.  Once inside, I couldn't stop shaking from the cold.  Even a  bowl of tomato basil soup didn't help much.  And then we had to face the return trip.

First came the drawing of the blood.  My nemesis Marci was there, but thankfully I got a much more efficient phlebotomist, so that took about five minutes.  There was some confusion as there was a Mr. Falconer there, and we both kept getting up when our similar names were called.  Although the appointment was with Dr. Van, who is always very late, Jennifer, the physician assistant, saw us first and gathered all the information, and then Dr. Van promptly appeared.  I had lost seven pounds since the last visit, though my weight sort of fluctuates and at the last visit was the highest it had been in some time.  The blood work revealed nothing unusual.  Most of the discussion focused on "quality of life" issues, since the last month hasn't been a lot of fun, and my energy level has been particularly low.  (So far, I haven't written a single holiday letter or card.)  Dr. Van's suggestion was that I take a serious break of four to six weeks from the chemo.  Any break scares Mohamed, who suggested a one-week break.  But I think we need something more serious, so we compromised on three weeks.  Dr. Van said that there was no risk.   I'll go back in three weeks rather than six and have all the scans.

Once I finish this blog, I'll take a handful of pills, but the Votrient won't be among them. 

I stayed awake for the trip home, but then completely crashed for two hours.  Even after I woke up and had something to eat, I wasn't particularly coherent nor felt very good.  I watched "The Big Heat" and then at 10:30 fell asleep for the next eight hours.  And now begins Day One sans chemo.