I didn’t see it coming.

As usual, I was up early on Monday morning. I sat down, drank most of two glasses of water, and felt pretty good looking ahead to the new week.

It was Monday, the start of a new week. I apparently should have paid more attention to the fact that it was Monday, Day 3 after a 4-1/2 hour chemotherapy session with side effects that had not run their course.

Since I was feeling pretty good, not too fuzzy, I picked up my camera, put on my walking shoes, grabbed my cane and a baggie with some small dog biscuits, and headed out to walk down the street to Waialae Beach Park. It isn’t far, about .2 miles to the corner of Kahala Avenue and you’re entering the park. But it’s still the longest walk I’ve been making the past few weeks.

I was quickly greeted by Bono and his person. We chatted while walking across the park toward the ocean. Then I sat and watched the sunrise, getting up a few times for photos. As I was leaving the park, I ran into Makana and his person, and I updated him on my situation. Finally on the walk home, I ran into another acquaintance who lives a block away, and she was concerned and wanted to hear more of my story. And then I heard Bailie barking and had to stop and share a few dog treats with him.

By the time I got home, I was getting tired.

And that’s when I learned something about Day 3 after chemo: feeling good can be a mirage.

I ate a serving of Greek yogurt, enjoyed a cup of decaf coffee.

But before long, I decided to just go back to bed and lie down for a while. After a 40-minute nap, I felt something new, a headache coming on. I got up, took a Tylenol, and went back to bed.

And from there, it was all downhill with the wheels coming off the cart.

The headache started acting like a migraine, with nausea tagging along. So I went to my reserve of pills for nausea. That helped, but the drug also slows down your system, contributing to constipation, which in turn can feed back into the headache.

And by then I was woefully behind on the day’s fluid intake and could never get close to catching up.

By noon I just gave up and gave in. The day was over for me. I never checked email, never let myself peek at the latest bad news. Late in the afternoon, I managed to drink a protein shake, but I’m afraid that was the only sustenance of the day. I just turned on the a/c, cocooned ed myself in a comforter, and dozed fitfully for the next 18 hours.

This morning, I’m moving very cautiously. I’m out of bed and Upright.

And I’m writing these notes as a reminder.

Beware Day #3.

Feeling good first thing in the morning isn’t the final word. Sometimes it’s just a trap drawing you into doing more than your body can handle.

Live and learn.

And go slow.