After being reminded of my absence on these pages for most of the week, I’m posting this informal update. Not thought out and edited line my more ambitious Chemo Chronicles, but just something to explain what’s going on.

My most recent chemo infusion was September 11, a Friday. Unfortunately, this has been the worst post-chemo experience to date, with the major side effects, dizziness, brain fog, and lack of appetite, knocking me out most of last week.

This Tuesday, 12 days after the chemo treatment, I was still having sudden dizzy spells when just walking across the room, and as a result have spent too much time in bed (that’s my editorial voice feeling guilty about not being more “productive” during this time. Usually these symptoms recede by day 7 (the Thursday after chemo). This time, not so much. I was still wobbly when I reported this past Tuesday for a blood test and meeting with the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in my oncologist’s office.

I like her. She listens hard. Takes copious notes. She’s looking for clues about why the dizziness is lingering. I think she was drifting toward sending me to have my heart examined when she asked about hydration.

“Are you drinking enough?”

I pointed out that I’ve flagged my failure to drink anything near the recommended amount daily of fluid. I can’t seem to sit down and chug a glass of water. Back in the day, I be able to down a beer or two with just a small burp at the end. Those days are long gone. Besides swearing off alcohol since this all started at the end of February, I just can’t drink fast. I get a glass of water, add some ice cubes, then sit down with my computer to follow by own lead wherever it takes me. I find that it takes at leasts 45 minutes to finish the water, sip by sip.

And then there are cautionary warnings that I continuously run across. They warn against drinking with an hour of a meal, since the water displaces space that food could be used by food. Map out a day of small but frequent meals, and it’s hard to find the time for another drink.

Here’s the bottom line for now. We decided test the “Blame it on insufficient hydration” with a test run. After finish with the APRN, I walked into the next room sat down for an hour for an infusion of a normal saline solution, then went downstairs and called an Uber.

It only took about 90 minutes after getting home for the brain fog and dizziness to start receding. Within a couple of hours, I was feeling okay (remember, in this context OK is relative).

I believe the plan is for me to have the next chemo treatment this Friday, return to the main Queen’s downtown for another hour of fluid on Saturday, and repeat that on Monday or so, site to be determined. Maybe even one more infusion at the end of next week.

If I feel better, then we’ve finally landed on at least one of the culprits knocking me out. If these infusions fail to make a difference, then it’s back to the drawing boards.

Disclosure–I did have the energy early in the week to start writing a another substantive update about an issue in the Miske civil forfeiture case, but not enough energy to push through and finish the writing and editing. But it’s coming soon.

Although, fair warning. Like OK, “soon” is proving to be a very relative term.