Yesterday closed off the first half of Brady’s year 🤮 of chemotherapy! I am SO relieved to be halfway done, and at the same time, in total disbelief that we have to do this amount of chemo again.
Above all, we are grateful to God for how well Brady has tolerated his treatments.
I asked Brady how he would describe his time on chemotherapy. He used the words ineffectual and annoying. Hahaha! Honestly, I see where he is coming from. I don’t want to seem indifferent, but I’d like to be blunt. Please hear my heart.
There is NO WAY to know if Brady’s chemo treatments are working. Our surgeon had told us with confidence that he felt he had gotten all of Brady’s tumour out. When it was tested as a grade two tumour, he stood behind that. Then someone in the states tested and said it was grade four. And apparently, if it is indeed grade four, there is no possible way anyone could have removed it all. So the chemo is treating the hypothetical cancer cells that could or could not still be disrupted. So. There is absolutely nothing to look look at. There is nothing that bloodwork will show in terms of cancer. The treatment could mess up his blood, but there is nothing in the blood to indicate how his “cancer” is. So in that way, the chemo treatments feel completely useless. But 🤷♀️ We’re in it!
For six months of chemo, there aren’t many side effects to show for it. I’ve mentioned them before, but to roll it all into one quick paragraph, I’ll recap. While Brady is actually taking his chemo pills, he has a lesser appetite than usual, and he is a little more tired than usual. No extreme fatigue or nausea, thankfully. He also says the pills taste super bad. They taste like metal. Since starting chemo, the longer term side effects he’s experienced are few, but notable. Brady has a sticky throat now, meaning certain foods have a hard time travelling down, and he has to drink water with every bite or two. From that, he gets heartburn a little bit more often. Lastly, and not unexpectedly, Bradys hair is thinning. Its really too bad, but its not falling out by the handful like many chemo patients experience. I think a short haircut is coming in his near future. But I think he’ll be so happy to have it short and easy for a while 🙂 And the curls will tighten up and hide the thinning a little bit.
We are beyond grateful that this is as “bad” as its gotten. God has not left us, and that is undeniable. I trust He will continue to cover us with peace, and also with His protection. Please continue to pray along with us as we jump into the second half of these treatments.