Aches and Pains -- An Understatement

How is it the most innocuous descriptions can lead you the furthest astray? For my last round of chemo, the pamphlet listed aches and pains as one of the potential side-effects. My wonderful doctor hooked me up with a prescription for Celebrex, an anti-inflammatory, in case I needed it.

Friday morning came around and I felt good. No nausea, no aches -- I was on top of the world. I didn't do much, I was still tired, but Zelda and I had some monsters to battle so all was well. Rob and I scouted out a couple of garden centers for plants to put at the top of the driveway. We want to make a barrier to help keep the dogs in the yard and we're thinking a hedge would be a nice addition.
On Saturday morning we (Rob) dig a test hole to see what size of shrubs we can accomodate. It turns out we need to rethink our whole plan because the ground is so rocky we can't dig a hole of any size. We decide on a decorative fence and resume our search for materials. I'm still feeling good.

We find some garden fencing, buy some soil and plan to plant sweet peas and other such climbing flowers to provide color and texture. I help Rob move some sod, although I only putter and take breaks whenever I need them. I don't want to over-exert myself.

Sunday morning I wake up and think ... "oh, that hurts." I have a few aches and pains from the gardening, which was expected. However, every joint in my body seems to ache a little. I'm still not doing too badly and I pop a couple of Tylenol. Rob and I decide to go for a drive to see if we can get out of the fog for awhile.

By late Sunday afternoon, I'm thinking the drug manufacturers need to re-write their flyer. If they wrote "may feel like you've been beaten black and blue by a heavy stick," they might have come close to describing the pain and discomfort I experienced last night -- last night, when the drug stores are closed because it is Sunday evening. I have been sent flying through the air off the back of a horse and never hurt this much. Not even close. Why? Because this isn't isolated to one shoulder or knee. Almost every joint -- my toes, my spine, my neck, my hips, my shoulders -- they all ache. No matter which way I turn or lie or sit I can't quite get comfortable. Nothing helps.

Did I mention I had never filled the prescription? Guess what Rob is doing right now? He's gone to the phramacy to fill my prescription. He's a saint. I'm hopeful the medicine will kick in quickly. The prescription says to take for three days following chemo so I'm hopeful the aches are on they way out regardless...I just want to shove them along a little more quickly.

Hopefully the medicine works well and I can enjoy the rest of our holiday weekend. I think I'd like to go to a movie, if I can stand to sit in one place long enough.