Countdown to Chemo

I'm not alone in dreading my next chemotherapy treatment; my dear husband is too. I'm pretty sure that every person who goes through chemo does what I'm doing now - counting down the days. I felt almost normal and energetic for an entire week yet this Monday, I have to go back for more chemo-juice, and I know it's going to feel not-so-great afterwards and that's how we know the drugs are working to fight or kill the nasty cancer monsters.

After my first session of Taxol and Carboplatin, I felt fine for a couple of days and then I experienced nausea and mouth sores. The mouth sores are those wretched ulcers or canker sores that can drive you crazy with pain. A friend of mine, who went through chemo via her mother, suggested that I gargle with salt water throughout the day to prevent the mouth ulcers so I'm doing that this time!

My next treatment is a mere day before the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest and most solemn day on the Jewish calender. It's also known as, The Day of Atonement. It's accompanied by a 25 hour fast and it's the final day of judgement, a time for closing arguments, the finalization of the Book of Life for the coming year; the verdict. It's so heavy and sobering. I don't know how I'm going to handle the issue of fasting this year. I have always fasted; in the past nearly 12 years, I've fasted while pregnant and breastfeeding.  I've been warned by quite a few people that chemotherapy patients aren't supposed to fast. I cannot imagine not fasting on the holiest day of the year so I'll have to ask my oncologist about it.

I look forward to hearing that final blast of the Shofar at the end of Yom Kippur and looking forward to a new year filled with blessings..... G-d willing.