One recurring side effect from the start of all this is sleeplessness. When we hit the pillows we'll both drop right off. But then somewhere in the middle of the night one or both of us will wake up and have a hell of a time dozing back off. When we both sleep through the night it's almost cause for celebration in the morning. Today we were going to get up shortly before six. We had to be across town by 7:15 at the Zangmeister Center, where Jeannie's oncologist is based and where all sorts of lovely chemotherapy drugs will be administered. Today was a heart test, a meeting with a patient advocate and a thorough explanation of the chemo drugs and their side effects. Lists that were two pages long. Per drug. The nurse practitioner repeatedly counseled that not all of these things happen. One of the ironies of all these drugs is that up until now the strongest thing she's ever had to take has been the occasional antibiotic.

Anyway we naturally woke up around 3:30. When five o'clock rolled around and we were still awake Jeannie said she was just going to get up in about 15 minutes and leash up the dogs. Tillie and Rose thought this was a fabulous idea, since they weren't getting much sleep anyway thanks to their damn humans. The stillness of the pre dawn dog walk is good for clearing your head, since it's going to be re-cluttered by the onslaught just ahead.

The chemo drugs that will be administered have been around so long they're generics. Not a four dollar generic. No these are thousand dollar a dose generics. But still less than I expected. Insurance covers the lions share. Brian, the patient advocate, is also the advocate for the Zangmeister Center's bottom line and wanted to make sure we could cover our balance. By the same token he was insistent that we never consider skipping any treatments or medications because there's always money somewhere whether it's grants or foundations or other charities or what have you. Ironically the most expensive drug is given the day after each of the first four chemo sessions, to boost her white blood cells, which have been kicked in the butt by the chemo. This is a mere three thousand dollars per injection. But the manufacturer will cover a big chunk of what insurance doesn't. Or as I said they're making so damn much money off this one that they're giving rebates. She's also been given some anti nausea drugs. There was a lot of talk today about side effects including but not limited to nausea. Jeannie was given some anti nausea drugs to have at the ready. One has an interesting list of it's own side effects which includes, you guessed it, nausea (nobody could make this up). It also has a number of other helpful uses, including treatment of schizophrenia. 

One guaranteed side effect will be hair loss. Tomorrow afternoon Jeannie is going wig shopping with a friend who will remain nameless here but who got a head start on the cancer battles this spring. Like Jeannie she'd led a very healthy lifestyle, eats no fast foods or processed foods. Hell she's a vegetarian and they're two of the healthiest living people you'd ever want to know.

Me, I want the drugs they advertise on television, where you're laughing with your buddies at a ball game watching Joe Theisman run to the mens room.