Five Days Running

 FIVE DAYS RUNNING

I woke up a little after 6:00 a.m. today. It’s been five days since my first round of chemo and immunotherapy. Over the past couple of days, I’ve noticed some stiffness, especially in my neck. I’ve been drinking at least 80 ounces of water daily since treatment started, so I’m not sure if the stiffness is related.

So far, I haven’t had any nausea or digestive issues, but yesterday afternoon my face became extremely dry and red. I applied hydrocortisone cream before bed, and while it’s less sore this morning, the redness is still there.

Yesterday, I joined two Facebook support groups: Cholangiocarcinoma Support Group and Cholangiocarcinoma Immunotherapy & Targeted Therapy. The people there are incredible, and their stories really hit home. I’ve never been one to join groups like this, but just like with the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, these communities already feel like family. They’ve been a true blessing.

My second treatment is tomorrow at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City. So far, side effects from the first round have been mild. I’ve heard so many different stories, but the one thing that keeps coming up is: “It’s different for everyone.” I’m choosing to believe that—and so far, so good.

“We have power over what we believe, and what we believe has power over us.”