This is Jeopardy…

Alex Trebek – “Ian please pick a category.”

Me -“What does it feel-like for five hundred please Alex.”

Alex Trebek – “Using Fluorouracil 5 for 17 days”

Me – “What is a sandpaper massage on your face?”

It is not a sharp pain like a paper cut. More of a tingling, rolling dull pain. Kinda like my skin is crawling. It is almost impossible to describe, it is also nearly impossible to sleep. Which is especially disappointing since sleep is one of my favorite things. A few hours a night at best. Last night I needed a distraction from my crawling skin. “I am down here” it cried, almost yelling. That brick of sharp white cheddar in the fridge did not stand a chance. Not sure why it called out or why I decided on a late night cheese massacre. My tastebuds deserted me after the first week of chemo. My appetite has also been MIA. Weird, because I can easily put down 5 or 6 McDonalds cheeseburgers at one sitting. I needed that cheese and that cheese needed me. A reasonable explanation conjured up in my sleep deprived state. 

This is it. The third and fourth week. Where the rubber meets the road. Wait, hold on…My lovely wife is asking me a question. “Is a water chestnut a nut?” What a peculiar question. I’m stumped. Hello google. It is not a nut. Now where was I? Rubber meets the road. In other words it is crunch time. I always try to remember other people. The ones who find themselves in much worse situations than I through no fault of their own. One of my best friends had a stroke last year. It was brutal. He continues to improve but it has been an arduous journey. He is fond of a quote from Winston Churchill; “if you are going through hell, keep going”. Great advice from a great man. My prayers tonight will be for those who are going through hell. My treatment is nasty but I am no where near hell, I can’t even see it from where I am. The end is near, but in a good way. I can see past this. I can see a sack of cheeseburgers in my future. My friends at FOX have promised as much. Mim, I am almost ready.

 I have been remiss in my writing. I have forgotten to thank you. For reading these daily musings. For your notes of support. For your friendship. For your prayers. And eventually, for your cheeseburgers. 
Thanks for stopping by. Day 17.

God bless,

-Ian

Chuckle time; A couple of the outfits I have worn while polar-plunging for Special Olympics Minnesota. Over 150 plunges for me and over 13 million bucks raised so far. Wanna join me this year?