Tomorrow starts week 3 of the Chemotherapy Waltz (one-two-three, one-two-three…). I think of week 3 as my “normal” week, because it’s the week I commute in to work instead of working from home, and my daily routine seems the most normal. Work is not exactly normal right now, as I’m between projects, which is actually great timing – I recommend getting cancer while you’re between projects at work, in case you’re considering it.

I keep trying to think of clever ways to refer to my 1-2-3 weekly cycle. Week 1 is chemo week, week 2 is work-from-home week, and week 3 is commute (or “normal”) week. But that’s so boring. I’ve thought of “hell – purgatory – heaven” weeks, since it goes from feeling the worst to feeling the best, but I would never call week 3 “heavenly”; this whole thing feels like putting my life on limbo. Or how about: shit week, meh week, and ok week? Ideas welcome!

As for how I feel at this point, here’s another reason why calling it “normal week” doesn’t really work – with each successive round of chemo, it’s taking longer and longer to get back to normal, and quite honestly it never fully gets there anymore. The primary side effects (indigestion, extreme fatigue, and feeling like crap) are generally gone, but some of the more minor annoyances linger on. My skin is dry as paper; the inside of my mouth feels strange and rough; and worst of all, food flavors continue to spiral into oblivion. The teeny bit of neuropathy in my fingers continues. I’m also having insomnia – I am lucky to sleep past 3:30am – although I’m not sure if that’s a chemo side effect or just me. So, I guess this is my new normal, for the next two months, anyway. But who’s counting…?