Apologies to all my readers for the delay but have been out enjoying life the last couple of weeks after my last treatment.

Truth be told the last treatment was pretty rough. The fatigue was next level difficult and lasted almost 7 days while the nausea continued to be a challenge but mostly only the first three or four days. Mouth sores continue to be annoying but the throat pain has been the one that has really been the most difficult. The only way I can describe it is like swallowing a sharp piece of glass every time I drink or eat. Yup, sounds as painful as it is. Anyway, this has all been par for the course and does get better each day so don’t want to dwell on the negative. I just keep telling myself it’s all worth it.

So let’s focus on the good stuff that happened over the last week or so. As some may know, Aimee and I purchased two properties in Newport RI last year; one was a home with three rental units and the other a single family home that we plan to rebuild. Over the last couple of months we have been renovating one of the unoccupied units that at some point we will rent but will use ourselves in the meantime. The unit was finally completed last week so Aimee and I decided to spend the long Fourth of July weekend in Newport, putting together some of the furniture and spending a quiet weekend by the water.

Aimee was away the end of last week visiting family in Ocean City, so I set off Saturday morning with the two dogs and the old Land Rover full of stuff to take down. The drive down took a bit longer given the Land Rover goes 60mph down hill with a stiff wind, but honestly the drive was so relaxing. I have missed being behind the wheel of an old car, with the windows open and no schedule to keep. My happy place. I arrived without an issue and began to unload the car. The exhaustion hit pretty hard after this so I laid down and waited for Aimee to arrive to help. By mid afternoon Aimee arrived and it was great to have her home. This was the longest she had been away since this whole ordeal started and just having her close is an energy boost and makes me happier. For the rest of the day we ran errands and put some furniture together and ate a quiet dinner at home that evening.

On Sunday we rose early and went to the Cars & Coffee sponsored by Audrain at Fort Adams.

Was great to get out, walk around and just enjoy a ‘normal’ summer Sunday. My parents came down around lunch time to check out the properties and was good to be able to show them around a bit. That evening we had a delicious dinner at Thames Street Kitchen, followed by some sunset ball playing with the dogs by the water at Brenton State Park. Ended up being a perfect day.

Monday brought us on an 11 mile bike ride which was the most exercise I have done since the marathon. To be fair it was on an electric bike but was just so amazing to be out and getting the blood flowing. We followed up the bike ride with a drive over to a friends house where we had an afternoon bbq. It was a perfect afternoon with great friends.

By 8pm that evening I was wiped out and asleep. I ended up sleeping almost 12 hours which is the longest and soundest sleep I have had in months if not longer. I really needed it.

Tuesday was a combination of on and off storms so we ran a few errands, put the last of the furniture together and had a nice dinner to close out the fourth of July before we head back to Westwood on Wednesday morning.

I can say that this was one of the best five day spans I have had in two months. I felt relaxed, I slept, got some exercise, and had the motivation to actually do some things. I am already starting to dread the end of the week when I head into chemo for the last tie but I am so grateful for these past few days, for Aimee, and for everything that it makes it all worth it,