I am a carcinogen

From the Mirriam Webster online dictionary - 'Carcinogen: a substance or agent causing cancer'

I must be ... too many of those around me develop cancer and I am the common link. As a scientist I have to consider the hypothesis that the lowest common denominator (i.e. me) is the causal link; q.e.d. I am a carcinogen.

Kel tells me I am just the facilitator - bringing my work home with me, therefore allowing for the development of cancer in those around me. Still, I am then aiding and abetting (to use words Kel is used to) the carcinogen, and just as guilty, right?

Ok, so maybe I don't cause cancer, maybe it just jumps to those around me - Tahoe's developed right after mom passed away, and Kel's probably started right after Tahoe was gone ... hmmm, so I must be an unafflicted carrier and those around me are just more susceptible?

Enough geeking out - a story:
Last night Saja and I were playing fetch with his favorite toy. I would get it from him and throw it down the hall, he would dutifully chase it down and run back with it in his mouth while jumping on the couch. Repeat ad nauseum. On what was destined to be the last throw of the evening, Saja ran down his toy, retrieved it and returned to me at full speed. Somehow he misjudged his jump and all 50 lbs of running/leaping dog collided with my face. More specifically, with my nose.

Scream of pain. Bloody nose (never had one of those before, to my recollection), swelling, ice.

Woke up this morning with a killer of a sinus headache. A decongestant wouldn't help - this was from swelling in my nasal passages. Thanks Saja. Headache got worse and worse, so I took tylenol, then Arthotec, then finally some Imitrex (I am a frequenct experiencer of migraines, unfortunately). Imitrex will always help my headaches, but wreaks havoc on my GI system with some killer heartburn.

There is a point to this story, I promise, just stay with me.

So head, better, but heartburn and stomach NOT happy ... cut to just after lunch, and I officially beat Kel to the throwing up! :) He has had a week of chemo, a hellish 3 weeks of pain, cancer, and suckiness, but I get to puke before him. Sorry Kel. I thought of using his nicely decorated puke bucket (he had me get a big red bucket and he drew a poison symbol on it) but left that for him. :( Fun day so far (read with sarcasm).

Kel is doing alright-ish ... He is tired again, as expected, and feeling pain again in his back. No where near what it was before, and my best guess is a shrinking and 'softening' mass is just shifting around and compressing new places to cause pain. Fun day for us both, I guess.

David had a fun morning playing outside - Kel even joined us for a bit and sat outside on a beautiful AZ morning. Now David is having a playdate through dinner, and hopefully having a fun time. Out of all of this, David is seeing a huge increase in his playdates! Has another one tomorrow. Trying to let him play as much as possible, and for this weekend, give Kel as much quiet as possible - two for the price of one?

Kel and i just got back from a walk with the dogs to the park. Fresh air is good for him, and the park was close, but that was about it for him. For now he is back to football playoffs and enjoying his rest. Patriots don't play until tomorrow, but he can't wait. Go Pats!

On Monday Kel will try his first day back to work with some light duty. It is a holiday day for me at work, so I will only go into the office for a little and I can drive him to and from the station and get him home early if it is too much. So stay tuned for Monday's progress!

Today's sux - The beast, Saja. As our friend Brian pointed out, he managed to take out both Kel and I in a single week! Technically Kel actually punched himself in the eye, but it was a 'playing-with-Saja' related injury, and he did smash into my face too. Have to love the puppy energy, and the beast is passed out from play exhaustion right now, but OWIE!

Go Pats!
Tracy