Agree to Disagree

Here we are in the "during."  Two doses of chemo, one of radiation, and another visit in a couple of hours.  An impressive array of prescription drugs of various sizes, shapes, and varying degrees of scary-ass warnings.  More than one says "do not drive or operate heavy machinery."  Not to worry, my driving has already been curtailed.  The problem is that I really need to bring out the tractor for my backyard garden.  Fortunately, even though some of the scary warnings tell me to "keep away from children", my girls are actually adults now.  And that is a warning I would ignore anyway.  I will not keep away from children.  OK, that came out way different than I intended. 

I had hoped for a beginning with little to no side effects.  In actuality, I've had a day and a half feeling like I had one too many margaritas the night before.  I'm guessing that's the chemo, since my minor hangover started before radiation.  I can theoretically function fine with a mild hangover.  I've done it before.  I call that 1987.  However, I'm guessing that if I start with a mild hangover, it will only get worse from there.  Not looking forward to the DTs (you may have to look that one up).

What sucks (apart from the tumor, not driving, and all the rest), is that if I am going to have a hangover, it feels like I should earn it.  By like, actually having margaritas.  Which I did last night (just one).

And that leads us to an honest difference in interpretation between my lovely wife and myself.  When talking to brave Dr. Valliant, he was relating the things that can increase the possibilities of seizures.  One thing he mentioned was alcohol consumption.  I asked if a margarita or three on the weekends count.  He discouraged that, telling me that the alcohol leaving my system is what leads to the increased risk, and that it's less of a shock to the body (and therefore less of a risk), if the alcohol consumption is more spaced out, and not all at once (like say, four margaritas on a Saturday).  Which I heard as "you should drink every day."  Certainly, not a lot, but very specifically he was telling me to drink a margarita a day.  Jill heard that more as, alcohol is bad, and if you must, have a weak drink once, or at most twice a week.

You say tomato.  I say cucumber.  Mainly because we replanted our garden this year with tomato and cucumber plants.  Cucumbers are the most aggressive plants, and have taken over the entire tiny garden patch.  And since I am banned from the tractor, looks like it'll be a banner cucumber year at Smith Farms.