i seem to be in a rhythm of writing on wednesdays and then on the weekends. so it’s hump day and here i am.

i just got back from #23/30. i am feeling considerably better since i started taking the steroids yesterday morning, though it only lasts until i go in for my treatment and then most of the energy bestowed on me by low-dose (4mg daily this week, 2mg daily next week) dexamethasone dissipates. the cumulative effect of the radiation treatments is really in action right now and i feel every session. next week will suck, i imagine. but the steroids did give me enough energy yesterday to make it to a midday early voting rally to see pete buttigieg stump for jamie davis so for that i will be grateful. and so far, i have been able to continue working and even do evening visits this week.

the main reason my doc put me on the steroids wasn’t even for energy, though. it was to help with the double vision – caused by the inflammation of my brain – which had gotten really bad and was almost at the point of scaring me while driving. the steroids have helped with this a lot. i also don’t have as much nausea or stomach gas, though perhaps it’s the pepsid i’ve started taking that’s at least helping with the latter. but the nausea has not been bad since i started the steroids. let’s hope that continues.

i only have enough steroid pills for this week and next week. after that i think i will be taking boswellia (frankincense), which my doc also suggested as it’s been proven in studies to help a lot with inflammation. sadly because it is a supplement and not a western medicine, insurance will not cover that and it’s kinda pricey so i’m waiting to buy it until closer to the end of the steroids when hopefully i have the money. i have to take a lot of it, i.e. like 9 pills a day, so i will go through bottles quickly. hopefully it agrees with my system and helps stave off the inflammation for at least a few weeks/months after radiation ends, because i’ve been told the side effects will continue to bother me for quite a while until it works it’s way out of my system. and with the holidays on the horizon, i need to be able to work and to get art together for holiday sales. so crossing fingers it works on me.

i love that UMC is covered in art. every day i’m there i notice a different piece on the walls as i walk around, many of which i really like. i do wish they had cards next to them to indicate who made them and titles (they don’t – there’s supposed to be QR codes but i don’t see any) because many artists don’t sign their work on the front or if they do you can’t read it. so i have no idea whose work i am admiring. you can read about the process of curating the collection at UMC here. most of the art is from louisiana artists with a couple of big sculptural commissions for the bigger spaces and outdoors through the Percent for Art program.

but i digress. today some of the pending charges for my radiation treatments started showing up on mychart. they are still waiting on the insurance to say how much they will cover, and i will be hopeful, cuz the hospital charge alone is more than $20k for the 30 days of treatment. but this same ACA insurance plan (LA Blue/BCBS) did really well for me during my brain surgery and so far it’s covered most of my doctor’s visits and scans leading up to radiation. i have had a never-ending stream of $15 here, $30 there kinda charges since august from various techs, tests and doctor visits, as my portion of what i have to pay. i think so far i’ve paid out of pocket about $400 but it’s been a little at a time so easier to do. y’all have covered all of that with your kind donations and the rest of what you’ve given me has helped me bridge the shortfall i’ve had with my regular bills/income ratio. business is still slow and though i really haven’t turned down but a few jobs because of timing and not knowing how radiation was going to affect me, i’m simply not making enough to make ends meet right now. usually i’d be supplementing with art, tshirt and/or sticker sales but i haven’t had the energy. i’m hoping to get a bunch of recent stuff posted online this weekend for a flash sale cuz rent is due soon and most of my bills are in the first half of the month. but i guess we’ll see if i have the energy.

i do want to continue to thank folks for bringing me food and gift certificates for grocery stores and delivery services. this helps more than i can say, both in convenience and keeping me fed healthy, and also financially not having to spend as much money on food. i thank y’all. i couldn’t be getting through this without y’all.

so glad to be in the homestretch now!!