I was awake early Friday morning. My feet and hands were especially numb the night before. The soles of my feet and the bottoms of my toes were numb. The palms of my hands, my fingers, were numb. I was worried. During the past two weeks, the numbness had seemed to build and ebb. It was challenging to determine whether it was better or worse. I couldn't sleep at 3 a.m. I went roaming on the internet.

Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy is a side effect of vincristine, one of the drugs used to fight lymphoma. It may go away after treatment, and it may not. It could get worse. After treatment, the neuropathy may take several months to subside. If it doesn't get any worse than the current level of numbness, I can deal with it. Yes, it's better than cancer. But, oh my. 

I did swim Friday in my cool pool. I was numb all over, but that felt good to swim from one end to the other and back again. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat. I couldn't tell that my fingers were numb, nor that I have cancer. Some victories take time.