Today is day seven following my first chemotherapy treatment of Taxol, and as far as I can tell, I'm doing great. I fully expected to be sick, and that just hasn't happened and may not happen until the next treatment or maybe I won't be sick at all with Taxol. That would be amazing. I can handle a lot of things, but nausea and throwing up are not fun.
The main issue I have dealt with since my treatment has been achiness in my bones. I haven't really noticed it during the day because I have been up and around doing things, but once I lay down at night, the pain has been similar to a "growing pain" I remember having as a child. But the achiness has dissipated, and the only side effect I'm feeling right now is a bit of fatigue. By 6:30 in the evening, my eyes and body are tired, and after a nice bath, most nights I've been in bed by 8:30 or 9:00. I haven't needed the Phenergan for nausea, but I've taken some just to help me sleep when my aching legs were keeping me awake.
I go back to the oncologist tomorrow to have my blood platelets checked and see if I holding my own in that area. I've been trying to eat lots of right foods such as spinach, steamed carrots, and other veggies.
I know this weekend and the first of next week are supposed to be the low points for my white blood cells, and I want to be very cautious about being around folks who might be sick. I want to go to the holiday open houses on Saturday, which is what Traci and I always do the first weekend in November, but I know it's not a good idea for me to be out and around people like that right now. I really don't like change that makes me miss out on things.
I have always loved grocery shopping, and I notice new products on the shelves, and I spend time looking at ingredients and how something can be used. I envision cooking with whatever it is, and often a new item makes its way home with me. But right now, I don't think I need to be out in the grocery stores where I would encounter lots of people. And although Barry has been good to buy my groceries for me, is he noticing any of those new products? I don't think so. The only extra goodies he came home with last weekend were some candy items. Hmmph. I really don't like change where I causes me to miss out on things.
So many of you are sending me cards and posting such nice things in the Guestbook, and I want to thank you again for doing that. It has been such a blessing for me to know people all over the country are praying for me and rooting for me. It has helped me to keep a positive attitude, and that's so important for someone going through cancer treatment.
I know that possibly not all of my treatments will go as smoothly as this first one did, and some of the side effects are cumulative and will progressively be worse such as fatigue and hair loss (none as of today but I know it's coming). I worry about lymphedema since I don't have the lymph glands under my arm now to draw fluid off of my right arm, but so far, there is none of that. The surgeon seemed pleased that my arm had no swelling at all, and I didn't realize how significant that was until I saw a woman in the oncology office with a compression sleeve and glove the other day. I don't want a Popeye arm, please God.
These are all things that are not happening right now, but they are specific issues in my mind that I am praying about. They are what concern me and what keep coming to my mind, because I really don't like change that makes me miss out on things.
I did buy a few Christmas presents today, and I'm trying to be creative on how I shop so that I won't be out amidst the throngs of holiday shoppers and possibly be infected with more than Christmas spirit. Just having these few items already purchased makes me feel a bit better about being a part. Maybe I won't be missing out on as much as I think I will.
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