Thursday, July 22, 2010

Two down....Six to go!

Just a drive by dash off to let you know I'll be in hibernation mode for the next couple of days. This round of chemo went a little better. They slowed down the administration of the one drug and I tolerated that MUCH better! I also took a Tylenol while I was there. Last time the whole process touched off a Migraine and it was days before I got things under control. So far, no headache, YAY!

I had such good news at the doctors today. He told me I looked good, the blood work came back showing I had low iron stores, so he's going to refer to me to another doctor. *sigh* A Gastroenterologist...and we know what that means. Colonoscopy here we come....*groan*. But he also told me I could take less of the steroids (they made me feel yucky!!) and more of the Zofran (nausea medicine) and I feel a little more like I have options on how to make myself feel better. I'm glad!! He also told me I can take a 3 week break between the two different drug regimens and that will make my trip to Cirque du Soliel in October fall on a week when I'll be feeling my best! I could have hugged him!!! This is the same guy that blushed when I told him I was thinking about a pink wig, so I think my excitement would have been too much for him! LOL We bought these tickets in February....it is going to be my 50th birthday gift and I've been looking forward to it for months. When I found out it would fall two days after a chemo treatment I was REALLY disappointed, but now it looks like I'll be able to go *turning cartwheels* (OK, not turning cartwheels literally, but in my mind I'm doing cartwheels and black flips too! LOL)

I did have an interesting experience while sitting at my chemo treatment. I saw the nurse get up and put a jacket on, and I saw my friend, Miss M, having goose-bumps on her arms....but I was sitting there getting warmer by the minute. I asked the nurse if getting warm was a side-effect of the medication. She said no, but welcome to the wonderful world of hormones. Good grief! They told me it would throw me into menopause if I hadn't reached that part already. Guess what!?!?! I was having a hot flash!! Wow, red letter day, I think that was my first one. It didn't send me screaming into the night looking for a tub full of ice cubes, but it was a bit uncomfortable for a while there. LOL As if cancer, surgery, and chemo wasn't enough to deal with. What a combo. BUT...In the immortal words of Babs...This too shall pass!

The other thing I learned about today was chemo brain. I told the nurse I had had about a week long brain fog. It was hard to read, to follow things on TV, to stitch, and that I was having trouble finding the right words to say. She said that was very common and to google chemo brain. I found that so many of the symptoms described what I'm experiencing to a T. I'm glad to know that it is real, and that it's not just a figment of my imagination. I don't know whether it will be long term or not. So all those misspelled words and unintelligible sentences were not due to my craziness. I'm relieved! I hope it's not long term, and it really was distressing, but now that I know, I'm glad to know it's common and hopefully won't last forever.

And on that note, I'm heading off to enjoy my evening and relax. I can already feel the chemo brain descending and I just want to go vegitate, and maybe make myself a snow cone. Did I mention that I got my hair cut yesterday, and that my hair dresser had read my blog explaining about having to buy the wig somewhere else? She also read that I was looking for syrup to make snow cones...and she knew where to buy the syrup! So when I got to the appointment, she had three bottles of flavoring AND she let me borrow her shave ice machine! I'm blown away by her generousity and her loving kindness!! Thanks Susan! I'm heading upstairs to make my first one! I'll say a toast to you!

Thanks for all your kind comments, prayers and good thoughts! You guys rock!

*Hugs*

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

what an awesome thing for your hairdresser to do!!! I am soo glad that you get to go to your show that would have been a bummer

Hugzz

Edy said...

Great news about your birthday party trip! Why not update your photo with one of you in your new "do".

Enjoy your snow cones and your new found warmth They are NOT hot flashes, but POWER SURGES as you truly enter the realm of the GODDESSES!

MysteryKnitter said...

Your hairdresser did a great thing!