My last chemo therapy session is Thursday, July 31st. I should be jumping for joy. Instead I am filled with anxiety and apprehension. Chemo has kicked my butt. Hard. Nausea is horrible, this last time I haven't had any days without nausea and vomiting has become common. My brain is foggy, I swear my eyesight is a little off the glasses prescription, and I don't trust myself driving.
I really can't blame the Chemo for everything. The radiation has had a hand in my daily situation, too. I've had 24 sessions of radiation, 11 to go. The radiation does play a role in the vomiting since it is my tongue that is getting the radiation, some things I eat or drink cause gag reflexes. The radiation is also causing my neck to darken and sores to appear on my neck. I put on Silverdene three times a day. Overall, my skin is getting more blotchy looking. My radiologist says much of the blotchy appearance will even out in a couple of months after we stop radiation. I certainly hope so or I need a good recommendation for a new foundation. Probably Hollywood strength!
Good news: no hair loss and I'm down 15 pounds in weight. I'll take the good where I can get it.
Thanks are over due to my neighbor Jan Houston, my daughter Tammy Griffin, and my significant other, Ken Sanchez for chauffer services. Ken has been fantastic at arranging his schedule to make sure he can attend the doctor appointments with me, If he didn't, my chemo brain would likely forget what I am being told. Yes, it is that bad.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Friday, July 11, 2014
It's what you don't expect....
I had the best intentions in doing this blog at least once, it not twice a week. Well, that didn't work as planned.
I had a rough time with my first chemo treatment. Headache, sick to my stomach and extremely dehydrated. I spent most of the time in bed with a "don't bother me, don't even come near me" attitude.
The AZoncology center added a midweek hydration appointment and added another medication to the anti-nausea regimen. These actions helped; now I have another problem. The nausea medicine impairs my thinking. I can't think of the last word in my sentences, numbers get reversed, and my thought processes have s-l-o-o-o w-e-d. This side-effect freaks me the most. I described it to the doctor yesterday as jogging on land versus jogging in a pool in chest-deep water.
Okay, what else have I forgotten to share......
The MRI showed the size of the tumor to be just into the Stage 3 cancer range, 4.3cm. The treatment plan is radiation five days a week for eight weeks; and chemo of 170mg of cistplatin (changed to 140mg yesterday due to all the side effect problems I had) on day 1, day 22, and day 43. After the treatment plan is complete we have to wait 30 to 60 days before I can have another PETscan to see if all the cancer is gone.
I had a rough time with my first chemo treatment. Headache, sick to my stomach and extremely dehydrated. I spent most of the time in bed with a "don't bother me, don't even come near me" attitude.
The AZoncology center added a midweek hydration appointment and added another medication to the anti-nausea regimen. These actions helped; now I have another problem. The nausea medicine impairs my thinking. I can't think of the last word in my sentences, numbers get reversed, and my thought processes have s-l-o-o-o w-e-d. This side-effect freaks me the most. I described it to the doctor yesterday as jogging on land versus jogging in a pool in chest-deep water.
Okay, what else have I forgotten to share......
The MRI showed the size of the tumor to be just into the Stage 3 cancer range, 4.3cm. The treatment plan is radiation five days a week for eight weeks; and chemo of 170mg of cistplatin (changed to 140mg yesterday due to all the side effect problems I had) on day 1, day 22, and day 43. After the treatment plan is complete we have to wait 30 to 60 days before I can have another PETscan to see if all the cancer is gone.
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