July 27, 2017 Thursday
I forgot to mention yesterday that the hot flashes have begun again. They are brutal and fairly frequent both yesterday and today. I was so hyped up last night that I had to make myself turn the light and the iPad off at 5:00 this morning. I was still watching the clock at 5:45 but then I fell asleep. Then I just woke up at 7:30 ready to get up.
So I got up, cooked myself a nice steak and piddled around til Sue picked me up at 9:25. We got to the oncologist’s office a little early but ending up kinda wasting a lot of time. I think they were quite busy. I first went into an examination room and they took blood (the results were very good), started the infusion of steroids and nausea meds, and then I met with the doctor. She took lots of notes about my side effects since the first treatment and asked lots of questions. She said I should pay lots of attention to foot pain and numb and tingling hands and feet and to let them know about them on my weekly lab visits. If they continue a lot, we may have to change the chemo meds because those side effects could become permanent and we don’t want that. No, we do not want that. I’ve decided to list the side effects of each day on a note on my phone in order to print it out and be more prepared to discuss them at the next chemo treatment.
After the talk with the doctor, we were escorted into the chemo room and it was busy. There were only two chairs left. It seems that the machines were having conversations with each other as there were almost always one or two of them beeping. The nurses did a very good job of getting to them quickly so those conversations were quite short, thank goodness. The room was full of people talking to each other and carrying the basket of goodies around to see if anyone wanted something, and handing out cups of coffee, and machines beeping and nurses bustling, but I had a very nice, calm, peaceful several hours there. I dozed, not napped, for less than one hour in my four hour visit and otherwise either talked to people or read my iPad. I don’t think Sue got to read much of her book, but I think she enjoyed the visit too. It’s not a bad place to visit at all, but I’m glad that I’m now halfway through with those visits, hopefully. The doctor did say that at the end of the four treatments, they will evaluate the cancer and if it is not dead, they will add more treatments with different chemo meds. Hope this course kills them dead, that’s for sure. I’m very hopeful.
We stopped at Curt’s Restaurant and got take away meat and vegetables and enjoyed our meals on the back patio. The weather was cool, very cloudy and thundery so it was wonderful. It never did rain at my house so that was not so good. Later, I did some sewing and then took about an hour nap – that was very nice. I have had several more hot flashes (I don’t like them, in case you haven’t noticed!) and expect to have several more days of them due to the steroids! I did more sewing, cooked and ate supper and have generally had a nice evening. Only thing is that I am very tired so I will be going to bed soon.
My hair is definitely coming out. I can pinch my hair with my fingers and get about 15 or so hairs with no pain at all. I do not plan to do that any more, unless I’m really bored, but I hope it goes away quickly so I can stop worrying about it. I think there will be a large difference having a shaved head and a bald head. Wonder if I will need to use some wax on it to keep it nice and shiny??????? hahahaha My eyebrows are also coming out but not nearly as quickly. The sad thing is that I do need to shave my legs tonight – wish that hair would go away quickly!!
My ankles and feet are swollen, probably from all the liquid they put in me today. I expect that will go away in a few days – hope so. I have to get my Neulasta shot tomorrow so that will be more fun. I wonder how my weekend will go?!? I expect to see side effects, probably the same ones as last time but probably more severe episodes of them, but I don’t know when to expect them to start. I will keep my nausea meds and tyenol close. Better keep a thermometer close too. She did say I should wear a hat anytime I am in the sun – even going to the store – but I’ll have to see if I need one before I start wearing one. She did not mention wearing the masks to the store so I’m not starting that yet. I do have to go to Kroger tomorrow to pick up some special mouthwash they called in to help with my tender mouth feeling and I hope to go to the pool tomorrow (if the weather man is wrong and we don’t have a full day of thunderstorms) and I plan to go out to dinner tomorrow night. A full day of fun – something good to look forward to enjoying!!
Morning weight – 215 Bet it’ll be more tomorrow for several days.
Melanie's Journey Through Cancer 