August 24, 2017 Thursday
Boy, those hot flashes while I’m trying to sleep are getting to me!! They are so fast and furious!! I never did go back to sleep after one of them woke me up at 5:30 – I decided that the reason I couldn’t go back to sleep was because I was so hungry, so I finally got up and fixed myself a good breakfast. I was nice and sleepy about the time I needed to leave to get my lab work done!!! Figures.
My numbers were all good on my lab work today, even better than the last time. I talked with two other ladies getting lab work done – one looked great and the other looked terrible – they both have lung cancer. Glad I don’t. I did have lots of trouble talking to people while there because my voice was so very froggy and low pitched. I actually do better whispering than trying to talk!!
I felt better than I had in several days so I decided to go to Ringgold to the quilt show. I enjoyed my time there and saw many beautiful quilts, but I walked too much. I did sit down several times, but I overdid it. Afterwards, I was very tired. I decided to go on to a body shop and get an estimate to fix my truck but I had to wait for the correct guy to come back. So, I had lunch at a Subway – it was good. Gonna cost $650 to fix the truck. Hate it, but it needs doing.
On the way back, I was thinking about my froggy voice and decided I should go back to the doctor since I am done with the antibiotics and my voice is not improving. I’m also coughing up lots of tan colored gunk when I cough. Then it occurred to me that perhaps last week’s chemo treatment may be interfering with my getting over the problem and that I should ask the oncologist’s people about that, so I went to the oncologist’s office.
First I explained it all to the nurse who then brought me into a room and I explained it all again to the PA. She then went and got the doctor who came and sat beside me while I explained it again. After asking questions and thinking about it, she told me to start taking vitamin C and gargling with warm salty water. She said that the problem might or might not have been caused by the taxotere, one of the chemo meds, but that since I am so close to the last treatment and since I am not running a fever, we should just continue on with the treatments as planned. I agree entirely. If I have to have a froggy voice for another five weeks, I can live with that. I do hope my voice goes back to normal afterwards, of course!! I was just so relieved that they actually listened to me and gave my problem some deep thought. I’ve very glad I went there to talk to them.
So, I then headed to Kroger to get vitamin C and salt. This is where the day really went downhill. While I was there, I got a few other things, but not much. However, by the time I reached the check out I was very, very tired and pretty dizzy. I almost had to sit down but there was no where to sit so I kept going. It was difficult getting back up the stairs into the house, but I made it and immediately sat down! After a while, I got up and put away the groceries and this is when the worst part of the day started. I supposed I should not have had the Subway sandwich but I had no idea the diarrhea would be so intense and long lasting. It was horrible!!!!!!!!! I’ll leave it at that. I suppose I will eat food again, but right now I’d prefer not to!!! Never again!!!! After several hours, I appear to be back toward normal. During all that horrible afternoon, I also experienced lots of hot flashes!!! Those are bad!!
I’m very thankful that I have not had any nausea in weeks – that is one side effect I do not want. I know that this week has been the worst one so far in all the treatments. I expect that the next week may be even worse – the second week after chemo is supposed to be the worst – so I’m not looking forward to that.
morning weight – 213.8
Melanie's Journey Through Cancer 