I finished my last chemotherapy and then spent most of the last week in bed sick from the chemo and exhaustion. My bones hurt a lot this time and my legs have been weak and giving out on me. The pink eye I had during the Christmas season came back in both eyes, just as my doctor said it would. When your body is put into a weakened state (this chemo has brought my immunity down to zero), any recent or long term infections and weaknesses can easily come back.
This cycle I also experienced the next set of side effects. …
My last chemo treatment went well today as I was medicated with steroids that kept away any adverse reactions. And…I got to ring the chemo bell announcing my last chemo treatment. But there is still the roller coaster ride that was unexpected.
There has been a change of plans and a possible change in procedure
My surgery has been re-scheduled as high priority. Instead of February 11, 2014, the new date for my mastectomy is January 28, 2014. Because I am still on Filgrastim shots, my white cell count should be up high enough by then (God-willing). My oncologist and my surgeon have a difference in opinion in how far to take the surgery so I won’t find out the outcome until the day of surgery.
My last chemo is this Thursday, January 16th, 2014. The tradition is that when you finish your last chemo, you get to ring the bell. I will be ringing the bell for good, God-willing.
My surgery is tentatively scheduled for February 11th. It will be a mastectomy. I am looking forward to getting back to normal!
With all of the side effects of chemotherapy, my view concerning one of the side effects has changed dramatically.
Hand and Foot Syndrome
I have developed hand and foot syndrome from the docetaxel chemotherapy. At the beginning it was just painful with feet so enflamed and red on my heels that I could hardly walk, but then it became just plain ugly. From what I am reading, the peeling is a fairly rare symptom and even my own internist at the hospital had to look it up on the internet because he had apparently not seen it before. Once the red started to go down on my heels, here is a picture of how they started to peel. …
We were able to travel to the coast to see our children and grandchildren and that was a real treat. Unfortunately I did not get nearly enough time to spend with the family as I had chemotherapy the day before we left, and much of the week I spent in bed sleeping off the exhaustion. I thought it would be easier to handle, but being bed ridden at home is not the same as out like a light at my daughter’s house. I felt sad that I missed so much, yet really blessed to be with family during the time that I was awake.
Lately, I have been recouping at home as I came down with pink eye the day before we left to come home. My daughter Misty took really good care of me as it was nearly impossible to find a clinic open or one that would allow me to come in. They were filled with sick patients, which is a huge problem for a chemo patient with a compromised immune system. Misty contacted her doctor and he was able to get me the medicine I needed. I still feel tired, but I am slowly getting better. I just have to get rid of the pink eye so I can have my last chemo session next week Thursday. They won’t treat me if I am still infected.
Below is a picture of my daughter Misty who was a tremendous host and fantastic turkey soup maker! …
Thank you to all of my family and friends who have been following my blog and my progress through the rocky road of cancer treatments. You have made me feel cared for and that my life still has value and importance.
My wish for you
I wish all of you a joyous Christmas season and may the peaceful spirit of this Advent Season rest upon your home.
I have Christmas “off” so I can enjoy some quiet time with my husband. My next chemo is December 27th. After that I look forward to spending some time with my children and grandkids.
Last Wednesday, my husband and I made a trip to the closest cancer hospital to see an oncologist about the next step in my treatment. The doctor that we were booked to see had taken ill that day, so we were rescheduled to see another oncologist who is now taking over my treatments. We also learned that the former oncologist had planned radiation before surgery as the next step after my current chemotherapy treatment. The reasoning is that the doctors want to make sure that there is a clear margin of cancer-free skin for the surgeon to work with. The main issue is that the aggressive cancer that was growing in me had already spread to the skin. …
There are times that I am seeing life by looking at the edges rather than the whole. For example, rather than concentrate on the realty of cancer, and the daily fatigue, I am grateful that today I can walk. That is a precious gift. On Monday and Tuesday of this week my legs were so weak, I was shuffling, rather than walking. The nurse at the hospital told me that with the chemo-related leg weakness, I will need to hold on to stair railings and to be extra careful not to fall. Should I fall and break a leg, my treatment would be delayed until I healed. That would be bad news. So rather than expecting complete wholeness, I can be grateful for little things, like strength in my legs and the ability to walk. But I am also learning that there are spiritual edges to pay attention to. Not the whole picture, but what is highlighted for today. …
I can’t say enough about the support that my husband, Richard, has given me on this journey through cancer and chemotherapy.
We have cancer
The first time I heard my husband say this, I was surprised. But since he started expressing that “we” have cancer to our friends, relatives, as well as to me, my husband has followed through with his commitment to face cancer with me as a participant. He has been by my side when I was hospitalized. He even stayed with me in the hospital until 2 a.m. when my fever finally broke. He has been with me for every chemo infusion and each surgical procedure. He has been with me for every bump and turn on the road.
It also seems like my husband has experienced a lot of the same symptoms as I have experienced. When I experienced “chemo brain” (the inability to process more than one thought at a time, and the quick loss of memory), he was experiencing it right along with me. When I was tired and could hardly keep my eyes open, he too experienced tiredness and wanted to lay down beside me. I don’t blame my husband for experiencing tiredness as he went through many sleepless nights with me when I was unable to sleep. When I tossed and turned in bed, he would make sure I was okay. When I experienced excruciating pain and kept waking up to find my Tylenol or nerve pills for the chemo-related nerve damage in my legs, or when I was scrounging for Tums for the pain in my stomach, he was looking out for me. …
