Tuesday, January 11, 2011

So much for the good ole days

It was back to the infusion clinic today for the liter of fluids and a Neulasta shot. I had a rough time last night from to with nausea regurgitations and gagging worse than any before. At this point I had a pretty good formula for handling the nausea with an arsenal of drugs and OTC approved remedies. The results were marginal last night. So I asked the oncology nurse about what I can do at this point. Well, there is good news and bad news. The chemo drugs are accumulative in the system which means [the good news] more cancer cells are being killed plus [the bad news] the side effects get more intense and harder to manage. So what’s a victim to do?

Today was bland food and ice cream. Tonight’s drug cocktail will increase the frequency of the Zofram and Nexium along with the usual doses of the other pills for nausea. The bone pain is just beginning to hit so more Tylenol.  No wonder I need to drink so much water…that’s needed to wash down all these pills!!! Let’s hope for a better night tonight.

The fatigue is hitting sooner this round also. I even slept a little in the clinic this afternoon and I haven’t done that before. Then when we got home my sleeper helper and I racked out on the couch for almost 2 hrs. I had planned to stay awake so I’d sleep tonight, but sometimes naps just happen. This is a good TV night for me…2 NCIS shows and The Good Wife. Hopefully Jon Stewart will keep me awake and I can start Leno and/or Letterman. I like Leno’s monologue and Letterman’s interviews. If I can’t sleep after that it’s back to listening to NPR/BBC until I pass out!!!

The side effects of this round of chemo are hitting early and hard. In the good ole days [post chemo weeks 2 and 3] I could stand up to take a shower. Wonder if I can do that tomorrow? Sometimes I forget to give thanks for the little good things in life until I don’t have them. One good thing is that I have a shower with a seat area; another good thing is that using it was optional until cancer and chemo.

1 comment:

  1. Today I am reading this blog and the last one. You see how much effect you have on people with your blogs. They will be invaluable!! I am so glad you like the dates and were able to eat them yesterday. Let me know when you are about to run out and I will send another package. I am in hopes that Tina and kids will be over here this summer--more to come. Sarah will be coming too so I have sources for more. Hang in there my friend and think about the fact that we have lots of white stuff and it was 13 degrees this morning.

    ReplyDelete