While being cleared to take my third chemo treatment, it is my belief that my body was not completely healed from the fever I had run my third week after my last treatment. I think my immune system was a little compromised but I will Praise the Lord that I got through it. The fatigue set in on Monday after the treatment and stayed with me until Friday. I cannot begin to describe the fatigue as it attacks my body. It takes all the energy I have to talk and moving was a struggle within itself. Fatigue for me is one of the worst feelings in the world as you all know that I am type A personality, bounce off the wall kinda gal. Yesterday morning, my pooch had a hair appointment and I had my lymphedema assessment appointment so I got up and had oatmeal for breakfast which I could eat (more about my appetite below). I got my makeup on and headed to Baylor All Saints for my assessment. It felt good to have enough energy to get out of the house even for another appointment.
My appetite also plunged worse than it has in any of my three treatments. Monday I got home from my treatment in time to put an all inclusive organic chicken type dinner with veggies in the oven so we had that for dinner. It was good but after that meal, I couldn't stand to look at it. Tuesday I cannot even remember eating much. I think I tried the scrambled egg, dry toast and not much else. My ice water has tasted yucky this time. Orange juice and grape juice have been really good to me this round. Do I worry about the sugar, nope, I'm just happy to be able to drink something. Wednesday found me wanting a hard beef taco from Rosa's and Bonnie suggested getting a pint of rice. That was my lunch and dinner. One taco (no lettuce due to the smell of the lettuce) and Spanish rice. Thursday was another story, I went back to Rosa's to get a beef taco carbon which tasted burned so it got trashed. Instead opted for more rice and a few chips and hot sauce. Dinner that night came early for me with Cici's spinach pizza about 4:00pm. The pizza tasted pretty good and the crust seemed to really help my tummy. As I mentioned above, Friday morning I had my oatmeal for breakfast before my arm assessment, when finished with that appointment, I was leaving the hospital and the little guy was making that wonderful hospital popcorn and I got a box of that. Munched on that on the way home and it was so good. Lunch rolled around pretty quick and I ended up at Sonic getting a large order of onion rings and three chicken strips. The onion rings and chicken strips satisfied my taste buds for lunch. Dinner was more of the spinach pizza but this time I added kalamata olives and pepper flakes. So taking a look at my diet, it doesn't seem healthy at all but due to the effect of the chemo, you really have to decide to just try to eat to promote energy.
My lymphedema assessment appointment went very well. There's so much to know about everything that goes on when cancer strikes and this condition while not caused by the cancer but rather an affect of the surgery is another aspect of it. My therapist is a 13 year veteran (Linda) in this type therapy and she is so sweet and soft spoken and very well educated. I will add right here that the thought of my arm swelling and having to live with this condition the rest of my life, had me pretty well down in the dumps. Being the active person I am, I was not sure how this would affect my quality of life. As it turns out, Linda measured seven points on both my arms and the result was that while there was a very small difference in the measurements of my arms which means there is a small amount of lymphedema present in my left arm where the 16 lymph nodes were removed, there is not a lot of swelling. Praise the Lord. I will have therapy three days next week and she will order me a compression sleeve. She said she did not want me to stop doing anything that I was doing. She gave me two additional exercises and we will video how to massage the three prominent axillary nodes under my left arm so my sister can massage those for me to ensure we keep those draining. This massage therapy is a very gentle massage because these little glands are very sensitive. She said I would be able to keep doing everything I am doing now which includes picking up and loving on my grandbabies. Praise the Lord.
Once home after that appointment, I decided I would take my time and do some things around my house. I changed my bed and bleached everything. Smells have been very prominent this round of chemo. It is indescribable with the smell issue because I know my house doesn't smell and my sister assured me last night that my house smells good. It's not a bad smell that I get, it's a sweet yucky smell to me. My plan is to bleach my shower stall really good and see if that helps. Strange I know but ....
I do not look to tomorrow, I will only live for today. The next treatment is two whole weeks off and I will enjoy my time between now and then and not think that far in advance. I am thankful God pulled me through this treatment and held me tight as I laid in His arms and rested.
Praise:
* My third treatment is behind me.
* I am up this Saturday morning with renewed energy and having my coffee.
* Looking forward to what the day holds.
* Possible ribs at Sammy's BBQ tonight.
* Getting back on the fresh veggies and maybe some steak to promote my RBC.
* My awesome family who understands and is so supportive when I want to cry and don't feel good.
* My friends who have contacted me this week with words of encouragement.
* My great health insurance that provides me with such good treatment options.
* A job that allows me the time to work from home so my body will heal properly.
* My awesome Father who holds me as His child when I didn't think I could go on.
Prayer Request:
* Those who have just found out they have breast cancer.
* Those going through the chemo treatments like myself.
* My friends facing their own health issues. You know who you are.
All in all my friends, I know I am blessed and I'm so thankful. Tough weeks come along for all of us and it's ok to feel the way we feel ... what's important is that we do not wallow in those feelings and stay in those deep dark valleys. God wants us to look up and see His smiling face just waiting for us to get to Him at the top of the mountain. If you're in a valley, look up, He's waiting for you to get there.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support. It means more than you will ever know. I pray for you blessings by the millions and a great weekend ahead.
Blessings!
genam44@charter.net
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