Day 1, as they call it. Day 6 of 100 day process

 Howdy. 

Today has been a bigger challenge. I am shaky and my mouth is so parched to the point that most foods feel like they turn to sand. I've taken some nausea meds - trying to not let it get bad to the point it is hard to deal with it. I have a weird rash on my hands and feet. They drew lines around the foot rash to evaluate if it is spreading. I just really don't feel good, but it could be a lot worse. 

The MD didn't get back to me this morning as to when I start the new (3rd) chemo drug. I can't believe it's already 6pm. I've napped between being taken out for walks by Melvin, the mobility specialist. Food is getting tricky but I had 1/2 of one of Candy's yummy muffins and a banana for breakfast. Egg salad sandwich with BBQ chips for lunch and it really was pretty good. 

Berries and walnuts are plan for a munchie. I'm on so many fluids that I feel sloshy inside but my mouth is a whole different thing. I'm hoping the fruit is good and the walnuts for protein. 

I have a salad already for dinner and have no idea what will sound good with it. The grilled mahi tacos were good last night. I need more protein and I can't stand the ones they have packaged here. 

I found a conversation encouraging as I asked the NP if there have been significant improvements in this process in the past 8 years. She emphatically said yes. The drugs and how they use them. The extent of our isolation. Eating restrictions used to be much more strict. Etc... It made me feel again that I am grateful I didn't do this sooner as the doctors all wanted me to. 

Not sure what we will do for dinner. Candy sent homemade yummy soups but we can't get them heated up because we brought it into our room. We didn't know about this policy. We will keep them frozen and use it when we move into the apartments across the street in a few weeks. 


Oh goodie. I've missed the rashes! Not! 
Not too itchy or hot. Don't know the cause. 

\
My door from yesterday.

The staff is very nice here. You can tell they have good management.

Everyone who comes in can't believe how we've moved in. 
We take these organizers on cruises so I brought them. 
It's our snack stash - I think we overdid it!

Did you notice my pretty cards my Pal Susie makes for me? 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ya, I'm starting cytotoxic chemo tomorrow.

 The MD/Researcher, Dr. Haverkos, called this afternoon to talk about yesterday's PET scan. It appears the first couple months the drugs held the disease at bay but the last two months, it has take off. After asking other questions I don't have the energy to share right now, he suggested I go into the hospital tomorrow and start Brentuimab and CHP. The letters all stand for drug names.  Again, I'm struggling to stay awake so I'm not including as many details right now.  The time in the hospital is a stretched out series of IVs, instead of the usual doing it all at once, to protect my kidneys that already seem stressed. The first round of chemo (I will do 6) kills off the most tumor load, so stretching it over a week is a good idea.  After 2 months, we will do another PET scan to see how we are doing.  I feel like it is time to get after this and see if we can actually get it into remission. He mentioned a Bone Marrow Transplant, which I hope we don't have to do....
Read more

The good and the bad - accepting both.

 I'm thrilled to report that the port wine colored blotches that look like huge deep bruises on my legs are looking better! I thought they were permanent. My hair is falling out faster than I expected. I guess things are just as they should be: cytotoxic chemotherapy kills newly dividing cells, healthy or cancerous. The lymph nodes in my neck are definitely reduced. I'm having night sweats which is a "B" symptom of lymphoma.  I'm 12 days out from the last chemo so I kind of expect to feel really good by now but I realize I am not sure what that is. My muscles all hurt. I'm going to take an Epsom salt bath in a bit. Is it the lymphoma? the chemo? or from being so sedentary? I don't know but I hope it improves soon, especially my neck, which really hurts a lot of the time. We keep trying remedies. I go to a a chiropractor, an acupuncturist, and a massage therapist and my hubby puts patches and CBD pain stuff on it all the time. It has resolved in the past bu...
Read more

Staying flexible and trusting in God's perfect timing

Image
Howdy. I so hope your 2025 is starting off well. We had such a wonderful holiday season with an exceptionally fun time celebrating my 60th birthday, the end of 2024 filled my emotional cup in a very special way. It's been nice having these unexpected free days since going into the hospital was postponed to get organized a bit, meet with friends from my Al-anon group, see our small group from church, go to church which I love, and just regroup after such a busy time.  I got another call today from the nurse transplant coordinator. It turns out donor #2, from Poland, is not eligible to donate for some reason. The nurse explained that donor #1, from Germany,  was re-contacted - she had told the doctors she could not donate for at least 2 weeks later than what they wanted. Because there is some danger in waiting (if the lymphoma comes back, I'd have to do chemo again before transplant), they had gone on to #2. The first one is now able to donate 1/30 so I will now go into the hosp...
Read more