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| Me at 2nd chemo session. |
2/8/11 –
The first part of the day was good. I felt great. Mom and I headed to the cancer center. When I first arrive they always have to test my blood to make sure that I’m healthy enough to take chemo. When I returned from giving blood I found mom in the waiting room playing with her iTouch. I started to check facebook and answer a few messages that I’ve neglected. Out of nowhere I hear “I got GPS to work. I can never get GPS to work in Phenix City.” Awesome – GPS. It is important to note that I hadn’t had my coffee yet. I’m still sitting there looking on facebook when all of a sudden I hear “hit start to begin workout…” “Mother!” You have to turn that down, we are in a waiting room. She hit “end” and then started it again but turned the volume down. She then navigated away from her RunKeeper and went to iTunes instead. I’m then called back to be weighed, poked, and checked. When I made it back to my room, mom was still playing around on her iTouch. The nurse is inputting my numbers into the computer when we all hear a very soft voice say “Run Time: .1 miles in 15 minutes….” What?! We all look around. Mom is confused. I said “mom, it’s your RunKeeper”. She said “but I went to iTunes”. “Yes, but you did not stop the GPS.” Parents, you can’t take them anywhere.
I met with my doctor before chemo to talk through what my symptoms were the last time. I mentioned that it seems so surreal that I feel so good but as soon as I put that stuff in my body I feel miserable. It is very hard from going from good to bad so quickly and knowing that I’m intentionally doing this to myself. He said that I needed the chemo because it takes my chances from 50% to 70% of the cancer not returning. He also asked if I had ever heard of someone having an easy time on chemo – no. No, it’s not easy, but it is necessary.
I then headed into the infusion room. I tried to take it easy and relax. A fabulous friend had left me a fuzzy blanket and pillow that I snuggled under the whole time. Toward the end of my chemo I started to feel nauseous. I thought it was probably a normal thing but couldn’t hurt to check. The nurse said no, if I started to feel nauseous when I was with them make sure to let them know. She gave me some extra nausea medicine. At the end of the treatment I was already definitely feeling the effects of the chemo – nausea, fatigue, and some tingling in my hands and feet. I asked the chemo nurse if my symptoms could be stronger this time. She said yeah, it could be stronger by the second session – lovely. Mom and I headed out. I am proud to report that I did not almost fall this time.
We went to Chick-fil-A and I got some chicken nuggets and a diet lemonade, no ice, since I was feeling better. As soon as I took a sip of the no ice diet lemonade it felt like a glacier was in my mouth. So cold! Mom had a DSW gift card that she wanted to spend. After eating I felt better so she and I headed to DSW. I heart DSW. I heart shoes! Well, today I actually was so tired that I opted to stay in the car while mom went inside my favorite shoe store. Sad. It’s like I could hear shoes crying.
After DSW mom and I headed home. She left soon after and I camped out on the couch. I wanted to take a nap but I couldn’t get comfortable. I kept switching sides of the couch. After some Tabatha’s Salon Takeover I decided that I needed to be in the bed because I was freezing. I had on flannel pj’s, my fluffy robe, socks, blanket, and the thermostat was turned up and I was still a popsicle. The bed warmed me up a little but not 100%. Do I have a fever? Nah…. I took my temperature and I was at 98.9 – not bad. I laid around and tried to relax. Phillip and Tara came over for dinner but I had zero interest in food. I thought I was feeling hot again so I got Tara to check my temp. After using the thermometer my temp had gone up to 100.5 – uh oh. I’m supposed to call the doctor if my temp is at or above 100.5. It’s not like me to run a temperature. I called the off hours number and my oncologist called me back. He said that I have a contrast and that I should take some Tylenol and if I continue to have a fever over the next 6 – 9 hours to call back. I probably have the beginning of bone marrow suppression though all my blood count numbers were good this morning. I am supposed to call back if I feel worse or if the temperature returns. He said that I will probably have a rough couple days. I’m feeling a little better since the Tylenol. I’ve eaten 4 chocolate chip cookies and a half bag of pop corn. Dinner of champions.
Right now I’m better. Not 100% but better. I have to remember that this will make me better in the long run. It’s just really hard when I’m going through it.
So that was my day. I would say an “ok’ day. Not fabulous, but it could be worse. I have to stay positive and remember that I can do this! I’ve got this! I’m fighting like the diva I am!
I’m not really hungry but I would like a coke Icee (too bad I can’t have cold right now). My song of the ay is Foreigner’s “Cold as Ice”! Night y’all.
Dear Nausea,I don’t like you. You’re really mean and don’t play fair. Please leave me alone.Not Your Friend,Shea
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