Made it through round 2 relatively unscathed. I was armed with some new techniques to help with some of the symptoms. Days one and two are not terribly bad if I take the nausea medicine. Days 3 - 5 are the worst.
My morning cocktail (taken before i get out of bed) consisted of the following:
- Pepcid for the stomach pain
- Claritin for the bone pain
- Motrin for the headaches
Found that if I stayed consistent with the meds, I could make it through each day with a lot less pain. Unfortunately, the mental aspect was worse this time. I was sad, angry, frustrated, hopeless...all the things I work so hard to NOT be. I wish i could just take my brain out during those 4-5 days. I mean, my brain literally felt like it had a chemical burn. But, as with round 1, it does pass and things improve.
I've found that as soon as I feel the slightest bit better, getting out and taking a walk and MOVING helps. The weather has been wonderful, so that has made this much easier.
My mental faculties, on the other hand, have been on a decline. My navigational skills (which were never perfect to begin with) have been deplorable. I've gotten lost more times than when I first started driving...even with a GPS! Figure that out. Also, David is finally beating me on Words with Friends. I will never live this down.
My good friend and colleague at PerkinElmer, Kerry Besecker, started a charity to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation in my name. He is going to shave his head on video and send the link to all who donate. His first goal was $5000. He made that, so increased it to $7500. As of today, he is less than $100 towards that goal, so he's upped the ante again to $10,000!!! Can you believe? I have had so many friends and colleagues donate (generously I might add), to this fundraiser. I am humbled and overwhelmed and full of gratitude. I've added the link for the fundraiser to the right if anyone would like to contribute.
I've had a wonderful week and am enjoying the last few days until round 3...halfway through! I've been bald now for a few weeks and am getting used to all the stares when I go out in public. People don't mean to be rude, or mean, I guess they just aren't used to seeing a bald woman walking around. I've been thinking that if every woman who was going through chemo went bald for a day, it would be a HUGE eyeopener to the amount of cancer that is out there. I've seen so many beautiful women (and men) in the chemo room, coming in and out constantly. It saddens me to no end how many people are afflicted with this horrible disease.
I was able to see David's family this past weekend in Lafayette. We had to go for a soccer game and his grandmother, Ma Lil, cooked a huge lunch for everyone. His mom, Artie, and sister, Michelle were there. As well as his aunts Dana, Louise, Jackie and their husbands, and his great aunt Jeanette and her husband. Talk about a crew! We were only able to visit for a short time before Lilly's game, but it was incredible to see them all. It had been years since we were all together. Dana's husband, John, gave me a Scapular blessed by Father Seelos. He has had it with him through his cancer treatments, and I am so thankful that he gave it to me.
I continue to receive words of encouragement and support every day. It is truly overwhelming. My old friend, Kara Dauterive, sent me this batch of smiley face stickers to remind me to just keep smiling. What an easy way to affect your mood. If you just keep smiling, even if you don't feel like it, sooner or later your mood will change. I've done this when walking through a crowd alone with my bald head, feeling nervous and awkward, and it has helped. I do it when I have my blood work done each week, when I enter the chemo room to start the next round, and when get lost in Port Allen with all the kids trying to find a soccer field :). So, today's lesson is: Just keep smiling! (thanks Kara!)
Have a blessed week!
Love, Angie
