I'm on medical leave from work to recover from the hip surgery, so I've had lots of time on my hands. While that can be a good thing (time to watch favorite shows and movies, pay bills, hold my dog, etc), it can also be a bad thing. I think about everything that can go wrong. What if I get blood clots in my leg because I'm sitting more? What if my length difference comes back for some weird reason? What will I do if the PT doesn't work and I never walk correctly again? What if next month's scan shows new tumors and I have to go back to chemo after almost 6 months of freedom? If I do have to go back to chemo, what if it doesn't work and I die this time? Then I just have to calm down and remember that God is in control. Nobody is guaranteed the next minute, no matter how healthy they are. We have to live for now and appreciate every bit of time we are given.
About three and a half years ago, I was really burnt out at work. I was almost at the point of applying for jobs in totally different fields with other companies, just to get out and have some change. I prayed and asked God, "What is my purpose in life??" It seemed that all I ever did was work, eat, and sleep. All I did during that time was complain about how stressed I was. My family relied on me a lot as well, so one night, in a moment of anger and frustration, I vented to my husband. I said that I would be screwed if I got sick, because I took care of everyone, and nobody would ever step up to help me, and they never helped me anyway. This rant was untrue, but in fits of anger, we often say things that are mean and false. I also joked with a co-worker that a medical leave might be fun if we could choose an easy illness like a broken leg - yes, I actually joked that being on medical leave for a broken leg would be fun. Scary isn't it?
Not long after my angry tirades and multiple jokes about going on medical leave for an "easy" broken leg, I got my breast cancer diagnosis. I never imagined that breast cancer would break my leg and cause 3 years of drama. Things went from bad to worse to horrible in a matter of weeks. By Christmas 2009, I was bedridden and in constant pain. Suddenly, a little work stress or helping a family member didn't seem so bad. All of my independence was gone and I had to rely on someone else for everything, even getting a glass of water. I went from being almost completely independent and in control to being helpless and terrified.
Over the past 3 years, I've learned to focus on the good stuff. If I have a stressful situation in my life or at work, I say a prayer and just do my best. It's so much easier to hand things over to God, rather than stewing over situations that can't be helped. I hate cancer and wish I would have never gotten sick. However, it's been such an eye-opener for me. I feel closer to God now than ever before, and my personal and professional relationships are much more positive. I've also learned to appreciate every little thing, like being able to take a shower without help, and walking to the kitchen to get my own drinks! Trusting in God always pays off. My glass is not half full. It's running over!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
More Setbacks, More Blessings
Warning, this is a LONG post. There are lots of updates!
Over the past few months, I’ve experienced some setbacks, but there have been
blessings with each of them.
First Update – My Leg:
My blog posts are never complete without an update or
complaint about my leg. After the mastectomy in May, I decided to go back to PT
to get my leg into shape. The PT recommended that I go back to my orthopedic
surgeon for x-rays, just to ensure the hardware was in the right place, doing
what it was supposed to be doing. So in June, I had x-rays and learned that the
screw in my hip had actually moved. This was not the surgeon’s fault or
defective hardware. The ball of my hip was simply too weak from disease to
support the hardware, and the screw moved from the center of the bone to the
top of the bone. The ortho surgeon told me that no PT would help me at this
point and the only way to achieve quality with my leg was to remove all of the
old hardware (the rod in my femur and the screws in my hip and knee) and have a
full hip replacement. So he referred me to a surgeon in Kingsport who
specializes in weird bone injuries.
Second Update – My Teeth:
I’ve never had fabulous teeth, but since I’ve had cancer, I’ve
been on bone strengthening meds. You are not allowed to have dental work while
on bone strengthening meds because of rare but super serious side effects that
can cause your jaw bone to break down. I’ve been off the bone meds since
January 2012 so I can have a few things done while I’m on chemo break. Since I
needed to get dental clearance for my hip replacement surgery anyway, I made an
appointment. About 5 years ago I had a root canal and crown on one of my
molars. The dentist discovered that the root canal failed and the only option
for the tooth was to have it extracted. While the dentist was looking at the x-ray
he saw a shadow, so he did an orbital x-ray of the whole mouth/neck area. So
for about ten minutes, I thought that maybe my cancer had spread to that area
of my mouth. I was terrified. Thank God it was just a pocket of infection.
After a round of antibiotics, I was able to have the crown removed, and the
tooth extracted. This delayed my surgery for a while, but it was worth it to get
the tooth taken care of. Once I’m completely healed, I can get a bridge or an
implant to replace it.
Third Update – My Dad:
My dad went to his doctor in July and learned that he had a
defective heart valve. So me, mom, and
my sister went with dad for his heart catheterization test. They checked him
into the hospital on Wednesday July 18 and determined the same day he needed a new
aortic valve AND triple bypass. So they scheduled my dad’s surgery for Friday
July 20. During this time, everyone’s plans and lives pretty much stopped. We
were worried and scared for him. After spending 6 hours in surgery, the heart
surgeon told us that it was a success. So we went home to nap and clean up. A
few hours later, the surgeon called my cell phone and said they were rushing dad
back to the OR because he was bleeding and they could not figure out why. It
turns out that one of his bypasses sprung a leak and he lost almost 3 pints of
blood. After a few scary hours, he was transferred back to the cardiac ICU. By
Sunday, July 22, dad was transferred to a normal room and he spent the next few
days resting and healing. They released him on Thursday July 26. He is still
recovering, but he’s getting a little stronger each week.
Fourth Update – The Hip Replacement Surgery:
After my dad’s surgery and my dental drama were over, I was
finally able to get my doctor/dental clearances in to the specialty ortho
surgeon and get my hip surgery on the calendar. It was on August 17. I’m
thrilled to report that I have pretty much all of my length back in my “bad”
leg. There may end up being a slight length difference, but an insert in ANY
pair of shoes will do the trick. No more specially built up shoes for that leg,
yay! The surgeon told me that I have a cobalt chrome hip replacement and that
it has the same probability of breaking as a bowling ball. That sounds good to
me!
The first week after surgery was horrible. I had 46 staples
in my leg, starting at my butt and going almost to my knee. Every move I made
felt like the skin was ripping. In the hospital the first time getting out of
bed was excruciating. I also lost a lot of blood during the surgery, so I
needed some blood transfusions before they would release me. I was released on
Monday August 20. Once I got home, I could not take a shower because I couldn’t
get the staples wet. I had a hard time sleeping at night because I’m not
allowed to sleep on my side for 6 weeks. So the first week was full of pain,
swelling, and awkward moving. My husband had to help me dress /undress, and get
into/out of bed. So the first week was depressing and frustrating. When I wasn’t
totally drugged on Percocet, I was crying and worrying.
The second week was much better. I still had staples for
part of the second week, but once I had my follow-up appt and had them removed,
I felt much better.
I’m now in the third week and home health PT is helping me
learn how to walk normally again. It’s going to be a long process, but I’m
slowly improving. I just have to keep on working on it, and I have to remember
to be patient.
Blessings:
It’s been a crazy summer, but I’ve been reminded over and
over again that God’s timing is absolutely perfect. In May, I went to the same
PT as my sister because she talked about how great he was. If he hadn’t
suggested that I go back to the ortho surgeon for x-rays, I probably wouldn’t
have thought to do it. So I owe him big time! If I hadn’t had dental drama, I
may have been in the middle of my own surgery and recovery when dad had his
heart drama. I wouldn’t have been able to visit him or be there for him at all.
If I had gone to my ortho surgeon for x-rays during chemo, I would have had to
wait for the hip surgery anyway. Being on a chemo break has allowed me to heal
without weirdness. I’m almost completely healed already, so hopefully there won’t
be a year of gauzing up my leg like the last time.
I learned some pretty amazing news regarding the cancer at
my follow-up appointment too. They sent the damaged hip ball that was removed to
pathology after the surgery, and there was no cancer on it. Typically, spots on
the bones do not go away. This is a miracle. When I learned the cancer had spread
to my bones, the hip area was the worst spot. Now, almost three years later,
pathology says that they don’t see any cancer.
I feel very blessed. Even with all the weirdness this
summer, everything has just fallen into place and worked out perfectly. God is
always right here, wrapping His arms around me during the scary times, and
holding my hand during the good times.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Updates
I haven't posted a health update in awhile. Honestly, sometimes I'm afraid to say good stuff out loud, which is probably silly. I don't believe in "jinxing" myself. So here it goes.
I had a scan in at the end of March and it showed clear organs and stable bone mets. So for 2 full months, I've been on a chemo break. My schedule is full too. I'm catching up on all the things that I couldn't do while in chemo: dental work, more intense physical therapy for my leg, and another mastectomy.
Having my other breast removed was my idea. Although the breast was healthy, let's face it: breasts come in a set. You either have two, or you have none. Back in October 2009, it crossed my mind for about 2 seconds to have them both removed at the same time. However, at the time, things were moving so fast and the situation was pretty dire. In a way, I'm glad I didn't have them both done at the same time. The right breast removal was a radical mastectomy and required more recovery time. It was also my first hospital visit ever, and frankly, it was not fun. I didn't realize that anesthesia made me throw up non-stop, so that coupled with two drain tubes instead of one would have stunk. Plus, mobility in my arms is limited for about two weeks post surgery. It's nice to have at least one good arm. So even though I needed an extra surgery, I guess I don't regret waiting until a few weeks ago to have the left breast removed. I'm going back to work this week, and I'm really excited! I've had my fill of internet, reading, and watching The Cooking Channel. :o)
As far as treatment goes, I'm on Arimidex, a daily pill. I'm also taking Zoladex, a monthly shot. So far, the only side effects are hot flashes. I had those the whole time I was in chemo, so it's not a big deal. However, these two drugs have officially put me into menopause. I've not had a period since Christmas 2009, but knowing that my child bearing days are truly over and I'll never have a biological child bothers me a little. As soon as I knew I had metastatic disease, I realized that I would never have a baby. After more than one hundred chemos, having a baby probably wouldn't have been good for my body anyway. Plus, who knows if the kid would have weird issues, like an extra ear or 6 toes on each foot, haha. I know I'm just being silly, but I have to keeping laughing. It's good therapy.
Still, I can't help but think of something my mom has said many times. She's always been very vocal about how happy she is to have two daughters, which makes me feel good. She always makes it very clear how much she loves me and Cat, and that she would be so lonely without us. Again, I appreciate that my mom loves me so much and I love her too. She has a good heart. But it still makes me wonder - if I live to be an old woman, will I be all alone? I pray every night that God heal my body and use me to do His work. Well, what if He says yes to my prayer and I out live everyone? Do I really want to be the last one standing? My grandmother (mom's mother) was 92 when she died. She was the oldest of 5 kids. She outlived them. She buried her mom, dad, stepmom (who was younger than her), and husband. She outlived at least 3 pastors that she wanted to preach her funeral - she made her funeral plans a looooooong time before she died. I'm sure she had plenty of sad times with all of the losses she experienced, but she was tough.
When I start thinking too much, I just pray and try to remember that God is control, not me. Frankly, I'm glad I'm not in control. It's too much pressure! No matter what happens, I plan to fight until I take my last breath. I'm thankful for every day and try to live my life as normally as possible. God's plan is perfect, so I'm excited about the future, no matter what happens.
I had a scan in at the end of March and it showed clear organs and stable bone mets. So for 2 full months, I've been on a chemo break. My schedule is full too. I'm catching up on all the things that I couldn't do while in chemo: dental work, more intense physical therapy for my leg, and another mastectomy.
Having my other breast removed was my idea. Although the breast was healthy, let's face it: breasts come in a set. You either have two, or you have none. Back in October 2009, it crossed my mind for about 2 seconds to have them both removed at the same time. However, at the time, things were moving so fast and the situation was pretty dire. In a way, I'm glad I didn't have them both done at the same time. The right breast removal was a radical mastectomy and required more recovery time. It was also my first hospital visit ever, and frankly, it was not fun. I didn't realize that anesthesia made me throw up non-stop, so that coupled with two drain tubes instead of one would have stunk. Plus, mobility in my arms is limited for about two weeks post surgery. It's nice to have at least one good arm. So even though I needed an extra surgery, I guess I don't regret waiting until a few weeks ago to have the left breast removed. I'm going back to work this week, and I'm really excited! I've had my fill of internet, reading, and watching The Cooking Channel. :o)
As far as treatment goes, I'm on Arimidex, a daily pill. I'm also taking Zoladex, a monthly shot. So far, the only side effects are hot flashes. I had those the whole time I was in chemo, so it's not a big deal. However, these two drugs have officially put me into menopause. I've not had a period since Christmas 2009, but knowing that my child bearing days are truly over and I'll never have a biological child bothers me a little. As soon as I knew I had metastatic disease, I realized that I would never have a baby. After more than one hundred chemos, having a baby probably wouldn't have been good for my body anyway. Plus, who knows if the kid would have weird issues, like an extra ear or 6 toes on each foot, haha. I know I'm just being silly, but I have to keeping laughing. It's good therapy.
Still, I can't help but think of something my mom has said many times. She's always been very vocal about how happy she is to have two daughters, which makes me feel good. She always makes it very clear how much she loves me and Cat, and that she would be so lonely without us. Again, I appreciate that my mom loves me so much and I love her too. She has a good heart. But it still makes me wonder - if I live to be an old woman, will I be all alone? I pray every night that God heal my body and use me to do His work. Well, what if He says yes to my prayer and I out live everyone? Do I really want to be the last one standing? My grandmother (mom's mother) was 92 when she died. She was the oldest of 5 kids. She outlived them. She buried her mom, dad, stepmom (who was younger than her), and husband. She outlived at least 3 pastors that she wanted to preach her funeral - she made her funeral plans a looooooong time before she died. I'm sure she had plenty of sad times with all of the losses she experienced, but she was tough.
When I start thinking too much, I just pray and try to remember that God is control, not me. Frankly, I'm glad I'm not in control. It's too much pressure! No matter what happens, I plan to fight until I take my last breath. I'm thankful for every day and try to live my life as normally as possible. God's plan is perfect, so I'm excited about the future, no matter what happens.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Blessings
God always hears and answers our prayers. We just don’t always get the answer we want, when we want it. God’s purpose is not for our instant gratification. His plan is perfect and we are on His timeline. It’s hard to remember that when there are hard times and pain.
When I was first diagnosed, I prayed that I had caught the cancer early. I hadn’t. When I had radiation on my leg and had to be in a wheelchair because of severe inflammation, I prayed every day for the pain to go away. It didn’t. When I prayed that the chemo was working to get the cancer under control, the cancer spread more. When I prayed that physical therapy would get my bad leg back in shape, my leg broke and I needed emergency surgery. After the surgery, I had to go back to chemo immediately, and my largest surgical incision re-opened. I prayed for the incision to close quickly. It stayed open for over a year. During all of this, I developed severely dry eyes and almost went blind in my left eye from a corneal ulcer.
Looking back at all the weirdness and setbacks, I have to remember blessings with each one. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people in chemo. Throughout chemo, I’ve been able to eat anything I want. Having a bad leg has helped me to slow down and learn to depend on others. My eye troubles taught me to get my eyes checked every year, and not to write off symptoms as “just normal side effects.” When my liver had several tumors, I never felt abdominal pain or had abnormal liver panels. While my hip incision was open, I never had an infection. I try to remember all the scary times whenever I feel sorry for myself. God is always with me, no matter what.
When I was first diagnosed, I prayed that I had caught the cancer early. I hadn’t. When I had radiation on my leg and had to be in a wheelchair because of severe inflammation, I prayed every day for the pain to go away. It didn’t. When I prayed that the chemo was working to get the cancer under control, the cancer spread more. When I prayed that physical therapy would get my bad leg back in shape, my leg broke and I needed emergency surgery. After the surgery, I had to go back to chemo immediately, and my largest surgical incision re-opened. I prayed for the incision to close quickly. It stayed open for over a year. During all of this, I developed severely dry eyes and almost went blind in my left eye from a corneal ulcer.
Looking back at all the weirdness and setbacks, I have to remember blessings with each one. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people in chemo. Throughout chemo, I’ve been able to eat anything I want. Having a bad leg has helped me to slow down and learn to depend on others. My eye troubles taught me to get my eyes checked every year, and not to write off symptoms as “just normal side effects.” When my liver had several tumors, I never felt abdominal pain or had abnormal liver panels. While my hip incision was open, I never had an infection. I try to remember all the scary times whenever I feel sorry for myself. God is always with me, no matter what.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Good News
I had a scan at the end of January and got the results last week. My organs look great, including my liver. Everything was "unremarkable" and "clear." Very good words in scan world. Last year, my liver was clear for the most part. It seemed that every other scan, one of the liver lesions would show its ugly head again. But this time, I got the all clear! Of course I still have bone mets and probably always will. But the bone mets that the scan could see are stable.
My doctor wants me to stay in chemo until my next set of scans (probably end of March or April) because my tumor marker number keeps going up. Thankfully in January, it only increased from 163 to 166. So I'm hoping that the next few months of chemo will make it fall. However, if my next scans look as good as January's, we are going to talk about taking a chemo break. Yay!
My doctor wants me to stay in chemo until my next set of scans (probably end of March or April) because my tumor marker number keeps going up. Thankfully in January, it only increased from 163 to 166. So I'm hoping that the next few months of chemo will make it fall. However, if my next scans look as good as January's, we are going to talk about taking a chemo break. Yay!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
My Vitamix
All of my friends, family, and co-workers have been subjected to my dramatic and energetic raves about my Vitamix. All you have to do is mention it to me, and I will start talking non-stop about how the Vitamix changed my life.
The Vitamix is a kitchen appliance that looks like a blender. However, it's so much more than just a blender. It can crush a whole container of ice in 3 seconds. It can make smoothies, soups, dressings, milks (from nuts, rice, sesame seeds, etc), nut butters, hummus, and flours from grains.
Before my cancer diagnosis, I never struggled with health issues or weight problems. I ate anything and everything that is gross and bad for you. If the food was drenched in gravy or butter, I would eat it. I hated most vegetables and refused to even try new food that might be good for me. Shortly after my diagnosis when things seemed to get worse, I continued to eat badly. As hopeful as I was trying to be, I honestly thought I would die soon, so I ate whatever I wanted. After I broke my leg and had surgery, my health started to improve. I decided that it was time to make some major changes in my diet.
I found the Vitamix ad by accident in one of my food magazines, and I was instantly intrigued. The $500+ price tag was not attractive though. I wouldn't even consider spending that much money so I put the idea of buying one out of my head. A few months passed and I was struggling through trying to get my daily required fruits and veggies. In fact, I was failing miserably. I desperately wanted to do better, but I just felt overwhelmed. So I went back to the Vitamix website and bought the machine. After all, I pay good money for Clinique skin care and Bare Minerals makeup. Why not buy a machine that is going to help me make healthier meals for me and my husband?
After the machine arrived, I read the instruction manual, watched the DVD, and scanned the cookbook that came with it. I tried something easy first: a strawberry smoothie. I was amazed at how quickly the blender processed all the ingredients; it even pulverized the little seeds on the strawberries! I drank the smoothie and loved it. After that, I decided to move on to veggies. I got brave and tried a "green smoothie" with bananas, pineapples, and spinach. Much to my delight, I couldn't even taste the spinach.
After a few months of fruit smoothies with "hidden" veggies, I decided to try soup. I've read that broccoli is a cancer fighter, so I tried a broccoli soup recipe. I steamed a head of broccoli for 8 minutes, and then placed it in the machine. Then I added chicken broth, cheese, and a little milk. I was a little squeamish at first, but I loved it!
I've had my Vitamix almost a year, and here is the best part about it. Although I still drink my smoothies every day, I actually crave whole veggies now. I still like to make my broccoli soup, but now I can eat steamed broccoli straight up. Tonight, I made kale salad and ate two helpings! I don't feel like I have to "hide" the veggies as much as I used to. If someone had told me a few years ago that I would be eating more fruits and veggies and less nasty food, I would have laughed out loud. The bottom line is, if I can do it, anyone can do it. I was the ultimate junk food junkie. I don't have a doubt that better eating habits have helped me tolerate the chemo better, and given my immune system a boost.
If you want to buy a Vitamix, I would recommend buying one from their website (www.vitamix.com) so you can have the full warranty, just in case something goes wrong. Mine performs just as good today as it did on the first day I got it, but you never know. Also be sure to use code 06-007846 to get free shipping (a $25 value).
The Vitamix is a kitchen appliance that looks like a blender. However, it's so much more than just a blender. It can crush a whole container of ice in 3 seconds. It can make smoothies, soups, dressings, milks (from nuts, rice, sesame seeds, etc), nut butters, hummus, and flours from grains.
Before my cancer diagnosis, I never struggled with health issues or weight problems. I ate anything and everything that is gross and bad for you. If the food was drenched in gravy or butter, I would eat it. I hated most vegetables and refused to even try new food that might be good for me. Shortly after my diagnosis when things seemed to get worse, I continued to eat badly. As hopeful as I was trying to be, I honestly thought I would die soon, so I ate whatever I wanted. After I broke my leg and had surgery, my health started to improve. I decided that it was time to make some major changes in my diet.
I found the Vitamix ad by accident in one of my food magazines, and I was instantly intrigued. The $500+ price tag was not attractive though. I wouldn't even consider spending that much money so I put the idea of buying one out of my head. A few months passed and I was struggling through trying to get my daily required fruits and veggies. In fact, I was failing miserably. I desperately wanted to do better, but I just felt overwhelmed. So I went back to the Vitamix website and bought the machine. After all, I pay good money for Clinique skin care and Bare Minerals makeup. Why not buy a machine that is going to help me make healthier meals for me and my husband?
After the machine arrived, I read the instruction manual, watched the DVD, and scanned the cookbook that came with it. I tried something easy first: a strawberry smoothie. I was amazed at how quickly the blender processed all the ingredients; it even pulverized the little seeds on the strawberries! I drank the smoothie and loved it. After that, I decided to move on to veggies. I got brave and tried a "green smoothie" with bananas, pineapples, and spinach. Much to my delight, I couldn't even taste the spinach.
After a few months of fruit smoothies with "hidden" veggies, I decided to try soup. I've read that broccoli is a cancer fighter, so I tried a broccoli soup recipe. I steamed a head of broccoli for 8 minutes, and then placed it in the machine. Then I added chicken broth, cheese, and a little milk. I was a little squeamish at first, but I loved it!
I've had my Vitamix almost a year, and here is the best part about it. Although I still drink my smoothies every day, I actually crave whole veggies now. I still like to make my broccoli soup, but now I can eat steamed broccoli straight up. Tonight, I made kale salad and ate two helpings! I don't feel like I have to "hide" the veggies as much as I used to. If someone had told me a few years ago that I would be eating more fruits and veggies and less nasty food, I would have laughed out loud. The bottom line is, if I can do it, anyone can do it. I was the ultimate junk food junkie. I don't have a doubt that better eating habits have helped me tolerate the chemo better, and given my immune system a boost.
If you want to buy a Vitamix, I would recommend buying one from their website (www.vitamix.com) so you can have the full warranty, just in case something goes wrong. Mine performs just as good today as it did on the first day I got it, but you never know. Also be sure to use code 06-007846 to get free shipping (a $25 value).
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Tips for People in Chemo
I’m a huge proponent of modern medicine. While I think that it’s a miracle from God that I’m still alive and feeling good, I also believe that God is the reason we have doctors, researchers, and drugs that work, and He wants us to take advantage of them. When I say my prayers, I pray for the doctors and scientists out there looking for a cure for cancer and other devastating diseases.
When people think of chemo, usually the first two things that come to mind are baldness and nausea. Losing hair and feeling nauseated come with the territory, but there are lots of other weird side effects of chemotherapy. I’ve been in treatment for over two years now, minus a three month break in Summer 2011, and there are things that I’ve seen and felt that I never imagined would happen.
Here are some things that I have done that have really helped me get through chemo. I’ve been very blessed with good health throughout my treatment. Since I started chemo, I’ve been in the hospital once, and that was for my leg surgery. I think that some of the habits I practice below have played a big part in why I’ve stayed healthy. I hope this helps anyone out there who may be struggling through treatment.
Drink, drink, drink.
The best things to drink are filtered water, decaf hot tea (green tea is best), unsweetened iced tea, and 1% or skim milk (I can’t take skim, but 1% is pretty good). I always keep my favorite “fizzy” drink on hand too – I like Coke. I try not to drink more than 8 ounces of Coke a day because of all the sugar. I like coffee with cream too, but I try to keep it down to two cups in the morning. It’s important to drink LOTS liquid because even though chemo works and I’m thrilled that it’s available to me, it’s still poison. You need to keep your system flushed out. It also helps your skin, which can get very dry during treatment.
I try to drink more water than anything, but sometimes, it can be tough when I’m nauseated. Lemons can help the water taste better and settle on my stomach easier. If you don’t eat lemons fast enough to keep fresh ones, you can buy a product called “True Lemon.” It’s dehydrated lemon powder with no sweetener. It tastes just like a fresh lemon in your water. Some people actually prefer this over fresh lemons, especially in restaurants where you aren’t sure where the lemons have been before they touch your glass. You can find “True Lemon” on discountcoffee.com or amazon.com.
Eat, eat eat.
Again, this is challenge sometimes. I went through a period when my whole mouth felt like it had been shaved. That’s the only way I know how to describe it. I was sensitive to heat, spices, and worst of all, Coke! Even minty gum was about impossible. Even if all you can stand is a bowl of cereal, eat it several times a day to sustain yourself. I lived on scrambled eggs and soup for awhile when I struggled with mouth sensitivity. I love Campbell’s soup. Some criticize the salt content in it, but sometimes salty stuff can really curb nausea. Just experiment and don’t give up! There is something out there for everyone.
Wash!
Of course it’s a no-brainer to keep your hands clean. However, cleanliness should be a whole body experience. I take a shower every night before bed time. I don’t care if I’m nauseated, or if my leg is acting up. I drag my tired butt to the shower every night and lather up from head to toe. It’s especially important to wash the skin over your port if you have one, especially on chemo day when it’s been accessed. While it’s completely under your skin, I still think it’s important to keep that area clean.
I also moisturize from head to toe when I’m finished in the shower. This is difficult on evenings when I’m really tired, but so worth it. Chemo has made me dry all over , skin, eyes, nose, throat, everything. So moisturizing is very important, even though it takes more time.
Ask questions.
When I went through the mouth trouble, I just assumed that I would have to live with it, so ate a lot of popsicles and drank mild cold drinks like tea. However, when I mentioned the issue to my oncologist, he prescribed something called “magic mouthwash.” This prescription has 5-6 ingredients and is compounded fresh at the pharmacy. I know for sure that my formula had Maalox and a little Benedryl in it. I’m not sure what else was in it, but I could take a drink of it and then eat Indian food afterwards. Good stuff.
Another yucky side effect I’ve had is ugly finger and toe nails. One of the nurse practitioners recommended brushing tea tree oil on my nails. It whitened them up a bit and while they still don’t look great, they are better than they were. You can find this at GNC or Sally beauty supply stores. I’m sure Wal-Mart has it too. Wal-Mart has everything!
I’ve also struggled with sensitivity to band-aid adhesives. Once I pulled a bandaid off of an injured finger and the skin came off with it. A nurse introduced me to wipes called “Skin Prep” (can be found on Amazon.com). You wipe over the area of skin that will have tape on it, and the bandages and tape peel off very easily, leaving your skin irritation-free.
Be nice.
Keep in mind that you will see your doctor, nurses, and admin assistants a LOT. The experience is so much easier when you are nice. There have been times when I’ve had to wait a long time, especially at treatment. But treatment isn’t just walking into the cancer center and getting my drugs. They have to take my blood, send it to the hospital lab to ensure my counts are good enough to get chemo. After my blood work comes back, they fax the results to my oncologist across the street. He has to sign an “ok to treat” and send it back to the cancer center. So my appointment may be at 1:00, but actual “treatment” may not start until after 2:00. A lot of it is a waiting game, so you have to be patient. Cancer is the scariest, worst thing I’ve ever faced, but it doesn’t give me the right to be an asshole to anyone. The nicer I am, the better my experience is.
Be a warrior.
This may make you eye-roll, but I’m almost euphoric on chemo days. Before each treatment I say a prayer and ask God to bless the meds as they go into my body so they will kill the evil cancer. Then I ask Him to bless my body so it can accept all the meds. I try to go into each treatment (73 chemos and counting) with the attitude that it’s killing my cancer and that I will not let cancer take me. I think that my Christian faith has gotten me through this. Without God, I wouldn’t still be alive. I would either be dead, or want to be dead by now.
There are times when I have to make myself think positively, but I think that a good attitude goes a LONG way. You have to believe almost to the point of delusion that you are going to get better. I read all the stats from the American Cancer Society about stage iv breast cancer and they are not good. After reading it carefully, I threw that shit in the trash. No need to dwell on what could happen. I have to focus on what’s happening right now.
If your doctor is not encouraging enough, dump him/her. My oncologist has never told me I’m going to die, and he’s never given me the “You have _____ months to live…” speech, even when things were really bad. I don’t have an expiration date. God is in control and none of us is guaranteed tomorrow, no matter how healthy or careful we are.
When people think of chemo, usually the first two things that come to mind are baldness and nausea. Losing hair and feeling nauseated come with the territory, but there are lots of other weird side effects of chemotherapy. I’ve been in treatment for over two years now, minus a three month break in Summer 2011, and there are things that I’ve seen and felt that I never imagined would happen.
Here are some things that I have done that have really helped me get through chemo. I’ve been very blessed with good health throughout my treatment. Since I started chemo, I’ve been in the hospital once, and that was for my leg surgery. I think that some of the habits I practice below have played a big part in why I’ve stayed healthy. I hope this helps anyone out there who may be struggling through treatment.
Drink, drink, drink.
The best things to drink are filtered water, decaf hot tea (green tea is best), unsweetened iced tea, and 1% or skim milk (I can’t take skim, but 1% is pretty good). I always keep my favorite “fizzy” drink on hand too – I like Coke. I try not to drink more than 8 ounces of Coke a day because of all the sugar. I like coffee with cream too, but I try to keep it down to two cups in the morning. It’s important to drink LOTS liquid because even though chemo works and I’m thrilled that it’s available to me, it’s still poison. You need to keep your system flushed out. It also helps your skin, which can get very dry during treatment.
I try to drink more water than anything, but sometimes, it can be tough when I’m nauseated. Lemons can help the water taste better and settle on my stomach easier. If you don’t eat lemons fast enough to keep fresh ones, you can buy a product called “True Lemon.” It’s dehydrated lemon powder with no sweetener. It tastes just like a fresh lemon in your water. Some people actually prefer this over fresh lemons, especially in restaurants where you aren’t sure where the lemons have been before they touch your glass. You can find “True Lemon” on discountcoffee.com or amazon.com.
Eat, eat eat.
Again, this is challenge sometimes. I went through a period when my whole mouth felt like it had been shaved. That’s the only way I know how to describe it. I was sensitive to heat, spices, and worst of all, Coke! Even minty gum was about impossible. Even if all you can stand is a bowl of cereal, eat it several times a day to sustain yourself. I lived on scrambled eggs and soup for awhile when I struggled with mouth sensitivity. I love Campbell’s soup. Some criticize the salt content in it, but sometimes salty stuff can really curb nausea. Just experiment and don’t give up! There is something out there for everyone.
Wash!
Of course it’s a no-brainer to keep your hands clean. However, cleanliness should be a whole body experience. I take a shower every night before bed time. I don’t care if I’m nauseated, or if my leg is acting up. I drag my tired butt to the shower every night and lather up from head to toe. It’s especially important to wash the skin over your port if you have one, especially on chemo day when it’s been accessed. While it’s completely under your skin, I still think it’s important to keep that area clean.
I also moisturize from head to toe when I’m finished in the shower. This is difficult on evenings when I’m really tired, but so worth it. Chemo has made me dry all over , skin, eyes, nose, throat, everything. So moisturizing is very important, even though it takes more time.
Ask questions.
When I went through the mouth trouble, I just assumed that I would have to live with it, so ate a lot of popsicles and drank mild cold drinks like tea. However, when I mentioned the issue to my oncologist, he prescribed something called “magic mouthwash.” This prescription has 5-6 ingredients and is compounded fresh at the pharmacy. I know for sure that my formula had Maalox and a little Benedryl in it. I’m not sure what else was in it, but I could take a drink of it and then eat Indian food afterwards. Good stuff.
Another yucky side effect I’ve had is ugly finger and toe nails. One of the nurse practitioners recommended brushing tea tree oil on my nails. It whitened them up a bit and while they still don’t look great, they are better than they were. You can find this at GNC or Sally beauty supply stores. I’m sure Wal-Mart has it too. Wal-Mart has everything!
I’ve also struggled with sensitivity to band-aid adhesives. Once I pulled a bandaid off of an injured finger and the skin came off with it. A nurse introduced me to wipes called “Skin Prep” (can be found on Amazon.com). You wipe over the area of skin that will have tape on it, and the bandages and tape peel off very easily, leaving your skin irritation-free.
Be nice.
Keep in mind that you will see your doctor, nurses, and admin assistants a LOT. The experience is so much easier when you are nice. There have been times when I’ve had to wait a long time, especially at treatment. But treatment isn’t just walking into the cancer center and getting my drugs. They have to take my blood, send it to the hospital lab to ensure my counts are good enough to get chemo. After my blood work comes back, they fax the results to my oncologist across the street. He has to sign an “ok to treat” and send it back to the cancer center. So my appointment may be at 1:00, but actual “treatment” may not start until after 2:00. A lot of it is a waiting game, so you have to be patient. Cancer is the scariest, worst thing I’ve ever faced, but it doesn’t give me the right to be an asshole to anyone. The nicer I am, the better my experience is.
Be a warrior.
This may make you eye-roll, but I’m almost euphoric on chemo days. Before each treatment I say a prayer and ask God to bless the meds as they go into my body so they will kill the evil cancer. Then I ask Him to bless my body so it can accept all the meds. I try to go into each treatment (73 chemos and counting) with the attitude that it’s killing my cancer and that I will not let cancer take me. I think that my Christian faith has gotten me through this. Without God, I wouldn’t still be alive. I would either be dead, or want to be dead by now.
There are times when I have to make myself think positively, but I think that a good attitude goes a LONG way. You have to believe almost to the point of delusion that you are going to get better. I read all the stats from the American Cancer Society about stage iv breast cancer and they are not good. After reading it carefully, I threw that shit in the trash. No need to dwell on what could happen. I have to focus on what’s happening right now.
If your doctor is not encouraging enough, dump him/her. My oncologist has never told me I’m going to die, and he’s never given me the “You have _____ months to live…” speech, even when things were really bad. I don’t have an expiration date. God is in control and none of us is guaranteed tomorrow, no matter how healthy or careful we are.
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