Pulling my hair out

Though Sophie may cause me a bit of stress from time to time, I can't blame her for my hair loss. Yesterday after drying off from the shower I noticed a lot of hair on me and in the sink. I pinched some between my fingers, gave a good tug, and out came a few dozen hairs. It didn't hurt at all since the chemo has killed the roots. Upon closer inspection I could see on the hair when the chemo had started. Towards the root it was thinner and lighter. Tara shaved my head this afternoon so that I don't shed long hairs all over the place. We didn't go all the way to skin but this way I won't leave a trail behind me. I kind of like my new look and it's just in time for the warmer weather. My eyebrows and arm hairs are still safe for now but we'll see if that stays.

I am feeling a lot better today compared to Thursday and yesterday morning. My appeptite has returned and I am not so nauseous. The other side effects have all been managed with medication so other than taking more naps the last few days things are going pretty well.

Feelin' a bit Green

I thought I'd post again now that I've had a chance to rest and catch up on some sleep. Tuesday Sophie and Tara came to the clinic to bring me lunch and visit. Sophie got into the recliner with me and took a big stretch. She kept her hands over her head for a bit and just kicked back with Daddy. She actually sat with me for quite a while but it helped that Mommy was feeding her. We enjoyed almost an hour before Sophie started to get a bit antsy and unmanageable. While she was there I noticed nurses, patients, and other visitors watching her and smiling and waving.

Yesterday was a pretty good day and I even pitched in with the housework by doing some vacuuming and mopping. I also organized the pantry and closet shelves. I was tired by the end of the day but was feeling pretty good. Today, however, my stomach feels a bit unsettled. I hope the pills can keep it at bay enough so that nothing comes back up. The next few days will probably be this way but I look forward to a good week to follow.

3 Down and 5 to Go

It's been a while since I've posted but just assume that no news is good news. The last 6 days have been pretty good ones. This time I am armed with magic mouthwash to help and I am taking Prilosec as well. Hopefully I can manage the side effects before they get too bad.

My blood work looked good this morning with my white blood cell count at 4 (remember it got down to 1.8 and back up to 6.9 and that 4-9 is normal). My pre-chemo levels were between 8 and 9. I will go back next Wednesday (8 days from now) to have it checked again to see if shots are required. My chest x-ray came back clear. The doctor wanted to check it since the B drug can damage them but so far so good.

I'll sign off now because I am extremely tired and don't want to risk rambling nonsensically.

Shots Work!

I went to the clinic again today for the 5th day out of the last 7. My white blood cell count has rebounded up to 6.8 so I can mingle with the people again, and let's face it, my public needs me. Well maybe I exaggerate a little bit since the people that need me are here at home with me already. Did you notice the new picture of me with my baby? She is gorgeous (and I was told that I looked good too but that is open for debate). It will be nice to have the week off from medical appointments until chemo on Tuesday the 24th. It was a rough weekend during which I periodically swished a mixture of Mylanta and children's benadryl to soothe my burning tongue. The heartburn has been a bit more harsh this time to the point that I am losing my voice. Other than that I am still standing and doing well. We'll be sad to see Tara's mother leave on Wednesday because she has been a huge help to us taking care of Sophie, cleaning, and cooking. Tonight she made a Peruvian dish that has a beef, tomato, olive, and egg filling inside of mashed potatoes and then put into the frying pan. It was delicious but I overate as usual.

Shots Hurt!

Well, my white blood cell count has continued to fall according to my bloodwork this morning. That means I have to be vigilant for signs of infection and stay away from sick people and crowds. The doctor told me to keep taking the antibiotic he prescribed and I also got a shot. I go back to urgent care tomorrow and Sunday for more shots. Monday they will check my blood again and see if we need to continue the treatment. The medicine is called Neupogen and its purpose is to stimulate my bone marrow to produce more white blood cells. The nurse said it could make my bones ache, especially the longer bones like my arms and legs. We'll know soon enough how I react though I took some preventative tylenol just in case. I haven't had a shot to inject medicine for a while and it was pretty uncomfortable. They stuck me in the back of my upper arm and I know why my baby cries for her shots - they aren't fun. I'll keep you posted but for now it looks like hibernation this weekend away from the germy world. I don't mind though because I've been very tired so it gives me an excuse to lounge about with a blanket as Minnesota returns to colder temperatures. This round of chemo has been a little tougher. I waited too long to start my anti-nausea medicine but it seems to have stabilized now so I can eat more and have my appetite back.

Round 2

Sorry that I haven't made any posts for a while but there hasn't been much to say. The last few days have been wonderful. I felt more normal during the last several days than I have for a few months.

The chemotherapy went okay today. I feel a little more worn out but that could be due to an overindulgence last night. Carrie Jeffrey made gyoza for us and I overate. It tasted so good and I knew that after today I'd be a bit queasy. Last night I woke up with some indigestion from overeating. It could have been amplified by my last chemotherapy but I brought it on myself. As a result I started the day with less sleep.

I won't go into detail this time since I wrote about most of the details two weeks ago. I did ask a few questions though that yielded some interesting information. The first chemo drug is the red one that changes my urine different colors. The nurse has to sit a push it in over 15 minutes using a syringe instead of and IV drip. I asked why and she told me that she has to check every so often to see if she can draw blood back out. Apparently if this drug touches skin, it will eat it away so they want to make sure it is going into my vein instead of under my skin. Nice thought that it is going inside of my body.

The doctor ordered some blood work before the chemo started and my white blood cell count is low. The minimum level is 4000 or more and I only had 2200 white blood cells in the sample. The doctor prescribed an antibitoic for me to take to help guard against infection. I go back on Friday to have my levels checked again. If it is still low I will have to get an injection to help my marrow begin producing more whit blood cells. For now I have to stay away from sick people and large crowds. I'll let you know Friday what happens. Enjoy the picture of my sweet baby coming to visit me.

Doing Well

I am pretty surprised about how well the last week has gone. I was nervous after having my chemotherapy infusion last Tuesday but for the first few days I felt the same. If I hadn't been hooked up to an IV for half the day I wouldn't have known anything had happened. Thursday afternoon I started taking the anti-nausea pills, not because I had a terribly upset stomach but because I could tell that things weren't feeling normal anymore and the nurse said to stay on top of it as soon as it starts to creep up on me. The pills seem to have worked well and I was even able to enjoy lunch at Token BBQ yesterday. I am a little tired these days but no more than my worst days of cancer symptoms + baby duty. The one side effect that could become worse in the next few days is one that I'll spare you the details of other than to say, "Prunes." I just ate 3 and we'll see how they work. We may be off to the store tomorrow to get some prune juice and dried apricots. Guess my breakfast menu will have to include a bit of oatmeal as well.

It was wonderful to be in church today. I gain so much strength from partaking the sacrament, feeling the spirit, and fellowshipping with my ward family. I hope that as the chemicals build up in my system that I will still be able to make it to sacrament meeting at the very least. Thanks to all of my ward members who included me in their fast and prayers. I truly do feel that strength.