Payson

Strands

Experiences
slipping through our being
like particles of beach
cascading between our fingers
or gathered together
into castles
dreams becoming reality
ever changing
structures
of creativity

Linda de Haen

Started the day with severe nausea, remedied by a Zofran tablet. It made me think about all the things I take and why and that it requires some effort to keep all the symptoms under control and fight the cancer and boost the immune system etc. So I have decided to list the things I take on a regular basis with some explanation before describing the lovely day I had.

I have also had some positive feedback about this blog site and it made me think of the inspirational input I need from time to time to keep positive. That is why I have been putting the inspirational quotes in, I didn't want my blog to be just an account of day to day struggle. I wanted a record of the positive things that keep me going as well as the struggle that this journey sometimes requires. I have also come to believe that life has times of struggle regardless of your journey. Admittedly some peoples struggle seems much greater than others and there seems to be no rhyme or reason for that. It seems to be random and has nothing to do with justice or fairness. Whatever struggles we have to deal with in our lives, I believe we can get through them more easily if we continue to dream and continue to be grateful for the good things in our lives. The inspirational quotes I have used reflect these beliefs I have. We may not have a choice about what life deals us but we have a choice how we deal with the difficulties life presents.

That's my navel gazing for the moment. Now to the nitty gritties of daily medication. I take mostly 'supplements' as opposed to prescription medication. Many of these I have researched and are either helpful directly in combating cancer or in building the immune system so it can deal with the cancer. Others are vitamins or minerals that are either just generally good for anyone or are specific for nutritional deficiencies common for breast cancer sufferers and I have been tested as being deficient in e.g. iodine.

Daily I take: Megazyme (20), PSK (6)- a chinese fungus, Bio Zinc(1),multi vit (1), Boswelia Vayara(2) - boosts immune system, Ca D-glucarate (2), Calcivit (1), Arimidex (1), Chlorella (6), CoQ10 (2), Curcuminoid (2), Fish Oil (3), Hepa Merz (1) - liver support, Indole-3-carbinol (2), Potassium salts (2),Prilosec (2), Iodine (1 drop), Magnesium (2), Maitake(1), Melatonin (1), Priorin(3), Probiotic (4), Quecertin (4), Reishi (1), SB Floractive (2), Selenium (2), silymarin (2), vitamin D (1 per week). About 70 per day, give or take.

Injections are: thymoject (injection twice weekly), Faktor AF2 (iv injection once a week), vit C (iv injection once a week). This does not include chemo which is more intermittent and at the moment includes epirubicin, gamazin and I also take zometa and avastin.

Then I try to have at least two large vegetable juices a day and I always start the morning with a lime juice diluted with warm water. Then there are other tablets to counter side effects of chemo. The most common one I use is Zofran for nausea. This has it's own side effects namely constipation and it aggravates my nasal ulceration (another side effect of the chemo which I have had since May). I also massage the scars from my mastectomies. they are about 16 cm (6inches) long each. The massages are followed by stretches as I want to minimise contracture and maximise flexibility of my arms.

That's the routine for each day more or less. It then depends on how I am feeling on the day, it is very variable at this stage.

Having got through all that Paula and I had a lovely morning driving up to Payson to take one of the dogs, Kona, to the vet for a post knee surgery check up. Payson is at much higher elevation to where we are at Goldfields and it is a lovely hours drivve to get there. With the changing altitude there is a change in vegetation as well so it is a very interesting drive. There are also some very panoramic views on the way. It being Saturday all the bikes were out for a ride. Harley Davidsons are very popular here and mostly riden by older people, baby boomers I guess. They are the ones that can afford to buy them, they are pretty expensive even here in the US. The climate here is great for bikes as there is so little rain.

After we had been to the vet we went for a little drive to take Kona for a cool off at the river. Unfortunately there had been recent fires and we could not get to the river. Kona got a little leg stretch and courtesy stop at some old indian ruins at Shoofly Flat. Paula had also noticed a little general store on the way and we bought some ice creams. Not exactlyh on the chemo recovery diet but very enjoyable. Lovely picturesque little store.

Very tired in the afternoon but had a swim and finished off with watching a movie, First Knight, very light and entertaining. All in all a lovely day.

Survive and thrive with enjoyment

Linda