Birthdays

Hope is like a bird that senses the dawn and carefully starts to sing while it is still dark.

- Anonymous




Some time has passed since my last entry. As usual it is due to the effects of chemotherapy. I feel pretty good mentally and emotional but it has been a bit hard physically.

Last Wednesday started of very well. the weather was gorgeous, the birds were singing I was feeling pretty good. I swam 40 laps (400meters) of the pool... wow! I also sorted out 3 weeks of tablets. I bought these great containers that fit in a large chunk of my daily pills and can do weekly packs. Can't fit everything in but means i don't have to go through endless bottles every day and also will be great for going away. Will only have to take a few extra bottles. The packs mean I am still short about 30 odd tabs but most of those are multiples of the same tablet.

I was due for Gamazin and my chemo brain had conveniently blanked out that it was a chemo drug. So I plugged in that afternoon and finished about 5 pm. By 8 pm I was getting some gastritis, by 8.15 I needed pain relief and by 9:30 pm I was starting to get a bit of relief from what had become severe pain.

Next day I felt pretty bad - nausea, headache, joint pain in hands and toes. Felt like I had a bad flu without any fevers. Very tired - oh so unusual! In other words the usual chemo reaction I seem to have no matter which drug it is. Friday I was starting to improve a bit and managed to eat some dinner. It was Jonathan's birthday that day but we didn't do a lot of celebrating as there was to be a party the next day combining a house warming and a birthday celebration. I managed to help a bit with the cleaning and tidying of the house on Thursday but was pretty well written off on Friday. We did have a lovely dinner outside that I managed without any nasty effects.

Saturday I still felt very lethargic, head achy and nauseous. I put myself on a vitamin C drip and that made me feel quite a bit better so that I quite enjoyed the party that started at 3pm. Several of the neighbours came, some of whom we had met and some we hadn't. It was very successful and the people were all very nice. Managed to stay up till about 9.30pm, was very careful what I ate but treated myself to a little ginger ale with ice.

We have been invited to go out on a boat with the neighbours, Mike and Betsy, one evening for dinner at a nearby lake. Should be very nice. Another neighbour, Doddie, has invited us to join her for a couple of hours, on Thursday, at the botanic gardens where there is a butterfly exhibition. I do love butterflies. She volunteers at the gardens once a week. That should be an enjoyable little trip and I should be able to manage it by then. Paula might join us as it is close to her work.

Back to the trials and tribulations of chemo. The medication I have taken for pain and nausea have of course set off their diabolical side effect - severe constipation. Took something for that but have spent a lot of time in the bathroom today trying to pass what feels like a large house brick. Have finally made some progress this afternoon and am starting to feel more comfortable. Made me really grateful I am not on chronic pain relief, like many cancer patients, as they have to deal with this issue on a very regular basis (excuse the pun). Glen made a very funny comment about it that gave me the giggles. She said "do it like an accountant". I said "how is that?". She said "work it out with a pencil'. Oh well, I thought it was hysterical, and you really need a sense of humour around this cancer business. It's always great to have a laugh.

Today is Sunday and I have been very tired, surprise, surprise. It is a lot cooler and has been very windy and cloudy today which is unusual. We spent some time looking at cabins to rent at Greer, which is in the White Mountains, about 5 hours drive from here. Should see some autumn colours if we end up going there for a few days next week.

Starting to think a bit about going home and having a PET scan on the 28th of October, two days after we get back and seeing Dr Fluhrer on 2nd November. I am hoping that there will be no visible cancers on the PET scan. That would really make my birthday the following week a celebration. Mind you, even if it is not clear I will certainly be celebrating being alive and improving!

Surviving and thriving

Linda