Anyway, hubby went with me for my 5th chemotherapy treatment today... actually I'm going to call it an "infusion." Anything that has "treatment" and "therapy" associated with it makes it sound pleasant. Anyway, it did go really quickly but there was no internet so I couldn't blog while I was there (gasp)! The nurses and patients loved my "F*ck Cancer" shirt, but I forgot to take a pic. I got my blood drawn and was put on hydration around 9:30, and counts were good so I took my emend, got some Pepcid and Benedryl shot into my IV and then the Aloxi and Decadron drip was started by 9:45. That went quick because Taxotere started at 10:10. Carpboplatin started at 11:35 so that means instead of Taxotere taking 2 hours as usual, it took much less this time. My friend brought us lunch around noon, which was awesome. Hydration was back on around 12:45 and I was outta there by 1:15. 4 hours and 15 minutes, that's a record. I think the worst of it was the Neulasta shot. Not the shot itself, but the feeling that goes through my arm when they push it through. It's like a bunch of needles going at once, almost like a tattoo. Quite unpleasant, although I am considering getting another tattoo when this is over. I swore I'd never get another one, but I also swore I'd never get implants... this cancer sure has changed things for me, in more ways than one!
Speaking of change, I have started a new "diet." I am officially at my heaviest, (aside from pregnancy- we won't go there), and it's starting to get a little depressing. I am not sleeping well and I know it's because I'm not as active or healthy as I once was. Since I can't go to the gym and get exercise (too many germs, and my bones pop too much) I feel like a bump on a log. I also think I rebelled on my normal diet because I was bitter. I hated that I was so health conscious before and it didn't prevent me from getting cancer, so I just went off on a junk food spiral. The docs told me "eat what you can keep down" and I took that quite literally. I have had more In n Out, Starbucks, Pizza and Del Taco since my diagnosis than ever before. I finally decided last week that I wanted to make a change, so I looked up some suggestions in that cancer book. I know I will not be able to be great at what she suggests, but I think I can manage moving over from "good" to "better." If I am fighting this, I may as well attempt to fight with my fork too so here goes: no more caffeine, less processed food (including chips), less animal products (including dairy ones), no artificial sweeteners, no soy, drink more greens, no white pasta, and eat more raw veggies. Her list is much more strict, but this is what I think I can handle. For example, the other day I had a veggie sandwich at subway with an apple and water instead of chips and a soda. Not a huge change, but enough to make me feel like I'm making an effort :-) I fed my family steak, red potatoes, and steamed carrots and zucchini tonight and they loved it- I just didn't eat any of the steak. Both of my kids got 2nds of the steak, so I know I can't cut meat out completely. I am proud to say that last night they ate all of their brown rice, veggies, and salmon. They both came to me like little baby birds with their mouths gaping open asking for more salmon. They do me proud! I am so lucky they are good eaters, and I don't want to ruin that by trying to put everybody on a strict beans and raw veggies diet with me. I want to fight this the best way I can, but I don't want to be a starved b-word either. Baby steps to a new, healthier me! Yay!
I hope this week flies by. My chest already hurts and I'm already super achey and tired to the bone. I took a nap which gave me a little bit more energy to get me through the evening. I've had a numb left big toe for 4 days, and so it's official- I have peripheral neuropathy, or some such chemo induced nonsense. Great. I bought $100 worth of eyelash/brow stuff today which will last me until I'm finished. 5 treatments down, only one left. Is it May 2nd yet?