Voluntary poisoning at it's finest.
- Since I forgot to snap a picture yesterday in the Infusion Room, did one just now with PhotoBooth. C and I are at Buli's Coffee Shop at the moment having lunch and sucking up the free WiFi.
- The treatment went well yesterday, I got sleepier than normal but couldn't settle down enough to really take a nap. My brother came, my friends J and C of course were there for support keeping me company. It makes the time (5 hours) fly by quickly to laugh and talk with them. Thanks guys!
- My Oncologist is on vacay this week, so I knew I wouldn't be meeting with her yesterday. However, I did meet with her nurse, who I really like. She is a sweetheart. I ran a few issues by her that I was experiencing since the treatment before last. I've noticed a dramatic change in my vision! When using the computer, and trying to read text it is extremely blurry. I have prescribed glasses (the ones in the pic above) for reading, but never wore them much before now because I didn't need them too often. I now have to wear them daily in order to see! After researching it I found that there is a connection between vision problems and chemotherapy. I almost made an appointment to see the Optometrist, but now am glad I waited. The nurse said don't bother about having my eyes checked or changing my lens because it will do no good while I'm in treatment. She also confirmed that the vision problems were being caused by the chemotherapy. The other issue I talked with her about was a recurring "fluttering" around my heart and different places in my body. Its a very strange feeling. Did some research on this too, others undergoing chemotherapy have reported having this issue too and found it was related to Herceptin. Herceptin is one of the drugs in my chemo cocktail. The Oncologist Nurse confirmed the same. She said if it was bothersome she could prescribe something for it. I'm on enough drugs at the moment, so decided against that. As long as I don't have to worry about having a heart attack I can deal with it for now. She said "you look very good!" in fact everyone says that! So, hope they are not pulling my leg and I actually look like shit :)
- The taping for Gilda's Club was today. I almost, almost cancelled because I woke up not feeling so great. I pulled myself together and went ahead anyway, since I had made the commitment. I was a bit nervous, basically not knowing what to expect and the questions I would be asked. C sat in with me off camera, which relaxed me somewhat with her being in the room. The interviewer was a Fox News Medical Reporter, he was cool, made me feel very comfortable talking about my experience with Breast Cancer. He asked questions but it was more conversational than anything. At the end he said I did really well, C said I did too. I will be able to view the finished product on October 15th at a fundraiser luncheon. Club members are not normally invited to these, but I will receive a VIP invitation because of my participation in the project.
- Don't know if you can tell in the picture above but I'm starting to lose my eyebrows - the ends are gone and whats left is thinning out. Ain't that some shit?
- Oh, I asked the nurse about the weight loss - she didn't think it was enough to worry about. I'm almost 20lbs down.
- I remember thinking/saying before chemo started that I challenge chemo to take away my appetite because as much as I love food and eating didn't think it could happen. Well it did, chemo won! Eating is a serious chore for me. Most of the food is bland which makes me not want to eat and I really just don't think about eating. When I am hungry, I can typically only take a few bites and that's it - done! Suxs.
- Sweets tend to be flavorable for me though which is odd. Yesterday, during treatment, a man came around with a box of cupcakes. I picked a chocolate one with green icing and chocolate sprinkles - it was wonderful! I tasted the flavor in the cake part and the icing! I think I could have eaten two :)
- 2 more treatments left - yeah! Then I wait three weeks and start Radiation. Not overjoyed about doing that every freakin day for 6 weeks - whatevs.
