Yesterday was my first full day home after being an inpt for 7 days. I can't say that I felt great but I muddled through. Seemed to have a great deal of reflux and nausea. However, despite all of that I did get to have some fun visiting Sandi and Amy to check out the special Juliana bike that Sandi configured. Also got to see my boss from the Clinic when she dropped by to bring me some cards from my co-workers. It was nice to catch up and think abut work or anything that is not related to leukemia or chemo or hospitals. Miriam and Alex came over for a short visit too bearing an incredible pot of chicken soup. Miriam made me chicken soup 2 years ago when I had breast cancer treatment and it was a highlight then. This batch did not disappoint either. Although my stomach hurts and I feel like I have an elephant's paw pressing at my sternum, the soup actually made the symptoms lessen. So I got up first thing this morning (6am) to have a little bowl. Putting something in there seems to help at least a little.
For all of you medical folks out there, I was almost a bounceback to the Bone Marrow Unit last night. I started feeling achey, cool, and tired. We took my temp which was 100.4. I was told by the discharge nurses that I have to come in for an eval either in clinic or the unit if my temp is above 100.4. We rechecked it after an hour-still 100.4. I took all of my meds and went to bed. I had deep, restorative sleep fortunately until 3am when I had to get up and take more nausea meds. This am my temp is 99.4 but I do feel like I am coming down with something. Hopfeully they won't send me to the Unit from my clinic appt this morning at 9:15am. I am already on antibiotics to prevent several kinds of infections (Cipro).
I am definitely at the stage where the chemo is killing the lining of my mucosal surfaces. My tongue is sloughing off; my GI tract is coming out too. I know that is why it is so hard to eat and drink right now. I just have to make myself do it. Thank goodness for apple juice which seems to be my friend right now.
Well I'll add more later as we get info at the clinic. Thanks again to all of our friends here and in the mtns, co-workers, and others who have made this difficult process easier. Have a terrific Sunday. -tree
4 comments:
Hopefully the temp continues to go down---but if not, a few slugs of Vitamin R(rocephin) might do the trick!
We're up early today and off to the Tuckaseegee river to do a little white water rafting with the boys. I'll take a couple of pics and post them to you so you can do some positive visualization around these lovely mountains! It's been highs in the 70's this week, which is my kind of summer.
Good luck at the clinic today!
Holly and Tree, Check out Amy Steinberg and listen to Exactly: http://www.myspace.com/amysteinberg. Sarah Karakitsos (with Jude on percussion) performed this at the last Common Woman Chorus concert. I heard Amy at a women's chorus festival in San Diego 2 years ago. Very energetic, good musician and funny! I think Exactly is playing on her myspace site (link above). Have a good day at the clinic. Glad to hear the temp has dropped this morning. Enjoy the nice cool weather after the rain. :)
--Julia
Tree, another friend of mine found grape juice helpful when she was going through chemo.
I hope your temp stays down and the clinic visit goes well today.
Deb and I are working in the yard this morning. All the plants look happy after the rain last night.
Love, Marty
Hi again. Glad to hear your temp is staying down and that the chicken soup is helping. Sue liked to freeze grape and apple juice and suck on the cubes when she was in chemo.
I have some books for you -- including one my friend Melissa just published -- but the boys are home sick with a stomach bug today and I'm staying away till I know I won't share it.
Please take care through these rough days, my friend, and good luck at the clinic.
Love,
Angela
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