Well round 2 of chemo over and done with and I am feeling pretty good. I am a little tired and my legs are like jelly (apparently muscle weakness is part of the cancer / chemo process) but all in all not too bad. I think being pregnant has actually helped with the nausea - I am so used to it it really doesn’t bother me too much!! I suppose if you were not used to it it would probably be a lot to handle. I had the most lovely day yesterday. Cam spent Friday night here whilst mum and dad looking after Tiernan. Cam and I had a lovely morning in hospital just relaxing (a rare event for parents). Then about 10am we went home and I caught up with Tiernan for a little while. Tiernan then went over Tim’s and Cam and I caught up on some housy things. About 4:30pm we picked Tiernan up from Tim’s and the three of us went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. In the car on the way we were all laughing our heads off. We kept telling Tiernan the different foods he would eat and he was then making things up and we laughed so hard. When we got there he loved it. He ate dim sims, spring rolls, wonton soup, chicken and vegetables and fried rice. Considering we have so much trouble with him eating we were amazed. He wanted to be just like mum and dad so he insisted on using chopsticks too!! He did a great job with them. He loved all of the new things in the restaurant and was constantly asking what’s that or who’s that. He was smiling at people and the three of us had a ball. We are going to make it a regular event to expand his culinary senses and hope to try Japanese (Sushi Train) or Thai next time. Then they took me back to the hospital and stayed for a short visit before going home. I was exhausted and had a nice sleep. I am still not sleeping through (sounds like I am talking about a baby!!) but I am managing 6 hours a night.
|
Well round 2 of chemo over and done with and I am feeling pretty good. I am a little tired and my legs are like jelly (apparently muscle weakness is part of the cancer / chemo process) but all in all not too bad. I think being pregnant has actually helped with the nausea - I am so used to it it really doesn’t bother me too much!! I suppose if you were not used to it it would probably be a lot to handle. I had the most lovely day yesterday. Cam spent Friday night here whilst mum and dad looking after Tiernan. Cam and I had a lovely morning in hospital just relaxing (a rare event for parents). Then about 10am we went home and I caught up with Tiernan for a little while. Tiernan then went over Tim’s and Cam and I caught up on some housy things. About 4:30pm we picked Tiernan up from Tim’s and the three of us went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. In the car on the way we were all laughing our heads off. We kept telling Tiernan the different foods he would eat and he was then making things up and we laughed so hard. When we got there he loved it. He ate dim sims, spring rolls, wonton soup, chicken and vegetables and fried rice. Considering we have so much trouble with him eating we were amazed. He wanted to be just like mum and dad so he insisted on using chopsticks too!! He did a great job with them. He loved all of the new things in the restaurant and was constantly asking what’s that or who’s that. He was smiling at people and the three of us had a ball. We are going to make it a regular event to expand his culinary senses and hope to try Japanese (Sushi Train) or Thai next time. Then they took me back to the hospital and stayed for a short visit before going home. I was exhausted and had a nice sleep. I am still not sleeping through (sounds like I am talking about a baby!!) but I am managing 6 hours a night.
|
The chemo went well yesterday. It did not take so long this time (about 3 1/2 hrs) as they were able to feed all of the drugs through the drip (less painful) and also increase the speed seeing as I had not reacted last time. I had a hot pack on my arm and that eased the irritation the drugs caused to my veins which made the whole process much less painful. The nausea was much worse when it finished however that was because I did not take both sets of anti nausea drugs. One lot is perfectly safe during pregnancy and I took them however the others are a little iffy and I decided that I would brave it out. It is only 6 more treatments whilst I am pregnant and I would rather suffer through the nausea than risk harm to Arielle. The doctor was not so sure and called me (the nurses must have dobbed on me that I would not take the Zoffran) but I convinced him that on chemo days (and the two days after) I would just eat and eat and eat regardless of how I feel so that even when I am sick I am still getting enough nutrients staying in. He seemed to hesitantly agree. I also had trouble breathing and chest pain after this chemo. After checking me all out they weighed me and my joy at being 47kg soon was ruined as they said I had retained too much fluid from the chemo and it was causing me trouble breathing so they had to give me drugs to get rid of the fluid. That was 3kg of weight gain gone again!! Oh well it looks like it is back to eating.
|
Well not my usual positive entry today. Unfortunately yesterday afternoon I started getting a little bit sinusy and then this morning I have just had a nose bleed and my chest is back to being in pain. Apparently the nose bleed can happen from the chemo however they need to make sure I have not got an infection. The chest pain probably means the cancer is getting going again which is lucky I am getting the chemo today. Being pregnant panadol is about all I can have so I am just waiting for it to kick in and then I will feel better. Although I am aprehensive about the chemo getting the chest pain back reminds me just how important it is for me to have it regularly. On a medical note for those who are interested - my chemo (called ABVD chemotherapy) is timed 14 days apart because the chemotherapy kills the cancer cells as well as other cells in my body but the other cells (immune system, etc) can generally grow back within the 14 days whereas the cancer cells take the 14 days to start growing again. Well that might be me for a few days - hopefully I will be well enough to continue more blogg updates in a few days. 8am update - bloods all ok and chemo is going ahead today
|
Not to much on today - a lung function test (yuk) to check my lungs are up for tomorrow’s chemo and a visit to the obstetrician to check Arielle is ok and then just resting up for tomorrow. I am feeling a little aprehensive but I know it will make me better so I will be brave and hang in there. The Courier Mail visited yesterday and did a story on us doing Shave for a Cure so those of you in Brisbane watch out for us in the paper! We will be doing our shave on Saturday May 6 - so it is bye, bye hair on that day! The doctor said that at this stage it looks like I might come out next Wednesday - yeah
|
My grandfather passed away 30 years today. I was the only grandchild who got to meet him and I know that he has been looking after me and keeping a special eye on me during all of this. Well my news for the day is that I have proved mind over matter. The psychiartrist has threatened me with anti-depresesants if I don’t average 5 hours sleep a day (the chemo and the cancer both cause depression and the steriods wire you up which kills sleep patterns). Anyway since being told that 5 hours sleep a night is not an issue!! Last night I even did 6 - I woke during the night and the resolve that I am pumping enough rubbish through my body at present to consider a single more drug sent me back off into la, la land!! The other good news is that you will all be so proud of me. A few months ago a blood test meant taking someone along with me for moral support, lying on a bed and just about passing out during the process. I now sit up for my daily (4.30am) blood test and swear it feels no worse than a mossie bite - I even watched the 3 vials fill with blood today - not bad for desensitising! So all in all life if good. I am on a day pass again (my last for my time in here now) and am spending some time with my boys - I cannot wait.
|
I had the most lovely weekend. I was allowed out of the hospital on both days and Jane came up to visit. I actually felt like a normal person for the first time in 10 days! On Saturday we had a lovely day - we went home and had Thai for lunch with Cam, dad and Ben and then we went and bought two wigs. On Sunday we went to Southbank with Cam and Tiernan and also met Kylie, David and Em there and had a lovely time with the kids running around and being outside. After a short lunch break back at the hospital we did a little retail therapy and then it was back home for a few hours. I got to be back in the house and Jane, Tiernan and I made a yummy family favourite spaghetti and we had a lovely dinner. It was lovely to spend time back home with my boys. I was able to do the bed routine with Tiernnan and I think it made as much difference to my night as his (I actually slept 5 hours last night instead of my usual 3). Now I am in for a rest week to prepare for more chemo on Friday but at least I feel like I have had a reasonably normal weekend. My only disappointment was that I ate like a horse all weekend (they say I am too underweight and I need to pull it up in order to give my body a chance to get better). I have just been weighed (yes 4am blood test and weigh in!!!) and I am only 43.5kg - 500g more than I was when I first arrived - I was sure I would have put on at least 1kg!! Oh well it looks like I might have to just order in lots of pizza this week.
|
