Day + 5
Sorry, I didn't put a post in last night! I wanted to include my blood counts for yesterday & update the remainder of the day....so I will summarize it here before moving on to today.
Day +4 Part 2
My counts were: 0.1 WBC 96 HGB 46 PLT.
The afternoon went OK & Dad came by for a visit around 3:30pm. Shortly after Sue arrived for the night, Dad took Mom home for some much needed R&R. She has been simply amazing at taking care of me during my more sickly period.....she even slept with one hearing aid in so she would wake in the night when I needed her.......though I tried hard to be quiet so I wouldn't wake her every time. It has been a miserable few days at times but it really did help to have Mom's constant care!
After Mom left, I started to have some problems again. My heart burn feeling started acting up. According to the nurses, most patients usually have one exceptionally weak area that cause most of their problems. One of the effects of chemo is that it kills fast growing cells. The lining of the mouth, throat, digestive tract & all the way down to the anus is destroyed by the chemo. Some people get really bad mouth sores, sore throat & have trouble eating. In my case, the area just below the rib cage & just above the stomach is very irritated. It feels sore to touch & causes heart burn which then causes me to vomit & to also have diarrehea. I am having great difficulty eating or drinking, as it hurts & leads to me being sick everytime. Hopefully, things are on the rise, because I am now taking Panteloc 2 times a day by IV which is like Losec (pill form). This is supposed to help heart burn.
Anyway, last night I ended up vomiting around 8pm.......however, this session ended up being a bit more violent.....which lead to my nose blood. Because my platlets were 46, my blood had trouble clotting. In order to stop the bleeding, I had to pinch my nose, put ice on the bleeding nostril & ice on the back of my neck......it took about 1/2 hour for it to finally clot. The clot looked like a big tear drop hanging out of my nose....YUCK. Heather, my nurse pushed it back in my nostril a ways to I didn't tear it & cause it to bleed again. I had to sleep with the clot in my nose all night long & it is still there! I am not going to take a picture of it for the blog......but you can use your imagination.
I took some Maxeram & benedryl to help with some of my symptoms.....which put me to sleep until midnight & then I took some codeine & gravol which sent me to sleep until about 5am. I wasn't much company for Sue last night...but she said that she didn't mind & that she was glad to be here to help & support me.
TODAY DAY + 5
WCB 0.1 HGB 90 PLT 26
Quote of the day:
"DO WHAT YOU CAN, WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, WHERE YOU ARE."
- Theodore Roosevelt
I woke up today feeling much better than I have in days! My problems are at a minimum. I ate Jellow for breakfast & a baby tub of chocolate ice cream for lunch........& I kept it down! Sue even says I don't smell as intensely of creamed corn anymore....though it is still lingering.(I didn't mention it before, but the preservative used in the Stem Cells are what causes this smell.....so it has been here ever since the cells were put back into my blood)
Sue & I watched "The Sound of Music" this morning.....Sue had never watched it before!!! I was excited for her to see it......she loved it!!! It was a great way to spend Sunday morning.
Anyway, we are currently watching the British Open & Tiger Woods is leading with a score of -17 on the 15th hole. I am cheering for Tiger!
Day +4 Part 2
My counts were: 0.1 WBC 96 HGB 46 PLT.
The afternoon went OK & Dad came by for a visit around 3:30pm. Shortly after Sue arrived for the night, Dad took Mom home for some much needed R&R. She has been simply amazing at taking care of me during my more sickly period.....she even slept with one hearing aid in so she would wake in the night when I needed her.......though I tried hard to be quiet so I wouldn't wake her every time. It has been a miserable few days at times but it really did help to have Mom's constant care!
After Mom left, I started to have some problems again. My heart burn feeling started acting up. According to the nurses, most patients usually have one exceptionally weak area that cause most of their problems. One of the effects of chemo is that it kills fast growing cells. The lining of the mouth, throat, digestive tract & all the way down to the anus is destroyed by the chemo. Some people get really bad mouth sores, sore throat & have trouble eating. In my case, the area just below the rib cage & just above the stomach is very irritated. It feels sore to touch & causes heart burn which then causes me to vomit & to also have diarrehea. I am having great difficulty eating or drinking, as it hurts & leads to me being sick everytime. Hopefully, things are on the rise, because I am now taking Panteloc 2 times a day by IV which is like Losec (pill form). This is supposed to help heart burn.
Anyway, last night I ended up vomiting around 8pm.......however, this session ended up being a bit more violent.....which lead to my nose blood. Because my platlets were 46, my blood had trouble clotting. In order to stop the bleeding, I had to pinch my nose, put ice on the bleeding nostril & ice on the back of my neck......it took about 1/2 hour for it to finally clot. The clot looked like a big tear drop hanging out of my nose....YUCK. Heather, my nurse pushed it back in my nostril a ways to I didn't tear it & cause it to bleed again. I had to sleep with the clot in my nose all night long & it is still there! I am not going to take a picture of it for the blog......but you can use your imagination.
I took some Maxeram & benedryl to help with some of my symptoms.....which put me to sleep until midnight & then I took some codeine & gravol which sent me to sleep until about 5am. I wasn't much company for Sue last night...but she said that she didn't mind & that she was glad to be here to help & support me.
TODAY DAY + 5
WCB 0.1 HGB 90 PLT 26
Quote of the day:
"DO WHAT YOU CAN, WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, WHERE YOU ARE."
- Theodore Roosevelt
I woke up today feeling much better than I have in days! My problems are at a minimum. I ate Jellow for breakfast & a baby tub of chocolate ice cream for lunch........& I kept it down! Sue even says I don't smell as intensely of creamed corn anymore....though it is still lingering.(I didn't mention it before, but the preservative used in the Stem Cells are what causes this smell.....so it has been here ever since the cells were put back into my blood)
Sue & I watched "The Sound of Music" this morning.....Sue had never watched it before!!! I was excited for her to see it......she loved it!!! It was a great way to spend Sunday morning.
Anyway, we are currently watching the British Open & Tiger Woods is leading with a score of -17 on the 15th hole. I am cheering for Tiger!
posted by Angie | 1:15 pm
6 Comments:
Hi Angie
I am friends with Murray & Joyce.We spoke the other day & they told me about your illness and the journey you have taken.They are both so very proud of you. Joyce actually radiates when she tells how you have taken this head on & been extremly instrumental in making sure no stone is unturned in your treatment.I am happy to hear your SCT went well.I wish you a speedy recovery.Keep up your positive attitude.I know you will win this fight. Karen Tofflemire
Hi Angie, Glad to hear your feeling somewhat better today, could this be the turning point? We read your blog daily and hope with each update your on the mend.
Rose & Anne
My god Angie, we check your blog everyday and still cannot believe it. We were so glad to hear that you felt better this morning than you had for the last couple of days. It must be a sign of things moving foreward and upward.
Deb and I leave tomorrow for Boston, will rent a car and drive down to Provincetown for a few days to take in the sights and sounds of that beautiful little Mecca. We are taking your blog address with us and hope to have some kind of internet service at the hotel. If you do not hear from us during the next week, it is only because there was no internet service. Will be back by Sunday the 30th. In the meantime, continue to grow better and stronger and remember what Julie Andrews said: "The hills are alive with the sound of music". There is an entire symphony waiting for you to conduct on top of Mt. Everest.
With love, D + L
So happy to hear you're starting to feel better. Hopefully no more puking! If you start to feel bad...just think of raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens - I'm sure it will work! Keep feeling better. Good vibes, -Rhonda.
Can you imagin getting a whole family over an (Alp-ine) Everest. I still cry when I see the Sound of Music.
If you ever go to Vermont to cross country ski, you can ski at their von Trapp ski center in Stowe, VT. I did once---by moon light at dusk. Very cool.
Nope, I don't want to see pictures of clots---unless for some reason you want us to--- It has been pretty cool seeing you look so well even with the puking and the lab results (that are going to start going up any day now)but any picture will be just fine.
Jeannie
Oh, God, Angie. You poor thing! What a miserable experience. I have to admit that it's a little hard to read knowing I'm just about to enter into it myself, but I'm glad to know. It's better to know. I'm just so sorry you have to go through this, and so inspired by your dignity and grace....and sense of humor!
That clot thing is, well, it's impressive if nothing else. That's some crazy stuff. I hope your heartburn and esophageal pain lessen, and that soon you're able to build upon your earlier success with Jello and ice cream.
I would think that the passing of the preservative/corn stank would be a good sign, no? I'm just going to call it good, and say with conviction that it bodes well for the coming days. Yep, I'm sure of it. :)
I'm glad you're getting excellent care -- both from the excellent facility and your incredibly wonderful parents. Your mom really sounds like a Supermom! (I still think of her saying that she was there for your first birth and that she'd be there for your second one also. So beautiful and sweet.)
Rock on, Angie. You're doing beautifully -- just keep counting down those days. It should start to get easier soon. :)
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