4/3/12 - Even if it's slow... it's still Progress!

All this, just to document the recovery from chemo:

Tuesday - I feel like I'm making progress and on the road to healing, despite some disturbing side effects.  Yesterday, I was still experiencing difficulty thinking, concentrating and focusing.  I found myself asking people to repeat things they were saying to me because I just could not grasp it.  I understood after the repeat, so that's was good!  I walked around most of the day feeling like I was in a fog, but by evening, the feeling had passed.  Grateful for that. 

I feel much clearer in my head today, although I have already had to ask someone to repeat what they said to me.  Things are getting better though.

My new side-effect is the numbness in my feet and hands.  Such a weird sensation.  I feel like I'm walking around on little wooden blocks, and my fingers just feel huge.  Only a feeling... no swelling.  I'm now starting to feel the numbness all over my body, including my face again.  I feel like a big ole puff ball!

Wednesday - Finished taking steroids on Monday evening, so no steroids in my system yesterday, which meant a very good night's sleep last night.  So good that I had a lot of trouble waking up.  I've dealt with severe fatigue today.  I was pretty much okay sitting down at work, but whenever I stood up, I was a little dizzy... also dealing with very numb feet and the entire backs of my legs have been numb today... making for difficult walking.  I've felt like I've been dragging my body around today!

Luckily, I know that once I get past this stuff, I'm finished with it!  No more chemo!  How in the world would I deal with 4 more? How did I deal with 8 the last time?  I suppose I wouldn't be thinking this way, if I actually did have 4 more to go... I'd be celebrating that I was halfway through.

Thursday and Friday - The numbness has turned to what is commonly called "tingling," but it's more like pins & needles, or that feeling we get when our leg "falls asleep."  I keep rubbing my hands to make it stop, but it doesn't go away.  I've had dry mouth for a few days after each chemo treatment and this one as well.  However, this time it's gone beyond a dry mouth.  Because the chemo drugs kill good cells as well as bad ones, I now have tiny little blisters on my tongue and my gums are very sore.  It makes it tough when your job involves talking!  (I'm using a toothpaste and mouth rinse called Biotene, which helps the discomfort somewhat, and hopefully will help my mouth to heal.  It's very expensive to purchase, but if you find yourself needing this, ask the cancer center if they have some samples!  Also, a prescription mouth rinse can be obtained, which I needed after having eight treatment six years ago.)

Saturday and Sunday - Got to sleep in an extra 3 hours each day!  Ahhhhhhh, like a little bit of heaven.  I feel a lot better... and my mouth is getting much better.  I like the way this is shaping up!

I realize there could be some more side-effects headed toward me that I forgot about, but today I really feel like I've gotten over the hump and am on the downhill side now.  People have therapy after a knee replacement, and rehab after a heart attack... so I'm thinking that I will devise my own "Chemo Rehab" plan!  I'm not quite sure what it will consist of, but I have thoughts running through my head... time and distance goals for walking to increase my stamina; weight-lifting exercises (dumbells) and push-ups, etc. to increase my strength, and dietary changes to lose the 15 lbs I've gained!  I'll work on that this coming week.  Chemo Rehab.  Yes.  Our bodies go through a lot during this treatment that my doctor says "is barbaric, but it's all we've got for now."  So I prescribe for myself a period of Chemo Rehab!