Back to the Grind

Happy New Year Everyone!

I'm now two days out from returning to chemo, and I'm still not sure what to make of this. Before Monday, the last time I had chemo was November 15th. My break was pretty much two parts. I really enjoyed the first half of my break. Before surgery I felt my best in months. Part 2 of my break wasn't as enjoyable, but I definitely made the most of it. The time really flew by. Lots of holidays, and lots of fun. These past 6 weeks have been the most "normal" time I have had in a while. In this time I began to forget what chemo "really" felt like. I think this is due to all of the other things occupying my mind like my arm rehab, and the busy holiday season. It wasn't until a few days before the 30th that I realized that fun-time was coming to an end. I started to become anxious over how I would do with the treatment. I wondered if my body would just get "shocked" with all of the chemo that I haven't received in a while. A part of me just wanted to get going with it already, but I also just wanted to just chill, and keep enjoying feeling well. It was a tough time for me. Before starting my treatment in August I predicted that the day that I return to chemo would be a difficult day for me. Possibly the most difficult one. 

Well, I definitely remember what chemo feels like now. Two days ago I returned to Penn at Radnor to resume my chemotherapy. This time I brought a friend to help me get through it. Thanks Josh! It was a long day like always. We left the house at around 7, and didn't get back until 5:30. I walked into the office feeling great, and energetic. (Well as energetic as someone could be who is about to get poison pumped through their body.) I ate a little more that I usually do during treatment. I had some fruit, and potato chips. I drank a lot of fluids like usual. Two parts of the treatment that really stood out, and brought me back to the cancer treatment lifestyle are as follows.

1. The energy drain. Every time I got up to go to the bathroom during the treatment I felt weaker, and weaker. By the end of treatment I had no energy left! I think this is the most discouraging part for me because this energy just doesn't come back the next day. You wake up the next day much worse off, and the energy doesn't start coming back for a few days. I won't have the energy that I had walking into the office on Monday until my chemotherapy is finished in March. 

2. The Mesna. I can't stand that drug. It's just a prechemo drug, but I hate the taste it puts in your mouth. This time I ate atomic fireballs, and they did a really good job of masking the taste. They were definitely the best remedy I have tried so far for the Mesna. I had a lot of anxiety over receiving this drug, and I was really afraid of throwing up from the taste it gives because it did happen once before. Once I got through the Mesna I felt much better.

The only new thing to say about my treatment is that I'm now receiving this drug that protects your heart from the chemo, specifically the "Red Devil". On my chemo regimen they give you this drug on the fourth cycle, and it continues for the rest of the treatment on my "A" cycle days. It adds 20 minutes to my treatment. I also received this new mouthwash that protects your mouth from mouth sores. I think it's working well so far. I only have one spot on my tongue, and it's really not that bad. I've been using the mouthwash 4-6 times a day.

I Hate Taking Pills

How am I feeling today? Not great, but I'm doing better than I thought I would be. I didn't do much of anything the last two days. I just have been laying on the couch, and just resting. I only made it till 7 last night. So I didn't see the ball drop this year. Oh well, it's overrated anyway.  I'm eating better today, and the "Chemo-brain" isn't as bad today as it was yesterday. So the main side effects I'm dealing with right now are the lethargy, and another side effect that I think I have failed to mention in my blog. It's an odd feeling, and almost hard to describe. At times I feel really hot(like right now), and other times I feel really cold. My body temp is steady, but I feel this way for a few days following treatment. 

Some good news...My arm is feeling pretty well. The exercises are becoming easy for me. I don't have too much pain going through the workouts. Especially the spider crawls. That was the most difficult exercise for me, and now it's not too bad. I can get my arm almost as high as the other. The hard work is really paying off. It's crazy to think how far I have progressed in just a little over 3 weeks.