all up from here

Hello everyone

Well the past few days have not gone all that well.

I am working at keeping ahead of the nausea, with Zofran and (oddly enough) Ativan.  It seems that I can keep it at bay if I take them regularly. The fatigue, has been hard, being such an active person. I have just read that apparently studies have shown that regular exercise helps with the post chemo fatigue.  I found this encouraging, and so when Ken comes home today, perhaps we will try a short walk in the woods.

We walked several miles on the first post chemo days, and less on the second and then yesterday

and today it has been to the bathroom and back.

The drug "Neulasta" was given 24 hours after my chemo, to boost my bone marrow, so that my blood counts of white blood cells do not drop too low. (this is one of the serious effects of chemo, when the neutrophil count (part of the white blood cells ) drops too low, you are prone to what would normally be minor infections.   The trouble with this is that when your bone marrow is stimulated, it causes bone pain.  So I have generalized bone pain from that. Myra's son, the oncologist explained to me that to experience bone pain with the neulasta shot is a good sign that you have a good bone marrow...... So I guess I have a good active bone marrow.

From what I have read from other women going through the same chemo, I should be starting to feel better in the next day or so.

The way I see it now,   I receive these very toxic drugs, that go into body and kill rapidly dividing cells. When chemotherapy drugs attack reproducing cells, they cannot tell the difference between reproducing cells of normal tissues (that are replacing worn-out normal cells) and cancer cells. The damage to normal cells can cause side effects. Each time chemotherapy is given, it involves trying to find a balance between destroying the cancer cells (in order to cure or control the disease) and sparing the normal cells (to lessen unwanted side effects).

So I am trying to be positive about the "side effects" hoping that any stray cancer cells that may have been considering setting up shop in any other part of my body, will just be wiped away.

My next chemo is April 15th, and I hope I can find ways to make it easier.

Love and peace

Janet