Still lacking physical stamina.....

Friday, June 28, 2013:

 

Self Portrait

Wayne is on the other side of me and we are having an

ice cream on the Kure Beach Pier.

 

 

It has been one week and two days since my final treatment.  Thankfully my side effects are few.  My mouth blisters were gone just a few days before my last treatment and thank God they have not returned.  I had to endure only a few hours of what I call 'chemo head' which is a condition where I am totally miserable and it all emanates from my head.  I do not have any strength or stamina to speak of.  My doctor wants me to walk or do some form of exercise for 20 minutes a day.  Heck, I can't even stand up for a few minutes without getting light headed.  I did manage a walk down to the cul-de-sac behind the house.  After the first trip I came back and sat down and rested  then a short while later I went back for round two.  When I got to the farthest end away from the house one of our neighbors came out to talk.  I had to sit down or I would have fallen down while talking to him.  I finally got up to go home and was very light headed.  I stood there long enough to get it together enough to venture home, which was only a few yards away.  As I was walking home here comes Wayne with some ice water, looking for me, because I had been gone too long.  Hahaha!  I was glad to see him.  He assisted me the rest of the way and I was toast for the rest of the day.  Part of my problem is I am unable to eat very much at all.  I have chemo induced anemia which will go away once I can eat normally again and my white blood cell count is still low.

This go round is different in that anything I eat gives me diarrhea within 30 minutes.  Some food has some flavor but my tongue somehow reads the texture as being other than it is.  For example, I had some instant mashed potatoes.  They tasted really good but the texture was like I was eating wet beach sand.  It felt as if it was sticking in the back of my mouth and was scratchy going down.  Cucumbers taste good but the texture is nothing like a cucumber to my taste buds.  I like the crunch of the cucumber.  I will be glad when my tongue starts sending the right messages to my brain so I can enjoy food again.  Another positive change from my last treatment is that I no longer have a backache.  Last go round it was a constant companion and now......nothing.  Yaaaay!  I am also getting a full nights sleep with the exception of one night this week. 

This morning I took a shower and all went well until I started toweling myself dry.  By the time I was done I was out of breath and my heart was pounding like a bass drum and all I had done was towel myself dry and put on my clothes.  I have lost 32 lbs. as of this morning, since beginning chemo 16 weeks ago.  I have no butt and no belly!!  My skin is exceptionally smooth and not dry at all as I expected it to be.  The only place I have any hair at all are my eyebrows and eyelashes.  I think I will now pronounce myself as BALD.  If you were to rub my head it feels like I have a lot of stubble.  It is hard to see it, though.  There are a lot of empty hair follicles on my head and bare spaces.  Heck!  I have been told my hair could come back blonde and straight!  Ya'll might see a whole new Me when this is done.  Hahahaha!  Anyway, all is well, lots of appointments next week for this and that as well as a pre-op with the plastic surgeon and pre-op testing at the hospital.  My surgery is scheduled for July 23rd.  I will keep you informed.  Please continue to pray for me, Barbara Fincannon and Jennifer Barnes.  May God Bless you all and keep you safe this 4th of July week.

Hugs,

Glenda