Tues, 7 Feb 2006
My Dear Friends,
Here's an update on the latest:
Started the third month of chemo yesterday. Had three drugs as I always do the first week. Tired and nauseous as expected today.
My hair is thinning. You can't tell by looking at me yet. I'm just noticing more hairs in the sink or on my clothes. SH the nurse assures me that it'll thin but won't all fall out. Maybe the loose hair is just more noticeable because it's chocolate brown, not blonde like I was all my life.
Started taking these gigantic iron pills last week. The shots have been helping (I get one in the gut every week) but they want to bring my red cell counts up a little more. They're keeping an eye on my low white count. Haven't needed to take outside help on that just yet.
My radiation burn has healed. I had not mentioned it yet because it was in a rather private area. Even now I'm apprehensive but I'll go for it, as I am trying to paint a fully accurate picture of my situation. Remember that they had radiated the thigh and hip area all the way up, front and back. A couple weeks after radiation finished, it's supposed to "peak". At that time, I noticed a redness developing, kinda where your underwear rubs in front, where the torso ends and leg begins? The irritation got worse and turned dark reddish-purple. Now, the rest of my leg was fine, didn't even get a tan, which surprises me because I'm so pale. The area was only about two inches by one inch but you gotta wear underwear so what was I to do? Anyway, the radiation nurse confirmed on the phone that it was a burn. I figure it was about second-degree so I used the cream they gave me. The skin turned grey and peeled. Now it's perfectly fine. Hope that wasn't too gross for polite company!
Not sure what will happen when these four months of chemo are done. I know they will test me again to see if it had any effect but the doctor has not discussed the options in all the possible situations: if it's working, if it's staying the same or if it's not working. I like to know these things in advance but have thus far been too afraid to ask. I suppose I will have another appointment with her soon. Nothing scheduled yet.
That's about it for now.
Love,
Jeanette
Here's an update on the latest:
Started the third month of chemo yesterday. Had three drugs as I always do the first week. Tired and nauseous as expected today.
My hair is thinning. You can't tell by looking at me yet. I'm just noticing more hairs in the sink or on my clothes. SH the nurse assures me that it'll thin but won't all fall out. Maybe the loose hair is just more noticeable because it's chocolate brown, not blonde like I was all my life.
Started taking these gigantic iron pills last week. The shots have been helping (I get one in the gut every week) but they want to bring my red cell counts up a little more. They're keeping an eye on my low white count. Haven't needed to take outside help on that just yet.
My radiation burn has healed. I had not mentioned it yet because it was in a rather private area. Even now I'm apprehensive but I'll go for it, as I am trying to paint a fully accurate picture of my situation. Remember that they had radiated the thigh and hip area all the way up, front and back. A couple weeks after radiation finished, it's supposed to "peak". At that time, I noticed a redness developing, kinda where your underwear rubs in front, where the torso ends and leg begins? The irritation got worse and turned dark reddish-purple. Now, the rest of my leg was fine, didn't even get a tan, which surprises me because I'm so pale. The area was only about two inches by one inch but you gotta wear underwear so what was I to do? Anyway, the radiation nurse confirmed on the phone that it was a burn. I figure it was about second-degree so I used the cream they gave me. The skin turned grey and peeled. Now it's perfectly fine. Hope that wasn't too gross for polite company!
Not sure what will happen when these four months of chemo are done. I know they will test me again to see if it had any effect but the doctor has not discussed the options in all the possible situations: if it's working, if it's staying the same or if it's not working. I like to know these things in advance but have thus far been too afraid to ask. I suppose I will have another appointment with her soon. Nothing scheduled yet.
That's about it for now.
Love,
Jeanette
posted by Mark Kappe @ 7:37 AM
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