Dec 8th 2018 - This round has been much different then my 4th round. Last time I was out for the count, I didn't think I was going to get through the next two. But this one has been the opposite!
I do think the way I was feeling the last round was a good chunk of my fault. unfortunately I took my medication wrong (took 1 pill 2 times daily, instead of 2 pills 2 times daily) - chemo brain had my read the label completely wrong, it took my dad to tell me I was taking them wrong!! (d'oh!)
This round I took my medication correctly and I felt a 100% better.
Chemo was on Wednesday Nov 21st, I felt great after treatment up until Friday Nov 23rd. I could feel the side effects starting to creep into my body; joint paint was back. Saturday Nov 24th, it was in full swing - I was tired and achy, my legs yet again were not "working" due to the constant throbbing and sharp pains running through them.
I had to keep reassuring myself it would be over soon, only a couple days of this and I would feel fine again. Last treatment I didn't have the best positive attitude, so I made sure this time I didn't sink into those feelings again, I've got this... I am strong enough to concur chemotherapy.
One more Krista, that's all, one more.
The side effects didn't last nearly as long this time, by Monday Nov 26th I was feeling back to normal, I was feeling like me again. I got through it, again.
With the new "cocktail" I am receiving, there was going to be a few side effects I would notice that didn't come from the last "cocktail", and I have.
My skin has dried out a lot more, no mater how much lotion I apply it doesn't seem to be working, especially my face, I constantly have dry skin!!
Finger nails, yep who would have thought my finger nails would be affected?! There is a chance the nail will fall off the nail bed (ya tell me about it - gross!), that hasn't happened, but my nails are very tender, especially my thumbs and they have started to discolour to a yellowish tinge. But the weird part, they are still growing? How the hell is this possible, every hair on my body is gone, but my nails seems to be growing just fine? So weird.
Speaking of hair; this drug has knocked out my eye lashes and my eye brows have thinned out. This to me is a big deal, I think bigger than losing my hair. I took pride in my eyelashes, them were my "statement piece" - if you ever saw me you know my eye lashes were always done, mascara and me were besties! Eye lashes were my thing!!
I know they will grow back, just like everything else... but damn.
When I was 16 and had treatment I never lost my eye lashes or my eye brows, I'm sure that was because I only received 3 treatments before they realised it wasn't a responsive tumor to chemotherapy. So this has been a change for me.
This past week I was asked to help Anastasia Brown Photography with a project, of course I was willing to do so while I was feeling great! It was a nice change to the daily routine of just bumming around the house. What a great, talented women, it was a great pleasure having the company in my home. Below are a few pictures she captured of my daily life.
Again, I know all of this "crap" comes with cancer, but again I'm not going to let it bring me down. I could be worse off, I can't complain right now, I'm doing better than most would be during treatment. I do believe positive thoughts, positive people around me truly have helped.
Positive Note: Side effects didn't bring my down as low as last round. I stayed positive and didn't let cancer get into my head. I've got this.
