Hands

Hands are the most incredible tools.  But we don't think much about them until something suddenly makes them less useful as tools.  We take our hands for granted.

Well, not me; not anymore at least.  My hands can't do so many things that used to be simply unthinking reflex actions.  Twist the cap off a tube of hand cream?  Piece of cake, unless that cap has any kind of ridges, and then, it's a complete no-go.  Open the margarine tub?  Oh no... sorry, hurts too much.

For breakfast, Jane made french toast.  I could not open the maple syrup bottle because the cap had ridges.  Sure, those ridges are great for traction, but not for people with Hand-Foot syndrome.  I know that if it gets really bad, we'll have to stop the Xeloda, and that's the last thing I want.  It's going to have to get really freaking bad before I complain to my oncologist.

The foot part is just starting to be a problem, and that's mostly noticeable when I shower.  I don't wear nice comfy padded shoes when I shower.  So, it's hard surface against bare feet and I really felt it today.  So far, my feet had been a non-issue, but yeah, I have to be careful with them, now, too.  Of course, if you think about it, there's no reason you couldn't wear, say... Croc's ... in the shower.  Hmmm, something to think about. :)

So, tomorrow I go for my labs at 7AM, then do some work, then go out to see Dr. Ramaswamy at 12:30PM.  I'm supposed to go in to the plant for some Sexual Harassment training, or something.  That's at 2:00PM.  Not sure I will have any energy left for that, though.  But it's mandatory.  I'll do my best.

The temperatures here are not as chilly as they were the past week or so.  Tonight's low is only predicted to be 48, and that's MUCH better than those low 30's.  And it looks like we have some rain in our forecast, which would be lovely.  We get it so infrequently, that we always get excited when it rains around here.  Our desert is very thirsty.

Be well, and safe.  Keep warm, and happy.  Blessings to all.

Work Tomorrow!

Can I just say that I am actually a bit scared of going back to work?  It's been five months this time.  I don't even know if I'll remember how to do stuff!  Ok, that's the Queen of Neuroses coming out of the basement... hold on, let me lasso her and drag her back down there.

Ok, so... going back to work tomorrow.  It really should not be an ordeal.  I have to go in to Medical first thing, and present them with my oncologist's list of no-no's.  For instance, because we're a manufacturing site, one of the fields on the form is what you can do with your hands; vibration, grasping, repetitive movement.  He's said no to vibration and grasping because of the Hand-Foot syndrome from the Xeloda.  I told him repetitive movement could be interpreted as using the keyboard, which I do and have no problem doing, so that has no restrictions.

The interesting part is that most of the restrictions on the form are due to my lung disease, and not necessarily the cancer.  But the problem is that the cancer makes the lung disease more difficult to deal with.  Still, I haven't had a full-up PFT in years, so I'm not sure if the last few asthma exacerbations have given me a decline in lung function.  It's hard for me to remember that it's classified as COPD exacerbation, now. :)  Things like stairs, walking... very challenging combined with the COPD and the cancer's debilitating effects.  I get tired. ;)

I changed my phlebotomy appointment to 12:30 PM, so I can at least spend some time in the plant, trying to figure things out.  But truly, I'm very happy to be getting some productive normalcy back into my life.  If I can't do this, then I will have to accept that I need to go on disability, but I am fighting that every step of the way.

Must have everything prepared before I go to bed this evening; it will make the morning so much easier.  Clothes assembled, accessories figured out, grab a Glucerna to take for breakfast, get morning meds ready, and probably, I'll need a hat.  Nancy gave me a trim yesterday so that at least I will be presentable sans headwear... not looking so much like Alfalfa from Our Gang. ;)  Oh, better find my traveling coffee mug!

The Weather Channel says it will be 76 tomorrow, but the morning will be chilly, and the scooter trip from my parking space over to medical will be nippy, so a hat is probably a very good idea.

Well, that's it for this post.  Have a lovely Sunday, and make sure when someone does something you appreciate, you let them know how much.

Hookah Power!

It's 4:33AM and I am using my nebulizer once again.  Actually, I am doing MUCH better since yesterday morning when I went to get my PT/INR.  I had to take the scooter because I was WAY too weak to walk.  That's nothing to worry about; mostly a combination of the chemo and this cold I have that is running its course.  I hope to be back to walking on Thursday when I have to return to the lab for more blood-letting.

There really is nothing new and exciting to tell you about for this post, but I wanted to let you all know that I am feeling better.  And most happily, my breakfast dose of Xeloda this morning will be the last of this round, and then I have my chemo week OFF. :)  YAY, I need a break.

My hands are definitely beginning to feel the effects of Hand-Foot Syndrome.  There are many things I can't do with my hands at the moment, like open bottles, make coffee (our carafe's handle, the one we fill with water to pour into the coffee maker, has a very uncomfortable handle for me.)  It hurts to grasp anything, which is a bit problematic for someone who, when she walks either uses a cane or a walker.  But the good news is that Hand-Foot Syndrome clears up once the chemotherapy drugs are withdrawn.  So, I shall just suck it up. :)

And that's it.  I'm looking forward to Halloween on Monday; hopefully we will have trick or treaters, and I can watch them from a distance. 

Love and hugs to all.

AC's Back On

And the reason this is?  We want to sleep.  It was just not cooling down enough last night, but I wasn't about to go around the house at 2AM shutting windows, so I didn't turn the Air Conditioning back on until this morning.  Oh, and yes, it was a bit warm today. :)


Jane and Nancy have soccer tomorrow, so Cathy and I are going to do something in the crock pot.  I got the recipe from "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook."  A rather unwieldy title, but it does have some freaking awesome recipes.  Any book that includes SEVERAL recipes with Hominy has GOT to be good! ;)


I can't remember exactly what the recipe was but it definitely involved turkey smoked sausage and a jar of good salsa.  We're going to slap it over whole-wheat pasta; whichever type we have in the pantry is fine.


Today, I decided to get up and put on my compression socks.  Holy carp, what a workout.  I guess they wouldn't work well if they were not a job to don.  Did they work?  The jury is out, only because I didn't put them on right out of bed. I think my ankles had already started swelling before I put them on my lotion-slathered feet.  Don't forget, I'm still trying to stave off the nasty Hand-Foot Syndrome from my chemo.  


On the agenda for this week?  Monday, a plethora of blood tests; my PT/INR, and some exciting pre-chemo checks...CBC, platelets with differentials and something called a D-Dimer to check my clottiness, so to speak.  Thankfully there is no test to check my snottiness.  I think the results might be pretty fascinating, though, if there were.


Then, Tuesday, it's Camptosar infusion time, followed by the start up of my week of Xeloda, and of course, the Dreaded Decadron Insomnia.  After that, the remainder of the week will be filled with me trying not to be nauseated.  Although, on Thursday, it'll be back to the phlebotamist for another PT/INR.  


But on the happy side, my sisters and I will be attending BlizzCon, virtually of course.  Wouldn't want to barf all over an actual convention, and I think the airlines would charge me a fortune to pack up my scooter, Darth Vader (my oxygen concentrator), and my CPAP.  


And now, it's time to take my night time bevy of pills and read a bit before I head off to slumber land.  I hope you all have a great upcoming week full of peace, sleep, and much happiness.

Tortilla Soup

There is nothing better guaranteed to produce an appetite in me more than my sister Jane's Tortilla Soup.  I can smell the aromatics even back here in my bedroom.  She makes machaca chicken first, and then at the last moment assembles the actual soup.  It's an all-day venture, very soulful and full of love.   The link up at machaca is actually a recipe for machaca beef, but Jane's is similar for chicken.


I wonder why I always get bone pain with chemo?  I took a Naprosyn, and that took the edge off it.  It makes walking very uncomfortable, but I don't want to become a lump, either.  Happily, I have no symptoms of Hand-Foot Syndrome as yet, nor do I have the warned about Diarrhea. I do have the beginnings of one mouth sore, but even that's feeling alright at the moment.  I wonder how it will enjoy Tortilla Soup? :D


Yesterday I asked for something I normally NEVER want:  I wanted a slice of a very decadent chocolate cake.  Of course, Jane went right out and found me one from AJ's.  I only have a couple of bites of it at a time, so this could last for a week. :D  And it is OH so decadent, rich, moist, bringing great happiness to my taster.


So, for the week upcoming, I have to do the eight Xeloda pills until Monday, and then Tuesday, I only take the four with breakfast, then I get a week off.  But Monday the 1st of August, I have to go get my labs done, and Tuesday the 2nd of August it's back to Ironwood for my next infusion of Camptosar again and more than likely, a shot of Aranesp, which is the one I had to sign paperwork to acknowledge that they had warned me of all the risks.  Well, duh.  I die if I don't get it, pretty much, so if it kills me... c'est la vie.


Anywho, next week should be a piece of cake... hmmm... ummmm... cake.  Stop that!  So, I shall rest up and get my strength back so that I can go into round two of this regimen able to deal with the side effects. 


Love to all, hugs, kisses and stay healthy!

Hand-Foot Syndrome

The Apothecary Shop sent more literature with the Xeloda pills.  I had already gotten a sheet from my oncologist, provided by Roche Laboratories, the pills' maker.  The listed side effects are mouth sores, Hand-Foot Syndrome, Heartburn, Nausea and Diarrhea.  Pretty much the norm for most chemos, but I hadn't heard of Hand-Foot syndrome.  It's not peripheral neuropathy, which you can get with Taxol, and affected me more during the COLDER months.


There are several things you can do to help lessen the symptoms of Hand-Foot, one of which is to use Emu Oil.  Well, I found it at Sprouts, and I hope no Emus were harmed in the making of this product.  My debit card smoked a little from it, but if it works, such is life.  You can't take it with you, you know. ;)  Another thing you want to do, and which my oncologist recommended, was to take 100 mg of vitamin B6 twice a day.  And I need to keep my hands and feet as cool as possible.  Hee Hee... desert... 106 today..oh boy. :P


And I did indeed wear my purple fedora to Sprouts today, and made a friend of another shopper who greatly admired my stylish chapeau.  I found lots of goodies to tempt my appetite, and stocked up on garden burgers.  When I purchased the B6, I also got some Turmeric capsules, but I don't want to take them until I talk to my oncologist on Tuesday.  Turmeric is supposed to be a cancer cell killer.  And you know, at this point, I'll try it.  I doubt it can hurt, but I have to run it by Dr. Fastenberg first.  


Yesterday's episode of "Torchwood" was FANTASTIC!  I'm beginning to like the US cast members, but I adore the character of Gwen.  And of course, Captain Jack is the best omni-sexual character on TV.  Oh wait, I think he's the ONLY one, too. :D  So I have hopes for this season and thank you, Starz, for giving us our "Torchwood" fix!


I've got a pork loin marinating in some Tequila, lime, garlic, oregano, Worcestershire, and a little soy sauce.  And I think I should be able to risk a big old salad for lunch, since I'm an extra week out in my chemo cycle.  YES!  SALAD!  It's the little things in life that make me happy as a clam. :)


SO, get out there, have a great weekend, and love as much as you can!