Ugh, Leg Pain

It's back with a vengeance.  I took a Naprosyn today.  Yesterday I got a call from the Apothecary Shop that my prescription for the anti-coagulant shots would be delivered today.  Dr. F had told me to not take Coumadin the day before I started the shots, so I didn't take anything yesterday.

Having given myself Lovenox injections many years ago, I figured I'd be fine to do these.  And I was, but I pretty much had to stare at the needle for about a minute before I finally put it into my flesh.  You couldn't feel a thing.  The med wasn't as stingy as I recall the Lovenox being.  Oh, this stuff is Fondaparinux Sodium.

The happiest part of taking this shot is that I don't have to go twice a week for blood draws any more.  My poor arm can heal.  It's ... colorful at the moment.

Also, happily, now that my asthma exacerbation is almost over, my glucose numbers are back where they should be.  You see, any time you body gets stressed out by illness, it plays havoc with your glucose.  Plus many different meds can influence your glucose levels, as well.  It sometimes gets pretty difficult to keep these numbers under control.

Oh, I like that the Apothecary Shop also brought me alcohol swabs and a sharps container.  But according to the note in my meds delivery, they still owe me 21 syringes of this stuff.  I do have a copay for these shots, but it's manageable.

So, that's what's been happening this week; leg pain, change of anti-coagulant, no more phlebotomist twice a week, although I'll still see them for my pre-chemo testing.  Now I must go drink lots of water.  Oncologist has me on Lasix again, hoping to reduce the swelling in my foot and ankle.  I have my circulation socks on, but I don't really think they work all that well.  And I'm tired and I don't feel so hot, so I'm going to go have a nice lie down. :)

Hugs to all!

Gloomy, and yet....

...it's a treat, if only because it's not over 100 degrees.  Oh yeah, that's coming, but good lords, not in April, please. :)


Today, I have ankles.  Another thing for which to be thankful.  YAY for Lasix.  Also, today... I did... (drum roll inserted here)... ELEVEN minutes on the NuStep!  It felt really good, I must say.  Had an average rate of 84 steps per minute.  Certainly not my best rate ever, but I did it!  I was about to say 'not my best rate, but ... considering.'  Let me tell you about that trailing CONSIDERING.  :)


I had gone to my pulmonologist for a follow up after that bout of bronchitis.  He's been very interested in the whole esophageal cancer battle; he asks about all my treatments and ensures that he gets reports from the RO and the MO.  So, as I was leaving, he tells me, "You know, I'm just amazed at how you are doing.  And you look so good,.... considering."  I'm laughing now, even as I type it.... yeah, considering.... considering my skin looks like bleached parchment paper, and considering my hair is really thin and goofy-looking, and I have weird tattoo marks that show, pretty much no matter what I wear... yeah, considering... I look good!  Hehehehehe.  Really, he's being very encouraging and I do truly appreciate that.


I have no great plans for the weekend, other than perhaps supervising the sowing of our crops.  Although, it could rain tomorrow and it could still rain today... hence the gloominess, but hey, that'll only make the soil easier to cultivate. :)


Well, that's it for today.  I've got to go figure out something to make for dinner, which will probably involve chicken and Israeli cous cous.  Have a lovely weekend, all you dear readers, friends and family!

Ultrasound!

When the temperatures started hitting the upper 90's, I started getting some edema in my feet and ankles.  I've had it before, but doing all my physical therapy worked wonders, and I hadn't had it for two years.  Now that it was back, it wasn't surprising, considering I don't get anywhere NEAR the exercise I used to.


Still, I thought I should tell my doctor, because I didn't have any Lasix anymore, and I really didn't want the edema to get out of hand.  He said to come in.  I asked when, and he said NOW.  So, I headed out to see him, and he decided that because cancer patients can become susceptible to deep vein thrombosis, I should have an ultrasound on both of my legs.


And that I did, at 4:30 this afternoon.  Yeah, my primary care doc doesn't fool around. :)  Happily, nothing was found in either leg; no creepy blood clots, YAY!  Of course, I had had a conversation with my leg veins, earlier in the day, and told them, that really, I had all these other things with which to deal, so perhaps they could find it in their venous hearts to give me a break.  They must have agreed.


I was a happy camper as I left the imaging place.  One less problem, thank the deities.  I shall take my Lasix and my potassium and keep this edema in check, and hopefully, all will be well.


As you might imagine, it was a stressful day, and I am pooped.  I don't think I could get an entire minute done on my NuStep, today.  An early night sounds fabulous.


Oh, and I would like to thank my dear friend, Julie Challis, for sending me the wonderful card I got today.  You, dear, are so creative.  The card was beautiful!  And you made me cry, and laugh.  "Slumgullion" indeed. :)  I love you, my friend.