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!

Quiet Day

The Apothecary Shop delivered another batch of Xeloda pills today.  Excitement plus. :P  Oh don't mind me, I'm not feeling great so my attitude is less than stellar today.  Cancer and its treatments really do force you on a rollercoaster of emotional responses.  I never did like rollercoasters, though. :D

The temporary crown the dentist put on a while back came off today, but they were not open, so I'll have to wait until Monday to call them.  Meanwhile, I shall do my best to ignore what feels like a gaping abyss on the right side of my mouth.

I can't actually get it really worked on while I am on the chemo, so I guess it'll be another temp.  I wonder if there's a temp that's a bit more substantial?  Oh well, no worries; it'll get fixed in some manner.

Oh, but Jane and Nancy found me some really great paint brushes and I'm working on that tryptych again.  It's not bad.  I may hang it in my bedroom.

Don't have too much to say in this post; I'm tired, weak, dizzy sometimes, .. you know, it's the usual for my week ON chemo.  I'm sleeping like a champion, though, can't quibble about that.  My glucose is doing incredibly well.  Dammit, if I wasn't dying of cancer, I'd be in pretty good shape! :D

Seriously, though... I'm not often serious.  Don't forget to take most of my posts with a shaker of salt.  Oh, and I love salt.  And that's another thing.  I have the best blood pressure!  I tells ya, I'm fit as a fiddle, except for one thing, the bane of my existence, cancer.  Ai chihuahua.

Well, hugs and love to all.  I must drink more water.

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!