28.8.14

So what happens a month or so after chemo?
Everyones different of course, but for me, apart from needing to lose weight and grow some hair, my fingers are so tender. I can't open jars and bottles without them being very sore. I have no strength in my hands either. Its amazing the amount of every day things that need your finger tips, and i can't do them!!! Im scrapbooking at the weekend, and I'm wondering how I'm gonna manage!
(Scrapbooking - a method of preserving personal and family history in the form of a scrapbook or photo album)
Headaches are another one. Ive had stabbing pains in the back left side of the head. Not excruciating, but flipping annoying. I suppose its neuralgia, nerve pain. Apparently fairly common for chemo patients. The pains have been for about 48 - 72 hours and now have moved to the left side of my head just under my ear!
Fatigue. I feel fine, then bang, and i have no energy to do anything. I have pushed myself a fair bit, some days being back to normal, and when i say normal, i mean pre diagnosis, about 9 months ago. Other days i have managed to drag my corpse out of bed by 11 only to lounge on the cuddle chair in the living room in front of the tv shouting to Sam, 'Can i have a cup of tea please!' His reply, 'do it yourself you lazy hag!'
He does get the cuppa for me tho!!!
My arms ache! Its a 'blame the cannula' thing! If i reach up with either of my arms it feels like my veins are too short and are being stretched. The veins in my wrist just above the thumb are very hard and tender, and the amount of people who when talking, gently smack me on the wrist without realising is unbelievable. And my inner lower arm is very tender. It feels like its all bruised.
I have a cough. This could be a virus, but i think its a side effect of one of my medications. I hope to finish these tablets soon. When i say soon, its when my cardiologist sends me an appointment for another echo and ECG. This will determine my need for the tabs i believe.
A few funny dreams, but i think i had them before. They're just part of my insane personality. As an example, last night i had a few dreams of which i find it difficult to remember, but i do remember running the bath and doing something downstairs in a different house to the one i live in, and i returned to find it had over run and was about 3 foot deep with water in the bathroom, which is impossible cos the water would leave through the door and fill the bedroom and go down the stairs etc. In this dream, the water stayed in the bathroom.
And last but certainly not least, whenever i do anything strenuous i get very achey, very quickly. You know what its like if you do the gardening, the next day you may seize up a little. This, but worse. But also if i sit down to relax, equally i seize up. When i get up to walk into the kitchen, i look like I'm about 70 years old! All i need is a zimmer frame and a strong odour of wee and i will be that geriatric!
Other than all that, I'm fine! I shouldn't complain, I'm happier now than when i was having the chemo. I felt rough at times, certainly for the first 2 thirds, the last third being a lot easier.
I must say i have the taste buds back, ready and willing to sample any type of food that catches their eye!
No more nausea. No more drainpipe down the throat feeling. No more sore mouth, to a degree. Obviously visiting the dentist didn't help with that one, but its better than it was. And do you know what? I can't remember what else i had! The mind is a powerful thing. It has allowed me to forget some of the nasty bits, a bit like child birth. You forget the pain and remember the little bumpkin you end up with.
Altho maybe its not the mind being powerful, maybe its the chemo brain!
Whatever it is, it needs to be taken to bed and put out of its misery until about 7am.
So i shall climb the steps to sleepy byes.