Wedding Bells on a Bus
Hi, two busdriving friends got married this morning on a bus-wedding at Stirk Park Kalamunda, then home for a BBQ shared lunch. I had my third TCH chemo yesterday, so was still high and energised by the dexamethasone steroids, and really enjoyed dressing up in my wig and fancy new jacket now the temperatures have finally dropped for autumn. Everyone was kind and considerate, but halfway through my plate of food it started to become hard work to eat and we said our goodbyes and headed home, with a brief side trip to vote for the Senate elections. Now I am all done in for the next week or so
, but have had a great day. So heres a photo of me in the wig Bupa finally agreed to pay for.
Comments
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This is a lovely photo of you Jessica.You are looking great for someone going through treatment.Take care and not long to go:)xoxRobyn0
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Thanks so much Robyn. I don't know if you realise what a godsend you are to me. but you sure make a difference.
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Well thanks,but I don't know why.This network is the best isn't it? At this point in time,I can't imagine my life without the ladies on here,and the comfort that I still get from the blog posts.I guess it diminishes over time.Cheers Robyn.xox0
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in your wig! at least you were there for part of the day
Marg xx
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Hello Jessica
I think your wig looks amazing and well worth the money. I borrowed one from the cancer library and as yet have not worn it. I do Round 3 tomorrow and I don't need to tell you how I am dreading it! I am sick of feeling yuk and even my good week is yuk. Yesterday I just could not move from fatigue. I did over do Thursday and Friday however (just two normal days) My oncologist took me off the tablet steriods as I was too high when she saw me just before round two. So I don't know how I am going to go tomorrow without steroids and the reaction to the chemicals in my cocktail. Are you on Herceptin? I am. Anyway chin up and at least we are half way through. love Sarah
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Hi Sarah, Thanks for your kind comments,
I am sorry to hear you are feeling so yuk, and sikc of feeling yuk.What was measuring too high that made your oncologist take you off the steroids?
For me the first round seemed less fatiguing because I had so much heartburn for the first half and also panic in the last week about going back in for more. This second round, I was on Somac for the heartburn, Movicol for constipation, and was faster to identify irritability, laziness, emotional exhaustion and lethagy as fatigue, and made myself walk every day at least around the block because there is a weird feedback loop in the metabolism that makes exercise a very effective treatment for fatigue.
I just found an online talk about fatigue and cancer which explains that fatigue can be caused by several mechanisms.
One cause is the lack of physical exercse, which lowers the metabolism and becomes part of a vicious cycle of reducing muscle-mass, fatigue, not wanting to exercise because of the growing weakness, and thus more fatigue.
One is from anemia from low levels of Red Blood Cells from the damage done by Chemo, which can be helped by interval training where you pedal an exercycle at top speed for 3 minute-bursts between lower level pedalling.
It can be caused by low iron count anemia due to not eating enough iron for the Red Blood Cells you have which can be helped by ensuring you eat enough iron-rich foods like eggyolk, liver, and meat. Spinach, parsley and kale are also good but have a compound that makes this iron often bind up so become unavailable to the body.
One is depression, which can best be helped by psychotherapy plus regular walking at least 15 minutes, plus at home selfcare using deep breathing, and visualisation, and meditation.
One is from endocrine ie menopausal changes. Another may be from the damage done to the CNS by chemotherapy. Another may be from damage done to the immune system by chemotherapy.
Personally, I have a feeling that another cause is the loss of the main activities I like to do, and I have just bought some pottery clay with plans to make little figurines to get me through. Not sure I will manage to do it mind you, but it gives me hope. Did you manage to get into your sewing, or was that too hard with Chemobrain?
Best wishes, hope all goes much better than you are experting tomorrow. Let us know how it pans out
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Hello Jessica
Don't really know but I told oncologist about not sleeping for nights on end and becoming pyanoid and I think it was the way I was talking as she phoned me later to double check I had understood not to take any more tablet steriods. She put me on more a higher dose in my bag and changed to Olanzapine one tablet for 3 days which I believe is for rection to chemo and instead of steriods. It's so much better. I am up very early this morning, well usual time which is 4am but at least I sleep from about 10pm until 2pm and can go back off until 4am. So much more than before. I managed all my back log of mending but just could not follow a pattern. I am going to try again when it rains. I keep very busy all the time. I am using this time off work to paint around the house like doors and skirtings, do little DYO jobs and heaps of gardening. Sorting photo's out and re do all my filing. I find I have let a lot go as I was a 6 day person when working. I miss work dreadfully. Hope you chemo is going well. I do try a to walk as I have a little dog so he generally gets 30 minutes in the park down the road. Thanks for your tips and I hope your clay work goes well. Regards Sarah
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Hi Sarah, so glad to hear that you are feeling better with the new medications instead of the steroids. Sleep makes the world of difference doesn't it? I am achieving very little: proud of myself for driving a kilometer to the learning group to organise a pottery group from 2 weeks time, and then to the library to get a book. I was quite exhausted after that. You should be proud of yourself for achieving so much!
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