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Nadi's avatar
Nadi
Member
10 years ago

Great Day

Hi ladies, hope you are all travelling well.

It's amazing how the ordinary little things in life can give you a lift. Yesterday was a completely ordinary but great day. It was the first day in a while that I wasn't too short of breath. Managed a 15 minute trip to Bunnings and a trip to my Mum to see how she's going after a recent bad fall. After that I managed half an hour at Woolies. And then I came home cooked dinner for all. Can't tell you how amazing it was for me to be able to do all that.

Other good things - my hair is regrowing, now I look like baby orang-utan (I have naturally red hair) with light fluff on my head - hubby thinks it's kinda cute. Learnt a better way to draw on the half of my eyebrow that I lost and ways to disguise my lack of eyelashes making me feel better about myself -  those Look Good Feel Better workshops have definitely come in handy.

Had a whole week without being admitted to hospital -WOO HOO!!!!! First time since just after chemo began. Fan-bloody-tastic.

Got a walker/wheelchair to help when I can't walk due to shortness of breath. I know it looks weird cause I am only 47 but boy it really helps when I need to sit down or get dizzy. Don't need it all the time only when breathing is really bad. 

I managed a compromise with my oncologist who has agreed to give me final dose of docetaxel and cyclophosphamide chemo tomorrow with the proviso that I have to stop my Herceptin. Still have to wait another week to see if I am truly in early heart failure or whether my breathing problems are due to something else, but I am more reassured now after doing further research that if it actually ends up being a heart issue this can be managed if caught early and I may be able to restart the remaining 14 doses of Herceptin again once my heart recovers. 

Splurged and booked 2 days away on Glamping holiday just with hubby before radiation begins on 21 March - really looking forward to being able to recharge a bit and spend time together doing something fun.

Youngest son has job interview today after applying for a whole bunch of positions for 3 months. Really hoping he gets it because it will help tremendously if he has his own money since I am not working. Even if he doesn't get it, it will be good experience for him to do an interview and it will keep him motivated to keep trying.

So all in all, I'm managing. And all the little hiccups make me appreciate the ordinary things in life. Hope you are all experiencing your own great day.

Take care, Nadine

coping

10 Replies

  • rowdy's avatar
    rowdy
    Member
    10 years ago

    Hey Nadine great to hear you are feeling good, it is nice to do the simple things that we all take for granted. Fantastic idea to go away with your husband, when I was going through treatment we went up to Euchca it was so nice to do something normal. Good luck to your son it is hard trying to get a job. Hope tomorrow goes well sending you a hug xxx

  • Nadi's avatar
    Nadi
    Member
    10 years ago

    Thnx Deanne. And to think that although you experienced the same breathlessness 3 yrs on you walked up Mount Coolum!!!!! There's hope for me yet! That makes me feel so much better!!!

  • Nadi's avatar
    Nadi
    Member
    10 years ago

    Thanks Tracey. Enjoying life again is right - just got to accept what is. And as you keep reminding me it's only temporary. Thnx heaps

    Nadine

  • Ann-Marie's avatar
    Ann-Marie
    Member
    10 years ago

    There are so many positive things in this post.

    Please make sure you tell us about your trip (photos please), I have always wanted to try glamping :)

    xx

  • Deanne's avatar
    Deanne
    Member
    10 years ago

    Hi Nadine,

    Just want to wish you all the best for your last chemo tomorrow. I hope it goes well and you can restart your herceptin without any more hiccups.

    I had a different chemo schedule to you (but had 3 Docetaxel) but found Docetaxel very hard going. Only had one hospital visit but felt like a 90 year old by the end (I was only 47 too). I could barely walk from the bedroom to the kitchen without sitting down. Very breathless which was very, very scarey. Once I finished chemo I think it took about 4 weeks for that side effect to ease. I hope that it improves quickly for you too.

    Enjoy your Glamping holiday! You really deserve a good break after everything you have been through. Take care. Deanne xxx

  • Tracey62's avatar
    Tracey62
    Member
    10 years ago

    Hi Nadine, so good to hear you are enjoying life again. We hadn't heard from you in a while & I was wondering how you were doing. It makes such a difference being able to breathe easy, hope this last round of chemo goes well for you. Sometimes I think the ordinary everyday stuff of life is almost like therapy, helps to remind us who we are. Enjoy the Glamping, will be thinking of you tomorrow, Tracey??

  • Nadi's avatar
    Nadi
    Member
    10 years ago

    My son is 16 and is doing Year 12. He's just trying to get his first/PT casual job where he can work nights and/or weekends. We required all the boys had to get a job no later than 17. The other 2 got jobs in year 12 as well. The middle (my worrisome one) has a casual job and works every weekend as well as studies FT at uni. The oldest one now has a FT job after graduating from uni.  It's just taking a really long time for my youngest to get an interview. Fingers crossed.

  • Brenda5's avatar
    Brenda5
    Member
    10 years ago

    Hang on to that walker with the seat, it will be great for when you are strong enough to get out and about to week-end markets. I would have loved one of those with the seat. Might even get one yet. Great idea!

    Is your son trying to get his first job from scratch like my sons? One is doing a 3 week cleaning course starting today for only $20 with his unemployment being subsidised. In fact my hubby how isn't on unemployment is doing it with my son and he's only paying $50 for an entire 5 day a week course for 3 whole weeks. Great value. http://www.strategix.com.au/