Yea, yea, I know....
that I haven't updated in a while. As I told my friend Nancy, I hate whining, and that is what I have had to offer lately.
My stomach is on strike. Out of the past eight nights, I have spent four of them hunched over in extreme pain for hours at a time. Some nights this has involved lots of vomit, where I finally get to bed at 4 am, exhausted and spent. On my breast cancer board, some have suggested an ulcer, lactose intolerance [though I am not eating any dairy besides yogurt], and just plain old "chemo has ruined your insides." The worst night was the night before Thanksgiving. I know that I should have gone to the hospital that night. I had several of the "trigger" events, but can you imagine going to an emergency room that night? The "F" team would have been on duty. It seemed safer to stay home.
The problem is, which of my many doctors should I be talking with?
And for my next whine, radiation. I have had nine sessions and already have burning. My skin is actually flaking off. Clothing rubs the affected areas making it worse. Also on my board, some have suggested not wearing tops to let the skin heal. Clearly these people don't live in houses that are kept at 63 degrees! So I continue to try different underlayers concentrating on any shirt that is loose.
So my life is miserable right? Well, actually no. When I am not in pain, things are really good. I still get tired more easily than pre-cancer, but the amount of energy that I have to expend continues to grow. I am working on client files without difficulty, and have an installation on Tuesday.
Lauren came home Tuesday night for her Thanksgiving break. On Thursday, we hosted a dinner for 14 people that was a ton of fun. Our guests are both friends and family, and the mix is really wonderful. We made a full traditional Puritan dinner, with a few southern additions. Once again, we did a brined, smoked turkey over cherry wood. Absolutely delicious! Side dishes included butternut squash, both roasted and pureed, baked beans, creamed onions, mashed potatoes, cranberry-orange compote, sausage-apple dressing, and steamed green beans. For dessert, Lauren made pumpkin, pecan and apple pies. No one went home hungry, let me tell you.
And there you have it. Not a fun blog entry to write, or to live. Breast Cancer and its treatments just plain suck.
My stomach is on strike. Out of the past eight nights, I have spent four of them hunched over in extreme pain for hours at a time. Some nights this has involved lots of vomit, where I finally get to bed at 4 am, exhausted and spent. On my breast cancer board, some have suggested an ulcer, lactose intolerance [though I am not eating any dairy besides yogurt], and just plain old "chemo has ruined your insides." The worst night was the night before Thanksgiving. I know that I should have gone to the hospital that night. I had several of the "trigger" events, but can you imagine going to an emergency room that night? The "F" team would have been on duty. It seemed safer to stay home.
The problem is, which of my many doctors should I be talking with?
And for my next whine, radiation. I have had nine sessions and already have burning. My skin is actually flaking off. Clothing rubs the affected areas making it worse. Also on my board, some have suggested not wearing tops to let the skin heal. Clearly these people don't live in houses that are kept at 63 degrees! So I continue to try different underlayers concentrating on any shirt that is loose.
So my life is miserable right? Well, actually no. When I am not in pain, things are really good. I still get tired more easily than pre-cancer, but the amount of energy that I have to expend continues to grow. I am working on client files without difficulty, and have an installation on Tuesday.
Lauren came home Tuesday night for her Thanksgiving break. On Thursday, we hosted a dinner for 14 people that was a ton of fun. Our guests are both friends and family, and the mix is really wonderful. We made a full traditional Puritan dinner, with a few southern additions. Once again, we did a brined, smoked turkey over cherry wood. Absolutely delicious! Side dishes included butternut squash, both roasted and pureed, baked beans, creamed onions, mashed potatoes, cranberry-orange compote, sausage-apple dressing, and steamed green beans. For dessert, Lauren made pumpkin, pecan and apple pies. No one went home hungry, let me tell you.
And there you have it. Not a fun blog entry to write, or to live. Breast Cancer and its treatments just plain suck.
posted by *susan* at
4:35 PM
2 Comments:
Susan,
I am sorry you have not been feeling well... I would not have surmised that from Thanksgiving, in that you looked great, and made an unbelieveable feast that would have been an acheivement for anyone. Thank you again for a great meal and great time.
I'll see you at the gig this weekend.
Beth W
By
Anonymous, at 12:01 AM
Sorry, friend, you're stuck with all of us celebrating your courage and strength. Not much help, huh?
Please feel free to whine away, though -- you're entitled.
Love & whatever it takes,
gr
By
The Green Cedar, at 11:43 PM
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