Friday, Dec. 28

I'm thankfully feeling better today than yesterday. Had few bites of food for dinner, have had some Ensure and Boost today. Will try to eat some breakfast tomorrow. Plan on being in bed most of the weekend so I will hopefully feel like working on Monday. Continued prayers are appreciated.

Day after chemo round 2

Okay, the chemo is kicking my butt a lot worse than after round 1. Last time I worked the day after the treatment, today there was no way that could happen. I've been in bed all day except for getting up a few times for a few minutes. Got sick (throw-up sick) last night, despite taking Zophran after getting home yesterday evening, then was sick again this morning.
The thought of solid food makes me nauseous, which it didn't do last time. I had a Boost this afternoon and will try some pudding after while. I seem to have a slight fever as well. Thankfully I'm off until Monday.
But with that being said, God is in control. His mercies are new every morning because we're a mess every day.

Chemo round 2

I started the day with intrathecal chemo and now waiting to be called back for the regular chemo regime to begin. The intrathecal involved a lumbar puncture and the doctor injected some kind of chemo into my spine. Will add more later. Need to find some coffee.
The last paragraph was from around noon, now it's almost 6 PM and we just got home. I found a cup of coffee and it probably wasn't a good idea since I hadn't had anything to eat or drink since before midnight last night, as per orders for the intrathecal chemo. Not sure if the coffee on an empty stomach made feel bad or if my blood sugar was nose diving, but I felt bad for about a half hour, but once I was in the infusion room and had a few bites to eat I started feeling better.
For the next four days I'll do what I didn't do after my first chemo treatment - rest and recuperate as much as possible. The Gatorade has been poured and the bed is calling my name.

Post first chemo treatment update

My first chemo treatment was 12 days ago. For the first few days I woke up feeling okay but by lunch was pretty much exhausted. My stomach felt not-right for a week, and still does to a lesser extent.
I haven't been eating as much as I used to but am by no means on a starvation diet. Haven't had a cheeseburger since chemo day when I threw it up a few hours afterwards. When I have eaten too much I've felt bloated and stuffed for several hours. I've always been a nap taker but find myself taking them more than I used to whenever possible.
Most of the swelling in my neck and under my right eye went down after the first chemo session, as Dr. Forero said it would.
I'm getting hats/caps to wear after I lose my hair, which will probably be after the upcoming treatment. Some guys have the cue-ball look, but I think I'll stick to wearing a cap most of the time after I lose my hair.
Guess that's about it for now.

First chemo session

I had my first round of chemotherapy yesterday. I was going to update this blog last night but didn't quite feel up to it.
I started the day getting bloodwork done, which will precede every chemo treatment.
We saw the education nurse who did a very good job of going over the different chemo meds I'd be getting and what side effects could be for each. I'm getting what's known as R-CHOP chemo, with each letter standing for a different chemo drug. I asked if I MIGHT lose my hair or would DEFINITELY lose my hair, and I was assured I'd lose it all, but it'll grow back. I had figured that would be the case. I was told I wouldn't need any nausea medication the night of chemo since the chemo drugs have anti-nausea meds in them. Ha-ha-ha! Joke's on me. Everybody responds differently, and I am evidently the exception to the 'no nausea meds needed on the night of chemo' rule.
The chemo infusion room is set up with I think 20 something recliners in a row around the wall, each with curtains on the side for a measure of privacy. I've been asked if I'd be getting a port to be used for each treatment. No port, they give all of it through an IV line. Before the actual chemo drugs began I got some IV Benadryl. Good stuff. I spent the day napping, reading, checking facebook, but mainly napping.
The IV treatment started around 9:30 or 10 and one type of chemo or another was going until about 4:15 PM. They had plenty of stuff to drink and snacks, and Audrey got me a cheeseburger for lunch, which I lost a few hours later.
At 4:30 I thought a cheese pizza would be good for supper, but within a couple of hours I had decided it did not sound good at all. I started feeling 'not right' about 6 PM while we were in WalMart getting stuff I'd need (Benadryl, Zyrtec, etc). I went to bed as soon as we got home and finally threw up about 9. So much for not needing anything for nausea.
I felt a little better this morning and logged into my work network to work from home. A light breakfast (one scrambled egg with cheese) didn't do any damage, but I was tired before lunchtime. I got the cheese pizza delivered  I'd decided against last night. Only had 2 pieces.
After my next round of chemo I'll probably take a day or two off. I was pushing it to work today, and we'll see how tomorrow and the weekend go. Next time I'll get intrathecal chemo as well, which will allow the chemo to get to my brain, since regular chemo can't get past the 'blood-brain-corridor', and part of the lymphoma is close to my brain.
I truly appreciate my friends who have offered a 'natural herbal' remedy for cancer treatment, but it's illegal in Alabama (medicinal or not) and I don't want to spend time between treatments in lock-up.
My next treatment is December 26.