Saturday
I guess I ought to get caught up on this week. It’s been an up and down week. We’ve stuck pretty close to home since the weather has been rainy or misty a lot of the week. The cooler temperatures have caused me to get out some of my winter clothes that it seems I just got stored away! I’ve been cold most of this summer, and the numerous cropped pants I usually wear throughout the summer have just hung in my closet. Most of them ended up a size too big anyway due to my weight loss. I thought I had a bunch of 12s somewhere, but all I could find was 14s, and they just hung on me. I know I’m not supposed to be losing weight, but I have the appetite of a bird. It is better since this new medication does not cause a terribly dry mouth like the Mekinist did. It took a quite a while to get that Mekinist out of my system.
You always wonder what the side effects of a new medication will be. So far, the SE of Ibranc has not been all that bad. It does make my hands itch – or maybe I’m going to get some money! HA! The biggest Issue that I’m coming to realize the last couple of days is neuropathy – of my fingers. UGH! I didn’t see that as a “common” SE, but it is a SE. I have permanent neuropathy in my feet from the 1stchemo that I took. (from the ball of my foot to the end of my toes). It might be a little worse In my feet, but I’m used to it there. I sure don’t want it in my hands this early in this round of treatment. I just took by 15thpill today. Next Saturday will begin my week off. Monday, I’ll be getting my 1stlab work after starting this Ibranc. The biggest SE is a drop in blood counts. The pharmacist said it usually happens in the 1st2 weeks. We’ll find out Monday.
Thursday was my worst day this week. I had swallowed some water down the wrong pipe, and really choked on it, coughing and coughing. I think I probably aspirated a bit, and that made me scared of developing pneumonia which would have been disastrous. The worst part was coughing the rest of the day with a broken/cancerous rib. That rib has given me fits all week. Guy keeps reminding me how long it took to heal the 1sttime I “popped” it. It seems like the pain is greater this time, though. I have to take Tylenol in the daytime and Aleve at night. I have to sleep on my right side, and if I stay on my right side, I’m pretty comfortable when I wake up. I usually have to get up a couple times during the night because of my nose being so dry. Once I get it cleaned out, I can go back to sleep pretty quickly.
But Friday, I began to feel better with very little coughing, so I figured I’d survive after all.
I do think that the Ibranc is doing some good. When I started it, the left side of my scalp was covered with these ugly gray scabs. This past week, those have been coming off, and there is pink skin underneath. There are a couple really big, deep ones that have not budged, but I have to think that it is doing some good. I’m on the highest dose, so if my counts drop or the SE get too bad, they can cut the dosage back some. I hope they don’t have to.
The two fingers that had been really raw and inflamed places next to the nail are soooo much better. In fact, I told the pastor that I would try playing my keyboard Sunday. I haven’t been able to play for a month. My dear friend, Tracy, suggested that I soak them in Epson salt water. Well, why didn’t I think of that?? It worked!! I began to get immediate relief! What a relief to have those areas almost healed. They were so tender for a while, I wore metal protectors over them.
I don’t know if I’ve ever had finger nails this long.
I guess part of it is that I’m not doing a lot to break them. I do still take the collagen – only once a day, though, not the twice a day that it recommends. The problem is that my toe nails also grow, and it is not as easy anymore to trim them. One thing that makes it hard is my right ankle is fused, so I can’t bend it sideways, and that knee (that has been replaced) does not bend as well as the other. I keep thinking that I need to find a podiatrist. I wonder if insurance would cover that?? I just know I don’t want any more ingrown toenails. The thought of some doctor working on my toes brings back shuddering memories. When I was a child, I had very flat feet, and Mom would take me to a foot doctor fairly often. He always put my feet into a pan of water and turned on some kind of electricity that would cause my toes to turn down. I don’t know what in the world that was supposed to do for flat feet! The other thing is that he would always trim my nails – I just HATED that!!! It hurt!! He made me wear big old clunky insoles in UGLY TIE shoes. When I got to be a teen, Mom took me to another foot doctor. He told me to throw those insoles away, and learn to hold my feet/arches up. We left his office and immediately went to a shoe store and bought a pair of penny loafers!! It was YEARS before I would wear another tie shoe.
Sunday
I guess I ran out of time or energy last night, so I’ll try to get it finished tonight.
I was able to play the keyboard this morning. By the time I finished, my fingers were tender – going to have to get them back in shape, but it felt good to worship through music again. Actually, I’ve felt really good most of the day – didn’t even get very sleepy this afternoon.
Yesterday, I worked on this 4thblock of “Bloom.”
I had it about 2/3 done, but it took me much of the day to finish it. I could tell the neuropathy was bothering me. I guess I’m going to have to go back to the applique method that the author of the pattern used. There are so many smooth curves in the simple flowers, and the only way I can get them very smooth with no “poky” areas is to needle turn by hand. But perhaps if I use the tutorial method the author put together enough, I can get better at it. Then I’ll machine applique it. It will be easier on my fingers for sure. Guess I just have to give up my perfectionist tendencies. UGH!
I’m so proud of my grandsons. First day of school pictures.
Dylan is a junior now, and of course, made the varsity soccer team. They have to try out every year. I guess there was a huge number this year. But, initially, Christian made the JV team – for a day or two – and they moved him to varsity – as a freshman, just like Dylan did. The 1stgame, Chris got some playing time, and Dylan scored the only goal of the game, winning 1-0. One of the recent games, Chris was named player-of-the-game. They are pretty amazing boys. Some of the classes they are in are honor classes, too.
Hoping to get to the Fair sometime this week. Guy got the new batteries put into my scooter, so I can use that and won’t have to rent one.
I’ll once again put pictures at the end where you have to scroll a bit to protect those who have week stomachs.
I believe that we should pray specifically when we pray, so I’m going to list what you can pray specifically for. My painful rib, my swollen eyes (which are a tiny bit better), my lungs/cough (which is slight now and then, but painful because of my rib), the sores in my nose (which makes me get up 2-3 times a night). Pray my blood counts remain at a good level.
I know I posted this on FB this week, but it was so good, I’m putting it here again. It really spoke to me, as so many from this devotional book by Sarah Young do.
I love you all so much and appreciate your prayers sooooooo much!!!! I would not be where I am without them.
And as always……I’m in His hands……
Last week all this area was scabbed over. You can see about half has come off.
In the picture below, a lot of the darkened area is hair, but there are scabs in the hair that seem to be hanging on for dear life. Behind that area a week ago was all covered with scabs.
This shows that the discolorations have moved past the midline to the right side. Need a hair cut!!!!
My cheek has remained about the same - a little darker in some areas, and a little lighter in others.
Swollen eyes when I first get up. The eye on the affected side is doing better than the other. But, the swollen side is the side I have to lie on all night - gravity!
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