Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Day 9 After First Chemo

I wrote in my previous post about how my throat and stomach were on fire.  After I posted it I was reading a breast cancer book that a dear friend gave me and it mentioned that chamomile tea might help.  I was glad to try anything.  Our keurig has chamomile k-cups so I made myself one with a little honey.  It worked!  By the time I finished the cup the pain was gone and I was able to fall asleep.

I had a pretty good day yesterday.  Kevan had to run to town so I went with him.  He was hungry so we stopped by a Mexican place.  I had a cheese quesadilla and it tasted wonderful!  It was nice to get out.  Later I was still feeling good so we went for a walk.  I was so happy to be getting better.   When we got back from our walk I had some tea to help my throat.  It worked again and I haven't had the throat pain since.

I woke up at 2am FREEZING!  I have never been so cold.  I didn't want to bother Kevan so I got up, went to the couch, put 2 fleece blankets over me and froze for 5 hours!  I could not get warm.  At one point I even had 2 cats on me and I still wasn't warm.  Another weird thing is that my armpits are very swollen (lymph nodes I'm guessing).  They are so bad I can barely lift my arm even now.  What is up with that?  I don't know what that means...but it sure is painful.

When I first laid down on the couch I checked my temp and it was 99.0.  No worries.  Kevan got up at about 7am to come see where I was.  I told him how cold I was.  I tested my temp again and it was 100.4.  One more degree and I'd have to call the on-call nurse/doctor.  I waited about 15 minutes and it was up to 100.7.  So, we called.  She was not very happy with me paging her on a holiday.  We could tell she had been sleeping.  She talked to the doctor and then called back to tell me that she had called in an antibiotic for me.  She said, once I start the antibiotic, if I get worse then I would need to go to the ER.  Oh yay.  I wanted to get better.  I did not want the hospital!

I cannot remember a time when I have had a fever.  My mom always talks about how my temperature was always low growing up.  So, this is not something that EVER happens.  Kevan decided to go to the pharmacy without me.  Before he left all of my joints started hurting.  My wrists, ankles, knees and hips.  Even my jaw.  I could barely walk it hurt so bad.  Kevan had to help me to the restroom.  By the time he left my temp was 101.7.  While he was gone it just crept up and up.  It topped at 102.9.  I was in a lot of pain and I was scared.  I didn't like being here alone.  What happens if someone's fever gets too high?  I had all these horror stories going on in my head.  I couldn't wait for him to get back.

When he returned I took the antibiotic and two Tylenol.  Within 30 minutes my fever started going down.  About an hour later I was no longer freezing but SWEATING.  I even fanned myself.  My body pain started to improve.  I was so happy.  I was on the mend I thought.  3 hours later it all started happening again.  I started freezing, body pain got so bad I couldn't walk and my underarm was very painful.  They were so swollen it is hard to lay my arms down against my body or lift them because of the pain.  Anyway, I waited for the 4 hours to be up and then took another two Tylenol.  For the last 4 hours my fever has been around 100.5 and 101.  I'm not having the chills and now only my hips and underarms are hurting.

So, I'm starting to feel like a cancer patient.  Also, I am so strange because I have been worried about my hair all day (it is so curly and matted to my head) that I am scared of going to the hospital looking like this.  I know....crazy!  I'm thinking that losing my hair during this adventure is probably a blessing from God.  I won't have to worry about it.  If I want to go in the shower and let the water ease my pain I won't have to worry about my hair getting wet and how I'm going to dry it because my arms hurt so bad.

I'm really sad that I ruined Kevan's 4th of July.  He loves fireworks.  Also, I'm sad because I am going to have to go out on Leave of Absence from work.  I was putting work before my health (not eating breakfast if I had a call soon or not sleeping if I needed it because of conference calls).  Plus, I was just plain missing too much work.  I am thankful that I have the opportunity to take leave from work during this time.  I am SO thankful.  Now, I can concentrate on my health.  I'm beginning to think that it isn't the cancer that kills people but the chemo.  It is so bad. 

I still have red dots all over my back like I have the chicken pox and they itch like crazy.  My rash on my chest and legs is getting better (thanks to Benadryl).  I had a few spoonfuls of eggs today, some cottage cheese (it tasted so good) and a couple spoonfuls of cup of soup.  I don't feel hungry.  So far I've lost about 6 lbs...but I'm still not back to pre-surgery weight.  I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow with the Oncologist to have blood drawn and check my blood counts.  I'm actually looking forward to it so I can talk to him.

Thank you to everyone who prayed for me today.  I hope that I can repay everyone with a flood of prayers someday.  I love you all.

5 comments:

  1. Hang in there, anytime you dont want to be alone or if Kevan needs to go somewhere, One of us would be glad to come hang out with you. My wife won't even talk about getting a job but I know she would be glad to run down there and stay with you for ever how long you need it. We would like to do something for you... just call

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  2. Oh Jayde! I sorry to hear this..Please don't worry about work. We will take care of it. Health comes first.. Please take ample of rest. I just Prayed for you now, and will keep praying.

    Take care.
    Sandhya

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  3. We are continually lifting you up in prayer Jayde! at Ladies bible study (Helen & I) big group lol! spent a while interceding for you! you are loved and most of all by our Lord and King! hang in there! and I echo Willie, if you need ANYTHING! just call! you know Mike and I are here for you both!
    Julie

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  4. I am very sorry to read about all the side effects you are dealing with.
    I am not sure if the following information will confuse you (since you are doing chemo) or might help you, but I prayed about it and decided to give it to you anyway. I have learned a lot from the information and feel that it is an excellent way for us to get healthy and stay healthy. The information might help restore your health to normal after all your treatment. I do not know if you have ever heard about Gerson Therapy. They use juicing (mostly) to heal many ailments.
    There are some really good movies to watch about the benefits of juicing.
    If you are up to it and have Netflix or Amazon Prime look for the following movies:
    ‘Fat, sick and Nearly Dead”
    “Forks Over Knives”
    You can also look up Gerson. There are a few movies about their treatments.

    I wrote you before, thanking you for the recommendation of the Spurgeon book. We met once at St. Andrew’s quilting about a year ago. I have been praying for you and checking in reading your blog. Your witness and faith is amazing. Praying for continued strength in the Lord and for the chemo to stop “bugging” you. :o) Tina Zima

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    1. Jayde (and Tina): Further to what Tina just wrote, the movie I loaned you entitled "The Beautiful Truth" was about Gerson and the start of his therapy. There are quite a few books on his therapy, which his daughter carries on to this day in their clinic in Tijuana, Mexico. There are specific treatments for specific cancers that involve particular juicing, at particular intervals, coffee enemas, etc. Because of the "fresh food" restrictions that apply while getting chemo, this program wouldn't work WITH chemo--it would have to be one or the other. There have been so many cases of documented cancer cures with their treatment. I just "Yahoo'd" "Gerson Clinic in Tijuana, MX" and brought up a number of appropriate sites. Also, the best book is "The Gerson Therapy" by Charlotte Gerson and M. Walker. There is also "Healing the Gerson Way..." They are great books, and may serve a purpose for you after treatment if you choose to continue in that course. :0)) JOY

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