Time, Fleeting

Mom left today, and as I look at the blog, I realize I have not written a word since the day she was to have arrived! The visit went smoothly, I guess. I was feeling just great when she arrived and we had several days of nice visiting and she cooked and took care of me or more so, of Sofie when I needed to rest.

I want to make sure to circle back to my visit last Sunday (April 1st) with Robin Tyler. But before I do, I want to talk about what this past week has been like. The following is not for the squeamish. It is, ah, er, ah-hem, about body fluids.

So on Tuesday, the labs go without a hitch, my blood levels are rising nicely, thanks in part to the transfusions of the previous week's treatment. Treatment B of Cycle 2 was done nice and fine, just like usual. Had lunch, like I usually do, near the end. All fine. Normally, the day of treatment, I feel great, since I am kinda doped up plus pumped up on the pre-treatment infusion of "pre-meds". Even though I am not supposed to, I drove home (it is very close by).

After Mom and I drove home, about 1:30 or 2 PM, I decided it was an optimal time, since Sofie was still in school/afterschool, to get manicures and for me, a pedicure. It is usually so nice and quiet at the nail place on a Tuesday afternoon. Mom was game, so off we went.

Well, long story short, I barfed. Big time. All over me, all over my clothing, into the pedicure water (too gross to describe). Kim, my wonderful manicurist I see on a regular basis, was so calming. I was totally mortified, she cleaned up as if this happens all the time. Only three others (clients) besides my Mom saw this atrocity, but it was too gross.

And exhausting. But I persevered, and of course, got the manicure and pedicure done. Priorities. Went home to collapse and rest. Thinking this was just an unusual situation and not knowing why I even got sick.

But sick I was to be. All week. Experimenting with two different anti-nausea drugs, trying to see which gave better relief. This week, neither did the trick. Finally on Friday PM, after a week of more vomiting (only one other quasi "public" situation in my car) and a lot of Spray and Wash applied to my clothing, on Friday, Jamie passed along her Marinol to me. That did the trick. I had not been able to eat solid food pretty much all week, since Tuesday afternoon. I would gamely try something, like a saltine or a half cup of white rice only to experience it again, an hour later. So I stopped eating solids. No point in that.

The other atrocity is that the food and liquid that does get down has been wrecking havoc in my gut and causing constant GI distress as well. So (this is why the earlier warning), it should not be a surprise I dropped about four to six pounds since Tuesday. Nothing has remained in my system long. It is most unpleasant to say the least and I have to get rid of it. They even had to lower my blood thinner medication amount, since I have lost a few pounds.

This week, however, was a vacation for my nurse Teri, so I finally have left her a message and possibly will stop by Monday, when I go for more labs. I also need to get the Procrit shot weekly. Need to keep the red blood count up for the Spring Break week to come!!!

In part two, I will update you on last week's visit with Robin. I am going to use a small burst of energy I am having to make sure everything is ready for Nancy Frank and daughter Rosalie, who are arriving in the early evening for the week. More about that later, too.