15 October 2023
It’s been a rough week. I knew chemotherapy was cumulative but it’s been a little more cumulative than anticipated this week. I’ve mentioned the numbness in toes and fingers but what has caused me real problems the last two nights is the aching in my joints: fingers, ankles, knees. It’s been really painful and it keeps me a wake.
In an attempt to control it last night I took two Advil, one Tramadol, one Claritin and one Xanax compliments of Fred’s Pharmacy. The drugs finally kicked in sometime after midnight (I went to bed at 8:30). I guess the only saving grace is that my diarrhea seems more under control. I’ve mostly had solid stool with the exception of one diarrheal episode yesterday and to be honest, that was a relief since I’ve tended more towards constipation than diarrhea.
One thing I’m trying for the numbness (and cold feeling) is I bought a pair of gloves for me and Kurt that supposedly keep your fingers warm and also allow you to use touchscreens.
Mine are XL and I ordered Kurt a pair of large. Mine came today and Kurt’s should be here Monday. They are very comfortable even though I’ve not tried out the touchscreen feature yet. For the toes, I bought us both a pair of Bombas Gripper Slippers. These have pads on the bottom that grip the surface you on which you are walking. Years ago Tanis bought me a pair of cold weather socks with this feature and I constantly wear them around the house because of the perceived cold from the numbness – along with arctic dress.
I generally change into a long sleeved knit shirt and a long pair of gym pants and the socks. The socks are pretty much worn out, thus the order from Bombas. At night, I start out with the down comforter on me and only later in the night am I warm enough to throw the comforter off.
I’m a little concerned about the last Taxol treatment on Tuesday and what it’ll do to me next week. Usually, after a Taxol treatment (with a liter of saline) I feel decent until Thursday. I’ve felt lousy all week and by the time Friday rolls around with the hydration treatment, I need the hydration. Usually, after the Friday treatment I feel great. Remember the deep cleaning I did on the house after one such treatment? That went by the wayside this week. Friday and Saturday were pretty low physically.
The numbness continues and it’s causing me problems picking things up with my fingers and even walking. Vertigo continues to be a problem and I stagger around the house bumping into things right and left and I don’t even have the benefit of having cocktails to cause it.
I really have an appetite but nothing seems to taste good. Last night I opted for barbecue beans from a can. Bread works for me and I did make some canned cinnamon rolls. My nutrition is for the birds. I take the Enterade and when I can remember it the high protein Ensure. I try to hydrate with coconut water which actually tastes good to me.
I was pretty much a couch potato yesterday after washing clothes and cleaning at the house. At least there were some interesting football games on. Hopefully, this next week will be my nadir and when I switch to every three weeks of Herceptin, things will begin to pick up.
Tomorrow I face the music with my endocrinologist. I dread to get the A1c report since my blood sugar has been all over the place with all the sterol they give me with each chemo.
Thursday is an appointment with my cardiologist, Friday is a blood draw for my annual wellness check with my primary and hydration in the afternoon. On the 24th, I have an office visit with Dr. Velez to map out the next year of treatment with Herceptin and then on the 27th I have my wellness visit with Dr. Dunhill. It’s a good thing I ‘m retired or I wouldn’t be able to juggle all these appointments.
By the way, I got my Medicare Summary Notice for the first chemotherapy and hydration therapy treatments this week. The August 21st chemo was $25,385.10. The Taxol and Herceptin drugs alone were $20,258.15. The other $5k was getting ready to inject the drugs.
The hydration infusion by itself was a bargain at only $6,268.65. That included the blood tests.
So far, the Medicare statements run from August to September and don’t include the month of October. August alone was $40,716.00. My share of the bill for August and September would possibly be $1,122.31 but the supplemental policy took care of all that. I’m so lucky to have Medicare and an excellent supplemental policy.
I didn’t feel like going to the grocery store today so I ordered delivery from Whole Foods. You know I don’t feel well when I depend on someone else to select my food.
Stay tuned!