7 October 2023
I’m beginning to see a pattern here. I have a hydration infusion on Friday. I feel pretty good afterwards. I go to bed around 9:30 pm and wake at anywhere from 1-3 am. This morning was 1:30. I read for an hour, tried sleeping again and gave up.
After visiting Kurt at Holy Cross yesterday, I didn’t get much to eat last night. I ate most of a pimento cheese sandwich but that was it. At 3:30 am I decided I was hungry and wanted oatmeal. I could have picked an instant packet but that wouldn’t satisfy me so I peeled and diced an apple, put in a pot with a little water, a little sugar and a cinnamon stick and made something like an apple compote.
Then I made the oatmeal. I bought some regular oatmeal (not quick oats) a while ago and so I started them on the stove and cooked them down until the liquid was almost gone and then added the apples/sugar/cinnamon combination. It wasn’t as sweet as I probably would have liked but was quite tasty and filling.
This morning I intend to wash clothes and do a little housework. I may even try to take a morning walk. However, I know my energy will flag later today and will need a nice long nap.
I texted Joel, Keith and John about the spaghetti and if they wanted to come over with the caveat it depended on how I feel. If I get some nap time, I’ll probably go ahead and do it. It’ll be good to see them.
6:13 am
OK, this is getting hard. I did my short route this morning and cut that even shorter (0.9 miles) and was tired, out of breath, and a little unsteady on my feet when I got back to the house. I remember reading in one of the many handouts they give you at the cancer center that you should strive to keep up your exercise and do a little more each day. I can now see why they say that. I didn’t when I first started chemo. I was still able to walk, do yoga and swim on some days. Now, I’m doing good to do a short walk.
I’ve also noticed the numbness of the fingers and toes is spreading. Now the soles of my feet and heels are getting numb and it’s making for a rather strange gait when I walk. When people see me, they may think I’m tipsy. The ice baths don’t seem to be helping but I’ve been assured that once the chemo stops, feeling will return to the extremities. Of course, I don’t know if they mean the Taxol which stops in two weeks or the Herceptin which stops in August of next year.
At least it is semi-pleasant outside and you don’t break into a sweat the minute you step out the door. Fall must be here because we are not predicted to reach 90°F today. We may get a temperature break for real at the last of October but it’s really Thanksgiving that it begins to be comfortable enough to eat outside on the patio. So far, I count eight for Thanksgiving.
Joel and John came over for spaghetti. John brought Fresh Market key lime pie and Joel brought a salad. It was good to see them and break bread.
Of course, I’ve have three days of constipation so after they left I had a bought of diarrhea. Ye gods!
Stay tuned!
