Chemo infusions: 4 down, 8 to go!
I saw an ophthalmologist last week to visit about my blurred vision, and dry eyes as a side effect of medication was deemed the culprit. I now have gel drops and an overnight ointment (that feels like smearing vaseline across my eyeballs before I try to sleep) to keep my eyes hydrated and they kept the blurred vision away between my 3rd and 4th treatments! The rash came back and faded again. The bloody noses are mild but persist.
I'm finally experiencing one side effect I did anticipate- hair loss. On Saturday my scalp tingled and tickled the entire day and by Sunday midday my hair started coming out. More is falling out each day- the shower floor, the soap, my body, my towel, the sink, my pillow… all have hair all over them each day. My hair is so thick that the loss is amazingly not noticeable yet. Joe helpfully wondered aloud if it might merely thin to the thickness of that of a normal human, hah! He might be right but I don't think I can stand waiting to find out. The bald heads of chemo patients always look so smooth and clear to me that I never thought about the itchy, sore, tingly feeling of a lot of hair falling out every which way. And I definitely didn't think about the inconvenience of it happening all over the place. It actually feels like a little pinprick when I lean my head against a chair back or a pillow and the hairs that are detached but still hanging out with the others are poked into my scalp. I think I hear our clippers calling my name and I know two little boys that would love to lay into my head with them for a change.
Infusion #4 yesterday with Abraxane and Herceptin was uneventful. It's a little anti-climactic at this point. My white blood cell count was about the same as last week, so good news that it's holding steady. I'm excited to be nearing the halfway point and we remain confident that I'm getting good care. I'm hanging in there with less than ideal sleep; the inconveniences for me have been so minor compared to what many others endure.
Thank you for caring and supporting our family in so many varied ways- they all make a difference!
No comments:
Post a Comment