This has been a wonderful week (the pics are from yesterday and today)! I did not expect to feel like myself after chemo began, and that's exactly how I feel -- great. I have spent the last 4 days with Brennan. He and I have had a spectacular week of mommy's groups, and playgrounds, and playing cars, and doing puzzles, and grocery shopping, and discovering new flavors (Brennan likes strong flavors like olives and avocado with lime, but we're still trying new things ... I'll keep you posted).
I have gotten into a rhythm popping pills. I take three antibiotics. They prevent pneumonia, shingles, and fungal infections. I also take Zofran for nausea around the time of the chemo, and Prevacid (which I'm not sure I need); it's for reflux and is supposed to help with nausea. And .... probiotics, vitamin D, multivitamin and mushrooms for immunity. Now that I'm writing it down, it doesn't seem like much yet it is definitely more than I'm used to.
I also wanted to tell you about a CD that I listened to prior to last Thurs (chemo). My acupuncturist (she's amazing) gave it to me. It talks about chemo as a blessing instead of as poison. In the 50's a person with Hodgkin's would have most likely died from the disease (My Great-Uncle Paul died in 1956 at the age of 46 from Hodgkin's lymphoma), in the 70's they would have done surgery .... today I should and do feel lucky. The CD has helped me adjust my perspective.
Fun facts - Jane Austen is suspected to have died of Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1817. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen had Hodgkin's in 1983 (and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2009). Mario Lemieux (Penguins forward - NHL) had Hodgkin's in 1993.
I have gotten into a rhythm popping pills. I take three antibiotics. They prevent pneumonia, shingles, and fungal infections. I also take Zofran for nausea around the time of the chemo, and Prevacid (which I'm not sure I need); it's for reflux and is supposed to help with nausea. And .... probiotics, vitamin D, multivitamin and mushrooms for immunity. Now that I'm writing it down, it doesn't seem like much yet it is definitely more than I'm used to.
I also wanted to tell you about a CD that I listened to prior to last Thurs (chemo). My acupuncturist (she's amazing) gave it to me. It talks about chemo as a blessing instead of as poison. In the 50's a person with Hodgkin's would have most likely died from the disease (My Great-Uncle Paul died in 1956 at the age of 46 from Hodgkin's lymphoma), in the 70's they would have done surgery .... today I should and do feel lucky. The CD has helped me adjust my perspective.
Fun facts - Jane Austen is suspected to have died of Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1817. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen had Hodgkin's in 1983 (and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2009). Mario Lemieux (Penguins forward - NHL) had Hodgkin's in 1993.
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ReplyDeleteKari, thanks for the update - really nice to see pictures of Brennan and you having fun together! On the Prevacid, I found it very effective for helping with acid reflux - I would tend to get that on days 3 and 4 post chemo. So if you do start getting that, I'd definitely recommend the Prevacid. Didn't seem to have any side effects and it's always a good thing to prevent battery acid strength stuff from cruising up into your esophagus.
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