Rounds 7 and 8
First post of what I hope will be a happy and healthy 2010!
Wow, I can’t believe I have just finished my 8th round – 2 months of this stuff and 3 more months to go – time flies when you’re having fun!
I am still experiencing that sunburn-like rash on my hands, although it has improved. Last week my hands looked like alligator skin. The clinical research nurse recommended using Eucerin for it and that has helped, but it is now making its way onto my face. It starts out as small bumps, so I look like I have a case of acne!
And, this peripheral neuropathy (tingling in hands and feet) is really annoying! I am experienccing it mostly in my fingers – the thumb, forefinger and middle finger are most affected. In addition, I forgot to show the clinical research nurse the redness under those fingernails, so I called her after my treatment today and told her about it and how it hurts to even put a little pressure on the nails (like opening a can of soda or buttoning buttons) and she said that it could be the loosening of the finger nails. She’ll take a look when I see her next week. When you look at the side effects in the clinical trial they are divided up into 3 categories – likely, less likely, and rare but serious. These particular side effects are listed in the “less likely” category.
Oh, and the taste of food has started to change in that there is not much taste at all. When my daughter asked how my Boar’s Head sub from Publix was the other night I said “it doesn’t taste like anything.” My husband jokingly replied back, “had we known that we would have gotten you the cheap meat.” Coming from NY we grew up eating Boar’s Head cold cuts and were so happy when Publix started selling their brand several years ago.
And, I’ve stated experiencing “chemo brain“. My husband noticed me making many more mistakes when I’m talking to him. I am finding it harder and harder to concentrate on things. I haven’t picked up Dan Brown’s book The Lost Symbol since I started treatment and it remains half read. Hopefully, this side effect will go away after I’m finished treatment. But, in the meantime, I have a legitimate excuse if I screw something up 
.
Over the past few weeks you get to see some of the same “club” members. There’s one member I saw on my first day of treatment and I thought to myself, “OMG she is just skin and bones.” I’ve seen her a couple of times since then and again today and I don’t think she is going to make it 
.
My blood counts continue to be good and a couple of my nursing friends have commented on that. One of things I did do when treatment began was I started adding organic wheat grass juice powder to orange juice each day. One of the listed benefits is that it increases red blood cell counts, so maybe it has helped.
WBC – 4.1 – 11.2
- 1/6 – 9.1
- 12/30 – 9.7
- 12/21 – 6.0
- 12/16 – 7.1
- 12/09 – 6.1
- 12/02 – 8.0
- 11/25 – 9.8
- 11/19 – 6.7
NE # – 1.8 – 6.4
- 1/6 – 5.8
- 12/30 – 5.5
- 12/21 – 3.7
- 12/16 – 4.3
- 12/09 – 3.4
- 12/02 – 5.3
- 11/25 – 6.2
- 11/19 – 3.6
HGB – 11.7 – 15.5
- 1/6 – 11.6
- 12/30 – 11.9
- 12/21 – 11.7
- 12/16 – 11.6
- 12/09 – 11.6
- 12/02 – 11.6
- 11/25 – 11.9
- 11/19 – 11.7
PLT – > 100
- 1/6 – 320
- 12/30 – 433
- 12/21 – 387
- 12/16 – 439
- 12/09 – 367
- 12/02 – 382
- 11/25 – 331
- 11/19 – 309
2 Responses to “Rounds 7 and 8”
Leave a Reply
Donna,
I’m sure this cold weather isn’t helping your skin any, cause it certainly is wreaking havoc on mine. I used to use Eucerin, but now I use Gold Bond Intense Moisturizer or Jergens for extra dry skin. Your lab values are impressive. Hang in there!
So, with the peripheral neuropathy and chemo brain, we could see some interesting posts from you in the future!
Really, you are doing amazingly well (lab values do speak to that) and I really thank you for choosing to allow us to peer through the window on your journey.