The week following 1st Chemo 5/27 - 6/06/16
I remember the drive home. My body felt the same as before Chemo. Some upper back/neck tenderness from the surgery that I've become accustomed too. I knew if it wasn't for the pain medication I'd be in a lot of pain. My swallowing was also tender but I was able to get small amounts of soft food down. My esophagus was still damaged from the radiation I just completed 3 days prior.
We got home and I plopped on my recliner. I can't remember if I'd had anything to eat although I'm sure mom had something made on the stove. I just wanted to relax. Friday my body felt fine, no side effects. Saturday my brother Simon cleaned the pool and was getting ready for company. It was a holiday that Monday and he was expecting some family to hang around the pool and they began to show up shortly after. I decided that I felt good enough to go outside and hang out with my cousins. My cousin Christine brought spaghetti and I was able to eat some with little trouble. I spent quite a few hours outside which looking back I probably shouldn't have been outside for that long being that my immune system was depleted. I came inside once the sun started to set and people began to pack up and go home.
I woke up Saturday night, Sunday morning around 3am with abdominal cramping. My entire abdomen from under my breast to my groin area. I gently massaged my tummy but it didn't help. I just tried to relax and sleep through it. It helped a little to stay still. At least that's what I told myself. I did manage to fall asleep and wake in the morning with nausea. My sister text me that morning to see how I was feeling and she reminded me that I had pills for that and I had mom grab one for me. That helped alot.
Sunday thru Wednesday I delt with fatigue and nausea throughout the entire day but at the same time my throat was feeling better day by day. I was still crushing my pain medication in water and drinking it down in sips. I was eating broths, pudding and smoothies. Mostly because dad kept telling me I needed to try and eat something. I didn't have an appetite but knew I needed energy and some kind of nourishment.
Wednesday mom made meatloaf with mashed potatoes and corn. The delicious smells engulfed the house and my appetite came back to me. It smelled so good. It reminded me of when I was little. Me and my brother JC walking home from grade school, turning onto our street we could smell mom's cooking, homemade tortillas. Yummy. I got up from my recliner and walked slowly to the kitchen. I think mom was happy to see that I was going to try and eat. She fixed me a plate and I ate. Delish.
Thursday I woke to Simon cleaning the house. Vacuuming, dusting and spraying. I thought to myself that maybe he was going to have company that weekend or something. Mom made us a couple sandwiches for lunch. I sat at the table with my brother and ate half a sandwich and gave him the other half. I asked him if he was having company and he said no. He was going to work out of town that weekend and wanted the house clean. He was leaving the next day. That night I woke up with a "feeling" in my throat. I figured it was allergies and went back to sleep. It had been raining and flooding everyday and I remember the mold was high according to kens5. All day Friday my throat was bothering me. I couldn't understand why because all week my throat was getting better everyday. Or so it seemed. I just figured it was something in the air, allergies perhaps. I had an appointment on Monday to see my oncologist and my spinal surgeon so I told myself I'd take it easy that weekend and let my oncologist address it on Monday.
Saturday my throat was swollen and every swallow hurt but my fatigue and nausea was easing up. I tried to just relax and not do much of anything. By Sunday my throat was so swollen that I couldn't swallow anymore. I was gagging, coughing up phlegm and dry heaving all day which by the way is even more difficult with a neckbrace and hurt upper back and neck. I carried a cup around with me and spit in it instead of swallowing my own saliva. If by chance I accidentally swallowed I was in so much pain. It would stop me dead in my tracks and I'd have to hold on. Thank goodness tomorrow was Monday and I would be able to see the doctor. Then, It got really bad really fast. I woke up Monday morning at 1:30am to take my pain medication and I couldn't get it down. This is with me crushing my pill in a little water. I got up out of my chair and went to the kitchen and tried again. My throat was not opening up. At that moment I began to panick inside. I can't even imagine what kind of pain I'd be in with my spine if I can't take my medication. Whenever there is a lapse in taking my meds, say one hour late my back begins to feel knotted and contorted and I feel the pain coming. It's not a good feeling and here I am not able to get the tiniest amount down my throat! I tried calming myself one last time and tried again but no success. Mom was asleep on the couch keeping an eye on me that night and I didn't want to wake her. She was sound asleep. I had to text my sissy Jennifer. By this time I was coughing up phlegm with bright red blood. She said she would come for me in 30 minutes. I was relieved and grateful but I was also frustrated because that meant she would have to call in to work. I didn't want her to get in trouble but I didn't want to worry my mother and drag her to the ER at 2 in the morning. She would have done it in a heartbeat but I know she would have been miserable. Not that I wanted that for my sissy either. I went to the ladies room, changed, grabbed my medications and grabbed my wallet. I went to wake up mom so she would know what was going on. I stood next to her and said "mom, mom, mom, mom" I then realized that I had lost my voice. I hated to wake her, she looked and snored peacefully. I nudged her and she got up confused. I tried talking but every other word was a whisper. We went to the kitchen and I got across what was going on. She said she would have taken me but I told her it was ok, for her to sleep and we would update her later that morning. By that time my sister drove up the driveway. I had to use the ladies room one last time. When I came out she was in the kitchen talking to mom. She grabbed my stuff and we were out the door. Mom walked me to the car and we were off to the ER.
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We got home and I plopped on my recliner. I can't remember if I'd had anything to eat although I'm sure mom had something made on the stove. I just wanted to relax. Friday my body felt fine, no side effects. Saturday my brother Simon cleaned the pool and was getting ready for company. It was a holiday that Monday and he was expecting some family to hang around the pool and they began to show up shortly after. I decided that I felt good enough to go outside and hang out with my cousins. My cousin Christine brought spaghetti and I was able to eat some with little trouble. I spent quite a few hours outside which looking back I probably shouldn't have been outside for that long being that my immune system was depleted. I came inside once the sun started to set and people began to pack up and go home.
I woke up Saturday night, Sunday morning around 3am with abdominal cramping. My entire abdomen from under my breast to my groin area. I gently massaged my tummy but it didn't help. I just tried to relax and sleep through it. It helped a little to stay still. At least that's what I told myself. I did manage to fall asleep and wake in the morning with nausea. My sister text me that morning to see how I was feeling and she reminded me that I had pills for that and I had mom grab one for me. That helped alot.
Sunday thru Wednesday I delt with fatigue and nausea throughout the entire day but at the same time my throat was feeling better day by day. I was still crushing my pain medication in water and drinking it down in sips. I was eating broths, pudding and smoothies. Mostly because dad kept telling me I needed to try and eat something. I didn't have an appetite but knew I needed energy and some kind of nourishment.
Wednesday mom made meatloaf with mashed potatoes and corn. The delicious smells engulfed the house and my appetite came back to me. It smelled so good. It reminded me of when I was little. Me and my brother JC walking home from grade school, turning onto our street we could smell mom's cooking, homemade tortillas. Yummy. I got up from my recliner and walked slowly to the kitchen. I think mom was happy to see that I was going to try and eat. She fixed me a plate and I ate. Delish.
Thursday I woke to Simon cleaning the house. Vacuuming, dusting and spraying. I thought to myself that maybe he was going to have company that weekend or something. Mom made us a couple sandwiches for lunch. I sat at the table with my brother and ate half a sandwich and gave him the other half. I asked him if he was having company and he said no. He was going to work out of town that weekend and wanted the house clean. He was leaving the next day. That night I woke up with a "feeling" in my throat. I figured it was allergies and went back to sleep. It had been raining and flooding everyday and I remember the mold was high according to kens5. All day Friday my throat was bothering me. I couldn't understand why because all week my throat was getting better everyday. Or so it seemed. I just figured it was something in the air, allergies perhaps. I had an appointment on Monday to see my oncologist and my spinal surgeon so I told myself I'd take it easy that weekend and let my oncologist address it on Monday.
Saturday my throat was swollen and every swallow hurt but my fatigue and nausea was easing up. I tried to just relax and not do much of anything. By Sunday my throat was so swollen that I couldn't swallow anymore. I was gagging, coughing up phlegm and dry heaving all day which by the way is even more difficult with a neckbrace and hurt upper back and neck. I carried a cup around with me and spit in it instead of swallowing my own saliva. If by chance I accidentally swallowed I was in so much pain. It would stop me dead in my tracks and I'd have to hold on. Thank goodness tomorrow was Monday and I would be able to see the doctor. Then, It got really bad really fast. I woke up Monday morning at 1:30am to take my pain medication and I couldn't get it down. This is with me crushing my pill in a little water. I got up out of my chair and went to the kitchen and tried again. My throat was not opening up. At that moment I began to panick inside. I can't even imagine what kind of pain I'd be in with my spine if I can't take my medication. Whenever there is a lapse in taking my meds, say one hour late my back begins to feel knotted and contorted and I feel the pain coming. It's not a good feeling and here I am not able to get the tiniest amount down my throat! I tried calming myself one last time and tried again but no success. Mom was asleep on the couch keeping an eye on me that night and I didn't want to wake her. She was sound asleep. I had to text my sissy Jennifer. By this time I was coughing up phlegm with bright red blood. She said she would come for me in 30 minutes. I was relieved and grateful but I was also frustrated because that meant she would have to call in to work. I didn't want her to get in trouble but I didn't want to worry my mother and drag her to the ER at 2 in the morning. She would have done it in a heartbeat but I know she would have been miserable. Not that I wanted that for my sissy either. I went to the ladies room, changed, grabbed my medications and grabbed my wallet. I went to wake up mom so she would know what was going on. I stood next to her and said "mom, mom, mom, mom" I then realized that I had lost my voice. I hated to wake her, she looked and snored peacefully. I nudged her and she got up confused. I tried talking but every other word was a whisper. We went to the kitchen and I got across what was going on. She said she would have taken me but I told her it was ok, for her to sleep and we would update her later that morning. By that time my sister drove up the driveway. I had to use the ladies room one last time. When I came out she was in the kitchen talking to mom. She grabbed my stuff and we were out the door. Mom walked me to the car and we were off to the ER.
#TeamSweetJean Fundraiser
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