This past week I finally started feeling human again (insert Disney musical here). I’ve taken advantage of the time, taking walks and hanging out with friends and family. I’ve had a few friends come visit and it’s been great to get out of the house and do something normal 🙂
Chemo Round 4
This chemo was rough. This round came with new side effects, and I felt like crap for 10 days (longer than “normal”) this time. From the moment I sat in the chemo chair I was extra nauseous and just felt bad overall. It was a constant battle for 7 days to keep on top of the pain and nausea. At times I felt like I was standing outside of heavens gates just knocking and asking to be let in. On top of the chemo, there was a heat wave and we had been keeping the house closed to try to keep it cool. After a few days in a dark house, I realized I was getting depressed, so I moved my comfy chair to our dining room window and told everyone we were keeping it open. I didn’t tell anyone I was feeling depressed, but having the sunshine on my face along with the constant encouraging messages from people helped get my mind out of the funk I was in 🙂
After I started feeling better, I decided to take advantage of the wig program through the local cancer resource center. Will and Julia took me to a wig shop to try on wigs and it was a strange experience going into it. As I tried on several different wigs, I realized I had been walking around always aware of how I looked, aware of the looks from others, and internally shrinking back. I hadn’t been as confident as I thought I was, and I didn’t realize how much of an effect it would have on me to see myself with hair again. But having this experience has changed how I perceive myself and I am walking in confidence, with or without a wig 🙂
Treatment Update
My oncologist is amazed at how well my body is responding to everything! I hadn’t seen him since 3 weeks before surgery, so he checked out my scars and he was very happy with how I’m healing 🙂 We discussed the upcoming treatments and the schedule for the future.
I have two ‘hard chemo‘ rounds left and they are adding a new drug (Avastin) that I have to continue with every 3 weeks for a year. So while the side effects of the gnarly chemo drugs should end, I still have ongoing infusions for another year. I also get to start taking pills twice a day for the next two years. Yay me! But the good news is that studies show these two drugs work very well for my type of cancer 🙂
Through all of this I know that there is an end in sight and God is taking care of me.
Thank you all for your love and prayers,
-Tamika
PS. Thank you to everyone who has sent cards, messaged me and donated money, it is amazing to feel so loved and supported 🙂
PPS. A special Thank You to Kris who comes over and rubs my feet while I am in pain.
New side effects:
- Lost my vision for about 15 minutes and all I could see was shapes (this is news to my husband as we’re writing this).
- My mouth and stomach and right side (hand, leg, foot) felt numb-ish and tingly-ish (not sure how to explain the feeling exactly).
- Lost the ability to feel hot/cold in my mouth.
- The bone pain lasted 2 weeks in my back and pelvis.
- Headaches.
P.S. Thank you Julia Rose for hanging out with me during this Chemo. I don’t have a photo of us during the infusion, but here is one of us hanging out a week later 😉
