carolmcb's Cancer Blog
October 19, 2007
| Can't Sleep Again | Views: 361 |
Well, it’s early morning and once again I find that I can’t sleep. I’m driving my husband crazy since I can rarely sleep in our bedroom for more than a couple of hours at a time. And that’s by trying to lay still real hard. The best “sleep” that I get is on the couch in the living room with the Turner Classic Movie station on.
This week hasn’t gone very well. My husband and I really looked forward to my “bye” week. No chemo! We were going to go to Atlanta and be with family. Family we hadn’t seen in months and months. We were going to go out to dinner, take expeditions into the countryside, go to the movies and just be with our family. I can’t tell you how much I was looking forward to it.
To understand a little more, I have to tell you that I felt horrible before my mastectomy. I had physical illness that was so bad I went no where and did nothing. As soon as I came out from under the anesthesia, (except for a need to have a urine catheter put in—more on that later)I felt wonderful. Since I had been in bad physical shape before, it took me longer to bounce back and easily climb the stairs, etc. But, I felt wonderful. I was able to go and do things with my husband like go to the grocery store. Who knew how wonderful going to the grocery store could be?
Then I had surgery to implant the port in my shoulder. (more on that later) Then, I was to begin chemo. My schedule is 3 weeks on and 1 week off. The chemo is given once a week and I’m on Taxol and Avastin. The first week we were at the medical center from 11:00AM to 6:45PM. I don’t know whether the fatigue I suffered for the next couple of days was due to sitting in a broken “chemo chair” for that length of time or was a actual side effect of the chemo. But other than fatigue and terrible night sweats, no other side effects. Hoorah! So I was very encouraged for the second week of chemo which is just Taxol. Well, I got the second worst indigestion, and lower gastrointestinal tract problems that I have ever had. It lasted for days and days. This was not nausea. It did start to lessen and I went for week 3 of chemo which is Taxol and Avastin. The next day after chemo the very worst episode of lower gastrointestinal tract problems incapacitated me. I did speak to the oncologist and was told that these weren’t side effects associated with the chemo drugs that I was taking. It was suggested that if it got too bad to go to the hospital emergency room and see if they could help. I felt alone again after dealing with the oncologist on this. Due to lack of insurance, I don’t currently have primary care physician. I looks like there is a chance of getting on Medicaid so this problem may be solved soon.
This last episode of lower gastrointestinal tract problems has lasted all week. I have eaten nothing but a few scrambled eggs and baked potatoes. So, here we are not yet able to go see our family yet. My husband is trying not to show his disappointment but it’s there. He is also using his “I know that everything is going to be alright if you just keep trying and don’t give up” approach. Meanwhile, I’m trying not to bend over double in gasping pain.
Well, enough ranting for this morning. I’ll write more about my urine catheter issues in another posting. It is kind of funny.
Thanks for your support -
I just read your blog and though I have not went through nearly as much as you have I can certantly relate to the “unable to sleep”, for it is rare for me to be able to sleep a good night, and just getting out of the hospital, well, as you know that is no place to get any sleep at all.
I do hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, believe it or not I was suppose to go to the Atlanta area also actually a small town called Buchanan but due to bone pain and the recent dx of neuropathy, I am also unable to go. Wishing you well. Patty