Round #4 is behind me and I can now say I'm HALF WAY through chemo! It's interesting how much of a mental game this is. When I think to myself that I'm half way through, I get a burst of energy knowing the end of this phase of treatment is close. When I think to myself that I have 4 rounds to go, it seems daunting. So, I'm focusing on one month at a time and enjoying the fact that I continue to feel so great!
One of the hardest things I've had to deal with in this journey, is accepting the need to rely on others. I love being independent and I don't like the way it makes me feel to need help. Thankfully, the only help I've needed thus far, is getting to and from treatment. I feel drunk as soon as they access my port and therefore can't drive myself home. What's funny, is that accepting this help has been so emotionally rewarding and uplifting. These two pretty girls were by my side for round #4 and they made the hours fly by. I don't think I could have gotten this far without the help of my family and friends.
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| with Aimee and Tiff. 💓 |
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| Round 4 with one of my BFF's! 😘💕 |
Nausea/ fatigue- A lot more nausea this round. So far, no fatigue but it has been replaced by narcolepsy. 😳 Four days after my treatment we went to watch Cole play in a baseball tournament. I only sat through 2 games (key word: SAT). When we got home at 5:30pm, I showered and fell asleep. Yesterday, I went on my daily walk with my dad and went to Costco. When I got home, I slept for a solid hour. I guess my body needs it, but it's strange to just fall asleep after practically doing nothing! Chemo brain (yes, it's a real thing) is making me super self-conscious because I forget everything. I find myself repeating everything to everyone. As I type this, I'm wondering to myself "did I already mention this in a previous post?". I feel like Dory.
Appetite/weight- It's official. I'm the first cancer patient to ever gain weight during treatment. Before my 4th round, I had gained 4 lbs. I'm back down to my starting weight but REALLY? Gaining weight was the last thing I expected. Two of the chemos that I'm on lists weight gain as a side effect and then of course the steroids. Annoying, but I'm sure I'll fall asleep soon and forget all about it. 😆
Hard to tell in pictures but my hair is growing back (until my next treatment where it will fall again). When I shaved my hair before my 2nd round, I was told to leave 1/2 an inch to prevent hair follicle infection. I was tired of looking like a baby elephant, so I shaved it with a razor on Feb. 5th. Today, I have almost 3 millimeters of hair. Maybe I'll try braiding it later...
I go back to MD Anderson on March 15th for my 5th round where the cocktail will be switched to a new chemo drug and two HER-2 targeted therapy drugs. Eager and anxious to start these new treatments to see how the mass will respond and how I'll tolerate it. Until then, I'll focus on living and enjoying this beautiful life!
