Coming off chemo (not for the "faint hearted")

     It has been a rough week as far as chemo reactions.  I was totally hoping that I would react the same way I did 4 weeks ago when I didn't have chemo for 4 weeks, but, alas, that did not happen the way I thought it might.   Don't get me wrong, I am always very thankful for the good quality of life which I am given in the meantime😊
      I had chemo on Monday, Sept. 18, 2 days before our 48th wedding anniversary and by our "big" day, I was not at all feeling well .  To the contrary!   I had nausea, everything tasted gross and I just had to lay around and watch Netflix😐  
     I went in Wednesday to the cancer center to have the pump removed but about an hour before we left, I had a terrible episode of what I call vasovagal "attack".   I am self diagnosing. 
     It starts with extreme pain in my lower abdomen, running to the toilet, feeling very faint, weak, nauseated and like diarrhea is on the way.  I also get pale!  Before anything happens, I have to run to my bed, lie down (all the while moaning and groaning in pain and weakness with no control).   The first time this happened this week, Ruthie was on her way over to take me to have the pump off and she quickly read on her phone what to do and elevated my legs, which helped right away.  Agustin took my blood pressure a lot which started out very low:   106 over 61, pulse 41.  Gradually it rose within a half hour and I was able to relieve the pain in my abdomen.   I was weak the rest of the day, had fluids at the cancer center and rested all day.....HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US❤❤❤
      Thursday I was weak all day, ate a little since eating helps get over nausea, but I am a very picky eater too when I am in "chemo funk"  (my new phrase:)
       Friday, I was scheduled again for fluids if I felt I needed it.  I got up and felt really good.  I ate probably more than I should have at one time for breakfast (I am supposed to eat small meals 6 times a day:), and Ruthie was supposed to pick us up early (9:30AM) to go to cancer center.  She herself had to have a Ferritin infusion.  Ruthie has CML, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.  (Ferritin is a blood cell protein that contains iron.  If it gets low, it indicates your body's iron stores are low and you have iron deficiency.) 
       To my dismay, again, the same thing happened....sudden terrible intestinal pain, and Vasavagal symptoms again.   This time, I was aware of what to do.   I laid on my bed, elevated my legs and waited for, this time, the onslaught of diarrhea big time.  After that, everything returned to "normal" as far a blood pressure and relief of the pain.  I was very thankful I went in for fluids and feel that I was getting dehydrated and thus the "attack".
       What can my old body stand anyway?   Between the  rare attacks of atrial fibrilation (described for you in detail on my "blog" of  "Week After Chemo #12....)
        Please don't get me wrong, but, maybe someone will need this knowledge of my reactions to chemo someday.😅 
       Meanwhile, it helps me to write this to remind myself of how to handle things when they reoccur😌
      All week I have been singing to myself a song called "He Touched Me" by Bill Gaither.
      So, again, I post a  recording made about 4 years ago:)  I am looking forward to meeting a new surgeon at UVA on Friday, Sept. 29, which may just give me an opportunity for removing the tiny tumor and keep me from having any more chemo in a less invasive procedure.   Wouldn't that be  a "miracle"?  
The Gospel of Mark 41:1   "Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man."

https://vimeo.com/69133443