Other side effects that are treated successfully in my
case include headaches, muscle aches, bone pain, dry mouth, mouth sores, runny
nose, decreased blood clotting time, nausea, heartburn, abdominal bloating and
constipation. My nadir period occurs during the first week after my chemo
treatment, which means my red and white blood counts are extremely low and I
have to stay away from crowds and people who are sick. To control these
symptoms I use a variety of prescription and over the counter (OTC) drugs, and
shots. For my red and white blood levels I take folic acid, a Vitamin B12 shot
and a shot of Neulasta. I also wear gloves and masks if I need them during this
time. Sometimes I have to go to a doctor’s office and may be around people who
are ill in the waiting room.
For headaches, muscles aches and bone pain, I use Tylenol
or Lohrtab. My doctor warned me that this chemo drug I am on is toxic to the
bone and can cause bone pain. For my runny nose I take OTC Zyrtec. The OTC
medicine omeprazole takes care of my heartburn and the prescription drug Zofran
relieves the nausea. My dentist recommended Biotene for dry mouth, and that
works. Sipping on water or Gatorade all day long keeps my mouth moisturized
too. I learned that saliva contains enzymes that prevent tooth decay. When your
mouth is dry you don’t have the natural protection of these enzymes. In the
three years that I have been taking chemotherapy, I have never had a cavity.
Thank you, Jesus! I rarely have mouth sores but when I did, my oncologist told
me to gargle with baking soda, and that worked! I don’t have all of these
symptoms all of the time. Some of them only occur the week after my
chemotherapy. Some of them don’t show up until two weeks after my treatment. The
swelling and shortness of breath are present all the time.
Many chemotherapy drugs cause numbness and tingling in
the hands and feet. I get these sensations intermittently two to four times a
day and they usually resolve quickly. Often my feet go numb when I am barefoot;
when I put on socks or shoes, the numbness goes away. Some people get permanent nerve damage in
their hands or feet. I thought I had developed weakness in my hands because I
had trouble with fine-motor tasks like texting. The younger generation that
grew up texting can do it blindfolded, and they prefer to text instead of
answering the phone and talking. I wanted to learn to text so I could
communicate better with my daughter. So my son-in-law taught me. But my thumb
may hit two keys at once, causing misspellings, words to run together,
etc. I have tried using my fingernails
and a stylus, to no avail! It gets very frustrating and I thought my problem
was due to the chemo drug. Today I found out from a friend that other adults
have these same problems! Thank God, it’s not just me! That’s a comforting
thought!
One month ago, I felt a new type of pain in my right hip
and back. I thought, “It can be one of three things - a muscle strain, bone
pain from the chemotherapy, or a metastasis from the cancer to the bone!” The
third one is, of course, the scariest, and least desirable! It indicates a
spread of the cancer to other parts of the body, which is a poor prognostic
sign. At times like this,it is easy to let the devil trick me into thinking the
worst. What is the devil’s greatest
weapon? Fire and brimstone? No! Hellfire and damnation? No! Fear and doubt?
YES! The most intelligent, educated person may think that religion is a crutch;
the Bible is a collection of folklore and myths. But everybody, no matter how
intelligent and educated, can still succumb to fear and doubt. Often the
intelligent ones are the most vulnerable because they rely on science and man’s
scientific discoveries to have all the answers to all their problems. Yet,
science still has not discovered the cure for many terminal/chronic conditions
and illnesses. Then I have to remember what Fate said about the devil in the
Tran-Siberian Orchestra’s performance of “Beethoven’s Last Night.” The devil
lies! Jesus and the apostles warned me of that in the New Testament, too! When
I feel like that, I have only to open my Bible and read wonderful, assuring
healing scriptures and promises from God! Psalms and the Gospels are full of
them!
So,
armed with God’s Word, and some Tylenol, I tackled this problematic new pain. I
took two doses of Extra Strength Tylenol and awaited the results. I thought, if
the pain went away and did not come back, it was probably a muscle ache or bone
pain from the chemo. It might take more than one dose to resolve completely,
but if it does go away, I won’t worry about it. If the pain returns with the
same intensity after the Tylenol wears off, then it may be a metastasis! I’ll
have to tell my doctor and he may want to run some diagnostic tests!
The
pain went away with one dose and did not return! It had lasted for one week.
After it was gone, I remembered that I had bought a new pair of sandals. The
heel was higher than what I usually wear. That can throw off one’s body
mechanics and cause new aches and pains, especially in the low back. Then God
reminded me that my blood level lab results show that the cancer cells are
decreasing! Down from 150 to 145! Oh, yeah, God! I forgot about that! Thanks
for reminding me! I had nothing to fear! Sorry I doubted you momentarily! I
love you, and thanks for loving me so much!
Pictures
show hardy plants that did not die despite the winter cold. The ragged leaf
cactus actually put forth beautiful seed pods! (Pictures one and two) Another cactus
is full of blooms! (Pictures three and four) And finally, none of the marine
animals in my artificial pond died! (Picture five)
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