Apologies for my absence- what happened with the delay for the post below is that I wrote it, but instead of pressing "Publish Post" I pressed "Save Now". So, the post was just sitting as a draft until I visited the blog to read a comment a lovely anon posted and discovered it hadn't gone up. Apart from that, its still almost two weeks after when I wrote that, so I suppose I should update you!
The day after I last wrote (friday the 15th) was a lovely day- it was my fathers PhD graduation ceremony! So we went to that and were all awfully proud and everyone drank some champagne (except not me! Dry July still going for a few days- donate now!) and took lots of photos. Dad got to wear the floppy hat and officially become a "Dr". Some relatives were visiting from Perth, and they came and we all went out for dinner. So really, it was a very good week- relatives, good news, and a graduation.
The next week I had chemo. I dont know if I can say it was better or worse than any other round has been. I wasn't physically sick, and didn't pass out, so I suppose those are both improvements on previous rounds. I know I've said this again, but with reoccurring physical hardships its so easy to forget how horrible it is, and then once you start feeling it again it hits quite hard mentally as well as physically.
I think i had gotten my hopes up way too high that this last round wouldn't happen because surgery would be sooner- so I didn't go into it as prepared mentally as I have at other times. While the nausea has decreased fatigue hits as hard as ever, for the 2nd and 3rd day of this cycle I only get one drug, and it only takes about 30 minutes. This meant I spent all but about 2 hours in bed on these days and the day or two afterwards the only other places I would go were the couch or the bathroom.
I had not seen any friends since the previous monday so at the last minute I decided to attend a friends dinner party on friday. I was still feeling fairly terrible and very tired, but thought seeing some people would cheer me up- which it did immensely. We had a good giggle and chat and it was the most lovely distraction.
The horrible chemo feeling and the fatigue lessened quickly over the weekend though and was up to going out for dinner on monday for my brothers birthday. Which was lovely- it is such a beautiful feeling when you're back to being yourself again, and you go from looking like a cancer patient in the process of loosing their eyebrows and eyelashes and you go to looking like a 19 year old girl again wearing nice things and makeup etc. Its incredible how much impact how you look has on how you feel. Besides this, the food was delicious, and water was finally tasting like water again rather than the disgusting gluggy indescribable stuff it tasted like during and after chemo.
Today was exciting, because I went to lunch for a friends birthday in town- so I was back in the world and not feeling too bad and it was lovely. Bought new lipstick and a scarf for my head (my wig was getting too hot and scratchy) and realised just how invisible my little eyebrows are getting. You can see the scarf, the lippy and my firs attempt at drawn on eyebrows in the pictureI will attach! (Well, I still have a few eyebrow hairs left, but its mostly pencil)
Thnx for the update. Good to hear that you're getting out and about. Talking to us nutters on twitter is one thing but going out with friends is so much more fun :)
ReplyDeleteGreat update, Katie. I love the picture. I actually thought how good your eyebrows looked and was very surprised to read that you were using a pencil! The red lipstick is fabulous. I hope Sam had a great birthday. I don't suppose he had any luck with the slick pick I sent him??
ReplyDeleteLots of love to all, S xx
You should post a picture of your feet in your pretty new red shoes!!
ReplyDelete