Thanks again for all your prayers. We really do appreciate it.
Last week was a boring week, as far as appointments go. I didn't have any! It was nice. I got time to relax, read a book, do some puzzles and took lots of naps.
This week on Wednesday I had a routine blood draw and met with my oncologist, Dr Brown. We talked about the neuropathy in my feet and how dropping Paclitaxel last time should help it not to get worse and might help it improve some. She has decided that I need to start on Paclitaxel's sister drug Docetaxel. This chemotherapy drug isn't supposed to cause neuropathy so I'm going to give it a try. After that I had another acupuncture treatment. Jon my acupuncturist is excited that I am no longer going to be getting Paclitaxel and he thinks that we will be able to make some headway with the neuropathy in my feet now. Fingers crossed! I am still using the lasers and Biomat most days, along with extra supplements.
Thursday Devin and I celebrated our 21st Anniversary. We went out to eat at our favorite restaurant Epic Chophouse.
We have taken advantage of the rainy holiday weekend to catch up on some shows, video games, naps and reading. Hope you all are enjoying your relaxing holiday weekend!
Prayers:
- My left leg/butt pain is getting worse. The pain is moving into my leg now. Praying my upcoming PET scan will show us what's going on.
- That my body will tolerate the new chemo drug on Wednesday.
As always thank you for your continued prayers. I feel them daily and appreciate them so much!
On Tuesday I had blood work done prior to my chemo infusion. Most of my numbers looked good. As expected my white blood cell count is still really low. The good news is the numbers for my thyroid (TSH) have lowered some. This means that the prescription is working. After my blood work we met with my oncologist's PA to go over everything. Dr Brown was out of the office that day. We talked about the neuropathy of my feet and how it was now causing me to fall while walking on uneven surfaces. We all agreed that in my best interest to discontinue one of my chemo drugs, Taxol which is known to cause neuropathy. So, during my infusion I received the other two chemo drugs and my immunotherapy drug. We also discussed getting my next PET scan scheduled. The results of that will determine our next steps.
The rest of the week was very hard for me, both mentally and physically. I was and am still very tired. My feet and legs below my knees are tingly and numb most of the time. The leg numbness comes and goes but my feet are constant numbness. We had hoped that dropping Taxol would help me to feel better after the infusion. But instead I would have to say that this round of chemo has been the hardest on me yet. I am guessing it is because of the compounding effects. The doctors always say that each chemo session builds upon the last. One good bit of news is that for 5 days after the chemo my left leg/butt pain was a lot better. I didn't even notice it for a few days at all. So that is a win!
I had a great Mother's Day. We went to brunch and then I took an afternoon nap. It was glorious!
No appointments this next week so I will just continue to rest and heal!
Prayers:
- That my body can rest and heal.
- That my body can repair the damage in my bones caused by the cancer.
- That my legs/feet will start to get less tingly/numb.
- That I can mentally prepare for the next phase of treatments whatever that might be.
As a health and wellness advocate, I want to emphasize the importance of complementary therapies for cancer patients. One such therapy that I have come across is the use of a BioMat. The BioMat uses far infrared rays and negative ions to promote healing and reduce stress. It can help reduce pain and inflammation caused by cancer treatments, boost the immune system, and promote relaxation and reduce stress. As always, it's important to consult with your healthcare provider before trying any new therapies. But if you're looking for a non-invasive, safe, and effective way to support your body's natural healing processes, the BioMat might be worth exploring.
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