Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
Update: I was back at the doctor’s office this morning with a fever and another blood count showed that my white blood cell counts are at nearly 0. The doctor told me that normally in this circumstance he would send a patient to the hospital, but that I could choose to take an oral antibiotic instead. Needless to say, I chose the oral antibiotic over a hospital stay. I have instructions to watch the fever and to go straight to the hospital if it continues to spike. I’ve spent the day camped out on the couch resting and wishing that I would just feel normal again.
Yesterday was rough…I’m assuming it’s the anemia that made me feel weak and tired all day. I managed to take Blake to school for a walk-through/open house, but I didn’t do much more than that all day. I didn’t feel as awful as I did after the first treatment, but I was still not happy with my body’s inability to do much of anything.
And last night I was up throughout the night with excruciating mouth pain. The cells in our mouths…and all through the entire GI tract…are rapidly dividing cells just like hair cells and cancer cells, so their ability to reproduce is often compromised during chemo, resulting in mouth sores. I made the big mistake of eating tomatoes yesterday evening (I’m supposed to avoid acidic foods like that) and of flossing my teeth last night. I paid for it all night and am still paying for it now. I think the fact that I caused the sores by my own actions makes it worse…I could have avoided this by not eating the tomatoes and by not flossing, since I knew this was a possibility.
Comments
Oh, Kim, I'm so sorry... My two oldest kids had a terrible strain of a common childhood illness called "hand-foot-and-mouth disease" three years ago, and the mouth sores they suffered were agony just to LOOK at, much less feel. This must be so hard on you.
Try not to beat yourself up about any of this-- you are just trying to live your life as normally as possible, the best way you know how!!
Soon, this will all be behind you, and you'll be as energetic and fun-filled as you ever were!!
In the meantime, rest... Sleep is the best thing for healing, if you possibly can. Are you allowed to use a topical numbing agent in your mouth to help with pain? I hope so...
Love to you-- CGF xo
Posted by: candygirlflies | August 16, 2007 07:52 AM
Kim, Ugh. The mouth stuff is awful. Are you using the 50% listerine/water rinse? It really will help. Amazingly so. Also, try coating your mouth with liquid antacid like mylanta after you've abused yourself with something like tomatoes. Esentially you have ulcers in your mouth so the same principles apply. If you coat the offending sores you will be able to eat and drink easier.
AC is the worst of it. Taxol has it's down sides too but AC, I believe, is so much harder on our bods. You're half way thru that part anyway. Sending strong, patient, healing thoughts your way.
Posted by: imstell | August 16, 2007 10:21 AM
Oh no, ouch! (((HUGS)) Hope everything calms down quickly.
Posted by: PT-LawMom | August 16, 2007 12:29 PM
Kim,
I am so sorry you are hurting today - and yesterday. I am sending you lots of love.
M
Posted by: Mieke | August 16, 2007 05:17 PM
Oh Kim! Hope the infection clears up and you can avoid the hospital.
Posted by: PT-LawMom | August 16, 2007 07:35 PM
Try a 30% hydrogen peroxide/ water mouthwash.I used it after oral surgery and worked great. Sorry to hear about your fever and anemia. The antibiotic should work great. If you do end up in the hospital, make sure they put you on the oncology floor. Most hospitals keep oncology patients on a separate floor to avoid infection from other patients.Things will get better. You're going through the worst part of treatment now.
Posted by: Joel Maners | August 16, 2007 08:43 PM
Thoughts are with you, Honey. Rest up!
Posted by: Imstell | August 17, 2007 11:54 AM
Ok. First, if you do that again, I will punch you in the face (and don't give me the "you can't hit me I have cancer" excuse).
Second, if you don't stop beating yourself up, I will start beating you (again, no excuse).
No more, my friend, no more!
Oh yeah...love you :P
Posted by: Carla | August 18, 2007 12:09 AM