Jersey Mikes subs and Mashed Potatoes

Chemotherapy is a weird journey. It does some crazy things to your body and everyone has their own experience. What happens for some may not happen for others but there are a few symptoms that seem to be pretty universal. Some of the symptoms are similar to pregnancy. Like Pregnancy on Steroids (literally since Im on steroids). I knew chemo would be hard but I Never knew how hard. These are what I've dealt with during these 4 AC chemo treatments.

Nausea is the worst. I HATE being nauseous. (Not really sure anyone really enjoys it but I really do hate it.) This is the kind of nausea where it literally gets worse when I talk to anyone or even type. So you can imagine how fun I was not talking to anyone in my own home. So don't be offended if I didn't call you back- I physically couldn't do it for fear of vomiting.

As I mentioned in a previous post, after my 2nd round the nausea was horrible and I could hardly eat anything. After speaking with Jamie and altering some of the meds, I took her advice about eating every 2 hours anything if I can or anything I want. And what did/do I want..... you guessed it: Jersey Mikes turkey sub and Mashed Potatoes- As soon as I leave a chemo treatment a Jersey Mikes sub is key, and makes sure I get something in before the nausea starts. Then come the potatoes. I'm eating a ridiculous amount of Mashed Potatoes. They are all I can get in some days and they helped the nausea so much! These help me get through the worst days of nausea and be able to get food down.

Extreme fatigue is also another side effect of chemo and each round it gets worse. I remember being so tired after having Harper and thinking I have never been this tired in my life. Chemo gave me a run for my money. This is a tired that takes over my whole body. My bones are tired. So just sleep, right? Nope I can only sleep for small windows of time. For example: An hour here, 2 hours there... INSOMNIA (Because why not)....another hour. I have never taken this many naps before and not felt rested at all. This is chemo.

Bone Pain is a side effect of the Day After Shot ( Udencya). This is the shot that helps to prevent infection and boosts my white blood cells. It stimulates the white blood cells in the bone marrow which results in bone pain. Oddly enough I was told to take Claritin daily to help with that pain. So I take it everyday but I still have bone pain. I can't imagine what it would be like if i didn't take the Claritin everyday. My ribcage, back bones, and legs are what hurt the most. So I live on ibuprofen and heating pads. The pain in my ribcage makes it hard for me to breathe for a few days and my tissue expanders hurt and pull. - No worries...I went to ER for this pain and was told everything looks good in my chest (heart and lungs) but the pain I feel is the muscles and tissue expanders. They gave me lidocaine patches to help for now until Im one this hump.

Emotional Surges- Man these are a doozy. They come in waves and are extreme. The worst days seem to be the Monday and Tuesday AFTER my chemo treatment. Thats when most of the preventive meds have worn off and all the discomfort pains are no longer numb. It's when the sadness comes in and I just need to cry. The realness of this whole journey peers its ugly head and I don't want to do it anymore. I feel the chemicals of chemo throughout my body at all times. I feel weak, my brain is foggy, and I'm uncomfortable. All those feelings lead to anxiety, anger and/or tears at any moment.

Chemo Brain Fog- This is like pregnancy brain fog times ten. I can't remember the words to say or certain things just excape my brain. It's painfully frustrating and an unfortunate chemotherapy reality.

Hair Loss and scalp pain - this was the one I dreaded most. Losing all my hair and the painful scalp too. I lost most of it after the 2nd AC treatment (when I finally shaved it off) but kept losing it through the last 2 as well. I've started to get used to it as best I can. By the last treatment my scalp pain had dissipated.

Now hairloss wasn't all bad. Losing it from my head sucked but it also has its benefits. Showers are super easy and fast. No bad hair days... and I found a freckle I never knew I had that matches my sons freckle on his head. Gentetics are weird! All of this I never would have known about it I hadn't shaved my head.

Also NO MORE SHAVING! If you read some earlier blogs you may remember my 1970's porno movie stage - when I couldn't bend my arms to clean up any areas that could use a razors touch... Well let me tell you an AC chemo benefit... it turned me from That 70s show into a 1990's Calvin Klein Basement Ad.

Gotta find those silver linings in this shitshow of a journey I'm on.

Another silver lining- I'm done with the AC (RED DEVIL- those are the red tubes below) Chemo part of my treatment- yay! Next up 12 weeks of Taxol chemo. Fingers crossed this will be a smoother phase.