Post #32: Not the Best Day, But Not Unexpected

Hello dear family and friends,

Well, the effects of the chemo kicked in a bit earlier this time. She woke up early this morning very nauseated. She also started feeling pain again in her abdominal area. However, these are the expected side effects and she herself realizes that this is "part of the program" - not that she likes it very much! Having these nausea bouts really hits her hard psychologically. Intellectually she realizes that it will pass, but she was hoping for an easier time of it this time around and it is disappointing to her to have it hit her hard again.

We have upped the nausea medication and also applied a Fentanyl patch to control the pain. She has not been able to eat much, but is drinking as much fluid as she can. She has had water, a vitamin fortified fruit drink, and some lemon sorbet this morning. She has been sleeping off and on, but even feeling so sick, her spirit is still there.

The big difference between this chemotherapy session and the first one is that she has been in much better condition going into this second round than she was for the first. She does weigh less now (currently 130 lbs.), but her heart muscle is strong and her blood tests show that all results are within accceptable levels. Her color before this treatment was good, she was free from pain and nausea, she had her energy back, she was vibrant and eating well. Her only complaint was the shortness of breath, but as I reported last night, that stopped right after the treatment and has not come back.

So although she feels awful, I think all the signs are good for the long run. We are monitoring her closely. I'll be working hard to keep her spirits up. Having gone through the first treatment and knowing that she made it and got better because of it, is proving a powerful aid in her continued fight!

More later,
Melissa