Your Friday Update

First off, I apologize for not posting, my dear warriors. I was distracted by some really sh*tty family dynamics and boundaries not being respected. Cancer has really given me the push to stand up for myself. I just don’t have the energy to play like everything is okay and ignore serious toxic behaviors. It’s not all bad though. I learned when I got married in 2018 that I got to build my own family and I’m doing just that. Some in my family are blood relatives, some are not. But it’s my family that I’ve built and brings me joy. They call me out if I’m stupid, support me when I need it, and just show up. It’s what I believe family should be and I’m grateful for all of them.

Back to our regular scheduled programs….. Had my third taxol dose today. I think I’m starting to get a hang of how it will make me feel. I get Ativan and Benadryl as premedication, so I get sleepy while at treatment. The intent isn’t to make me sleepy; it’s to keep me from puking and from having an allergic reaction. I think the thought is: “you can’t puke if you’re asleep!”

Then they give me a steroid which gives me all the energy over the next day or two! They say it’s to also help with nausea, but I think it’s actually to give us cancer kids a little hope with the energy it provides.

When I get the taxol (chemo), I have to ice my hands and feet. This helps restrict the blood vessels so less chemo gets to them, and causes less side effects like neuropathy. This is a bit annoying because I want to write my letters and color during chemo, but can’t because my hands are in ice mittens. But since they give me the Benadryl and Ativan, I normally just snooze now until it’s time to go. I’m like your grandpa at holidays “resting his eyes.”

I’ve found my good days are Thursday, Friday, Saturday. This is most likely because of the steroids. I start to slow down Sunday and Monday, with Tuesday being my slowest day. My good days are soooo good. I feel like I’ve gotten a shot of adrenaline! Sometimes it can even feel like too much energy: my heart paces and I get anxiety. But they give me meds for that too. Meds on meds on meds.

My slower days, I’ve found it starts with tooth pain. My teeth just ache. The whole tooth. Just the tooth, not the gums. And I always forget that Tylenol exists. When I take it, it helps the pain, but I have to remember to. The tooth pain is weird, but a lot of my Breasties say they have gone through that too.

After that, everything starts to take a lot of energy. Stairs are the devil. Carrying laundry is not happening. Bending over to wash floors can wear me out real quick. I spend a lot of time on TikTok and social media, because it doesn’t require much energy on my part. These days can be depressing for me because I’d rather be more active, but I know if I push too hard I’m not setting myself up for success. So I just actively rest and heal.

I’ve started two new things that have really helped me. The first is my TikTok journey called “Walks with cancer: where the times get shorter and the walks get longer.” Five out of seven days a week, my goal is to walk down the hill outside our house and back up it. I have successfully done this two weeks in a row! It can really take the wind out of me on my slow days and I have to sit on the chair on the front porch, but dangit I do it!!!

The other new thing is a medication called Neurontin or Gapabentitin. These meds are normally given for nerve pain. For me, they are given for hot flashes. I was used to hot flashes the last 10 years, as I was in a medically-induced menopause to not have a period, due to my endometriosis. After I came off those meds, there was a 2-month period where I didn’t have the hot flashes! That was awesome!!! We were able to keep the house at above ice cooler levels. Then the chemo reached my lady bits or something, and hot flashes are back. But hot damn!! THIS IS ALL CAPS WORHTY! THE NEUONTIN MADE THOSE MOFOS GO AWAY! This is a little magical drug! It’s the first time I don’t have ANY hot flashes ANNNDD sleep through the night.

That’s the update. I do have some requests for help from y’all though. If you can help—great! If not, that okays. Just knowing I have warriors out there helps.

1 — Send pictures of your dogs

This is my Zen room. I colored almost all those color pages when I was working in the ER. After the cancer diagnosis, I’ve started adding all the cards you all send. They are amazing and thank you. I decided to start a new wall with pictures of your dogs and cards with dogs on it! Print those babies out and send them my way! It’s the little things like this that keep me going on the rough days.

2 — Commit to coming and helping sometime between
September 9–22, 2021

I am having my mastectomy, oophorectomy and lymph node reconstructions on September 7th. I will be kept at the hospital at least over night. During this 2-week time frame I’ll have a lot of physical restrictions. We’re gonna need help with cooking, cleaning, meds, and helping me move around the house. Please let either of us know an exact date and time/s you could help. It’s scary to ask.

3 — Send us a gift-card or suggestions to your favorite sit down Omaha restaurant

We went on a date on Wednesday and it really gave me life to be out of the house and with my husband not thinking of cancer. We plan on doing this every week until the big surgery Sept 7th.

4 — Check out the Amazon wish list.

5 — Donate to our GoFundMe.

Thank you all for everything and just being around during this wild ride. Things are going well. I’m making it through this and it’s because of you warriors.