Today's Shout Outs:

Nancy G, Nancy R, LouLou, Osterloh's, Laurie J, Dana V, Donna McE (x2), Niki E, Donna C, Laura S, Michele H, Suzi M, June K, Kelly B, Karen H, Carol W, Suzanne D, Christi B, MIL, Barbara Diane,

Daniela B, Ardele McF, Betty B, Carol J, Peg C, Susie W, ShareaCard

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I'd like to thank ShareaCard for sponsoring my story this month.  I just received a lot of amazing cards from their members just the other day.  If you could head on over to check out their non profit organization, I'd appreciate it.  

This is their mission statement:

The mission of ShareaCard is to send a message of encouragement to those suffering from serious illness and in need of cheer. This will happen thru the mailing of greeting cards to those in need.

If you know someone that is need of cheer via cards (handmade or store bought), feel free to suggest them as a ShareaCard feature.

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Dear friends,

Finally, finally, I'm feeling better.  This last week was tough, but as usual, you were there to keep me going!  I thought I'd describe a little of what was happening with my physically.  For the most part, I've been following a pattern of sorts where I would start feeling better by Tuesday, but the last couple of rounds of chemo have taken a bit longer to get over the side effects, the main ones being the fatigue and nausea.  My oncologist did say way back when that the effects can be accumulative as time goes on.  These last two sessions are leaning towards this direction.

There are a couple of other issues that are starting to play a role too.  Last Thursday (morning of chemo) I woke up nauseated.  I knew this wasn't right because this is the one time that I had felt good.  Yes, I always got anxious the night before, but physically I have always felt the best right before each chemo session.  Add this to the fact that medical smells and such were also starting to affect me more strongly, plus whenever I'd start talking to someone about the process of chemo, it would again bring up slight nauseousness as well.  What all this boils down to is my BRAIN... not so easy to shut down and when combined with "real" icky feelings its hard to trust it.

Anyway, I'm going to sign up for some free sessions of visualization techniques that are available to cancer patients, as well as some acupuncture.   I realize I will probably need some help dealing with the psychosomatic symptoms and if it will help in other ways then kudos to the world and me!  Trust me, I'll keep you all posted.

The other ailment that was more annoying than debilitating was body soreness.  I can only assume that this might be the result of the neupogen shots?  I don't know,  except for the fact that to touch me was to make me sore.  This muscle achiness ran all the way from the bottom of ears, jaw, neck, down to my thighs.

And above all, the nausea... whoaaa nelly that was the ultimate killer.  When I'm nauseous, my mouth waters like you won't believe and add that to the fact that even water tastes bad, it's just a bad combo.  I have this urge to spit every 10 seconds, like I said, the whole experience is just gross.  I'd rather be so fatigued that I could sleep 4 days straight!!!  One more component that just adds to the mess and confusion can be the difficulty to keep up on the timing of taking all the different medications.

But the point is yay... its looking like the sun is shining on the other side!  I had an incredible urge to craft so I created a quick card for ya'll!!!  Oops, picture is slightly blurry, but a nice sweet and simple card.

Ingredients are mostly Papertrey ink

Until next time.

-Katie