Still going good and strong

Hello everyone! Just finished the second cycle of the new chemo and my body is starting to adjust to all the new meds, finally. Of course I still get fluids twice a week and do all of my pre meds as directed. It really helps to keep me from getting so sick. I think the worst two side effects are the nausea and fatigue. But I can manage. My hands and feet also are starting to get discoloration that looks like bruising, it’s not painful or anything, just looks weird. The doctor says that it’s normal, but if they get dry and start cracking then they will lower the dosage on the chemo, but until then we’ll keep the dose the same. They want to keep the dosage as high as my body will tolerate. Other than that I’ve been feeling pretty good and have been enjoying eating again. I haven’t gained any weight, but I do eat.

So we are now in the pre planning stages of downsizing our home. My long term benefits with work will end in May of 2022 and that will be a significant loss in our income so we will need to find something with cheaper rent. Our 3 options are a cheaper, smaller rental if we can find one. An apartment, or a 5th wheel RV. We are going this weekend to look at some things. I’m not excited about this change, but I know it is inevitable. 😦

I wear glasses daily now. My blood sugars and vision finally stabilized so that I could get an accurate vision prescription. I just needed slight correction for distance and correction for reading. So I got trifocals, I can’t do the progressives, tried them twice before and could never get used to them. So the trifocals also have the correction for computer distance. So, so far they are really working well for me.

This is how blessed I am….I have made it for 4 years now. I have breast cancer in all five places that breast cancer goes to..the breast, lungs, liver, bones, and brain. I have been on consistent treatment of radiation and chemo for the last 4 years, and I’m still going strong. Cancer will not get me down!

To be honest my quality of life isn’t the best, but I am still blessed to be here living and breathing. I get to still enjoy my wonderful husband, kids, grandkids, the sunshine, the rain, windy days, my fireplace and if I want a weekend trip to the beach, we go.

I now have to ride in a wheelchair if we go places that require a lot of walking because I don’t have the lung capacity to walk long distances anymore, which sucks. I also have a fancy walker in case I need it. The neuroapathy in my feet and hands has affected the way I walk and type on this computer. And being so skinny now, at barely 110 pounds, I have no fat insulation to keep me warm, so I’m always cold!!

I can’t work anymore, so I stay home and try to keep busy. The fatigue and lack of energy keep me from doing a lot of things. Retiring early was a hard pill to swallow but I have finally accepted it. I watch TV, read, write, do puzzles, diamond paint, and color in adult coloring books. But mainly I try to manage my health…eat, drink, and don’t fall down.

So no matter where this cancer spreads to or grows, I will continue to fight with conventional treatment. I’m glad I didn’t go the holistic way cause I know of a lot of folks who did and they are no longer with us. 😦 I believe I’d be gone now too had I gone that route. I get scans again in mid-Dec and am praying for good news. I would like to start the new year with no radiation needed and still doing good on this chemo.

Goodnight everyone!

L.