Friday, January 2, 2009

Here we go!

I started my Arimidex today. This is yet another part of my cancer treatment...hopefully, the last part. If all goes well, I will be on this medication for the next five years. The list of side effects for this drug goes on and on and on......but, so far I'm not experiencing anything that I can't handle. One of the big ones is hot flashes! I've been having those anyway as a result of the chemotherapy and the shot of Lupron I got last week. One of the other possible side effects is "irritability". Hmmm, really.....well now, let's not go into detail about that one!! Frankly, I'm not sure I can get more irritable than I have been these days. Sometimes, I feel like I'm mad at the world....only it's my family that gets the brunt of it...not the world. I think part of it is that everything is such an effort for me these days. My energy level is nowhere near where it was before all this started. Every part of my body hurts...especially my joints. I have put on several pounds and I've yet to be able to shed them....although honestly, with the holidays and all....I'm not really trying. I feel uncomfortable because of the extra weight.
The swelling is a day to day thing....I'm still experiencing some pitting edema and my left arm is in the beginning stages of lymphedema so it is swollen most of the time. Some days I just feel like Violet from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory!
My hair is beginning to grow...ever so slowly! I would call it...fuzzy. I lost most of my eyebrows and eyelashes although some of them held on. Right now, I basically look like.........a cancer patient! Imagine that!
I don't know why I'm whining so much! I really have no right to. We have been so blessed with the help of wonderful friends and family (especially this Thanksgiving/Christmas season) that it seems wrong to be bummed about anything at all! It's just that, well, at the end of the day.....I still have cancer and that really sucks! I wonder if there is a patron saint of whiners?

Well, I had no intention of making this a pity party....but I'm glad you came anyway! There's certainly no fun in having a party all by yourself!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Sweetie, you are entitled...and as always in my prayers. I wish I was there to give you a big hug!

Barbara said...

I agree with Therese -- you are entitled to whine. I'm sorry you're going through the side effects of chemo. It does stink! Do you have a nice cotton cap? I'd be happy to make you one.

Tracy said...

Now listen.. you have every single right to have a pity party whenever you darn well need one and we will be right here to listen and Pray with you and for you.. I wish I could do more for you but it seems like you sure have been blessed with some good help.. that is great!! I'm sorry your going through all this junk and I'm praying like crazy that this will pass as fast as possible and you'll feel better soon.. ((HUGS))