Before I began chemo, my doctor warned me about the intense fatigue I will experience. Up until this point I think I have been pretty lucky energy wise. But this time it really hit me hard. I am seriously exhausted. I just want to sleep. I always have to catch my breath. Just chewing my food too fast makes me short of breath. I got out of the hospital two days ago. My hemoglobin was low. About a 10.7. A normal person is 12 to 15. It is normal for my hemoglobin to be low after chemo, however if it gets below a 7 that is when I would need a blood transfusion. My doctor doesn’t expect that happening though. Yesterday I received my nuelasta shot which is given 12 hours after chemo ends to bring my blood counts slowly back up. The shot is worse than chemo itself. It stings going in and it causes bone pain that lasts about a week. It’s horrible. I would say the hardest day out of all of this is the day after I get that shot. My body hurts so bad all over. Everything feels like a bruise. It hurts to move and be touched. The worst is the day after the shot and then it gets better and better until I feel normal again in about a week. So I have been in bed all day. My daughter is with her friend for the weekend which really helps! She is keeping busy and having fun which is how it should be. I’m so thankful for that! I know it would be much harder for her if she had to watch me go through my tough days. She has a very special home away from home where she goes when I’m not feeling well (or when I’m feeling perfectly fine for that matter) and I am so thankful for that!
On another note, my eyebrows are almost MIA. I was really hoping to hold on to those babies. There is just something about the eyebrows going that makes this feel so much more real. It makes me feel like I have to hide more. I have I hide my head. Now I have to make sure I have the eyebrows on. It’s just another annoying thing I can live with I guess.
If everything continues going well I should half way through at this point!!
Staying positive š
I had cancer and this is my story... 
Shots & Eyebrows & Pain. Three of my worst subjects too. I’m still praying for you. Your one of the strongest people I have ever met. All I can say is your still very beautiful & truly amazing and I’m waiting to see these secret photos. God bless you.
LikeLike
Hi Amy….Lorene told us about this site. We will add you to our prayers…..I am Lorene’s sister-in-law so I believe that makes me your great aunt Judy….married to Darrel. God bless you with healing, peace, comfort, and whatever else you need!
LikeLike
and I’m Judy & Darrel’s daughter, Cherie…we must be some sort of cousins. Lorene is my Aunt! Will be praying for you for a speedy & complete recovery.
LikeLike
My heart is with you every day, Amy. When you write about each stage and the way your body is reacting, it reminds me how I arrived at my “now”, what I’ve always called my “new norms”.
Different people have various levels of comfort sharing reactions to stages along their cancer journey. For those who haven’t experienced it, they would never realize the day to day, sometimes minute to minute, changes.
And extreme challenges!
Your strong medical team, your dear family, your close friends, and your deep faith give you what you need to face the effects of each stage.
I truly understand how you feel when you mistakenly leave the house without what you feel is your “complete attire”.
Just this morning, I left the house without my boobs and my brows! : /
By nature, we are vain.
Isn’t it difficult enough, I sometimes ask myself, just working to survive cancer, without all the extraneous side effects??!
But then I think of my mantra, for my own situation, and I find I can chuckle with myself. “When life gives you lemons, stick ’em in your bra.”
I hope you can find a mantra that helps you at your toughest times.
I know you have everything else you need to find your way thru this journey.
Thinking of you always, Amy. We miss you and your mom at HQ.
LikeLike
Thank you Bev for sharing that with me. I was able to go to the last sale! I missed you though. I will be at every sale I can! š
LikeLike