Day six since the first chemo session.
Quite a bit to report. First of all, I actually woke up feeling hungry today! So I had my first proper brekky in days. The only unpleasant lingering side effect is quite painful lower abdominal cramps, which started yesterday. I’m assuming this is a reaction to having had severe dire rear since Tuesday (probably TMI but WTF) and so I won’t rush off to emergency unless they either get worse or continue after the weekend. Oh, and my hand still hurts. But other than that I feel almost normalish.
To wit, I even ventured outside today with nursemyra for some lunchtime tapas at a new place called Cava Europa. Afterwards I was pretty tired so we came back to casa az , got all floppy in front of the electric fans and watched a DVD.
While I was at lunch I got a couple of text messages from Nog. He’s spending the day at a theme park called Terra Mitica – 52 kids and 4 staff! At one point he wrote to tell me he’d been on a couple of rides just to show the kids he’s not a wuss. 
Yesterday there was a ‘changing of the guard’ when Pipocas left for a ten-day trip and La J came back from doing the Camino de Santiago and moved in next door. And not a moment too soon because the cat box was getting seriously whiffy (La J helped as I wasn’t able to change it this week because of my dodgy hand – no strength in it). So it’s nice to know that there is now a friend and next-door neighbour there to help me with practical stuff, especially when I can’t get out of the house.
Oh, and … does happy dance … I found out yesterday that the lovely Sara & Steve (aka strangelittleangel and Blues Shark) will be coming back to Sevilla the first two weeks of September! This is such wonderful news and I can’t wait to see them both again. I just hope I’m not in hospital during their visit…
So that’s my first progress report. I’m hoping that I’m over the worst of the chemo side effects now (until next time) and that the next two weeks will be less stressful and scary. But I still plan on taking things easy and paying attention to what my body needs. As Sara says, it’s a very steep learning curve.
Saturday, 5 July 2008 at 6:47 pm
Ahhh, happy dancing – that is a good sign
Saturday, 5 July 2008 at 6:55 pm
I’m so glad to hear you are feeling better and that the support system is forming for you. There are happy dances going on all over the world for you!
Saturday, 5 July 2008 at 11:08 pm
Oh, hunger does sound like a good sign. I’m so glad. And glad that you have people nearby to help and give support in person.
I’m sorry to hear about the abdominal cramps. Is there someone you can call to ask about that?
Thanks for the progress report. I’ve been thinking about you every day.
Sunday, 6 July 2008 at 12:24 pm
A happy jig happening here in South East England too.
Sunday, 6 July 2008 at 1:23 pm
You know, of course, that you’re so hateful, mean, contrary and set in your ways that you’ll live to be 100 . . .;)
Sunday, 6 July 2008 at 2:42 pm
So true, FFE!
Eating and dancing, are we? Wonderful news, Az. My love to you and nursemyra.
xoxo
Sunday, 6 July 2008 at 3:31 pm
You forgot spiteful, FFE.
Global happy dancing sounds good to me. Keep up the good work, everybody.
This is nursemyra’s last full day in Sevilla so we’re just hanging out. I think the tapas yesterday were a bit too something for my system so today we’re doing takeaway pizza (basically cheese on toast), which nm is very kindly picking up for us as I write. Then it’ll be more flopping on the sofa … do we know how to have fun or what?
Sunday, 6 July 2008 at 11:17 pm
Glad you are feeling a tad better,,, and feeling like eating is always a good sign
I need to speak to my friend in Madrid and see what she has planned for my stay in August… will drop you an e mail soon
Take care x
Monday, 7 July 2008 at 12:32 am
Well, I put ’spiteful’ in the first draft but forgot to keep it.
My bad.
Monday, 7 July 2008 at 12:39 am
[...] not quite as pretty as ’spitfire,’ Az, but it’s fast, quick to respond and respects careful handling . . [...]
Monday, 7 July 2008 at 5:35 am
That all sounds good, heading in the right direction
And I like the choice of image for this post – Monarch butterfly from caterpillar through chrysalis to beautiful butterfly!
Monday, 7 July 2008 at 8:57 pm
I also liked the choice of image. I also crafted a wonderful comment yesterday and it was eaten by cyberspace so I threw up my hands in despair and went out and did something else.
I am a member of the global happy dancers for you. And I will be sitting by with supportive thoughts when you go in for your next treatment, since I can’t come up with the many hundreds of dollars it would take to go to Seville and hold your hand in person.
Tuesday, 8 July 2008 at 4:16 am
You sound better, that’s good. Now get even better and that will be great! XOXOXOXO
Still hoping to give you a big old bear hug in the Fall. You should get better so I can crack your ribs without fear of them not healing.
Take care and be good, if you can’t be good, be careful and if you can’t be careful blame it on the wine!
Tuesday, 8 July 2008 at 11:51 am
Yeah, I quite like that image too, truce. I think I’m going to use it for all my progress reports.
Too bad about your other comment, hmh. I checked my spam file and it wasn’t there. Keep dancing.
This week is much better. I’ve started going out for walks every day. I still have abdominal cramps but as I have to go to the hospital tomorrow for my pre-op tests I’ll ask someone about them then. Other than that and feeling more tired than usual I really can’t complain.
Not much wine these days, Craig. I sometimes have a glass at lunchtime because I read it helps stimulate appetite. Also it helps me relax. But more than that really doesn’t agree with me. I’m really really looking forward to that bearhug honey. It’ll be so lovely seeing you again. Hey, maybe we could go to Gibraltar.
Wednesday, 9 July 2008 at 9:20 am
Are you by chance on GCSF or similar immune stimulants? I was, and got what I thought were abdominal pains but later clarified into back pains; apparently it’s a side effect for certain unique constitutions. They switched me to a related, but more expensive drug, and everything was fine after that.
At least your wine will last longer. You might want to investigate aperitifs like Lillet and of course dry sherry, because not only do they definitely stimulate appetite, but they are stronger and thus last longer in the fridge.
Wednesday, 9 July 2008 at 5:04 pm
I’m not on anything other than the three days I was on ondansetran. Well, and the Xeloda (capecitabina) pills I’m taking morning and night for 14 days.
As this was my first time it’s possible my oncologist will adjust the treatment when I see her next time (July 21st).
Thursday, 10 July 2008 at 12:07 am
[...] on surprise visit!azahar on side effects may include…azahar on progress report (1)nursemyra on surprise visit!Big Bad Johnny P on carpe diemraincoaster on [...]
Friday, 11 July 2008 at 12:50 am
Az, I’ve been looking into what can help the nausea, but it sounds like you’re rebounding pretty quickly to be able to have an appetite after a week.
I hope you and NM had a rollicking good hanging out together…much happy dancing on this side of the pond, including the furries — oh, wait, I think Missy’s just kicking Bogie’s butt again! But Rocket’s…er, rocketing!
Sunday, 27 July 2008 at 10:55 am
[...] Wow, this is way worse than the first time. [...]