Post-Chemo

(the hospital where I spent my day)

(Remember, looking at everything through endometriosis-colored glasses)

I survived my mom's second chemo treatment.  I feel significantly more tired, physically and emotionally drained tonight.  The tired part I would guess has to do with not being able to sleep the night before the chemo (happened to me last time too) and I know I am physically drained just because it was sitting in not the most comfortable chairs for over six hours.  Sitting for long periods of time still doesn't make my body feel good and by the end of the day my back was just in spasms.  No part is looking forward to having to go back to the hospital again, wait around again, so my mom can get a shot to help with her white blood cell production.  That sounds selfish, I'm aware.  I want to help, I want Mom to do everything she can do to be well, but I am just tired and I want to sleep until Friday and avoid hospitals until the next treatment.  I'm also nervous that I will not feel good tomorrow and will have to worry about pain meds and driving Mom, who shouldn't take herself, and then possibly a long wait for the shot, simply because waiting seems to be the norm in hospitals.  Or at least this one.  So I'm hoping I can sleep tonight and tomorrow goes smoothly.  Even driving not far again tomorrow seems impossible in my head right now but I could also wake up and be more rested and not feel too bad.  So I will see what happens and fingers are crossed.

Doctor's Visit (Feb 2014)

Ok, so I went to see my doctor, Dr. K, on Tuesday.  I know I said I was going so I should post a summary.  Basically, it went exactly how I thought it would go.  I am going back for my follow-up appointment in 4 weeks, rather than my regular 3 months, due to the stressors that have loomed large over the past month or so.  At that point, I will hopefully be feeling better, but if not, she said she would likely recommend trying Lupron.  Lupron is a drug that essentially fools your body into thinking it has hit menopause.  I've avoided it and not wanted to take it due to the many horrible side effects (hot flashes, irritability, mood swings, mental breakdowns, any and all menopausal related side effects) I've read about, but Dr. K said she would feel pretty good about it now because it is always accompanied by hormone replacement therapies.  Also, since I have been getting a hormone injection already which lowers my estrogen levels, the change would not be as drastic as it would be normally.  Honestly, I still am not all that excited about the prospect and I would prefer feeling better in a month, but if she recommends it, I will probably do it.  I haven't regretted any course of treatment she has suggested/implemented so far so she's earned my trust.  Plus, pain sucks, so if I feel bad in another 4 weeks, I will probably be interested in anything.  Lupron is a federally regulated drug that I have to apply for through my doctor's office (or they apply for me) and I would need approval to start it.  I did not know that part until yesterday.  For now I just got my regular hormone/birth control injection.  That does sometimes help with pain management when it kicks in, probably at the end of the week.