Cancer still sucks

I'm feeling a lot better since the last chemo treatment, but the day-to-day reminders of having cancer are wearing me down This weekend I was running a slight temperature and had a headache and neckache. Luckily, the temperature wasn't high enough to need to go to the emergency room. Today my port site has started aching and I'm a little worried it's somehow gotten infected. Just when I'm feeling better, little things like this remind me that I'm not healthy and normal. I guess I have to remember that I'm in it for the long haul and that there will be a lot of these ups and downs for a while.

Port scar, after six days

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Originally uploaded by meredithk02

In case anyone was wondering what they look like. No pain, but the scar is a little lumpy. The wire itself under the skin feels uncomfortable and spooky if I touch it, so I try not to! In case my Halloween costume this year doesn't work out, I'm going as "inexplicably-scarred-chest-lady." The mastectomy scars will really be the part that wows everyone. ;-)

First day of chemo

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Originally uploaded by meredithk02

Here's the first day of chemo. We got there about 11 am (I got a late appointment so I could sleep in), went through some explanations, saline, steroids, anti-nausea drugs, and then the adriamycin and cytoxan. We finally left around 2ish.

Of course, a little shopping therapy...I got this bed jacket in emerald http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31009992, so I could have something soft and comfy that would still give access to the port.

My little side-eye is due to the ickiness of the ice chips. I shouldn't complain, because they do have them there for you free, but they tasted pretty industrial, and when everything is going to tasty metallic and or slimy, fresh mountain spring ice chips would be better.

The red stuff going in there is the adriamycin (red kool-aid). It makes you pee orangey-red for a few days. Charming, right?

I'm awfully glad I had the port put in, even if it was a little sore. Compared to my sad arm bruises after the tests last week, a little soreness from the port is just fine.