A brief weekly update on Leaves on the Current
We are coming to the end of the week not on chemo, and it has been a difficult one. She caught a cold, always a problem when one is in the overall chemo cycle, because of the body's reduced immune system. A cold is less worrisome than a fever - in that case we call the oncologist immediately. But it still had its share of problems. By Tuesday evening she could no longer taste anything.
Our hope of course was that this would be a temporary phenomenon, but we did not know. I began scrambling to try to find something that she could taste, but was not having any success. We varied textures to see if it would help stimulate her appetite, but that worked minimally. Fortunately she did not have trouble taking fluids, but she really was not getting any nutrition.
SHE was too weak to go to work on Thursday and spent most of the day sleeping, trhying to shake the cold. She finally got to her office late afternoon on Friday, and on the way home we decided to stop for some Thai food. I got her a very hot curry while she waited in the car. When we got home she was able to eat about 2/3 of it, and felt as if she had a little bit of taste, which considering how spicy the dish was was both somewhat worrisome but also welcoming - at least SOME sense of taste.
Yesterday was a bit better. She was able to eat a bit more, even though she still is suffering the effects of the cold. She decided she wanted ginger bread, which unfortunately I could not find. She at a slice of pumpkin loaf and I was able to locate some Swedish ginger crackers, which she felt she could also just about taste. Her spirits were further brightened when she found on cable a marathon of Helen Mirren in "Prime Suspect."
She sees her oncologist on Tuesday, and resumes chemo that day as well, which means starting the day with steroids.
Life goes on, and we count the days until she sees the neurosurgeon and we get some idea of when they will be able to help fix her back.
We thank everyone for their continued good wishes and prayers.
Again, we love you.
Peace.
Our hope of course was that this would be a temporary phenomenon, but we did not know. I began scrambling to try to find something that she could taste, but was not having any success. We varied textures to see if it would help stimulate her appetite, but that worked minimally. Fortunately she did not have trouble taking fluids, but she really was not getting any nutrition.
SHE was too weak to go to work on Thursday and spent most of the day sleeping, trhying to shake the cold. She finally got to her office late afternoon on Friday, and on the way home we decided to stop for some Thai food. I got her a very hot curry while she waited in the car. When we got home she was able to eat about 2/3 of it, and felt as if she had a little bit of taste, which considering how spicy the dish was was both somewhat worrisome but also welcoming - at least SOME sense of taste.
Yesterday was a bit better. She was able to eat a bit more, even though she still is suffering the effects of the cold. She decided she wanted ginger bread, which unfortunately I could not find. She at a slice of pumpkin loaf and I was able to locate some Swedish ginger crackers, which she felt she could also just about taste. Her spirits were further brightened when she found on cable a marathon of Helen Mirren in "Prime Suspect."
She sees her oncologist on Tuesday, and resumes chemo that day as well, which means starting the day with steroids.
Life goes on, and we count the days until she sees the neurosurgeon and we get some idea of when they will be able to help fix her back.
We thank everyone for their continued good wishes and prayers.
Again, we love you.
Peace.