Happy To Have PMS??!
When I opened my eyes Saturday morning, I stayed in bed for a moment while I did an inventory of my body. Achy joints? No. Nausea? No. Headache? No. Full head of hair? Yes!
It wasn’t until I got up and started moving around that I noticed how bloated I felt. My hands and feet were especially swollen, and after scrutinizing the rest of my body, my face seemed puffy and broken out, too. I wondered if the water retention and spots on my face were a side effect of the pre-chemo steroid. So I jumped on the computer and did a Google search noticing that this could be a result of the dexamethasone I had been given the night before. I was sort of bummed out to think that I’d spend the next six months spotty and squishy, but realized that if this was the worst it was going to get, I’d suck it up.
After bemoaning my new found physical state, I set out for a 40-minute walk and had enough oomph left over to go around our landscaping looking for and pulling up weeds. When I was done with that, I got cleaned up and we headed out for lunch and live music at Central Market. I noticed that I was less than enthused about finding something to eat, so I decided to let Nat make the decisions about our lunch fare while I wheeled Ethan around looking for things that struck his fancy.
Once we got outside and settled into our table, I managed cheese, bread and some fruit. It wasn’t a struggle, but I wasn’t “over the moon” about lunch either. By noon, I was ready for a nap, which of course prompted an “I wonder if I’m tired and lacking an appetite because of chemo?” Still, I thought, “If this is as bad as it gets, chemo is totally do-able.” So instead of fighting my body, I allowed myself to doze off and on for a couple of hours Saturday afternoon. By early evening I settled back into the couch again and woke up just before it was time to get ready for bed. Sleep came easily again, and this morning I woke up to discover the reason for all of my chemo "side effects" – fatigue, breaking out, water retention – was nothing more than PMS.
So – there you have it - week two of chemo and still nothing happening as a result of it. I feel fine, and I can’t believe I’m even going to say this, but I’m happy to know that I had a temporary case of PMS which ultimately is so much easier to deal with than what I thought was going to be six months of perpetual acne, water retention and fatigue.
Lots of love and a smile! Lisa
-MESSAGES-
Incredible Lady Lisa... You don't know me personally, but I am a friend of your parents and so in a way, I feel like I know you. Your dad was my principal and then my superintendent when I was teaching...and I still like him! :-) Back to you....I have been reading your posts for a few weeks now, and admire your attitude regarding the cancer, your treatments, the "ifs" and "maybes" about the whole thing. (By the way, you are an excellent writer!) I think of you often and do pray for the best for you during this "chapter" in your life. I am sure you will come through it and out of it a much stronger person for this experience...one which you probably never anticipated to happen. Keep smiling and maintaining your great outlook! God Bless You, Lisa...I am praying for you... J. H.
Sunday afternoon Lisa You crack me up!!!! I'm so excited it was PMS!!!!! Who knew that we girls would EVER be excited about that!!!!! It would be way too cool if you beat the whole hair loss thing! You could look cancer in the face and say...I'm yours! I'm keeping my hair!!!! Take care! Love, M.
PMS! I agree w/ the previous post - who would ever think we could be happy to have PMS! :) ha! Your story continues to inspire me. I think about you every day and you really do give me strength. I know you didn't choose this path, but I think you are such an inspiration, even when you aren't trying to be. Many blessings to you and your family.
ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL WEATHER! XOXO ((((HUGS))))
Greetings from Miami Glad to hear that you are doing well with the chemo so far. We think of you often and send our love. A. A. and U. J.