Round 5, days 9, 10, 11 (Sat., Sun, Mon.)

Ok, I didn't do so well updating the blog every day like I said! But there really wasn't much to tell over the weekend. Sat. we went shopping for bridesmaid dresses, and found the perfect one! Sun., Alyssa, Rich and I went shopping for furniture for Alyssa and Jaren. Again, we were successful and found a couch and loveseat combo real cheap!
Shopping really wears me out, and I get very weak, especially my legs. No surprise when I spent most of the previous week laying in bed! While dress shopping the girls were very good to me and as soon as I said I was getting tired of standing they got me a chair and MADE me sit down. A few minutes later I was back up, and they MADE me sit down again! lol They take good care of me!
Well, I'll tell you about my adventure today, but its not a story I really want to tell! Its very unpleasant, but I can hardly update the blog without mentioning it. Alyssa and I went to look at another apartment today, and usually I really enjoy getting out with her, even if I'm weak and tired. But today I just wasn't feeling well--woke up with a headache and felt tired and run down. I have also been having hemorrhoid-type pain(this is the unpleasant part!) for several days, sometimes so bad I was in tears. I started wondering if I had an infection "back there". When I got home today I realized I might have a fever so I took my temp a few times, and it ranged from 99.8 to 100.2. I really just wanted to go to sleep, but figured I should call my oncologist and let him decide what I should do, if anything. Of course I knew he'd want me to come in, he always does when I call! So I met Rich at work and he drove me down to Regions. I had blood drawn to check my blood counts, then saw another doc, since mine was really busy. He took a peek and thought I might have a fistula, which happens alot in people who have had radiation in that area, and its only resolved by surgery. But he wanted Dr. J., my onc., to take a look to see what he thought. Not sure what's going on "back there", but got a prescription for 2 antibiotics, and Percoset for pain. Also, my wbc was real low again, so they gave me a Neupogen shot there, and I'll do 1 tomorrow and 1 Wed. here at home. I should be good for chemo on Friday. Oh, and I have to take sitz baths with epsom salt, and drink metamucil or citrucel (sp?) EVERY DAY. Not just once in awhile, like I've been. So, that's my story!
I usually have a lot of pain and bleeding for a few days right after chemo, and I told the doc last time about it. I told him I thought the chemo going through my system really irritated the skin in that area. He nodded and told me its "chemo recall". Huh? Apparently since the combo of radiation and 5FU was so hard on my system this summer, everytime I have the 5FU now, it reacts somewhat like it did during radiation--my body "remembers" the bad things it did to my skin then! I'm finding there are alot of things I wasn't told by my radiation doc! I can get these fistula things, bladder infections, etc. for a long time after radiation is over.
Well, wasn't that fun? I want others with colon cancer to know ALL the side effects, especially if they have radiation also, like I did.
Tomorrow I am planning on staying home! I've got a ton of mail and a pile of papers to go through, plus bills to pay. I think Thurs. Lys and I might look a 2nd time at an apartment, then she want to make a decision, so she can move in on Jan. 1st (which happens to be her 22nd birthday!). Yikes! What will I do without her here??? She'll have to come spend the day with me on my bad days--she's so good to me I'm sure she will anyways. Thankfully, I'll be almost done with chemo by then!
Enough for now! Time to go to bed!
Love,
Tina
ps If none of this makes sense--blame the percoset :)