I woke up this morning to lab services taking my blood at 6:00 AM. That is pretty normal. But this morning they had to stick me three times to get it right. It happens I guess after you have been stuck 900 times in the past seven days. So I got up to put in my contacts and wash-up, and I noticed in the mirror my face is wider. What the? Oh yeah. Steroids. I am taking steroids to counter the effects of the ATRA. Yuck. So with this happy thought I stumble back to bed. Why do I stumble? I have swollen ankles from all the fluids off the IV drips. Meh.
So I talk to my doctors as I do most mornings. Found out I was wrong about the first chemotherapy round. It is actually four doses over eight days. So for this round, we are finished on Monday. Then the fight is on! Out with the mutated cell production in with the new! Then three more rounds of chemotherapy later on. Long road ahead. As for the steroid changes, those should not be permanent. They gave me a diaretic today to start peeing off the fluid retention. So all gets better or right eventually.
Good visit from Sarah today. She has been here for both chemotherapy sessions. It puts my mind at ease. It would be easy to get a little freaked when you know something that strong, that toxic is being dumped in your body.
It was so sweet to see you and Sarah spooning today. I have been praying every other day at one pm for the chemo to be working and doing a fab job. Will miss seeing you for the next 2 weeks. Love you! Katy