Hidey-Ho Neighbor!!!

tuffenuff

I just realized it's been a really long time since I was on here. I hope everyone is doing better, getting better, getting healthy, etc...

As for me, I get another scan on Friday. Everything has been clean as a whistle so far. Let's have a repeat of that please! My swallowing is good, the saliva is the issue there. I have probably 60% of my normal saliva function but don't make me eat a cracker without some dip! My taste is at a tolerable level. Most things have flavor now, even if it isn't the same flavor I remember. I still lose it after a few bites on some things.

Went to the dentist today. I have some enamel erosion on my two front teeth, top and bottom. She said that may have happenend even without radiation. Otherwise, everything looked pretty much as it always had. I have to keep up with fluoride trays (which I had not been doing) and she says she sees no indication at this time of any potential issues.

I'm in school (Fine Arts) almost full time hours. Since it's all studio classes I am not experienceing any issues due to my short term memory failure. (Yes, failure. I can't remember crap from one day to the next.) Fatigue is another story altogether. I've recently been put on anxiety and depression meds. Doc says maybe it will help with the fatigue. Who knows??? I had a sleep study done and we found that I never get past the 2nd stage of sleep. So I'm asleep but it's not restorative sleep. Blurrrg... Whatever...

Regarding the depression meds, I said "I am not depressed! I am in school. my husband is amazing, our bills are paid... Why would I be depressed???" Then the doc pointed out that I probably have no serotonin right now so I was like ok maybeeee. Then I realized I have had cancer twice. That alone could cause anxiety and depression even if you don't think you have any reason to be down. So I take the pill(s) and we shall see what comes of it. I do think they are helping but I don't see how ANY pill in the world could take away the worry.

It's probably pretty clear that I am no longer taking any ADD medication lol. It dries my mouth out too bad so I just have to wing it. So far, so good but I can tell you I could NEVER EVER do the kind of work I use to do, or anything like it at all. No attention span plus short term memory issues = airhead.

Anyway, I hope everyone is still hanging around and I would love to hear updates.

 

Cindy

 

Oh yeah, this is my haircolor now. It has become my signature I guess.

 

CivilMatt

doing fine

Cindy,

 

You sound like you are on the “normal” road to recovery.  After you described eating a steak at less than 1 month post I thought you would do fine.  Being able to eat is half the battle (sometimes).

 

Starting today I’ll smile when I see bright colored hair and I’ll think of you.  Good luck in school and keep healing forward.

 

By-the-way I am doing fine, I can eat anything, my taster is now in middle school, I sleep all night (past stage 2?), I talk semi-normal and have a dry mouth and some spit.

 

Best,

 

Matt

Skiffin16

Steak...

Doing fine here myself....

Steak at a month..., poor Matt I think it takes him a month to eat a steak, and even then it still tastes bad.

I have faith his buds are gonna pull through though...

Best,

John

phrannie51

Whoo Hoo on the hair!!

Some of the changes we get at the end of this treatment are just plain fun!! 

It's great to hear that you're doing so well....I remember you eating that steak, too....I was impressed!  I've got maybe 30% of my spit back, but the same taste fatigue....5 or 6 bites and that's it (doesn't stop me from eating, but really....if a person is going to pile calories in, it sure would be a lot more fun if it tasted sinful).

I've got a scan coming up on the 25th....I'm sure it'll be ok, but like you said....nothing takes the worry away....it's always hanging out there even when there isn't a scan due. 

How come would serotonin go away?  Is that a side effect of chemo?  Just curious, since I'm Ms. Anxiety most of the time, and insomia is always part of my week (I was blaming it on the shift work....maybe it's not due to that?)

Anyway, it's great to hear from you....

p

katenorwood

Love, love the hair color !

Cindy,

Great to hear from you !  I am so inspired by you, full time  fine art school !  You bring up a good subject.  Do we realize all the factors that hit us after tx's ?  No probably not.  Depression, anxiety or ptsd....doesn't matter.  As long as we keep putting one foot in front of the other, and realize we made it this far.  I hope things continue to move ahead for you Cindy !  Stay in touch !   Katie 

hwt

katenorwood said:

Love, love the hair color !

Cindy,

Great to hear from you !  I am so inspired by you, full time  fine art school !  You bring up a good subject.  Do we realize all the factors that hit us after tx's ?  No probably not.  Depression, anxiety or ptsd....doesn't matter.  As long as we keep putting one foot in front of the other, and realize we made it this far.  I hope things continue to move ahead for you Cindy !  Stay in touch !   Katie 

Cindy

Thanks for checking in... it's great to hear from you. Glad to hear that things are going well. God bless!  

tuffenuff

phrannie51 said:

Whoo Hoo on the hair!!

Some of the changes we get at the end of this treatment are just plain fun!! 

It's great to hear that you're doing so well....I remember you eating that steak, too....I was impressed!  I've got maybe 30% of my spit back, but the same taste fatigue....5 or 6 bites and that's it (doesn't stop me from eating, but really....if a person is going to pile calories in, it sure would be a lot more fun if it tasted sinful).

I've got a scan coming up on the 25th....I'm sure it'll be ok, but like you said....nothing takes the worry away....it's always hanging out there even when there isn't a scan due. 

How come would serotonin go away?  Is that a side effect of chemo?  Just curious, since I'm Ms. Anxiety most of the time, and insomia is always part of my week (I was blaming it on the shift work....maybe it's not due to that?)

Anyway, it's great to hear from you....

p

I have to admit she talked

I have to admit she talked about serotonin, dopamine AND norepinephrine and I cannot truly remember if its a case of having too much or not enough of whatever. She did say that chemo affects it all For a temporary period of time. I'm on Wellbutrin, which is a dopamine blocker (I looked it up) and they want me to take Paxil which is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, whatever the heck that means. I'm resistant to the idea of the Paxil. The Wellbutrin seems to be helping. Now if I could get this ringing in my ears to stop, maybe I could hear the voices better. Lol!!!

p.s. I like your new 'do Phrannie )

tuffenuff

katenorwood said:

Love, love the hair color !

Cindy,

Great to hear from you !  I am so inspired by you, full time  fine art school !  You bring up a good subject.  Do we realize all the factors that hit us after tx's ?  No probably not.  Depression, anxiety or ptsd....doesn't matter.  As long as we keep putting one foot in front of the other, and realize we made it this far.  I hope things continue to move ahead for you Cindy !  Stay in touch !   Katie 

My doc actually used the term

My doc actually used the term PTSD in her notes on my diagnosis. i guess we are at war in a way, so it makes sense I suppose.

Billie67

tuffenuff said:

My doc actually used the term

My doc actually used the term PTSD in her notes on my diagnosis. i guess we are at war in a way, so it makes sense I suppose.

Good to hear from you
And I am loving the hair!
My second scans are next month, yikes makes me nervous just thinking about it! I am also on meds, Zoloft and I didn't feel depressed either. My dr also said it's a form of PTSD. I do seem to have better focus now and I have other things on my mind now instead of just cancer. It seems to be helping me sleep better too.
So great hearing from you.
Billie