Day 1: Treatment Day- very anticlimactic. I felt pretty fine the entire day. I took a nap after treatment but not because I was exhausted. It felt like after you spend the morning in temple and just need a little Shabbat snooze. I felt jittery from the steroids but no nausea or fatigue. The worst part of the day was the anxiety of not knowing if I am one of the lucky ones who won’t have any major side effects or if major fatigue and nausea are around the corner.
Day 2: I woke up feeling rested (thanks Ativan) and still not experiencing any major symptoms. I definitely feel off though- a little foggy but not super nauseous or fatigued. Thankfully Cooper had a sleepover at Grandma & Pops’s house, Matt and Aidan spent the morning together, and I got to relax.
It is 75 degrees outside so I was able to walk to and from my Neulasta shot, which I know will come with some achy side effects. I was able to stop by my friends engagement party this afternoon but took a nap as soon as I got home. Overall today was “foggy but functional”
Day 3: Another day of “foggy but functional”.
Day 4: I was able to get the boys ready and bring Aidan to school but had to take a nap as soon as I got home. I guess this is what fatigue feels like. I spent most of the day resting in bed until it was time for me to go to work.
Thankfully, the work that I do is super flexible. I work as a private tutor and therefore work at most 3-4 hours/day. Since my diagnosis, I have been worried about how my treatment is going to impact my work schedule. I don’t work that many hours, but I love what I do and would hate to have to take a break from it. Consistency and routine are key when working with kids and I don’t want my unpredictable symptoms to have any negative effect on them.
Today I was able to work with three students. I was definitely tired at the end of the night but it was worth it. It made me feel normal. Since my diagnosis, every conversation has had some element of “cancer”, but while I was tutoring, I was able to completely disconnect from that and focus on my students.
Day 5: Since treatment day, the only side effect that has had any impact is fatigue. Sure, I’ve had minor bone pain, but nothing that a heating pad can’t fix. The fatigue is frustrating because it forces me to go home and rest when I would rather be doing something else. I am grateful that up to this point feeling tired is the only negative effect that I’ve experienced, and it hasn’t even been that bad.
#shaystrong 