To date, I have completed 3 out of 4 of my chemo treatments, as originally recommended by my oncologist. Surprisingly, everything has been going rather well. It might sound strange to say this about dealing with cancer, but I genuinely feel that things have been going as smoothly as possible. I’ve experienced minimal side effects, with the most troubling one being the bone pain from the Neulasta injection. However, my oncologist has assured me that this discomfort indicates that the treatment is working. Neulasta stimulates the bone marrow to produce white blood cells, helping to prevent infection, and my blood work reflects its effectiveness. Additionally, my blood work has also indicated that my iron levels are once again dropping.
I’ve been battling chronic anemia for years, and it was actually how I discovered that I have celiac disease. After my recent follow-up appointment with my primary care provider (PCP), we have decided to proceed with an iron transfusion due to the severity of my symptoms (shortness of breath and fatigue) and the declining iron levels. I will have my regular lab work done at my next chemo appointment and share those results with my PCP. This will help us determine whether the iron transfusion has been effective, or if I might need to increase my iron supplement intake again, or even continue with regular iron infusions. I truly hope it doesn’t come to the latter, especially after enduring the 8-hour chemo sessions every 3 weeks.
My “end of treatment” PET scan is scheduled for the 20th of this month to assess the chemo’s effectiveness. The following day, I am scheduled to have my final round of chemo, provided that the PET scan doesn’t indicate the need for additional rounds. The stress of not having a job to return to has started to weigh on me, but I’m trying my best not to worry too much and just go with the flow. I’ve been exploring work from home opportunities, but unfortunately, most of them require a landline internet connection, which I don’t have access to as I can only get satellite internet at my house. If you have any suggestions for remote jobs I could pursue, I would greatly appreciate it, as I’m not the type to just go with the flow.
I am absolutely ecstatic to share that my hair has begun to grow back, filling me with immense joy. What’s more, my Meemaw has lovingly crocheted a lime green beanie for me, using the hair I had cut off before treatment. Not only is it my favorite color, but it also represents the awareness ribbon color for lymphoma. While having my own hair in the hat may not seem significant to some, after the heart-wrenching experience of losing my hair, it brings me an indescribable amount of happiness. I am grateful for the wigs that a wonderful former coworker purchased for me. They come in vibrant colors, and I adore the green and black one on me, but nothing quite compares to the joy of having MY hair back.
Anyhow, that’s all the updates that I have for now. Everything is looking up and I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
juMOMjia 