Two to go! I was a little queasy the whole session today. I was fasting to get a fair glucose number from the blood draw. It was 127 which isn’t alarming but a little high (norm=65-110). I have some diabetes history on my Dad’s side of the family so I wanted to make sure I wasn’t exposing yet another health concern. I took the P on an empty stomach but had a P&J as soon as the blood draw was done. Not sure if this affected the overall experience but I was very tired the whole day and my stomach was not cool. Anyway, it is in the books, no other complications except one…
When I'm receiving the drugs, my feet get tingly and hot…then the odor begins. My feet stink to high heaven for some reason and no one else can smell them. What the...?. I have survived most of my adult life with a rather compromised sense of smell. It is a joke with my family because I can smell what I call low tones (rotten garbage, wet dogs, flatulence, etc.) but have a hard time smelling high tones (perfume, hand lotion, flowers, etc.). Since chemo started, I have a new lease on life with an added sense of smell. Of course, I’m taking the good with the bad. Our black lab, Poppy Seed Gelato (Poppy) found a deer carcass in the field next door and spent the better part of last week eating between meals. I couldn’t be in the same room with her given the smell of death. The gas was “to die for”; does that phrase work here? We took a family hike on Sunday to locate the beast and most of the hind end was missing. I pried it from the ground…someone had extracted the antlers with a hacksaw and I wasn’t in enough of a CSI mood to determine the cause of death. Eric, barn help extraordinaire, and I hauled the carcass to the dumpster and loaded the frozen mess into the safety of a temporary tomb to avoid any further desecration. I think that is illegal but Poppy’s rank scent could also be considered illegal so we are even.
Having said all that, I forgot to mention that the Onc said, “Don’t be surprised if you lose your new found sense of smell after the treatments.” Great. That’s one side effect I would like to keep…along with a lack of ear and nose hair.
Great news Paul!! ...and a super post, I laughed constantly at your keen humor and whit. Keep up the good fight! You are in my prayers everyday.
ReplyDeleteYEEEEEE HAAAAAA PAUL!
ReplyDeleteI was across the street chairing my first Exec. PFAC meeting (Patient Family Advisory Council) during your Lymphoma #4. Thought about coming over afterward but was confident you were finished by then. Something to consider...for the future: Lemmen-Holton is starting their own PFAC and will be recruiting members throughout the year. I think you would be a fabulous and highly valuable addition to that group with you experience, insight and perspective. I can tell you from personal experience, it's a very rewarding endeavor. If you ever find yourself interested, just let me know.
Cheering you on every day,
Julie
Great to see that you are nearing the end of this. You have and seem quite able to continue to navigate through the world of chemo with wit and insight. Thanks for posting and sharing with us who can use the humor and appreciate the insight.
ReplyDelete