Symptoms…

Now, I advise you to reconsider whether or not you want to read this post. It will contain descriptions of graphic symptoms in keeping with my use of this blog as a diary that may not be in keeping with your use of the blog.

Reader, Beware!

In retrospect, maybe I shouldn’t be quite so grateful to Becky for her actions when I walked into the VLCC this morning. As soon as I croaked my name and that I didn’t have an appointment and that I’d like to see someone, she was up and off like a shot (whatever that means) and returned almost instantly with news that she had a nurse coming as soon as one could get free. PDQ! Something a customer likes to see.

Now, it did take a while for a nurse to free up—did I mention that I didn’t have an appointment?—but Becky kept an eye on me. She even came out to where I was waiting to reassure me that a nurse was coming.

I must have looked like I felt. And for that to get fast action in a Cancer Clinic must have been pretty bad.

They finally took me in back, drew some blood from my implanted port to get lab tests started, and then we talked. I told them about the 16 pound weight loss over the weekend, the diarrhea that wouldn’t be controlled by Wal Mart’s version of Imodium AD, the constant awful-smelling gas, the rumbling intestinal sound effects, hemorrhoid #3 (I have had so few, they’re actually numbered), the inability to swallow due to sores at the back of the mouth

Nurse Cate got me started, but Nurse Diane, I believe, hooked me up to some fluids to get me started rehydrating while we talked and waited for test results.

Now, that‘s not to say that Diane hung around; she had other things to do. And I was more than happy to doze in the chair. I would like to have slept but dozing was fine.

Long story short, what White Blood Cell Count? Although I had had some aches and pains from the shot I had on Friday to stimulate the white blood cell recovery, the WBCs hadn’t taken off yet.

So, I have new meds for treating diarrhea, an antibiotic to treat the mouth sores and other infections, and a “miracle mouthwash” that is an oral topical pain-killer. I take it before taking the rest of the meds.

Now, it’s taken me several hours to jot this down, what with my bathroom habits and all. And, all the ways I get to play with my meds just to consume them is starting to get to be an irritation as well; “Take this first so I can take the pills, so I can take the awful tasting pain meds.” In addition to not feeling very well. Now I am starting to get depressed!

Maybe I’ll get a good night’s sleep…

Nurse Diane will be calling me tomorrow unless I show up at the VLCC first.