CDC ..Update For Cancer Patients

From the CDC website...

To help prepare you for the flu this season, CDC answers some of your most important questions about special considerations for cancer patients and survivors for seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 flu.

Here is their link http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/flu/#1

Exercises and School

Yesterday I put together and started my exercise program for my feet. After doing some of the stretching exercise, I realise that my calves are extremely tight ... likely from the lack of activity on my part for the last eight to ten months. The exercises include ... picking up a tea towel with my toes and rolling my foot over a frozen water bottle. These two seem to benefit me the most when I do them in the morning.

As well as stretching my calves and feet, I’ve also been doing stretching exercises for my arms. Can I tell you ... I am so out of shape. I walk like someone who is 105 years old ... but I’m going to stretch all those weary muscles out and get in better shape. I only hope that Xeloda works because so far it is a very manageable chemotherapy.

Last night in class, we were working in small groups. One of the girls coughed and another said,”Bless you.” Then she said, “Oh bless you is for a sneeze ... what do we say for a cough?” I said, “Hope you don’t give me swine flu.” We all had a good chuckle. Now... there are only three classes left before I graduate.

Sore and Stiff Feet

The bottom of my left foot continues to be sore and stiff ... to the point where walking isn’t fun. I pulled out the yellow pages and looked up orthotics clinics and gave a few of them a call. One said I need a referral from a doctor. I also called a chiropractor. He also said I should check with my oncologist to make sure there isn’t any cancer in my foot that may be causing this issue. He would be willing to work with me after I talk with my Onc.

The reason I included a chiropractor is because I had great success in the past. I don’t go for the ‘bone cracking’ per say but I go because some do the active release technique which is like a deep massage stretching action. Years ago, they resolved tendinitis in my right arm after my mastectomy and planter fasciitis which I developed from walking marathons.

I just searched YouTube and found a video on foot stretching exercises that are similar to what we did when we trained for walking marathons. With any luck, I’ll have stretched out some of this stiffness/soreness before I see my Onc in a couple of weeks.

Xeloda Cycle Two - Day Seven

The side effects I seem to be experiencing from the Xeloda so far are cramps and diarrhea, neuropathy and hand/foot syndrome symptoms.

The stomach issues seem to have settled down a bit. I’m learning that I have to be ever so careful of what I eat and drink otherwise my stomach tends to rebel. The oncologist prescribed Metoclopramide but even that doesn’t always do the trick. After I laid down in bed last Saturday night, I was struggling with stomach cramps. I had already taken Metoclopramide but it didn’t quite do the trick. I then took an Ativan and that seemed to settle me and my stomach down. I guess the trick is to relax the mind and the body will follow.

For the past year, I’ve been calling my feet and hands issues ‘hand and foot syndrome’ when I should have been including the word ‘neuropathy’. I’m just now beginning to realize there is a difference between neuropathy and hand/foot syndrome.

Neuropathy is nerve damage and causes tingling, numbness, and a pins-and-needles type of feeling where as hand-foot syndrome is where the palms of the hands and soles of the feet become red, swollen, cracked and painful (tenderness, tingling, burning) and the skin may peel, blister, or develop sores. These two side effects appear to be very similar.

Melissa Etheridge - I Run For Life (Live)

Molly Mall Walker

Yesterday D and I spent some time walking around the mall. It was nice to get out see it all decorated up with Christmas lights.

Tho I felt good most of the day, later in the day I struggled with diarrhea. I’m not sure if was caused by my gulping down too much water or the fact that I had too much yummy potato salad.

My stomach continues to be upset.

My other grumble for the day is that after walking so much yesterday, the ball of my left foot which has been slightly sore is now very sore.

The lesson learned is.... everything in moderation.

Second Cup Group

Yesterday I had coffee with the ‘Living with Cancer’ group which I’ll start calling the Second Cup group.

Three of us met and we talked for three hours ... wow and that went by quick. One of the ladies has a central line (CVC) like I used to have. I asked her if she experienced any irritation around the site. She said yes. She used chlorhexidine wipes to clean the area plus she used a saline spray afterwards to rinse it off a bit. She said if she missed the saline spray then when she pulled the bandages off, her skin would come off too. That sounded familiar. I then told her about my experience ... that I had developed an allergic reaction to the chlorhexidine. Her eyes got big ... I think it all made sense to her.

I wanted to thank C for giving two hats to me. She no longer has a need for them. I was excited because you know how it is ... a bald chick can’t have too many hats.

We made plans to meet again next week.

Breast Cancer Support Group Coffee

Yesterday I met the breast cancer ladies for coffee. As I drove to the mall, I felt so joyful ....to be feeling so good on such a beautiful sunny day. We have been having some unseasonaly warm weather here lately.

In the mall parkade, I found a parking spot against a wall that was slightly wider than the rest.  I like that because I find my vision is a bit poorer and I lack some confidence when driving in poorly lit areas. My walk to the mall was a bit faster than normal and easier ... and that made me smile.

We had a nice visit and before we knew it was time to go. I stopped at a shoe store to look at slippers for the house. I wasn’t convinced they were what I was looking for so I decided I’d do some more research. I may stop at an orthopaedic shoe store and get some professional advice.

Remembering To Drink Water

As per the oncologist, I have to drink more water during the day to help flush the Xeloda out of my system. How am I going to remember to drink eight glasses of water when I can't remember what I did five minutes ago?

Well I read about this little trick. It said to put a tiny container and eight pennies by the kitchen sink ... as I drink a glass of water I toss a penny into the container. With any luck, by the end of the day, there should be eight pennies in the container. The next day just empty the container and start all over. I've actually used this little trick before and it has worked for me.

Well I'm off to drink another glass of water ... hopefully; I won't get distracted on the way there.

Living With Cancer Support Group

I just got back from our last ‘Living with Cancer Support Group’ for this year. For our last meeting, we had a nutritionist from the clinic come and answer any questions we may have had regarding diet and cancer. I found her information very helpful. Even though I’ve read or heard a lot of this before ... it’s a great reminder to get back on track with a proper diet.

The nutritionist brought a variety of samples of meal replacements for us to try. I grabbed a sample of Boost fruit flavored beverage and Boost pudding plus a new product also put out by Nestle called Resource 2.0 which is a high calorie drink. I’m going to try them another day as I have class tonight and don’t want to risk an upset stomach.

Blood Work And Oncologist Visit

I just got back from the clinic. My time there was a bit long because the lab was running behind. We didn’t have all the results of all my blood work back but we had enough for the oncologist to send me to the pharmacist for my Xeloda pills.

In my visit with the oncologist, I brought forward a couple issues. The first issue being that I have a crackling kind of sound coming out of my lungs. It occurs in the evening when I’m laying down to go to bed. It’s not a new side effect but it is definitely more noticeable. I also mentioned I was coughing more and had some signs of shortness of breath. The other side effect I mentioned was the swelling of my feet. She didn’t seem too concerned and said we’d keep an eye on both issues.

I also asked her about taking the Xeloda pills. The prescription says I should take the pills twice a day ... so my question was ... should I set an alarm for 6:00 am? She said no ... just take them when I wake up in the morning and then in the evening with my supper. The one thing I was reminded to do that I wasn’t doing was to drink lots of water. She said we need to flush the Xeloda out of my system ... especially my kidneys.

That is about all I remember for now.

Cancer Survivor Inspiration