I call it my witch's brew -- equal parts of dried rosemary and sage with twice the amount of water, brewed until it comes to a gentle boil; simmer for ten minutes and then let it steep for 6 - 8 hours. Pour it into a glass jar (it should be a deep brown) with a lid and store it in the bathroom cabinet. Take out small amounts and work into your hair/head and let it dry naturally. It's been helping with the headaches and also with hair growth.
I had first used it on my hair when it started to grow back in November, and if my hair is anything to go by, it has worked. I have more hair that I've had in ten years! I've gotten such a kick out of having so much hair, I keep asking my husband to pat my bouncy hair! When you haven't had hair in almost a year, you're allowed to do silly things.
Don't do this if you have blond hair ... the brew will dye your hair brown.
Monday, April 30, 2012
MRI Results
My oncologist's nurse, Dianne, just called with the results of my brain scan from Friday. All is well -- there is no cancer growing in my brain. I never thought there was because I never had that sense of dread that precedes bad events in my life. It is good to be reassured though.
I had my 6-month visit with my GP on Friday as well. She says that I have to eat more -- my non-fasting glucose and sodium levels have been too low for over a year now. And here I was thinking that was a good thing -- but not so. Eat more protein, she tells me, and cut out the carbs and sugar. I shall try this for six months and see if it makes a difference with the headaches, the aches and pains and most of all the numbers on the scale.
My new food life began today. Another first day for the rest of my life ...
I had my 6-month visit with my GP on Friday as well. She says that I have to eat more -- my non-fasting glucose and sodium levels have been too low for over a year now. And here I was thinking that was a good thing -- but not so. Eat more protein, she tells me, and cut out the carbs and sugar. I shall try this for six months and see if it makes a difference with the headaches, the aches and pains and most of all the numbers on the scale.
My new food life began today. Another first day for the rest of my life ...
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Finito!
April 20 came on a beautiful Spring day and I could not help but beam. The Infusion Center was short staffed so some of the supervising nurses had to lend a hand. I got Mary Anne (whom I've had before) and I barely felt the needle go in. Got good blood withdrawal too -- all was well with the universe!
I brought the nurses homemade lemon pound cake and kept thinking, if I could write a book about this time in my life, I would call it -- "When life hands you lemons ... make lemon pound cake" -- now that is the story of my life!
Dr. Schaffer's nurse, Diane, stopped in to see me. They will be sending in an order to Dr. Knaysi's office to get the port removed from my chest but only if the brain MRI next Friday comes back clean. The headache is still here and it makes me wonder, how do you have a headache for six weeks and not go crazy? Well, I know now that it's possible.
It varies in intensity but it's there every single blooming day. I have gone back to brewing rosemary and sage and applying the mixture to my head -- seems to be helping. Perhaps our ancients knew a thing or two and we could learn from them.
The infusion ended at about 2 pm and I got a send off with balloons and clappers. Some of my favorite nurses were not there, so I shall have to come back to say "good bye". Today is not a new day, it is the last day of my old life. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life!
After the infusion went to lunch with John and then did something totally normal ... went grocery shopping so I could sleep in on Saturday.
Everyone has been spoiling me rotten ... flowers, cards, chocolate, and a beautiful dove grey pearl necklace. I thought it was very appropriate -- pearls are a symbol of regeneration and rebirth.
I brought the nurses homemade lemon pound cake and kept thinking, if I could write a book about this time in my life, I would call it -- "When life hands you lemons ... make lemon pound cake" -- now that is the story of my life!
Dr. Schaffer's nurse, Diane, stopped in to see me. They will be sending in an order to Dr. Knaysi's office to get the port removed from my chest but only if the brain MRI next Friday comes back clean. The headache is still here and it makes me wonder, how do you have a headache for six weeks and not go crazy? Well, I know now that it's possible.
It varies in intensity but it's there every single blooming day. I have gone back to brewing rosemary and sage and applying the mixture to my head -- seems to be helping. Perhaps our ancients knew a thing or two and we could learn from them.
The infusion ended at about 2 pm and I got a send off with balloons and clappers. Some of my favorite nurses were not there, so I shall have to come back to say "good bye". Today is not a new day, it is the last day of my old life. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life!
After the infusion went to lunch with John and then did something totally normal ... went grocery shopping so I could sleep in on Saturday.
Everyone has been spoiling me rotten ... flowers, cards, chocolate, and a beautiful dove grey pearl necklace. I thought it was very appropriate -- pearls are a symbol of regeneration and rebirth.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Almost Done
It's hard to believe that two days from now I will get my last Herceptin infusion, and the year and a half that I thought would never end, will actually come to an end. I cannot even begin to imagine what that is going to feel like -- ask me on Friday!
I suspect that while chemo will be over and as much as I would like to put it all behind me, that I am not done yet. I have had a headache for almost six weeks now. Dr. Schaffer thinks it might be the arimidex but she has set me up for a brain MRI on April 27. We are only doing this to rule out the cancer having spread to my brain. There I said it -- it's not so scary.
Can I live with a headache for five years? I don't know ... probably. That begs the question of quantity of life over quality. I shall not speculate ... we shall wait for the MRI and the results.
I suspect that while chemo will be over and as much as I would like to put it all behind me, that I am not done yet. I have had a headache for almost six weeks now. Dr. Schaffer thinks it might be the arimidex but she has set me up for a brain MRI on April 27. We are only doing this to rule out the cancer having spread to my brain. There I said it -- it's not so scary.
Can I live with a headache for five years? I don't know ... probably. That begs the question of quantity of life over quality. I shall not speculate ... we shall wait for the MRI and the results.
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