July 16, 2009

Well, here it is again, another late night and I'm not in bed yet. I have never been a night owl, until I started chemo. I still am not sleeping well at night, and refuse to take a sleeping pill all the time. I like to save those for when I am on the steroids, which makes for an even less pleasant nights sleep.
I have seemed to over estimate my immunity to chemo. This week has kicked my butt! I have been doing more manual work at work and I am paying for it. For the past week I have been working up patients which requires being on your feet all day, bending over alot, as well as raising your arms over your head countless times. The past two days my back has hurt so bad! If it weren't for those handy-dandy heat wraps I think I would have been crying in an emergency room bed begging for muscle relaxers and pain medicine. I have complained about this back pain before in my post, but I think the fact that I am so fatigued from work makes it so much worse. On top of the fatigue my mouth has been more sore than usual at this point in a cycle and I have been nauseous. I wake up energized and ready for the day and by lunch time I can barely keep my eyes open. I think this is where my body is telling me to SLOW DOWN AND REST, but I refuse and try to keep up with my pre-chemo routine, which includes running at 110% from dawn til dusk. One week from today I will get treatment number four, one treatment closer to the end!
I was contacted today by a local publication "Today's Woman" asking my mother and I to pose as models for a photo shoot they will be publishing in an October issue. I must say I am flattered. I hope this will provide an opportunity to increase awareness for my platforms.
Everyday I am touched to see so many people showing support for me with words of encouragement or by wearing their pink ribbon pins. Thank you so much to everyone, it does not go unnoticed.