After Chemo
I'm feeling pretty much back to normal now. After the first chemo I was nauseous for about 4 days. I felt like I was about to throw up all the time and especially if I tried to eat. I lost about 8 pounds during those 4 days. About Monday my stomach began to return to normal and I have put 4 pounds back on since then. I've had a headache pretty much constantly since chemo. It's not too bad but it's a constant annoyance. My chest/lungs started hurting on about Saturday and still hurt now when I take a deep breath.
I read up about Bleomycin and it's effects on your lungs. It causes lung damage and will cause oxygen toxicity problems which means that I can never scuba dive again as well as never being able to be put on oxygen in the hospital. This was quite the kick in the nards to me because I just got certified about 2 years ago and was really enjoying it. I was planning on diving in Hawaii in April. I try to keep my spirits up by saying that cancer is just a temporary thing and after 6 months I'll be back to normal, but stuff like this drags me back down again. I realize that I'll never be the same again and it's a scary thought.
posted by Mike Cousins at 10:44 a.m.
3 Comments:
Wow Mike! I guess when you told us, I just always assumed that you'd go through a rough spell and then you'd be 100% again. Sorry to hear about the scuba diving limitation. And best wishes for the best possible quality of life once treatment is complete.
-The stinky one
11:20 a.m.
Mike, I'm a 46 year old woman in Redmond, WA who was diagnosed with Hodgkins, Nodular as well in May of this year. I was training to climb Mt. Rainier in August, when I discovered a lump in my neck. I'll be having my 9th treatment of ABVD this Thursday. The last one will be Nov. 10. I have found that my physical conditioning prior to the diagnosis has helped tremendously with managing the treatment. You have that as well as your age going for you. Attitude is the other large part of the equation. Stay engaged with the world and all that you do and are. You'll get through it. Sometimes God just has other mountains in mind for us to climb.
8:30 a.m.
8lbs, eh? i can see the headlines now- Mike Cousins Takes Lighweight Gold.
That is crappy about the scuba, but I am sure you will take up some other equally fun hobby - like paragliding.
1:11 a.m.
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