The effects of immunotherapy are both similar and different from traditional chemo. The differences are blatantly obvious: no violent nausea, no hair loss, no aching bones or obvious signs of illness. If it works, the signs and symptoms are subtle. This translates frankly to more worry and concern. In someways, if you have physical manifestations of poisons at work in your body, you know that something is happening. The contrast is when you feel a little bit lousy you don’t know who or what to blame. So whatever gets between you and what you thought you wanted to do gets the flak. Most of the time completely undeserving. But then, I have never been really good at recognizing limits, physical pain or the proper time to sit down and shut up.
If you don’t believe that last sentence – just ask my family and they will confirm that when I lose it the antecedent is normally unrecognized physical discomfort (ok, pain) or hunger or both.
So there I am, poking at completely tender ribs and trying to decide if I should be worried, take some tylenol or just drink some more coffee. Oatmeal and the coffee won out along with a dose of tylenol which pretty much settled things for a while. Then I thought about things seriously and realized that one of my friendly pre-medications is cortisone. In IV form (which is how it is administered) it is pretty much cleared in 12 hours or so. Bounce up – bounce down. Maybe = crabby the next day?
In any case, it was time to get over myself, run errands with Shana and get back to my cross-stitch.
5 Jan 2017. Technically another three rows finished
where you can see the red pin from where I left off yesterday. Means 18 rows to go, several of which should be quick. The rest unfortunately are going to be single stitches again.
The set
George and I went to the Berkeley Rep this evening to see 946; The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips. The play is based on a story set off the coast of England in WWII. The performing company is Kneehigh out of Cornwall in the UK. It was excellent. Had I known the subject matter, I would not have gone. I don’t do war movies, plays, combat simulations and other takes on bloody reality. Done my turn in the various combat zones and feel absolutely no need to return, relive or examine. Your mileage may vary.
You sound normal to me – when people say someone “never complains” I find it hard to believe.
So you did not like the content, but the job done on it was good ?
Have a good weekend!
Smart insights on discomfort.
What do they say about doctors being patients? Keep on fighting.
Don’t underestimate the ups and downs of steroids.
yes, well it took crabbiness x 3, a good look at things, reminders from Alison and you to admit the “What? Me? Solu-Cortef 100 mg? – oh DUH!” light bulb to go on…