21/08/2008:
My chemotherapy side-effects are slowly improving:
I have a very thin covering of peach fuzz interspaced with darker hairs and a hairline is visible across my forehead. It is sooooo SLOW I am worried.
My eyelashes are at 50% normal length (I still have one original long lash left with which to compare the new ones) and the new ones appear to be almost a triple row....very thick - I am pleased about that!!
My brow hairs are also about 50% normal length and look great with mascara on to darken them.
My eyes still water and my nose runs but not as bad. My eyes are still puffy but to my mind not quite as bad but when you see them everyday it is hard to tell a slight difference. I will have to compare photos.
My fingertips are still tingling and numbish also my toes - this is a horrible sensation and makes every little job difficult.
My energy levels are nowhere near normal yet. I sleep a lot - up to 9 hours overnight and sometimes I fall asleep during the day! NOT like me at all. I used to be a powerhouse of energy and enthusiasm for everything. I still get somewhat enthusiastic in my mind but lack the energy to implement what I want to do. One thing I have managed to do is to pant seeds and vegetables on my verandah so I can eat fresh leaves daily. It is early spring here and things are growing!! Great!!
Psychologically, I seem ok. I am happy enough within myself now - except of course for my facial appearance. This is a big problem but I know that it is improving with time. My body is almost exactly as it was before and I am really hapy with that. I have a couple of good friends and that is important to me.
27/08/2008:
Well, tomorrow will be 9 weeks after my last chemotherapy. I have new side-effects still happening. I had forgotten the pain in my nail beds - I could hardly push a pill out of its bubblepack due to this for the duration of my chemo and several weeks after. Then a coupe of weeks ago I noticed streaks of colour in some nails. Yesterday, I noticed my right hand thumb nail and third fingernail have gone all horrible:
More nails are showing signs of going like this also. I am scared they are going to detach and fall off!
My hair is growing ok and getting slowly a bit thicker but my scalp still shines out as there is not enough hair to hide it:
Other side effects are still with me - the tingling numbish toes are bad and the fingers might be slightly better...hard to tell. My energy levels are increasing slowly - I can cycle for about 20 mins as long as hills are not involved! My weight is stable at 53 kgs as always.
More next week.........Maggie
4th Sept 08:
Tomorrow it will be 10 weeks since my last chemotherapy. I am still battling the effects.
My hair is growing but very sowly and I think grey (!!) so, sadly, I have just ordered a blonde wig...
My finger tips are still tingling and numbish, also my toes and this makes doing anything difficult. There is nothing I can do about this.
My discoloured nails are detaching...! You would not believe how much you use your thumbnails until you have to avoid using them. Try pushing a pill out of a bubble pack without nails........! I am using nail varnish to hide the horrible appearance of my nails. If they come off, things will get even more difficult.
My energy levels are slowly returning but I still sleep a lot.
My eyelashes and brows have grown. Brows are just about normal but eyelashes are about 70% length as yet. I have dyed them blue/black with Refectocil and this helps a lot.
My freckles seem a little less pronounced which is good.
More soon........
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