UPDATE and breakfast today, plus the meds all lined up

UPDATE: This is known as Day Three, in the round of chemo lingo. Last time as the day progressed, this is when that I felt achy all over, like the flu, but with aches of a muscular kind settling in my knees, then the peripheral neuropathy started, what I describe as a high-speed humming feeling of the tissues inside my skin, from the top of my shins down into my ankles and feet. During that night, the knees continued to ache, the peripheral neuropathy spread up into my thighs, too. We'll see what happens today.

Yesterday the anti-nausea meds worked. They are Zofran and Compazine. I'm also taking Pepcid, Senna, and Docusate Sodium. Those last two are supposed to offset some of the "plumbing" difficulties brought on by the chemo and the Zofran. Compazine makes you drowsy--I can testify to that because I slept off and on all afternoon yesterday. Zofran can give you a headache, too. I had one at the Oncology Center Wednesday, not too long after they had me take two of them--Tylenol kicked it in the butt. Since I'm only taking one here as prescribed, I didn't get a headache yesterday. I hope that's the case today.

Yesterday around 10:30 a.m. I surprised myself when I was able to walk outside in the overcast for a couple of blocks. Since I slept sporadically last night and feel drowsy still, somewhat lethargic, I'm not going to try that today. Well, unless I perk up later on. Don't want to take a walk with nothing to hold onto as I go along, especially if my body isn't behaving itself.

Thank you for your continued prayers, love, and concern. I feel it all and need it all. Y'all inspire me to make my best effort throughout this whole process.



Here's the breakfast that I ate prior to taking the morning meds. Toasted King Hawaiian hamburger bun, with Land o'Lakes butter, green grapes, the last of the cherries until next season according to the produce guy at Fred Meyer, Twinings English Breakfast Tea, and water. Plus, those meds, lined up in the background.

UPDATE and what I photographed August 2, 2010

UPDATE: Slept off and on. No nausea yesterday or during the night. Felt nauseous a half hour ago, so I took the Compazine which is the one anti-nausea med I've been directed to take as needed, every six or eight hours. I wrote down what time I took it, in case I need it again later today. Less peripheral neuropathy in legs, knees, ankles, feet at present--I am grateful for that. There is a bit of it in wrists and hands, but I'm not dropping things, just feeling twitches and tinges and aches, more on the right--I am right-handed. Still walking a bit off balance, not stumbling but being very aware of what happens when I stand up and move so that I can be ready to react, if need be. So far the food I'm eating tastes like it usually tastes, thank goodness. The only odd taste I've noticed is that sometimes the water in my 28-ounce mug tastes sweet, barely noticeable, not disturbing. Lamont's coming over today and staying with me for a while--I've got a short list of chores for him. Yesterday Leland stayed for hours and went grocery shopping for me, plus he put away everything. I'm blessed to have these sons who have grown into fine men. Thanks to everyone for your continued prayers, love, and concern.



That particular evening I met Lamont and some of his friends at Colonel Summers Park at SE 20th and SE Belmont, to watch folks play softball and dodge ball. This photo sort of shows how I'm feeling, on the lookout--wary and ready.



And this one shows the positive reaction and the fact that still being on the lookout is essential to continued success.

Chemo Round One, Day 4: Flugtag came back to Portland today. I stayed home, but in 2008, I had a blast at the event!

The anti-nausea meds continue to work! Hallelujah! The main chemo side effect I'm dealing with--peripheral neuropathy which is nerve pain. And how!

From mid-thigh down, my legs have been humming since yesterday at 3:30 p.m.--that's the only way I can describe it, underneath the skin it feels like tissues are vibrating slightly, thus I decided the word humming fits. Plus my knees and sometimes my ankles have ached and have not wanted to be stretched out on the recliner or on the bed, so I've stood up and walked around. I did manage to sleep some in both places during the night, after I took some Tylenol. Off and on today, the humming and the aching waxed and waned--thank goodness. Those times of steady humming are not any fun, period.

Another thing that peripheral neuropathy causes is stumbling and balance problems while walking. This has happened enough that I noticed it as I made my way around the apartment, so I decided not to walk in the hallway today--no reason to tempt fate, right? No falls or trips in here--I am blessed. Plus, although I have felt tingles and twinges in my hands, they've been few and far between.

One more good thing, I now only have to take anti-nausea meds as needed, so that means less chemicals entering my body. That's got to be a good sign!



Today's event, covered by all of the local TV stations, evidently drew too many boats to the river to watch, so that the Coast Guard withdrew the event's permit at 4 p.m. The waterways have to be clear for commercial traffic, I think one station mentioned. Anyway, here's a photo that I took of a giant Big Wheel when I went in 2008 and stayed for hours and hours of crazy entertainment.



Here it is as it hit the water. I cannot tell for sure from subsequent photos, but I'm pretty certain that not only did the pilot (the guy on the Big Wheel itself) and the buy you see jumping off in this photo but also those other two in khaki and black jumped into the river. I don't have them jumping or on the way down, but they're not standing with the media crew, so since they were done pushing their Big Wheel off the edge, surely they all three jumped. Crazy folks having fun in Portland. I'll bet that went on today and the fact that the Coast Guard shut down the boaters watching didn't stop the competition from completion. One TV station said that Red Bull will release the results on Twitter.

Here's some info on the event itself, in case you're wanting to understand why anyone would want to get in a crowd of 80,000 people like I did in 2008 and watch folks jump, well, try to fly, off a platform into the Willamette River.

Why You Should Go

Red Bull Flugtag (“flying day” in German) has taken place worldwide for 23 years, entertaining more than 500,000 people annually. Teams of five from across the U.S. can submit a creative concept at redbullflugtagusa.com and if selected begin building their human-powered flying machines. Come August 1, 2015, they will push their crafts off of a 28-foot-high deck into the Willamette River in an attempt to break the world record of 258 ft. Participants will be judged on distance, creativity and showmanship.

Portland is the only U.S. Red Bull Flugtag taking place in 2015. A truly city-stopping moment, Tom McCall Waterfront Park has been filled with up to 80,000 spectators in previous year’s Red Bull Flugtag events. The fun packed event will let the wackiest and most daring participants from across the U.S. make a splash into the Willamette and attempt to break the current 258 ft. world record set in Long Beach in 2013.

Insider’s Secret

Anyone can apply to fly in the competition! Past applicants have used inspiration such as their favorite food, pop culture, technology, and mythology, and have even attempted to drum up hometown support with crafts based on colleges, sports teams, and other elements that their city is famous for – all in the name of testing gravity’s limits for the public’s entertainment.

Your Wallet Says Free to apply and free to attend!