Day Nov. 26, 2016 Thanksgiving, Chemo Side Effects, And Prayer Request For My Upcoming Surgery

With Thanksgiving and Black Friday behind us, I can say, like many, that I have much to be thankful for. It started out with a very FULL week of Thanksgiving meals three days in a row, then on Thanksgiving morning, John calling me to say he got another deer and would I like to track it with him?! YES!! I just love those phone calls and to get it on Thanksgiving morning was reminiscent of when I was a kid and my dad and grandpa would hunt pheasant on Thanksgiving mornings.  Now our freezer is full again! Thank you, Lord, for your provision. As for Black Friday, whilst I dared not step into an actual store yesterday, I did shop for 2 much needed items via the web! Soooo much easier for me.

One thing I will mention publicly that I am thankful for, that I can't thank the person who did it because they did it anonymously :) is receiving in the mail a surprise $100 gift card to Dorothy Lane Market! Thank you, Anonymous, as it will come in handy in a huge way very soon! We are very blessed! Also, I just love this place and I actually take my friends and family there as an event! DLM, as we call it, holds a very special place in my heart. It's where I met my hubby for a 2nd date and when I knew I would marry him!

 As for how  I'm feeling this week, my chemo brain is so much better. I process much more normally in my thinking...at least  "I" think so!  My muscle fatigue is still very prevalent, especially in my quads. They ache and are weak and feel tight still ALL THE TIME! It does not mean I can't do things, but I do them slower and with some moaning , like when I walk up stairs. There is a tiny bit of tingling/numbness in my heels still but I hardly notice it.

Great news is I no longer have any metal taste when I eat and hot tea finally tastes good again. It's been 6 months since I wanted a cup of tea. Previously I was a 2 cuppa tea girl with a nice black tea English style with milk and honey. Fortunately, since I never have caffeine anymore,  I don't know if I want to start that addiction again.  But I will admit that  a lovely steamy mug of Irish tea with my only piece of my grandma's recipe of my homemade raspberry pie ala mode for breakfast yesterday was divine.

In addition to all that, I do have some not so great news. After my chemo, Dr. Cody ordered a Dexascan. Evidently the oncologist does this often post chemo because the steroids used long term can cause weakening in bones. A Dexascan checks for bone density. As I best understand it, I now have  Osteopenia. It is a low  bone mineral density and a precursor to Osteoporosis.  I will be calling the doctor on Monday to see to what degree mine is.

As for this beautiful week, I get to see my mama!! She will be my nursemaid for several days while I recover after surgery on Thursday. Please pray that my lymph nodes are now negative. The doctor told me that I have a 40% chance that they would be. This is why I chose to do chemo first! My chances of lymphedema are much less if they are negative because all I'll need is a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy. If they are still positive, then surgery will be more involved and all my lymph nodes under my armpit will have to be removed.