Saturday, July 4, 2009

Super Chatty on Friday

Decadron makes me speedy and hungry and chatty. Poor Lou, having to put up with me talking a mile a minute. But there is no way to get the chemo without getting the Decadron. So we are all stuck with the side effects.

Decadon is given intravenously on both week one and week two. But on week two I also have to take it in pill form at home for a day before and a couple days after the chemo. Nurse Ellen told me a cautionary tale about a lady patient who secretly did not take her Decadron pills because it increased her appetite, and she blew up with extreme fluid retention instead and they were struggling to get the fluid retention under control when she finally admitted that she wasn't following directions. (Call me cynical but the story just seemed like something loosely based on a true story that the nurses tell everyone to scare them into compliance. But I am already pretty compliant and do not need any more scaring.)

Other than chattiness and a red face, I have been totally fine!

Yesterday I ironed for hours and finally cleaned up the mountainous backlog of clean wrinkled clothes. I had the ironing board set up in the living room while we watched both Star Trek Insurrection and Star Trek Nemesis. We were not total slugs though: we also walked Samantha twice.

Today the plan is to get out of the house. Headed to Darlene's at 2:00 to hang out by the pool and hear about Charlie's new job and then Jeff's at 6:00 for a cookout and fireworks... unless I run out of steam.

Happy Fourth of July!

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Happy 4th to you too!
You sounded fine yesterday--not too chatty at all. So just munch on some gingersnaps and iron til your heart's content.
Love,
M&D

Jane said...

Glad you had a nice 4th! We missed you on the van today...take care! Hoping you have a good week. See you soon....Jane

Unknown said...

Thinking of you with love and admiration...wht a gutsy lady you are ! We miss you around here...
Crysi just got a new dog - not quite as cool as Lucy, but looks like amice addition to the family.

Love and hugs, susan (dick too!)

craneguy said...

Hi Karen, Sorry I haven't added my 2 cents worth before today. It is great to hear you're doing so well. Hope you enjoyed the 4th and got be with lots of people who love you. You deserve it!
Paul

Ned Charpentier said...

The new star trek movie was awesome! My Dad and I used to always watch the next generation or tng for trekkies :P

Drake said...

Hey Karen--
I think you will need to use all these blog entries as a start to an interesting book. I love reading these entries...They are wonderful and so full of you. Thanks for being so wonderful. I would absolutely love to help with the transportation to and/or fro! What an honor that would be. Let me know when!! Keep the faith. You are awesome.
Anya

Anonymous said...

Hope today's chemo went okay. Hang in there and know you are loved. And here is a load of hugs for you: ((((((Karen)))))
..
Carol Q