After the last chemotherapy the first five days of prednisone were annoying, and I was vaguely nauseous for about 10 days. I have been feeling pretty well for the last week, which I guess means that it is almost time for the next chemotherapy infusion. That will happen this coming Thursday. Until then I plan on continuing to enjoy not feeling vaguely carsick. I get tired more easily than I am used to, and go to bed earlier, but feel functional and active. My work, including teaching, is going ok though I passed off one course field trip to a colleague.
I had another appointment with the wonderful chemo nurse, Avery, on Friday. She confirmed that yes, the deep pain in my legs that sometimes wakes me up is my bones hurting. Or maybe it is bone marrow that is hurting. It is a strange feeling I can’t describe. Several times before waking me up it first made me dream of just before a big thunderstorm, when the air feels heavy, the sky is very dark grey, and the birds are suddenly silent. Avery also confirmed that the reason I have very little asthma or spring hay fever is probably because my immune system is suppressed. That is definitely a significant positive side effect of chemotherapy.
I have been experimenting with hats and scarves. I have a wig but I haven’t had the nerve to wear it out in public even though to other people it probably looks more normal than a hat. It feels stranger to to me to look like someone else than to look like myself in a hat. The photo is of me wearing the soft beanie I received in the mail yesterday that my mother knit for me. I am happy to have some eyebrow hairs left still.
Saskya–it sounds like you are dealing well with a LOT. Good thing that you aren’t in India right now! Is it ok to give this info to my two friends who have lymphoma? Here is a non medical question: If I want to plant milkweed, is it important to plant native milkweed? Sending love! Joyce
Sure, it is fine to pass any of this on to others, especially others with lymophoma.
About the milk weed- I am guessing you are thinking of planting milkweed for monarchs. They don’t like all milkweed species, but they like a lot of them. They really like Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) and common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) which are now all over the place in the US. But there are also native southern California ones that are good if you want to stay within the category of native. Here is a Southern California link I found https://www.change-making.com/which-milkweed-should-i-plant-in-southern-california/
Thanks for your post Saskya, and that is a splendid hat! Sorry to hear about the side effects, but glad you are still feeling active and functional. Really looking forward to seeing you soon, soon!
Great hearing from you Saskya and I like the hat. I think that you should just wear the wig when you’re ready for it but I’m sure it will also look great. Good to hear that there’s a positive effect of the chemo…less asthma! Want to come by my house some time and meet our new puppy?
Yes, I would like to meet your new puppy Ann!
Nice hat! I’d like to see the wig sometime, when/if you are ready to wear it.
I think I will eventually wear it!
Thanks for the update Saskya! I have a great wig in your hair color that MB’s amazing hairdresser Erich trimmed for me, may I bring it over? Hoping your next chemo cycle goes smoothly and that the experience you and your team have in managing the side effects can pay off with improved comfort.
Sure, Jean, I would be happy to have another wig as an option. Thanks. MB told me about her amazing hair dresser.
Hi Saskya, that is a beautiful hat, and you are rocking it! I hope that it is soft and protecting you during these early May days that seem kind of variable in terms of temperature. Sending healing thoughts.
A mother’s hat is always soft and becoming! You have more eyebrow hairs left than me… After this chemo you will have just one more treatment left! Fingers crossed.
Well, after this chemo I’ll have three more, but it least I will have had half of them.
Thanks for the post, Saskya. I hope the teaching and other work has been a good distraction. What are you teaching now? This has been an all-too-long pandemic semester, but the students here have been really understanding.
Thanks for the note Manoj.
I am teaching a new course on invasive species. It is a lot of work because it is new, but still fun and interesting. It is in-person which nice for me and for the students. I’m also leading a grad reading group on spatial ecology the is meeting online.
Thanks for the updates Saskya. I’m sorry to hear about the bones and the nausea—- strange question but are you able to take Pepto at all for that, maybe constantly? You look great without hair, is it at all freeing to remove societal constraints? Wigs are fun, they always come off so why not! People don’t realize but most women you see in media basically have wigs because of all the hair extensions (or actual wigs), so you wouldn’t be alone
It definitely feels nice and fresh having no hair. I still haven’t warmed to the wig, but I am getting attached to my hats and scarves.
Hi Saskya. Recently I got some XL bandanas made of polyester to use as face masks. They are big enough to tie around my head also, which I sometimes do on a windy day to hold on my visor. After I got melanoma, I always wear some sort of hat.
Hi Paul, I have been wearing hats but they are getting to be too hot in the warm weather. So yeah, I’ll switch to bandana like scarves too.