Here is
a really interesting article on msnbc.com about the results of a study trying
to determine if taking ginger herbal supplements prior to chemo helps lessen
the feelings of nausea. Apparently, it works. I know when I was so sick, the
ginger helped a bit - wish I had known this, because I would have absolutely
tried it. When you are that sick, you will try just about anything.
As always, make sure you check with your doctor prior to taking any meds or supplements, as they may interfere or inhibit your treatment.
As always, make sure you check with your doctor prior to taking any meds or supplements, as they may interfere or inhibit your treatment.
Comments:
Tina said...
Interesting!
I might have to try it. I know gingerale didn't seem to do a thing on my worst
day, but I haven't tried it with the mild nausea I have most of the time.
Thanks for posting the article!
Tina
Thanks for posting the article!
Tina
May
15, 2009 at 8:56 AM
The
Arnold Palmer Cancer Center where I go has containers of peppermints, lemon
drops and ginger candies on tables all around the waiting area.
I used to pick up a couple extra lemon drops and put them in my purse for later on that day, if I was getting treatment.
They really did help settle my stomach.
I used to pick up a couple extra lemon drops and put them in my purse for later on that day, if I was getting treatment.
They really did help settle my stomach.
May
15, 2009 at 2:39 PM
Later:
I have
been sick all week. Just feeling yucky, kind of like I was fighting allergies.
Until Wednesday night, when I started to feel bad enough to take something more
than just Advil. I felt like I had been hit by a truck! Thursday morning, I was
okay, not great, but not enough to stay home from work. Until about 9am. Then,
I thought I was going to be sick at my desk. I got all feverish (you know that
feeling where you feel simultaneously hot and cold?), sick to my stomach,
headache to beat all, etc. Then, I was hungry. Ravished, in spite of having
just eaten. So, out came my chips from my lunch (yes, at 9am...). And, after
those, I felt better. Hmmm....
It's been a tough week. As you saw on an earlier post, I am worried about Kim. Hoping to see her tomorrow or Sunday at the hospital, but I'm sure she will be pretty drugged up, so we'll have to see. My friend Betty is out of the hospital and into a rehab facility, so that's good news. I was so worried about them both. While Kim hasn't had great news to report (the stuff in her lungs is definitely cancer, and they start chemo on Monday), it's good to have a gameplan and know the beast we are fighting. On top of all of that, I realized that, after this week, I'll be back by myself for the next month or so. Levi, Mom and Dad will all be back in NY, and it's going to be the kids and me. I am looking forward to the time with them, but I am also worried about making sure that I have time for myself, too. I have a couple of ideas that will help ensure that I make time for myself - thinking of getting my nails put back on. It's a small girl-y thing that I can do for myself that will make me commit to taking time out of every three weeks for just me. It's a little pricey ($25 a pop), but I think my sanity is worth it. Plus, I like the way they look!
And, I think I have committed to getting my tattoo on my birthday weekend. It's something I have been thinking about A LOT lately, and while I wish Levi could be here with me to get it, I want to have it done before I go back to NY in August. So, I have a friend who has had some gorgeous art done, and she recommended a wonderful artist. She is going to go with me, and since the pricing isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be (it's going to be around $100-$200), I think I am going to take the plunge.
On a latent side effect note, I have had tinglings of the neuropathy pop back up lately, which I'm not impressed about. It's been mainly isolated to my feet, but I definitely notice it when my feet are cold. I actually had to turn up the AC in the house b/c it's been so cold (if you can call 75 cold) in the mornings when I wake up. My feet get all tingly, I start shivering.....I definitely notice that I'm much more sensitive to the cold temps now that I'm done with chemo.
I have been doing a lot of thinking over the past week, pushed by so many different things. You hear the stories about Farrah Fawcett, and while I lament her struggle and her impending death, I am so proud that she is choosing to tell her story and to bring light to this disease. While hers is anal cancer, the fact that a major broadcast company is airing information about a cancer from that part of the body is amazing. Between Farrah's story and Katie Couric's work, I think we are at the start of making cancer of the butt as popular as cancer of the boobs. :-)
Onto my volunteer/advocacy work - I haven't been super active with that over the past couple of week because of everything else going on. I am looking forward to doing more in the next month or so - we have a CCA conference call on Monday, and I know that there will be LOTS of action items from that call. Also, I have been in contact with i[2]y to talk about getting a Happy Hour set up in the Phoenix area. Anyone interested in helping me get it set up?
I think that's about it. Next week will be busy, what with Mom and Dad heading back north and with it being Julia's last week of first grade (!!!). Can you believe she's going to be a second grader? Yikes....
Of course, next week also marks my one-year cancerversary. I am kind of trying to not think about it, and what it means. I feel like it's going to be emotional (as I've said before) and I just don't know that the people around me can completely understand why I am, well, dwelling on the negative. I understand the positive, and I am so grateful for what I've had come into my life as a result of the cancer. But, there's anger there that I don't think I've given credit yet, and I'm worried that this might manifest itself this week. I'm hoping I can harness that energy into something more positive. Here's hoping.
It's been a tough week. As you saw on an earlier post, I am worried about Kim. Hoping to see her tomorrow or Sunday at the hospital, but I'm sure she will be pretty drugged up, so we'll have to see. My friend Betty is out of the hospital and into a rehab facility, so that's good news. I was so worried about them both. While Kim hasn't had great news to report (the stuff in her lungs is definitely cancer, and they start chemo on Monday), it's good to have a gameplan and know the beast we are fighting. On top of all of that, I realized that, after this week, I'll be back by myself for the next month or so. Levi, Mom and Dad will all be back in NY, and it's going to be the kids and me. I am looking forward to the time with them, but I am also worried about making sure that I have time for myself, too. I have a couple of ideas that will help ensure that I make time for myself - thinking of getting my nails put back on. It's a small girl-y thing that I can do for myself that will make me commit to taking time out of every three weeks for just me. It's a little pricey ($25 a pop), but I think my sanity is worth it. Plus, I like the way they look!
And, I think I have committed to getting my tattoo on my birthday weekend. It's something I have been thinking about A LOT lately, and while I wish Levi could be here with me to get it, I want to have it done before I go back to NY in August. So, I have a friend who has had some gorgeous art done, and she recommended a wonderful artist. She is going to go with me, and since the pricing isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be (it's going to be around $100-$200), I think I am going to take the plunge.
On a latent side effect note, I have had tinglings of the neuropathy pop back up lately, which I'm not impressed about. It's been mainly isolated to my feet, but I definitely notice it when my feet are cold. I actually had to turn up the AC in the house b/c it's been so cold (if you can call 75 cold) in the mornings when I wake up. My feet get all tingly, I start shivering.....I definitely notice that I'm much more sensitive to the cold temps now that I'm done with chemo.
I have been doing a lot of thinking over the past week, pushed by so many different things. You hear the stories about Farrah Fawcett, and while I lament her struggle and her impending death, I am so proud that she is choosing to tell her story and to bring light to this disease. While hers is anal cancer, the fact that a major broadcast company is airing information about a cancer from that part of the body is amazing. Between Farrah's story and Katie Couric's work, I think we are at the start of making cancer of the butt as popular as cancer of the boobs. :-)
Onto my volunteer/advocacy work - I haven't been super active with that over the past couple of week because of everything else going on. I am looking forward to doing more in the next month or so - we have a CCA conference call on Monday, and I know that there will be LOTS of action items from that call. Also, I have been in contact with i[2]y to talk about getting a Happy Hour set up in the Phoenix area. Anyone interested in helping me get it set up?
I think that's about it. Next week will be busy, what with Mom and Dad heading back north and with it being Julia's last week of first grade (!!!). Can you believe she's going to be a second grader? Yikes....
Of course, next week also marks my one-year cancerversary. I am kind of trying to not think about it, and what it means. I feel like it's going to be emotional (as I've said before) and I just don't know that the people around me can completely understand why I am, well, dwelling on the negative. I understand the positive, and I am so grateful for what I've had come into my life as a result of the cancer. But, there's anger there that I don't think I've given credit yet, and I'm worried that this might manifest itself this week. I'm hoping I can harness that energy into something more positive. Here's hoping.
Comments:
Whidbey
Woman said...
Neuropathy-
This has been problematic for my husband,too. He has found little relief. At
times his feet are so bad it hurts to walk. For his hands, he wears fleece
gloves but sometimes that hurts his fingers. Fleece mittens would be better but
hard to find this time of year. When it is really bad, he can't even bear to
touch silverware. So he uses plastic ones. That helps.
Farrah- I just wrote a post yesterday. I am looking forward to her documentary tonight. You are right... there are other forms of cancers than Breast Cancer. It is indeed nice to see more coverage out there. I enjoy your blog. Hope you and your visitors will check it out http://ronsroad2recovery.blogspot.com/
Farrah- I just wrote a post yesterday. I am looking forward to her documentary tonight. You are right... there are other forms of cancers than Breast Cancer. It is indeed nice to see more coverage out there. I enjoy your blog. Hope you and your visitors will check it out http://ronsroad2recovery.blogspot.com/
May
15, 2009 at 5:28 PM
Hope
you are feeling better soon! Sounds like stress might be a part of it :-)
I'm glad you are going to take time for yourself--you deserve it! And relax and laugh with your children--best medicine ever!
Thinking of you!
Tina
I'm glad you are going to take time for yourself--you deserve it! And relax and laugh with your children--best medicine ever!
Thinking of you!
Tina
May
16, 2009 at 7:20 PM
Kairol Rosenthal said...
Thanks
for commenting on my FB page about your blog. I'm loving reading it. Especially
this last post. I'm all about the power of realistic thinking, which means that
sometimes we are going to feel positive and sometimes we are going to be
sideswiped by the hard crap that is cancer - like anger rearing its ugly head
around a cancerversary. Makes sense to me. Ride the waves darling.
If you are interested, add my blog to your blog roll: Everything Changes http://everythingchangesbook.com/
Stay in touch,
Kairol
If you are interested, add my blog to your blog roll: Everything Changes http://everythingchangesbook.com/
Stay in touch,
Kairol
May
17, 2009 at 7:34 PM
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