Echoes and EKGs

When I started this chemo journey, I thought my mantra for daily activity was reasonable-go to work, walk my dog, write my blog. I figured these were the things I would do every day, or at least 5 days per week. I soon found a myriad of other little tasks to add in that should be done daily-take my pills, prepare meals, squeeze wheatgrass juice, do the healing walk, call my family, and on and on-this  doesn't even take in the things that nature dictates. Days are full, and with the best of intentions, I'm still writing this blog 2 or 3 times a week rather than daily and walking my dog less often than she would like, no matter how hard she tries to remind me that I have the commitment and that it is good for me.

I have not, however, missed a single day of work during this experience, although there were a couple I wished I'd missed; today was one of them. I was surprisingly nauseous the last couple of days, and this morning actually thought I was going to toss my breakfast. I found it surprising that so far into the recuperation from the last of the big-guns chemo I am suddenly having increased digestive repercussions, but so it is. I will keep taking the Zofran that I thought I was past needing.

Today I had an EKG and an Echo cardiogram as part of one of the studies I am participating in. I'm not sure if this one has to do with the Avastin that I may or may not be getting, or whether it is simply about the A/C, as Adriamycin is potentially cardiotoxic. I will see the cardiologist in about 10 days and then I'll find out the results and learn whether the chemo has damaged my heart/vascular system, but I am thinking not. Although I am certainly more tired than before treatment, and have lost some muscle mass, I am still more active and have lower blood pressure than the average person. I keep saying "I am very lucky that I am basically a very healthy person, I just had a little tumor", and I mean it. I'm sure the chemo experience is much more challenging when other body systems are already compromised by illness. Chemo itself can cause side illnesses, but I refuse to believe that it has done so in my case. I just feel too good, even if a bit green around the gills. That's today; tomorrow is another day!

I did come home from the day and rest in bed for a couple of hours, then made one of our favorite dinners: turkey bacon, basil and tomato sandwiches on Ezekiel toast. Mayo and pesto...wow-that's a fabulous dinner. I felt much better after that. You should try it! Walked the dog tonight and am writing my blog; I'm really on a roll.