Chemo is Weird

Chemo is weird. I am not supposed to be in the sun while on chemo. Despite my best efforts while we were in Jekyll Island, at one point I had pushed up my sleeves and my arms got burned. My arms were red for about a week after we got home and then tanned up like normal sunburn has done in the past. I figured there would be a little bit of peeling like a normal sunburn.

Instead, I get this at the end of last week. A rash that looks awful. It is making my lymphedema in my right arm act up too. I am sure this is why they don't want chemo patients in the sun. After about four days having the rash it has started itching so I have been rubbing lotion on it all day long.

I have been laying low this past week. This treatment seems to take a lot more out of me than past protocols have. I can do a very little until I have to sit down or lay down. I am wondering if it is because of the oral chemo that I take every day twice a day. I have been feeling a little good for nothing as I contribute very little to the life of the family lately. I am hoping that after Thursday when I get a week break from the oral chemo that I feel a little more like myself.

Bloodwork last Thursday showed bottomed out white blood cells. Everything else looked okay. I actually spent a couple of days last week sleeping the day away. Not what I like to be doing during the day, but if rest is what is needed, rest is what I will do.

I am crocheting some when I feel like it and I am working on a stitching project. That helps me feel like I am doing something while I lay around. There really is no way to know if this is working on the cancer but for the last week I have had no liver pain at all. I can even poke around and not feel any pain. Oh I am so hoping that this is attacking the cancer! I can endure this fatigue if I know it is helping me to get to cancer remission.

Meanwhile I get to watch this weird sun reaction and what it will do next!