This week has been interesting from the point of view of finally getting most of the nausea under control and my face and upper body are no longer breaking out but all the other side effects are starting to make their being noticed.
My skin is drying out severely, I am having to continuously put lotion on my elbows and hands to keep them from shedding and burning. Where I still have the rash is increasingly itchy and it takes a lot of determination not to scratch it! My facial skin is also so sore and it alternates between burning and aching, lotion helps some but it is still there.
I now have sores on the side of my tongue that are severe and swallowing even water hurts. As of Wednesday, I had resisted using the Vicodin that had been prescribed by the doctor (and told to start using last week) but was having so much pain, I started taking it. Surprisingly, it acted very quickly and while not completely blocking the pain, I was able to function much better. I am not fighting the idea any longer and appreciated the relief from pain. The other side effect that came on strongly this week is the dry mouth. During the day I am able to keep my mouth lubricated with all the rinses and drinking water, but at night it is another story. I woke up on Tuesday morning in pain from the dryness and even after 10 minutes of rinsing and drinking water, the Benadryl pill got stuck in my throat and caused me to gag and choke, no fun. The doctor suggested a humidifier, so after treatment we stopped and got one. It has made a difference and the last two mornings I am waking up dry but not in pain.
I am eating liquids and noodles because I can't tolerate the pain trying to eat anything. The irony of that is my sense of smell has been heightened, so things smell so good, but I can't eat them.
All that said, I am very positive and find as much enjoyment out of each day I can. Stacey and I are finding a lot to laugh about and that helps the two of us. I am looking forward to seeing my daughter this time next week and the end of my treatments.
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