The results are nearly in, sort of

So I had the CT a few Fridays ago, essentially to check on how the Xeloda has been working, as I have been having some dizziness and more pelvis/sacrum/hip joint pain (where my bone mets are). When I went for my monthly jab I got the results...They are a mixed bag.
Yay Xeloda is doing its job well (I am on 3 each day) the larger of the spots on my liver was classed as stable just under 1cm still, and the two smaller ones are now barely visible. The bone mets on my pelvis are stable, have shown no change. So that is the really good news... I do wonder as I have settled in with Xeloda now whether the dose should be increased.
However, they did find a few spots on my brain, which they suspect could be mets, and recommended an MRI a to confirm or deny! My onc wasn't too phased about the brain ones, except for my dizziness, I was happy to reassess next month if my dizziness continues (my thinking is I am pretty sure I had a good dose of flu, and have had low wcc and neutrophils and picked up everything this winter...still filled with snot, so this could be adding to my unsteadiness) . I will have the MRI just before my next xgeva jab.
So...still in limbo.... Fatigue is nuts, but it's the end of term and everyone is tired.... a week to go.
My rock is having trouble coming to terms with it all, and has put his head in the sand a bit :( but we will get there...
The past week has been dismal, but the weather is looking up, and this weekend I head to Sandown for the V8s... hope I make it through... should be there today, but I am resting, taking it easy... getting my energy levels up.

The double edged sword!

When I had chemo in 2010, I put on so much weight, with the dexmethasone and chemo and feeling sad and sorry for myself...I also had swelling of my hands, and could no longer wear my wedding ring... Which was upsetting, but other things were going on... And so for the next 5 years my hands were without rings. Every now and then I would try it on, usually when going somewhere special and glamming up for the night... But to no avail, not even able to get it over my knuckles. Then if I did, it was mighty uncomfortable.

Since last October I have been making a concerted effort to lose weight through exercise and portion control. I have now lost around 15kilos since my heaviest of 110kgs. (I may well have gotten heavier, but I was too sad to look). I got a garmin Vivofit for my birthday, and it was on and happening. I was walking lots and feeling healthy!

Then in April the weight was dropping off, and I got the news of the liver met making itself at home... Was the weightloss from my efforts or a side product of liver mets? Still the weight is falling... Hubby decides to enjoy a bit of chocolate each evening... and knowing that is my weakness I am not able to say no. So I wonder if the weightloss will stop... After all since having children I only have to look at chocolate to put back on anything I managed to lose...hmmmmm double edged sword.

So, now heading into the end of the third week of this lurgy, which has stopped me from doing much of anything, I felt sure the weightloss will stop... Specially with the extra evening chocolate treats!!

But the scales are disagreeing, and in fact for the first time in about 10 years or more the numbers are 90.5kg. No sure what is contributing...and I feel it could be a bit of everything... IUD out, metabolism back on track, portion control, liver mets, Xeloda side effects. On the positive side my nails are getting long and strong, they have been a bit of an indicator as to my inside health, tending to flake and break whenever things are going badly inside... 

So today, still a bleagh day lurgy wise... Looking at my chest of drawers, I thought I would try on my wedding ring... And voila, it fitted, I have been wearing it all day, and I don't even notice it... Yay.

Here we go

The bone scan was stable..yay, but the CT showed a 9mm lesion in my liver! Well Fuck that!
On to chemo, at least it's an oral one. Omg, how am I going to tell Michael?

Update

Well, this weekend I have missed out on a race meeting...due to being tired, and having a big meeting next weekend, so... Taking it easy.

Last week was rads every day... And work, and extra driving... Yes I know I am doing too much... But... Ok I have no excuse...so relaxing this weekend.

Pain has still been an issue... I ended up getting some fentanyl patches which I used last weekend to see me through the field of women... And took it off Sunday night before driving around. My beautiful sister was down from Queensland, and she drove me around on Friday, then we trained it and Michael drove over the weekend.

Wednesday was an extra long work day... Waking with a migraine did not help... So I had Panadol osteo 6 hourly and ibuprofen 8 hourly, got it into the background a bit.... It was the Open night at school, so I eventually went home after 9pm and popped a patch on and had an endone as well... 

Thursday I couldn't believe I woke up with an even bigger migraine...this time including nausea and spewing... Arghhh. Hoping it is the tension headaches we put the last lot down to....it hung around most of the day... I did take Thursday off, and Michael drove me around, got some nurofen migraine stuff and maxolan to reduce nausea... It subsided, I slept most of the day... 

Saw the breast surgeon as the nurse wanted me to come back after I was put on antibiotics when the stitches were taken out... Still a bit red and achy around the under arm, but he was happy it was heading in the right direction.

In the evening was the long awaited Talent Quest... With my son in the rafters on the lights and my lovely daughter part of a dance team... Brilliant night, glad I had the sleep.

Friday, woke with the migraine again... Can't believe this... But my neck is super stiff, so continued with the analgesics ... It subsided a bit... Did the work thing, then home to endone.

Over the weekend I can feel the migraine in the background, but not full on... Drinking lots, having green tea, taking it easy, still getting out for a walk. The pain is still there in my hips... This is getting annoying... I see the rads onc tomorrow... And have my last rads session....

Tired, not so emotional, just wanting to feel better... The patch is good, I feel mentally focused, more so than with the endone, but needing the endone for the ongoing hip pain, particularly when lying down, so sleep is a bit of an issue! 

Well on we go...

Another day another track

Writing this in the little hut for marshals listening to the much quieter F1 cars. Adelaide was brilliant,  had a wonderful drive home...and now back into it.
The body is holding up pretty well, a few aches...elbow is a new one...and hips are not really improving... am a bit over panicking at each new pain, but I guess that is my new normal!
Just having a giggle watching the photographers as they check each pic they take...ahh digital.

Headache

I have had more migraine in the past 3 weeks than I have had in my life...leaving me a bit scared.

Of course, I have consulted Dr Google, and now I am more scared.... Massive debilitating migraines are a symptom of Brain Mets... With dizziness, and a feeling of being just off centre also... Yes, well couldn't they just be migraines from being dehydrated...after all the massive sweats... 

Ah well, I have my Cabrini appt on Thursday...so will make sure I let the oncologist know, and will worry about what is causing the pain when I see him...

I did wonder if the headaches/ migraine was coming from stress in my neck....so I have been having the physio work on this as well as my hips.