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Friday, May 15, 2015

Seven Down, Twenty Three to Go

Wow.  Seven radiation treatments done already. I have to say, certain parts are getting easier.  I don't dread the mask (as much) now that I know what it is like.  Now, I'm not volunteering to give up my Ativan anytime soon, but the mask part is definitely easier.

I am starting to feel the effects of the radiation.  I thought I had more time, everyone told me two weeks before you see any side effects.  Apparently I am an overachiever, because I started feeling fatigued around day four.  I wasn't really surprised, as the fatigue that always came with an RA flare would hit me hard too.

The big one so far, one I knew was coming but mentally wasn't completely prepared for, is that I have lost my sense of taste.  Not the sense of taste that would keep me from going out in yoga pants...I lost that somewhere between the first and second kid.  No, my actual sense of taste.  I can no longer taste (almost anything) at all.  I realized it on day five when the meatballs that Steve and the girl said were so spicy, had absolutely no taste to me at all.  Since then I have been experimenting with various foods, seeing if there is anything left for me at all.  It seems like I can taste cold better than hot, and certain fruits.  That's about it.  That doesn't leave me with a lot.  I do have to say that I feel like this sort of took the wind out of my sails.  I have been enjoying food so much for the last two months and suddenly, it really holds very little interest for me.  Today I actually used my feeding tube for food, not just medicine, for the first time in seven weeks.  I expect that I will go back to the majority of my feedings through the tube in the next few days.  It just isn't any fun to eat if you can't taste it!  Once radiation is over,  I will start experimenting again, hoping that I get something, anything back.  Keeping my fingers crossed that I can be a happy foodie again someday.

I think that's about it for me today.  I am definitely feeling the effects tonight, just completely exhausted and I need to save my energy for my kiddos. 

Sparkles and love to you all,
Gayle

2 comments:

craftsister said...

Your tastebuds are strong little suckers. They are going to come back. They are just resting right now. Hang in there. We are all sending you lots and lots of sparkles!

-Loren

Gayle said...

Thanks, Loren! I am collecting all the sparkles I can get!