What gets you through.....

MANGO LASSIES

I'm five days into my first chemo treatment and I can't really sugar coat that its been a kind of gruelling week. :-( Today I started to think about all the things that get me through. One thing I think about when I'm having a bad day is how delicious the Mango Lassies were in Asia. Since Monday my taste buds have pretty much been wiped out and its been difficult to eat. Chemo brings with it all kinds of nasty side effects. One of them for me has been severe jaw/neck/throat/ear/head pain. This is apparently a 'rare' side effect of the chemo drugs 'vincristine'. It started two nights ago when I tried to eat a small piece of strawberry. This piercing pain went through both sides of my jaw and has set in since. Last night was particularly gruelling. I felt like I had the most intense migraine headache of my life with this crazy jaw/throat/ear pain. I've been prescribed T3's and Gabopentin in the last 2 days but I'm Leary of taking yet more drugs. They all make you kind of doped up. (which actually isn't the worst side effect b/c then you're just kinda numbed out but still .. haha)

Despite all the pain I've been trying to get some nutrition into me to keep me going. My naturopath gave me a great tip for smoothies for the days I can't eat. Here is my recipe that's really been doing the trick for me:

1/2 banana (sometimes whole banana)

1/4 avocado

2 scoops Ultra Meal Rice Protein Powder -Great for helping keep lean muscle mass

Hemp, Almond or Soy Milk (unsweetened)

Frozen Berries

Fresh Mango (when I want a change and can handle it)

I've also been trying really hard to get lots of water into me with Aloe Vera juice - which is soothing on my very soar throat. I swish my mouth with baking soda/water mixture and also Silver solution which helps with not getting a soar mouth on top of everything else.

Today to ease my muscle pains I had the most devine bath with Epsom salts and pure lavender oil. Its very soothing and helped temporarily. The Epsom salts also help with joint pain.

(wowzers I sound like I'm 90 hey? ieieieiie)....

The best thing though was when my mom was here she really helped take care of me in a way only moms can. Every night she rubbed my feet with grape seed oil and frankincense oil. She's does massage therapy and did heat transfer on my body which instantly relaxed me and really did help me sleep. Mom's gone back to good 'ol Alberta now (*tear*) but she's coming back hopefully for my last treatment. Last night was kind of rough after she left - it just kind of hits you that you are all alone. I have amazing friends here that are all being supportive and awesome - but no one replaces the way a mom takes care of her kids (no matter how old we are). So this week it is to my mom that I say thank you so much. Thank you for being with me in Chemo all day Monday when I know it breaks your heart seeing me sick. Thank you for staying strong for both of us and thank you for all your holistic insight that I truly believe is helping me get through this just a little bit better.

So those are the things that got me through this week. I'll hopefully be making more regular entries......and keeping all the peeps up to date.

Tonight I'm going to relax as a couple of gf's come by with soup and treats. (Thanks Lutz, Tina and Susie).

Hope everyone gets out and enjoys the weekend (have a drink for me to).

b :-) xx