May 21 - Long Weekend
Saturday morning, with Starbucks coffee and a sticky bun (“Chelsea buns” my Scottish grandfather used to call them). Not that I’ve given up on scones, but the sticky bun is relatively soft and I’ve been having some difficulty eating. Developed a sinus infection last Monday, which originally I thought was dental difficulty and so headed off to the dentist. Wrong. Right maxillary sinus infected, with excruciating pain as a result. Several days on an initial antibiotic didn’t do a whole lot of anything, so am now continuing with another. Throughout the process, I have been living on acetaminophen. Today, there is some reduction in the swelling and the pain – yay! Many thanks to nurse Sharon who got me in to see liver specialist within ½ hour of my telephone call to her. Ended up missing two days of work…. the only time I’ve missed work since starting treatment, darn! However, it’s likely that I would have missed a couple of days with an acute sinus infection even if treatment wasn’t happening (am rationalizing).
So will add another product to the medication chart for a couple of weeks. I keep the chart on my refrigerator door and, each morning and evening, tick off what’s been taken. The default is morning, unless otherwise specified (am, pm). This is the way my little brain fogged life is able to track what I’ve taken and when. Not nearly as creative or conceptually beautiful as Wendy’s marbles being removed from the jar with each interferon injection. Is very practical for me, though. I actually tried to include an example of the chart, but can't for the life of me figure out how to do a table in Blogger. If anyone knows, please advise.
Anyway, eying all of the completed pages on the fridge is quite impressive. As I’ve also now developed an oral thrush infection, what with being immunocompromised and on antibiotics, must pick up prescription from pharmacy today for antifungal mouthwash. Will add to the chart…. Liver physician also wants me to steam my face (can only be good for the skin – am planning to steam with chamomile tea), ice my right cheek, and inhale salt water through my right nostril, in an effort to open up the sinuses – okay.
Not much else new then from the last week. Treatment side effects have not been bad. Amazing how a little psychedelic pain will put them in perspective. Having Dad visit last weekend was fantastic and we had a really great time. Haven’t been listening to much music with the sore head and face, but will be putting on the discman this coming Tuesday for my return walk to our main hospital site for my next 8 week rotation. It is the Victoria Day long weekend here in Canada, also commonly known as the May two-four long weekend, associated with heading up to cottage country with case of 24 beer to get cottages opened up for summer, usually around May 24th. Not much actual emphasis on Queen Victoria, I’m afraid. We’ll be heading up to our cottage a bit later this year. But this long May weekend means bringing out the white shoes and open-toed sandals, now wearable until Labour Day in early September (we’re talking years of conditioning by my grandmothers and mother here – one does not wear white shoes before or after this time period!). I’d been hoping to check out “Hitchhiker’s Guide” this weekend, but with the release of the new “Star Wars” movie, it’s much more likely that Phil and I will walk down to the Paramount Theatre tomorrow and see that, maybe in Imax!
Today is quiet, day after injection #16, with the usual sequelae. Will have nice, restful day, maybe spending some time out on our deck in the sun (wearing 50 spf sunscreen). I am now two thirds of the way through treatment. Yes!
Sue
So will add another product to the medication chart for a couple of weeks. I keep the chart on my refrigerator door and, each morning and evening, tick off what’s been taken. The default is morning, unless otherwise specified (am, pm). This is the way my little brain fogged life is able to track what I’ve taken and when. Not nearly as creative or conceptually beautiful as Wendy’s marbles being removed from the jar with each interferon injection. Is very practical for me, though. I actually tried to include an example of the chart, but can't for the life of me figure out how to do a table in Blogger. If anyone knows, please advise.
Anyway, eying all of the completed pages on the fridge is quite impressive. As I’ve also now developed an oral thrush infection, what with being immunocompromised and on antibiotics, must pick up prescription from pharmacy today for antifungal mouthwash. Will add to the chart…. Liver physician also wants me to steam my face (can only be good for the skin – am planning to steam with chamomile tea), ice my right cheek, and inhale salt water through my right nostril, in an effort to open up the sinuses – okay.
Not much else new then from the last week. Treatment side effects have not been bad. Amazing how a little psychedelic pain will put them in perspective. Having Dad visit last weekend was fantastic and we had a really great time. Haven’t been listening to much music with the sore head and face, but will be putting on the discman this coming Tuesday for my return walk to our main hospital site for my next 8 week rotation. It is the Victoria Day long weekend here in Canada, also commonly known as the May two-four long weekend, associated with heading up to cottage country with case of 24 beer to get cottages opened up for summer, usually around May 24th. Not much actual emphasis on Queen Victoria, I’m afraid. We’ll be heading up to our cottage a bit later this year. But this long May weekend means bringing out the white shoes and open-toed sandals, now wearable until Labour Day in early September (we’re talking years of conditioning by my grandmothers and mother here – one does not wear white shoes before or after this time period!). I’d been hoping to check out “Hitchhiker’s Guide” this weekend, but with the release of the new “Star Wars” movie, it’s much more likely that Phil and I will walk down to the Paramount Theatre tomorrow and see that, maybe in Imax!
Today is quiet, day after injection #16, with the usual sequelae. Will have nice, restful day, maybe spending some time out on our deck in the sun (wearing 50 spf sunscreen). I am now two thirds of the way through treatment. Yes!
Sue
posted by Sue, Toronto at 9:08 AM
6 Comments:
Hi Sue
Two thirds of the way through treatment! Great! You have been coping amazingly well with all of the things that have kept cropping up.
Hope you enjoy Star Wars - what a treat to be able to see it at an Imax cinema!
Have a good weekend, and hope the sinuses clear up very soon.
Lu
Hi Lu,
Am really looking forward to Star Wars today (rewatched episodes 1 and 2 last night with my husband)! Sinuses are way improved, new antibiotics obviously doing the trick - yay! Thanks for your kind words,
Sue
Hi Jeff,
Have read several people mentioning that they use the pill boxes. They sound like a good idea.
Am amazed and impressed (and, I must admit, slightly horrified), that they are gradually going to bump your riba dose up to 2000 mg daily. Have heard a lot lately about increased riba dosing resulting in higher response rates. I hope that this is the end result for you, from what sounds like a tougher treatment regime.
Let me know how you are doing - keep your head above the water line. Am sending you positive hopes, thoughts and prayers.
Sue
I just found your blog and am reading through. I am so glad I found it. It helps to have other people to relate to when you are doing this whole Hep C treatment deal.
Hi Elizabeth Anne,
So nice to hear from you - another Canadian voice, eh! I've heard that British Columbia is a very proactive province to be living in, in terms of ability to access information and treatment for hep c.
Thank you for your very kind comments. This blog is definitely therapeutic for me getting through treatment. You are not at all alone - there are millions of us around the world going through a similar experience.
I hope that you are doing well,
Sue
Hi Javier,
Agree that the decision to take treatment can be a very difficult one. For me, it seemed the logical thing to do, with minimal liver damage (on ultrasound only - no biopsy), and with a genotype 3a diagnosis meaning a shorter treatment length and a higher probability of responding. It was the right choice for me to make at this point in my life. These are individual choices and we each make them with knowledge only we have about ourselves.
Being away to the Costa del Sol sounds absolutely fabulous, even if only for work!
Sue
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