Day 7 Application Phase - I'm almost half way through the application phase. I'm starting to turn red in spots (thus, the roll tide comment), and my lips continue to swell and turn deep crimson (that's wrong on so many levels I know.) My skin feels like bee stings or pins and needles, but not too bad, just noticeable, unless I go outdoors of course, it's June in Florida here so it's very hot, and that obviously hurts. I avoid direct sunlight at all costs now, and wear a wide brimmed hat outdoors nearly all the time. During treatment or not, I wear my hats, it especially helps now though. The cool thing about my hats is that people think I wear them to be fashionable. They are kind of my thing now, the crazy hat lady I guess. I've learned to keep a collection in the back of my car, then wherever I go, I've got just the right hat. Maybe I should start leaving them on more in my photos.
I had my teeth cleaned today, which wasn't bad at all, the only bad part was driving to and from. The boys are staying with me through my birthday it turns out which keeps me busy, because they like to eat all the time, and they make huge messes and fight non stop. All of this keeps my mind off of my face. I bought four boxes of Star Wars Popsicles. They are HEAVEN, and it's great to offer the boys some too, like we are doing some kind of mother son bonding thing. I feel bad that I can't take them to the beach or pool or water slides, and that they are stuck home with me, but I have them take the dogs out and play etc. We'll make up for this in July. I also realized I am very blessed to be a teacher in that I get summers off. I have to do this treatment every year the rest of my life, and luckily I will still have five or six weeks of vacation time when I'm through with my treatment.
Application Day 7 - June 8 2015
Day 6 Application Phase - My 45th birthday is Tuesday and I didn't know if I'd have my boys with me, so we celebrated my birthday today. We went to the movies to see Tomorrowland. The movies are a great escape during treatment, once you get into the dark theater anyway. The dark helps me blend in with the crowd, the AC feels nice, and there is nothing like a good movie or book to take my mind off of my stinging face. The only bad thing about the movies, although not bad enough to make me not eat is is popcorn. Be warned! If you are treating your lips, as I am, getting salt on them, is the equivalent of pouring salt into an open wound. Make sure you actually place each piece of popcorn into your mouth, keep your lips out of it, trust me on this. I'm going through more EOS lip balm and Carmex than many small countries. Stash your favorite lip balm everywhere. Buy tons of it and hide it everywhere like a crazy person. In your desk, on your night stand, in your night stand, kitchen, car, every purse you might use in the next month, hoodie pockets. If your house is burning down, save your children, your pets, and some lip balm.
Application Day 6 - June 7, 2015
Day 5 Application Phase - Today I went to my ex's birthday party with a bunch of the extended family and my boys. Everyone knew I had started my treatment, my lips are swollen and my face stings, and I got a lot of "you don't look that bad"s. I know people mean well when they say this, and actually I don't look bad yet. My lips are swelling up though and they hurt, my face stings, I can't go outside in the sunlight or heat, and I've been sick at my stomach. I was glad I went to the party, it was a casual cookout. I can't do my normal thing, and I know I tend to eat and put on weight while I'm going through this treatment so I will have to be careful, but I did eat a bit.
I will not wear makeup except eyeliner and mascara anymore now that my face is getting stingy. I know for me, it irritates my skin and increases the redness. This is my 3rd round, so I know what is coming. Somebody did the nicest thing for me today. My yard needed to be mowed, edged etc. I can't do it because of the sunlight, heat from outdoors, and also sweat hurts (salt in wound thing.) Anyway, my friend sweated for hours mowing my yard, edging my yard, fixing my fence etc. I didn't ask, I'm horrible at asking. If they would have asked, I would have probably said, "oh no, I'm fine", but they didn't ask, they just did. If you are trying to be supportive of a loved one going through this treatment you might want to keep that in mind. Some of us simply don't know how to ask for or accept help from others.
Application Day 5 - June 6, 2015
No comments:
Post a Comment