Not the Vaseline!!!

Healing Day 1 -

I read another blog of a patient going through topical chemotherapy treatment with Flourouracil yesterday.  She like the others I read applied Vaseline to her face and praised it's benefits.  I tried Aquiphor which in my opinion is about the same thing, and could not stand that greasy feeling on my face.  I am getting my cracking and peeling though, so I may be rethinking this decision soon.

I did not sleep again last night, which leaves me tired and worn out this morning.  I did notice from other blogs I read that patients were either provided with or called in for pain meds and sleeping medication.  I'm almost there now, so I'll probably just suffer through at this point.  Next time, I will arrange for those medications ahead of time with my doctor.

I just barely began to break a sweat unpacking boxes in my classroom yesterday.  Maybe I can best describe it as salt in an open wound, the wound being my entire face.  I was in an increased state of pain all day after that.  Avoid sweating, trust me on this one.  I should have taken ibuprofen before trying to go to bed last night.  I broke down and took some around 5AM and guess what, yep I finally caught a few Zs.

I read that chocolate helped another patient get through her experience.  I think it's important that you have some kind of little reward for yourself that will perk you up now and then. 

I'm not sad at all. I don't feel sorry for myself and I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me, which I've noticed some of my friends do, to the point of tears in fact.  The people who see me in person will see me laughing and joking as usual, admittedly I say "ow ow ow" if I laugh too hard and crack my face for something. Even then it beats the heck out of hiding at home and feeling miserable.  When I'm busy I don't have as much time to think about how bad it hurts. People say things like "I don't know how you do it."  Well I put the stuff on twice a day.  I do what anyone else in my position would do.  I'm not brave or anything, I'm just doing what I have to, the same as you would.  We all have our trials, mine could be much worse.