More drama than I can deal with

I really had other things that I wanted to write about today but there have been some developments health-wise that I think people would want to know about. It really is more drama that I can deal with.

Yesterday was supposed to be my first day of chemo. I will be getting either Taxol of Taxatere to help enhance the radiation treatment but this chest cold has been getting worse and presenting some strange symptoms such as nausea. By the time I got to the oncologists office, I couldn't even sit up comfortably so I lay myself down on the examining table. When Dr. Taetle came in, I told him that I had a cough, wheezing, nausea, light headedness, all compounded with my regular hot flashes. I had gone for a chest x-ray at the insistence of my radiation oncologist and apparently, it showed a small spot that could be an early sign of pneumonia! Well, I have to say that I felt like I have pneumonia so I was not that surprised. Dr. Taetle put me on an antibiotic and something for the cough and nausea and told me to get some rest. He said that it wouldn't be a good idea to do the chemo if I was already feeling so lousy.

Then I told him about all the strange hormonal symptoms that I am having. I have hot flashes from morning to night. I have had feelings as if I would get my period and I have had extreme weepiness. These seem to be conflicting symptoms. If I am menapausal, I shouldn't have hot flashes, if I'm peri-menapausal, I shouldn't feel weepy. My estradiol levels are at 8 which is almost nothing, so why am I feeling like I could cry when I look at a person in the waiting room? I really have my doctors stumped. Honestly, I'd much rather be a normal case that reacted to my meds as expected.

I went to see a naturopath today. He is a medical doctor who specialized in naturopathic medicine but he is also a specialist in cancer treatment. He's pretty interesting looking, tall and slim, dressed in black pants and shoes with a rather stylish gray and black shirt. He wears narrow rimless glasses and has curly black hair speckled with hints of gray. He spent ages with me discussing my history and habits, did a brief examination and then talked to me about a regimen. I felt confident that he really knew his stuff and I liked his approach to my situation. I am going to give it a try and see how I feel. He said that I can eat meat (organic) and soy (less than 60 mg isoflavones per day). He told me to avoid sugars (as everyone says) but gave me a feeling of hope for, not just surviving this cancer, but improving my overall health.

I did find out a cool thing at radiation yesterday. When I go in, they put a wax template on my chest. I asked what that was for and the tech told me that it fools the electrons so that they don't penetrate as deeply into my chest. They just penetrate to the surface cells. I thought that was pretty fascinating. I'd love to know more about how that works.

Well, there is much more to tell and I have some fun new posts to write but I have an appt with a naturopath in an hour so the additional blog entries will have to wait.

Love to all and Peace!