32. other odd things

Wednesday 16th April

Thought I’d mention some of the side effects [and what I do about them] – I have to make a list to take with me the next time I have the chemo, so I thought I’d put it on here too. Why not?

First two days: obviously the nausea, which was controlled by the tablets, so no problem there. Next few days, a bit ‘nauseous’ but also controlled, once my brain kicked into gear, by the tablets. By Sunday, seemed ok.

All the time, but not constant: strange, stabbing pains in all sorts of places [foot and wrist and stomach] – the stomach ones may have been self inflicted by the floor episode [yes, yes, never to be repeated]. Mostly the pains seem to be controlled by taking the odd painkiller. Better check if these are allowed I suppose. And sudden attacks of exhaustion, but these haven’t been too bad this time, as long as I have a quick sleep then I awake feeling fine. They have also diminished this week. Long may it carry on.

Constant side effects:
- blocked sinuses, watering eyes and an itchy nose. I feel like I have a cold coming, a fat blocked up head, then it goes away, then it comes back. The last few days the inside of my nose has been itching almost like hay-fever. Very irritating and it makes me feel like sniffing my coffee up it. Probably ill advised, as drowning in one's own coffee will be worse than an itching nose...

- the taste thing. I was warned that my food might start to taste peculiar. Well, that’s true to an extent, but it’s my mouth that does the peculiar thing. It’s like my teeth are leaking something horribly nuclear into my mouth. If I clean my teeth then eat straight away, it seems to clear it for a while. But some things do taste foul – I’ve discovered the best thing to have for breakfast is Marmite on toast – the taste is so strong that it deletes everything else. Brilliant – I might have Marmite on everything! Perhaps I should write to them and inform them that their product has miracle attributes heh heh. And ice lollies! Yesss! Fabulous things, freeze the tongue, so you can’t taste anything which is rather nice occasionally.

I am sure Grace will be chuffed to bits, as we will be trying lots of them. As she is 4, she can probably advise me on the best ones? At the moment I have Jelly Baby ones – repulsive purple colour, but they are so nice! Why is kids food such horrible colours? Someone tell me that. Mothers, complain – I am sure if it drips on me, I shall be stained purple for the duration.

- mouth ulcers, dry lips and constant thirst. Had to nip to the chemist and get some stuff to slap on an ulcer on my tongue. I can’t imagine what it’s made of, but it fixed it instantly. Hello Scary Tongue Stuff! But a lot better than the ulcer taking over the entire known universe in there [can’t be doing with the advert where all sorts of small men are marauding round one’s teeth, yelling about disaster zones and waving hose pipes – imagine the headache you’d have]. Drinking lots of Lucosade. It seems to also help get rid of the horrible taste.

Bought a new electric toothbrush, as it seems very difficult to actually get my teeth clean. Takes ages to remove the aforementioned nuclear waste. And a medicinal mouthwash [YUUUUCK!]. Hate mouthwash, as it says DO NOT SWALLOW, so of course when I gargle I immediately want to swallow it. Contrary to the last. Plus it sets your tongue on fire – what’s that all about? Torture, disguised as being good for you.

I am using a really good lip balm called Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula – marvellous. Very ugly packaging mind you. They could do with a new marketing person. Brown and blue? eww. Made in America – what can I say? But it’s wicked stuff.