Bald Barren And Boobless

An honest and comical reflection of my journey through breast cancer

Tag: insomnia

Mad Days

images-3I was awake until 1 am.  I’m so frustrated and exhausted.  I wake slowly again and realise that I have a big to-do list today.  I have many phone calls, emails and doctors appointments to do today.  We also have people coming to dinner, I don’t know what I was thinking.

I’m completely exhausted just thinking about what’s ahead of me today.  My energy is so low, I have burrning diarrhea, not sure how I’m going to get through.  A high point is that today is the last injection that I need to give myself.  It’s those injections to boost my blood from the effects of chemo.  What an accomplishment.  I still remember the fear and trepidation as I hovered shakily over my own stomach the first time with that needle.

Some people have to give themselves injections every single day, again you are my hero.  It amazes me how much you are able to overcome when you just put one foot in front of the other.

Amazingly I got through my to-do list today, but I did not rest.  I pray that tonight I do not pay the price, but it was just one of those mad days.  How am I ever going to find the balance, or is it accepting that sometimes you have those days?

Hip Hip Hooray

birthday candlesDespite being so exhausted when I went to bed last night, I was awake until after 1.30 in the morning.  I had so much pain in my joints that I just couldn’t sleep.  Even taking some really strong pain relief I tossed and turned until 5 AM.

An absolutely awful thing about today is it’s my honey’s birthday.  Hip hip hooray!!!  Yeah right……. I feel like one of those dying flowers in a vase trying to look nice but failing miserably.

I tried my best to spoil him before he went to work, he seemed to appreciate the quirky gifts we got him.  He’s not an easy man to buy for, whenever he sees something he likes, he usually gets it so it is very hard to surprise him.

We had a nice morning and then I do the school run, go shopping, wash the loads of dirty clothes, and do more washing and ironing.  I also did the kids sheets and made their beds with new sheets.  Why I decided to do this after having virtually no sleep last night I do not know.  I don’t even understand myself at times….

I am so exhausted that I feel really sick.  I really have no one to blame but myself.  I should have stayed in bed, the chores will always wait.  Somehow my mother’s guilt got the better of me.

I made Marc his birthday dinner, I felt as sick as a dog.  I feel like I’m going to lose it at either end any moment.  Not a nice way to try and make someone’s birthday special.  I’m so exhausted I really need to sleep.  I feel so selfish at the moment.  I’m so focused on how bad I feel that I’m unable to give anything to anyone else.  I really hate this.  I am determined that his next celebration will be much more special.

 

Gotta get my insomnia sorted out

I Kylie's Personal Journey Documentary_Stage 1.woke at 1:11 AM feeling like I’d had hours of sleep. AAARRRGHHHH!!!

I’m wide awake, I’m having intense hot flushes, I just don’t know what to do with myself. I think a good option is to spray myself and stand in front of the fan.

What a sorry sight I must be standing in the darkness of my bedroom. One boob, no hair, bald as a badger and sweating from head to toe. I know what a beautiful site you must be imagining right now.

Eventually the hot flush subsides and I contemplate going back to bed. However it’s not that simple, the intensity of these hot flashes mean that I am wide awake so sleep is not an option for a while to come. Thank goodness for recorded episodes of “The Block.” I promise you, this has saved my life. Combined with the fact that my husband can sleep while I have the TV on its such a blessing.

I eventually wake at 6:30 AM after falling asleep around 4 AM. I feel like I have a hangover, I really need to sort out this insomnia. How on earth is anyone meant to function with no sleep.

In general my pain is a little less today, I’m tired but I’m getting used to plodding along anyway. Again no rest today too many things to do. I need my blood test to track my body’s response to the last round of chemo as well as seeing if I’m ready for the next round.

I also have a visit from two good friends both are also work colleagues and keep me in the loop as to what’s been happening in the world of business. One of them is a lady in a complimentary business that we have worked with the years. The other has been my partner in business so many years. Both of these women are tremendous gifts to my life.

At the end of their visit my business partner mentions that if I am open to it she may consider buying me out of our business. This comes as both a shock as well as an opportunity. Because I don’t know what the future holds it may be worth considering how I can simplify things.

However, another part of me feels like one of my dreams has just been taken away. We always had a big vision for our business. To think this may change in a way that I never expected challenges me. Again I need to take some time and see what is going to be best for me and for the business. I also need to remember that her intention is to take pressure off of me and give me the space to get better.

I went for another swim tonight. These hot flushes are so exhausting, depleting, disgusting, frustrating. My hair that had just started to grow back has begun to fall out again. I think I’m going to go for the clean skin that look and just shave my head whenever I need it. I don’t want to look like a sucked out mango. Again another beautiful visual for you all.

Summer Camp!

summer timeIt’s Summer time, and every summer our kids go to “Summer Camp.” This is 3-5 days when the kids go off and do crazy stuff and the grown ups get to have a summer break too.

I am feeling ok as the day begins, I am still sore where I had the mastectomy, I’m aching all over but the mouth ulcers are beginning to get less painful. We drop Sam to the bus for camp and he says that he fears he will starve while he’s away. Such a drama queen, my boy! I have packed him so many snacks that even if he ate nothing else he would survive.

I do the usual mum thing, “brush your teeth, use sunscreen, remember to drink plenty of water, Oh and have fun!” Sam hears “Blah Blah blah ….Fun” Typical parent teenager interaction really J

Marc and I go home and have a relatively easy day. I poddle about and have a rest in the arvo and then we have a date night which is exciting.

On the way into the city we got to Oxford street and go to a wig and hat shop to get some bamboo caps so that I am prepared when my hair starts to go. It’s so weird but the ladies are lovely and I pick a few different colours. I’m such a girl scout; I need to be prepared. But seriously, when is it a convenient time for your hair to fall out?

We decided to go to Gold Class and see “Walter Mitty.” We went to a little French restaurant for dinner and then on to the movies. What a great movie, so good to get out of my own head for a while and be in some ones else’s. It’s so nice to be doing “normal” things together, just spending time, and especially not talking about cancer.

Such a lovely day and I didn’t even need Endone tonight! Progress……