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I was kind of a baby yesterday at chemo. Not because they poked me a total of 7 times before they could get any blood and blew a vein, but because they ended up putting the IV right in the crook of my elbow and anytime I moved my arm it would slow down the drip….and it made me NOT happy. I couldn’t type OR play Draw Something on my phone. End of the world right? I have about 50 games of Draw Something going……I’m trying to get enough coins to upgrade my colors so I don’t have to draw BLUE trees anymore. I just watched a few movies I had with me and tried to nap a little. The good news was that I wasn’t the last one there yesterday……a few stragglers behind me!
I always go into chemo with cheekbones….and 8 hours later after all the fluid has entered my body I look like a swollen chipmunk! This is mid-way chipmunk:
It was kind of a really long day for the first time. Typing always passes the time. Sometimes I don’t even know what I’m typing….I just write and write and write. I did pass the time trying to figure out what flavor jelly belly I picked out of the bag without looking. I’d gag every time I got popcorn…..I should have picked all of those out first.
I begged Dr. Luke to let this be my last week of chemotherapy. He sympathizes. He can tell it’s getting worse and worse with the Cisplatin. I haven’t been able to sleep at all and I have hot flashes all the time. I can tell that my ovaries are slowly dying. I tried so hard to maybe get my eggs frozen before I was blasted with chemotherapy….but there just wasn’t anytime or the cancer would have taken over my body. Maybe they’ll recuperate…..or maybe I’m going into early menopause……either way these little guys are suffering big time. I tell my sister Perry that she better have twins soon…..and I’ll take one…..the cutest one haha. A daily conversation here:
Boo: WHEN can I have a sister?
Me: Diesel’s your brother….and you make him wear dresses….that’s pretty close right?
Boo: Diesel is a DOG.
I went in for my Neulasta shot. Every time they inject it in my stomach I say “$4,950…..get into my belly”! Yes, this tiny little “I want to be a grown up shot, but I’m just a wee little shot” is $4,950. Each one. Maybe because it’s so cute and miniature? Small things always seem to cost more. If it was a 4 foot shot it would probably cost 49 cents.
Oh my gosh….I have to share my newest thing. Since I’ve had trouble sleeping they prescribed me Ambien…..which seemed to help a little. BUT the thing that helped them most? A simple bar of soap under the bottom sheet of my bed…..placed down by my feet. I was researching “restless leg syndrome” a few months back for Mr. LBB and came across this remedy. No one knows why it works but it does. Mr. LBB has been using it for months. I had the most restless legs last night and the second I unwrapped a bar of soap and put it down by feet…..instantly the restlessness was gone. It’s not hokey….it really works. I’ll take it. Some people say to use Dove soap…..the Irish Spring worked fine. If anyone knows why it works I’d love to know!
I wanted to share a few things from my daily regimen that have helped me the last few months….things that I’ll carry with me even after chemotherapy stops. These things have helped me with nausea, detox, energy etc. Please do everything at your own risk. Please do your own research and consult a doctor when in doubt!
I’ve tried to break these down on a “need to know” basis…..only the information I’ve retained and feel I need to know.
Gin Gins Ginger Candy: Ginger helps relieve nausea among other health benefits.
Ginger Candy. For nausea. My friend Aileen got me hooked on these Gin Gins candy…..great for nausea. I don’t like the taste of ginger but I love these….they are a little spicy hot and taste almost like caramels. I even let them dissolve in peppermint tea. You can find them at World Market and Trader Joe’s or online.
Sublingual Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps to heal the blood! Sublingual vitamin tablets dissolve immediately under the tongue, resulting in quick and direct absorption……..bypassing the digestive system – resulting in the maximum amount of nutrient assimilation.
Women are supposed to get 10,000 IUs a day of Vitamin D! My mom bought this one for me from our local compounding pharmacy….but I found it on Amazon as well.
Coffee Enema: Based on the Gerson Therapy. Gerson believed that caffiene could stimulate the liver and gall bladder to discharge bile. The liver alone, especially in cancer patients, cannot deal with a sudden influx of toxins into the bloodstream. The coffee enemas increase liver filtering, greatly aiding the liver’s ability to remove serum toxins.
I know not everyone wants to talk about coffee enemas….but I swear they’ve changed my life. I only wish I’d started doing them years ago. All you need is an enema kit from the drugstore. You can usually find them in the women’s hygiene section. I do one at least every few days. There are directions on the box but basically just brew organic coffee like you regularly would and add it to the enema bag and dilute with water (make sure to let the coffee cool or mix with cool water!). So much better than laxatives or any other kind of stimulant. You’ll be cleaned out more naturally and quickly…..not like laxatives which can catch you by surprise!
Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath: Detoxifies and helps re-alkaline the body….using the skin as an organ of elimination and detoxification.
Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath…..known for it’s healing properties and ability to detoxify the body. Dr. Singha’s practice stressed the importance of the skin as an organ of elimination and absorption. I use it a day or so after chemotherapy. I run a warm bath with the mixture….climb in…..and slowly add hot water to the bath so it gets hotter and hotter.
Wheatgrass: Wheat-grass juice is very high in chlorophyll content and contains every necessary nutrient. Benefits include boosting of the immune system and nervous system and improving digestion and metabolism. It contains antioxidants which repair damaged cells. It can increase red blood cell count and improve blood disorders.
Get it at your local farmer’s market, health food store or grow your own……or even find a local juice bar where they juice it for you. I usually get about 2 full cuttings from a small palette. You can cut all the wheat grass off and water it well and it grows back a second time. It keeps well in Ziploc bags for a few days! We press the juice…enough for a shot of wheatgrass….and add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and chase with a lemon. Juice a bunch to add to a an enema bag to feed your digestive system.
I love this little compact wheatgrass press from Lexen. It’s affordable ($48) and great quality. It’s also super compact and just attaches to a countertop or table.
Cell food: Contains 78 ionic minerals, 34 enzymes, 17 amino acids, electrolytes and dissolved oxygen. Oxygenates and feeds your body’s cells all day long.
I just add a few drops to water, juice….anything I’m drinking! Easiest thing ever….you can carry it in your purse!
Probiotics: Improves intestinal microbial balance and inhibits pathogens and toxin producing bacteria. Probiotics restore the balance of intestinal microflora which is important to a healthy immune system.
I use two kinds. Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics and Jarrow-Dophilus EPS. I try to remember to take them a few times a day but if I remember once a day that’s better than nothing! I buy them at my local health food store.
Local Honey: Helps dissolve mucus and stimulates healing. Can help with allergies.
Local Bee Pollen: Energizes, aids digestion, helps build red blood cells….it’s the most complete known food source.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Helps remove toxins and supports a healthy immune system, rich in enzymes and potassium, can help arthritis and joint pain.
Chia Seeds: Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which are the primary building block of cells. Great for heart health and full of antioxidants.
I mix all of these into a super shot….and drink it all at once. A shot glass of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar, with a bit of local bee pollen and honey, sprinkled with some chia seeds.
Click here for 20 other uses for Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar!
Kombucha: A probiotic beverage which improves digestion. It also is anti-oxidant rich so it helps to boost your immune system and energy levels. It can aid the liver in detoxification.
Kombucha is made from a sweetened tea into a culture (a symbiosis of bacteria and yeasts). I try to drink about one a day. I love the ones with ginger in them because they help to settle my stomach even more.
This would have been impossible for me to integrate into my life if I didn’t have help. My mother and my friend Megan have given me little bits of information at a time and I would integrate one thing at a time. It didn’t all happen at once. I’d be too overwhelmed. As my friend Megan tells me: your body will tell you when it needs something!
Anything you think I should add? Leave it in the comments!