CHEMO Cycle 2

Second chemo treatment done with my chemo buddy Kelly. And with blue hair. Why not? It is the wig that Martha Jefferson Hospital's Marianne's Room had given me....so I figured I needed to rock it there. We also found my wig identity....just call me Daniqua! 

Oh, and my white blood cells and everything else looked really good last go around, so I again won't need the Neulasta shot after treatment and I won't need to come in weekly for labs to check out my white blood count. My doctor from the beginning decided not to give me the Neulasta shot - which is given the day after chemo to stimulate white blood cells. It usually makes you incredibly sore over your whole body. And figured since I'm young and healthy, I didn't need it and then she just monitored my blood count and things every week after the first treatment. And it was good. 

Week following this treatment went fine. Still a little nauseous, I did get a little more sore and achy in my joints and tired but still manageable. 

Changing up a few eating habits to see if that has any changes on my stomach and broth from MAS has been a little saving grace this go around. Sipping on this delicious broth during the day (just out of a mug) cuts on the nausea. Tomas gave me mushroom, turkey and chicken this round. The chicken tastes like it just has MAS infused in it. Like it just tastes like MAS smells. AMAZING.  A nice treat! I also found that watermelon is great at nipping that metal/bad taste in my mouth. There are times it is just so gross to drink more water because it taste like metal, I pop a watermelon in and it refreshes my tastebuds. Sometimes I will put lemon oil in my water (or lemon juice - but I like the oil better - its less acidic and sour) and that helps as well. Also trying to snack on gluten free items more. Cancers feed off sugars and starches, so I'm trying to limit that in my diet. But also making sure I have a lot of fiber in my diet...for ummm regular purposes. Seriously FIBER is my BEST FRIEND THESE DAYS. Maybe too much information, but hey you get what you get! A friend recommended Psyllium Husk as a good natural fiber source and it has been pretty good so far. 

I'm definitely trying to eat healthier and organic every chance I get, but I also am still living life. I had a minor freak out thinking I was going to gain all this weight on Chemo because I was snacking so much to kill the nausea. Reached out to my sister who is a registered dietician, (who also knows how I currently eat now during chemo and how I ate before...since she was born...so I trust her thoughts than Joe Schmo - who don't know me) she said "You eat healthy, you need to focus on getting better and through this and eat what your appetite allows you too. And don't add more anxiety to your life with changing your diet too much. Better to gain weight than loose it during chemo. You eating one potato every few days isn't going to make the cancer come back." I'm sure there are those out there that will lecture me to the hills, (who have already) about what foods I should and shouldn't eat and how I should be on strict diet in life. Yes, I will follow it to some degree, but I'm also going to let life happen and live it. Before this I ate pretty healthy in life and was a healthy person (compared to majority of America - not the 1% of health nuts who exercise everyday and count their food - no offense to you either - I just know I won't be that person - wish I could). I'm rambling and not making sense and probably pissing off people. But the moral of this rant...I'm not letting this cancer/chemo rule my life...I still will live it the way I want to...just with some small reforms. 

xoxo
Daniqua and her back up dancers

PS: My girls got their final pump up last week. So at least my doctor visits are limited during chemo. Even though I love everyone at my Plastic Surgeon's office, so I'll miss them. But will be back soon enough! My final implant surgery will be around a month after chemo is finished. I can't wait...these expanders feel like 2 hard rocks, especially now that they are "fully expanded."