The Eye Has It

I drove today thinking I am grateful for the abdominal pain I was feeling. Grateful because it helped me to know that the antibiotic I am taking is working, grateful because I normally don't experience pain and was reminded of that, and grateful that I could still drive.

Why the antibiotic?

That's a awesome story!

I had my second round of chemotherapy last Thursday. Lots of sore muscles the next day, then pretty good. Sunday night a headache began. My eyes were a bit sensitive to light. Monday morning I had a headache behind my left eye. Only behind my left eye and that eye was bloodshot. My left eye was also very sensitive to light. 

I still made it to help at the Book Fair at the school; however, some things are just important that way!

Tuesday, eye still sore and red.

Wednesday, at the Book Fair all day. Eye about the same.

Thursday morning I woke up and my left eye was swollen shut. 

Off to visit a friendly neighborhood doctor.

Conclusions: 

• Most likely a side effect of this new chemo drug I'm on. He looked it up and conjunctivitis was reported in 4% of patients. Sounds about right for me. Headaches and blurred vision were in there too. Hurray!
• There could be an abscess behind my eye pushing on it. That could explain why the left eye was sticking out more than the right. Or, it could just be swollen a lot. 
• I was given an antibiotic just incase, for the maybe abscess behind the eye.

Make a call to my friendly oncologist to discuss bizarre symptoms.

Conclusions:

• It is most likely not an abscess because I would be sicker with fever and chills.
• The new chemo drug is not related to conjunctivitis or eye problems. It must be something else.
• It is most likely a sinus infection.
• If I am still concerned about it I can come to the Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake.

I think the best part of being in the medical world is that people disagree all the time. So, the decision is up to me. 

What do I think? 

• It's a side effect from the chemotherapy. With a compromised immune system, anything is possible, so it is unwise to say that something could not be related to a drug. We simply do not know or understand all of the potential side effects that drugs can have.
• I think I have an infection in my eye, and a minor one in my sinuses, and that left alone an abscess can develop behind my eye. 
• So I'm taking the antibiotic. My eye began to improve the same day I took the first dose in the morning.

Thus the gratitude I felt for pain as I drove with roses to the church for an amazing program celebrating some young ladies in our ward.

I am thankful for additional information and opinions on issues. I am thankful for spiritual insight and promptings to help me understand my body. When it is said and done, I make the decisions, so I  want them to be good ones!  

Things I Learned this Week

I learned a couple of things this week:

1. ALWAYS walk after an infusion. I was SO sore the next day because I didn't walk afterward. Like I had run a marathon and not stretched after. Talk about tight!

2. Don't begin a mystery novel during an infusion. It is way too tempting to stay up and finish it, and sleep is kind of important after an infusion.

3. When getting a salad at the salad bar, it is best to leave one's half-gallon water jug back at the infusion center. Unless you have three hands of course.

4. When meeting new nurses it is alway a good idea to ask them where they are from and if they like living in Utah. It opens up all sorts of paths to conversations.

5. When having PTA meetings, it's a good idea to have a secretary there. Trying to conduct and take the minutes is a bit challenging. 

6. Emotions connected to the spine have to do with support. My feelings about support have come to the surface, and it has been a great opportunity to work through some misconceptions and false beliefs I had. Hurray for emotional work!

7. I am super supported. By friends, family, my ward, priesthood leaders, random people at Huntsman, and of course God. 

Hurray for learning new things!