Tag: Side effects

Today marks the halfway mark of my chemo journey. I’m learning how to adapt to the various side effects I’ve experienced. After having severe Plantar Erythrodysesthesia from my last chemo treatment, I’m all set up with foot ice packs for this treatment.

My dad, who worked in the shoe business most all of his life, told me he knows about snow shoes but this was the first time he manufactured “ice shoes”.

We are taking the ice bags home as my dad has an idea on how to improve on this version. Perhaps we will start manufacturing new and improved “chemo ice booties” as a new venture? You can’t take the entrepreneur spirit out of this man!

Are my cancer tips useful? If so, feel free to buy me a coffee or contribute towards some of my uninsured medical expenses.

I met with my oncologist this morning and discussed my newest symptoms which appeared over the past 24 hours: new mouth sores; coughing up thick, yellow phlegm; red, goopy eyes; and Hand-Foot Syndrome, also know as Palmar-Plantar Erythrodysesthesia (PPE). I guess the lucky part is that it is only on my feet. It is an uncommon side-effect of the Doxorubicin I’m on. Check out the pictures of my feet! Within 15 minutes, the big blister on my right foot appeared and the others showed up at different times. This is what PPE looks like on the feet on a cancer patient.

Given I still have a cold, new mouth sores and now PPE, they cannot give me chemo on Friday without further risking my health. So, my chemo is delayed a week, which means more bloodwork on Monday, another visit to the oncologist on Wednesday and we hope that I am well enough to get my chemo on Friday next week.

You can read more about this odd side effect here cause by my Doxorubicin drug here: https://www.breastcancer.org/tr…/side_effects/hand_foot_synd

So, until these awful blisters heal up, I’m basically bedridden. Fun stuff!

Hopefully I didn’t scare you away? If you feel so inclined, I’d be thrilled if you could buy me a coffee or contribute towards some of my uninsured medical expenses.

Party in my mouth… not the fun kind. And these are only in the tongue and throat. I have some on my lower gums too. Unfortunately, this is a common side effect of chemotherapy. My oncologist has already prescribed me a “magic mouthwash”, which numbs the mouth and has a topical antibiotic in it as well.

After a few days, it wasn’t improving in all spots. I went to the doctor and it looks like those white spots (where I wrote ‘not teeth’) is actually thrush. So, I’m adding Nystatin to my drug repertoire.

More blended and soft foods to come.

If this post was useful, feel free to buy me a coffee or contribute towards some of my uninsured medical expenses.