Resilience Rising
It's been a couple of weeks since my last entry. With my treatments being spaced out every three weeks, there's not as much changing as often. My last entry was a difficult one, and Diesel's absence is still very palpable. As sweet and cute as Korra is, Dobermans are just different, and I miss my shadow. I've come to accept that Diesel was probably fighting to stay here as long as he could for me, and his body just gave out on him.
With my last treatment, I officially reached the halfway point of my second round of treatment. In my previous entry, I explained the test results I had received. Since then, I have had an echocardiogram and a PET scan. The echocardiogram came back good, and cardio-oncology has given me the green flag. I'm still waiting on my PET scan results (they are so backed up) to determine what's happening with my lungs. I meet with the Lung Multi-Specialty Team on Tuesday next week, and they are pushing to make sure my PET results are back before that meeting.
Speaking of my lungs, I'm currently battling some type of respiratory illness. Maybe I've been too out and about, having too much fun, but some type of bug finally found me, and it's had me on my ass all week. But speaking of being out and about, I finally got to play golf for the first time this past week. I only played nine holes and forced myself to count every swing to give myself a good baseline. I shot a 47 for the first time out, so I'm not mad about it.
Other things going on... I've still never lost all of the hair on my head, and my nails have continued to grow throughout treatment. I must have had very strong hair and nails to start. But sadly, my eyebrows and eyelashes are just about completely gone. I look like a crazy person when I do nothing with my face. Every time I look in the mirror without makeup, I think of the movie Powder. But I've gotten pretty good at recreating eyebrows and now have more products for my eyebrows than I ever thought I would.
I want to end this entry by talking about mental health. When my oncologist called and told me about all the referrals she was putting in because of my test results, she stopped to ask me how I was doing mentally and emotionally. This wasn't really a fair question because I had just put my dog down, but she took the opportunity to put me on a low-dose anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication. This is something that, as a healthy person with high-functioning depression/anxiety, I would have turned away. I've never wanted to feel like I need medication to level me out, and in some ways, I still don't. But while I embark on this journey, I'm releasing some of my control freak tendencies and taking what's recommended. And before I felt like garbage from whatever this bug is, it was helping.
This journey has taught me the importance of prioritizing health, both physical and mental. It's easy to focus solely on the physical aspects of illness, but mental health is just as crucial. Don't hesitate to seek help, whether through medication, therapy, or simply talking to someone who cares. Our well-being encompasses both body and mind, and taking care of one often supports the other. So, as you navigate your own path, remember to be kind to yourself, embrace the support around you, and prioritize your overall health.