April 20

Over the weekend I developed some sort of rash that extends from my waist line to my armpits. It itches like crazy. I cannot scratch it because it will only get worse and possibly spread more. My oncologist recommends that I use a topical ointment and take Benedryl. Well, all well and good there, seems reasonable. Except for the combined effects of the Benadryl and the hydrocodon. Can you say "Lights out"? Yeah, sleepy time in a heartbeat. Spent most of yesterday sleeping. I had a couple of friends come by to see how I was doing. I was in pain and had the dizzy spins but I enjoyed seeing them so much I hung in there for three hours visiting with them. Finally I had to give in to the pain and other effects of everything and bid them goodbye. I fell asleep immediately after they left and slept for three more hours. By the time the evening came all I could do was struggle to get some food in me, deal with the blood testing and insulin injections and go to back bed. I was tired but not sleepy, awake but not alert and my head felt confused. Putting an email together would have been risky indeed, no telling what I might have said. Knowing my audience I would have been roasted for weeks so I didn't write.

Today another doctor appointment about the rash and a meeting with the nutritionist. Actually the nutritionist simplified some concerns about the food I was eating and helped tie the insulin injections to my mealtimes. The doctor gave me some topical ointment for the rash and he put me on some more serious painkillers, Oxycontin. This stuff has the DEA seal of approval. I take it every twelve hours instead of the hydrocodon every four hours. If I still need more pain medication I can add the hydrocodon. I cannot imagine how the two would work together given that I took the Oxycontin an hour ago and I can barely type, the hydrocodon would pretty much spell the end of any mental capacity whatsoever. Takes all I can muster to be able to type when I cam stone cold sober, you can imagine the mess I am in now.

I put together a rough schedule of all that has happened and it is hard to believe that just 6 weeks ago I was just wondering why I was having blood sugar issues. Seems like forever ago.

This is my week off from chemo. My doctor tells me I should get some strength back before the next cycle. I certainly hope so. I am literally on the ropes these days. Getting all the meds and blood testing and meal and appointments together is a major pain in the ass. I would literally be lost without Janice. She has been on top of it and guiding me through all of this. She is proving to be quite the asset. Poor girl needs some time off so I am sending her off to work where all she has to do is deal with people who don't want to work instead of dealing with some grouchy, drug addled asshole who can't keep his meds straight and who whines all the time.