A Rotten Routine

Here is the journal my mom kept and the two pages I have been writing from. 

After what was a crazy first week it was time to settle into the routine of a new life, one with cancer.  I will try to cover all the main points my mom wrote in her journal, but I plan to exclude some very repetitive excerpts.  Remember her journal was written in a way to briefly describe my situation and how I was doing, but went into exact detail of what went into and out of my body.  What that means is everything I ate and drank to the ounce. What medicine was administered, blood counts, bathroom trips, how many, and how often.  I don't feel it will be necessary to cover every time I have a "bowel movement" as she does in the journal.  Just know it was covered, daily.


Many of the journal entries are grouped together, especially when it was a chemotherapy week.  With some of the entries light on information, I plan to group together a string of her entries as well.  The entries are not everyday and there are numerous times where two, three, or four days are skipped.  When there are certain parts I remember, I will add my thoughts and what my perspective was.  There are a lot of abbreviations, medical terminology, and drugs that I will explain along the way.

Jan. 25 CXR CBC/Diff Abd. upright & flat plate.  (WBC 4,600) Vincristine ER 1,000 CC IV Fluid.  Dulcolax supp.

The above journal entry is what many of them look like.  January 25, 1981 was the start of my second week of chemo.  I had a chest x-ray (CXR), blood work (CBC/Diff - Complete Blood Work - Used to evaluate anemia, leukemia, reaction to inflammation and infections, peripheral blood cellular characteristics, state of hydration and dehydration, polycythemia, hemolytic disease of the newborn, inherited disorders of red cells, white cells, and platelets; manage chemotherapy decisions; determine qualitative and quantitative variations in white cell numbers and morphology, morphology of red cells and platelet evaluation.  Differential White Blood Cell Count. There are five major types of white blood cells: neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils. The "differential count" gives the percentages of these five cell types. Increases or decreases of these individual percentages are characteristic for certain medical conditions. The determination of these percentages helps your doctor to arrive at a specific diagnosis) X-ray of my abdomen, Chemo, IV, and the always enjoyable Dulcolax suppository.  The chemo messes you up and one area that quickly gets off kilter is your digestive system.  I got to know what a suppository was used for in only week two.  

Jan. 28 went to school 1/2 day.  voided small amount through penis for first time.  Hair starting to shed. C/O (complained of) sores again in mouth.  

I had a lot of problems with sores in my mouth from the chemo for the next two years.  It really is just like living with multiple canker sores, all the time.   

Cancer-related mouth sores are sores or ulcers that form on the inside lining of your mouth (mucous membranes) or on your lips. The mouth sores appear burn-like and can be painful, making it difficult to eat, talk, swallow and breathe. Sores can appear on any of the soft tissues of your lips or your mouth, including your gums, your tongue, or the roof and floor of your mouth. Sores can also extend into the tube (esophagus) that carries food to your stomach.
  
Jan.  29 - good day, up most of the day.  1/2 day school.  Ate solid food.  losing hair.

Jan. 30 - 1/2 day school. good appetite.  codeine @ midnight, glycerin supp.

Jan. 31 - mineral oil 2oz., glycerin supp.  pain in legs, big toe. 

Feb. 1 - Ducolax supp.,  codeine.

Feb. 2 - Vincristine, suppose to start on vitamins. 

Feb. 3 - Full day of school. C/O stomach. very little solid food.  Sm BM.  

Feb. 4 - Full day of school.  appetite up.  

Feb 5 - Full day of school.  Thirsty at bedtime.  productive cough - hoarse.