How a week makes a difference!
The itchy rash resolved - so it was likely from Septra. I did follow through with an appointment with Dr. Hanson, an epileptologist (is that a word?). While the rash was unlikely due to Keppra I can likely get by with a lower dose. I have had some diarrhea and my mood has been a bit more depressed - both of these could be contributed to by the Keppra. So I am weaning that dose.
The kids were home for the Family Day Weekend, and the Edmonton kids brought Dezi home - they were looking after her while we were in Calgary for radiation therapy. I thought she would need some time to get familiar with Sundre but she has settled in to home like she never left. It is great to have her around, and she is a perfect nap companion.
I have more energy as the effects of the radiation resolve, but I still run out of steam pretty quickly. Also as physical energy improves I am aware of some more depressed mood at times. So this journey continues up and down from day to day.
My last blog January 30 was so positive! I was done with radiation and feeling better after increasing dexamethasone. Well, the positive feeling was short-lived! Lots of up and down feelings over the last 2 weeks have reminded me that side effects of radiation continue to keep getting worse for 2 - 3 weeks and then start to improve. Di tells me I should accept that this is my invalid time, but it is hard to accept 16 sleep hour days and being non-functional when I'm awake.
Also I have been coping with an itchy rash for 10 days which is certainly medication related, but it is a challenge to figure out what medication is the culprit and how to best treat it.
However, it is not all negative. Yesterday I had an uplifing visit with Dr. Bob Lee, one of my mentors from medical school. Bob is still physical with skiing and still creating fabulous photography images. Bob was part of the 1986 Canadian expedition to Everest and his photographs from that expedition remain inspiring, along all his photographs from the Kananaskis and all around the world.
So not much to do right now except ride out the ups and downs for now and look for feeling better down the road.
