good news...

So after eating better, cutting down on coffee, and taking better care of myself overall... the inflammation in my eyes has gotten better.  Seeing that, and how my body is reacting to chemotherapy, immune suppressants, and steroids; my doctor is taking me off of all of them.  This will be temporary, and the possibility of regular ocular steroid injections and anti-glaucoma drops are in my future... i'm absolutely thrilled.  The idea is to get my body strong and fit again.  

So right now, my diet is:

• As many veggies and fruits i can get into my body.  Summer makes that a joy.
• Lots of protein and whole grains... eating meat occasionally.
• Tons of water.
• Tea, not coffee (except on the weekends)
• A daily multi-vitamin, 2400 mg of folic acid and anti-inflammatory supplement Zyflamend

Once everything clears out of my system, I'm hoping to have  the energy to start working out and bike riding ASAP.  Here's to hoping it's all keeping the inflammation at bay.  I'll find out next week.  If not, nothing a little needle in the eye can't fix, right?  Anything besides chemo.

drink lots of water

kusmi tea makes coffee look cheap & undesirable

summer abundance

... and the perfect snack

shifting

Alexander McQueen hair shirt...
not quite a cilice, but much easier on the eye.

So, a couple of weeks ago i was taken off of the mild chemotherapy i had been on for over a year to start a new drug that's less aggressive on healthy tissue but just as aggressive on the chronic inflammation causing my blindness.  The good news?  No more traveling 2 hours to be hooked up to an IV for three hours for now.  The bad news?  The new drug is taken twice a day, on an empty stomach.  Did i mention i'm on steroids?  Others on steroids are well aware, it's hard to find a time of day when your stomach is empty.  Steroids are kind of like having a hungry, angry baby in your belly; and that baby wants you to eat all the time (preferably something containing milkfat).  If you don't, it will fill your veins with it's cranky baby quake.  God, i hate that baby. 

Things I have noticed since starting the new drug:

• I was loosing hair on chemo.  A lot of it.  One couldn't tell, because i have enough hair to make a hair shirt for each Catholic who thought about eating meat on Friday.  Now that i'm not on it anymore... it's like wearing a wool cap all the time. 
• I rarely have an empty stomach, so i have to set a timer to remind me when i do.  
• Grazing may be a problem.  Perhaps i need a hair shirt to remind me not to graze.
• I can easily be okay with most anything that's unsavory:  books not in alphabetical order, rainy days, taking handfuls of pills twice a day.  But, i have yet to be able to enjoy the chain of regimented times to do things.  Like, you can't do this if you've done this, this, and this.  Or, more specifically... I can't take my meds in the morning for another two hours because i accidentally licked my finger when making my daughter's peanut butter & strawberry toast.  (note: make hair shirt)
• Iced coffee is caffeinated just like real coffee.  Despite it's sweet, delicious, ice cream-like demeanor, it's a red hot devil with cubes at 6:30pm.
• Without my amazing friends and family... i would be even more of a hot mess than i am now.