nothing to worry about

I have been slow to blog this week.
I have worked all week at the store which has been tiring but productive. I haven't been blogging likely because I have been talking every moment of the day to someone at the store about my condition. I kinda forgot I had a blog really, and most days I kinda wanted to forget I had breast cancer.
The press from last weekend all came out this week. 1 hit in the Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/article/355741
and 1 in the Dundas Star http://www.dundasstarnews.com/news/article/124935
Both well read local rags, but we got a lot of visits at the store as a result. Strangely though, a lot of people came in, wished me well and bought nothing.

Sometimes I think people really don't get it. This week when someone says "What can I do?" I am teaching myself to say, "Shop at my store" ... why? because your spending leads directly to my grocery bill, your spending leads directly to my kids next pair of shoes, your spending leads directly to the $300 of heartburn meds and dental bills I had from this weeks side effects from chemo.

I had a mouth sore in the back of my mouth (mouth sores are common in chemo patients) that started early in the week, by Wednesday I could barely get a fork in my mouth because my jaw felt so bruised. I assumed at this point that it must be an absessed tooth because it was so painful. Some expensive mouthwash and a dental X-ray later said that it was just a huge sore very deep behind my very last tooth.
Now, I have 3 other meds to take to get rid of it, and have been on a mostly liquid diet for 3 days. Don't even get me started on the heartburn issues!
I am sure lots of you have had heartburn. Those of you who have been pregnant may have had killer heartburn that lasted for months... this is of that variety.When I carried Luke I had many months of heartburn that was brought on by his foot being jammed too high up. I ate bottles and bottles of Tums that autumn. Sadly, so far none of the $100 worth of over the counter remedies have worked to calm this version.
Happily, since day 6 my energy levels are much higher. Everyday it seems to get easier. Today is day 12, and from here until Wednesday I am med free for the most part. The yucky injecttions are done until Friday and Chemo is not 'til Wednesday.
I am going to try and go for a long walk tomorrow after I work for a few hours.

I am really not looking forward to chemo, but this time there is no mystery and I am prepared.