Our youngest daughter, graduated from preschool last night! She's the youngest of four girls (13,11, 7 & 5), she's our baby girl.
To quote a song from one of my favorite movies: Sunrise, Sunset, quickly fly the years! Where is the little girl I carried?
All week long, people have been asking her if she is excited to graduate and her response is: "What is there to be excited about? I won't get to see my friends anymore and I am really going to miss my teachers!"
She is a very loving, emotional, sensative, kind, caring, and feisty little girl and we wouldn't have her any other way! She is our Princess and Beauty and we couldn't be more proud of her!
The days are long but the years fly by! Before I know it, I will blink and it will be her wedding day!
- Shayna
June 3, 2011
June 1, 2011
Sore on Tongue and Sore Throat
I finally went to the doctor today, he says that I have some post nasal drip which is making my throat feel irritated. My doctor said I should take Mucinex.
The sore on the tongue was nothing, just a result of badly biting my tongue the other day.
I go to the hematologist/oncologist on Tuesday and I will post an update.
Getting ready for summer break. I'm happy there will be no homework, unhappy that I will be the acting cruise director, for all five kids, for two months. =)
I hope all is well with everyone!
- Shayna
The sore on the tongue was nothing, just a result of badly biting my tongue the other day.
I go to the hematologist/oncologist on Tuesday and I will post an update.
Getting ready for summer break. I'm happy there will be no homework, unhappy that I will be the acting cruise director, for all five kids, for two months. =)
I hope all is well with everyone!
- Shayna
May 30, 2011
May 26, 2011
Sore On The Bottom Of My Tongue and Fatigue
Hello to everyone, sorry it has been a while since my last post. It's been a crazy time, trying to wrap up the school year for all the kids.
Everything is okay. My last visit to the doctor went fine, my numbers are coming back down, I think my platelet count was about 550,000. I am still feeling very fatigue and my doctor still dismisses it at every appointment and says he thinks it has nothing to do with the Hydroxyurea. BUT I DO! I am continuing to take all my meds everyday and we'll see how it goes. Also, I still have the pins and needles sensations up and down my left arm.
I bit my tongue this past Saturday and it hurt but I thought it would go away soon. The tongue is suppose to be one of the fastest healing parts of our bodies. It has been four days and it hurts more! I looked and on the bottom of my tongue I have a few little white bumps in a line (they don't look like cold sores) and the back of my tongue on the bottom looks black. Hummm? I looked some stuff up and it could be a side effect of the Hydroxyurea or from my anemia. I am going to have my family doctor check it out tomorrow and I will post the results. Hopefully it's nothing.
Again, sorry it took so long to post but the count down is on, the school year is almost over! YEAH! Looking forward to a homework free summer!
I hope everyone is doing well and I will post after I see the doctor.
Take Care -
Shayna
Everything is okay. My last visit to the doctor went fine, my numbers are coming back down, I think my platelet count was about 550,000. I am still feeling very fatigue and my doctor still dismisses it at every appointment and says he thinks it has nothing to do with the Hydroxyurea. BUT I DO! I am continuing to take all my meds everyday and we'll see how it goes. Also, I still have the pins and needles sensations up and down my left arm.
I bit my tongue this past Saturday and it hurt but I thought it would go away soon. The tongue is suppose to be one of the fastest healing parts of our bodies. It has been four days and it hurts more! I looked and on the bottom of my tongue I have a few little white bumps in a line (they don't look like cold sores) and the back of my tongue on the bottom looks black. Hummm? I looked some stuff up and it could be a side effect of the Hydroxyurea or from my anemia. I am going to have my family doctor check it out tomorrow and I will post the results. Hopefully it's nothing.
Again, sorry it took so long to post but the count down is on, the school year is almost over! YEAH! Looking forward to a homework free summer!
I hope everyone is doing well and I will post after I see the doctor.
Take Care -
Shayna
April 27, 2011
High Blood Pressure & Paresthesia (Pins and Needles)
At my last appointment with the hematologist/oncologist my blood pressure was high. Not sure why, I have never had high blood pressure before. The doctor said that high blood pressure could be caused by many things: how much water and salt you have in your body, the condition of your kidneys, nervous system, or blood vessels, the levels of different body hormones, weight, etc. I checked my blood pressure today and it was fine so hopefully it was just a one time thing.
I am also experiencing Parenthesis (pins and needles) sensations again, always in my left arm. I am taking my meds everyday so I am not sure why I am still experiencing these sensations. Sometimes, it feels like little bugs are crawling under my skin - UGH!
I have an appointment with the doctor during the first week of May. I will post an update after my appointment.
I hope everyone is doing well.
- Shayna
I am also experiencing Parenthesis (pins and needles) sensations again, always in my left arm. I am taking my meds everyday so I am not sure why I am still experiencing these sensations. Sometimes, it feels like little bugs are crawling under my skin - UGH!
I have an appointment with the doctor during the first week of May. I will post an update after my appointment.
I hope everyone is doing well.
- Shayna
April 18, 2011
Passover
For those who celebrate Passover - Happy Kosher Passover to you and your family!
For those who want to know more about Passover, please click here:
http://www.aish.com/h/pes/t/g/48959286.html
For those who celebrate Easter - I hope you have a wonderful holiday and don't eat too many chocolate bunnies! =)
- Shayna
8 Month Old Baby Hears For The First Time - AMAZING!
Hydroxyurea, Exhaustion and Gratefulness
For those of you reading my blog you will be able to note my post about being non-compliant with medication, primarily taking my Hydroxyurea (HU) everyday!
I saw the doctor two weeks ago and he made me understand why I need to take my meds everyday. I have been very good and I have been taking my HU, Hemex and baby aspirin everyday. I have also noticed that my level of exhaustion has increased astronomically!
I have mentioned to the doctor on many occasions that I have been feeling extreme fatigue and most of the time he says it could be from anything but it's not from the HU.
I found the information listed below about Hydroxyurea on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroxyurea
Reported side-effects are: drowsiness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, constipation, mucositis, anorexia, stomatitis, bone marrow toxicity (which may take 7–21 days to recover after the drug has been discontinued), alopecia (hair loss), skin changes, abnormal liver enzymes, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen.
Due to its effect on the bone marrow, regular monitoring of the full blood count is vital, as well as early response to possible infections. In addition, renal function, uric acid and electrolytes, as well as liver enzymes, are commonly checked.
Hydroxycarbamide has been used primarily for the treatment of myeloproliferative diseases, which has an inherent risk of transforming to acute myeloid leukemia. There has been a longstanding concern that hydroxycarbamide itself carries a leukemia risk, but large studies have shown that the risk is either absent or very small. Nevertheless, it has been a barrier for its wider use in patients with sickle-cell disease.
How can my doctor just dismiss my fatigue? I am sure it's because he feels the benefits of the HU, outweigh the fatigue. I know that the doctor is right about the meds but it would be nice for my fatigue to be acknowledged as more than just something in my head.
Also, of all the symptoms listed above, I have the following: drowsiness, constipation, and my hair is thinning......but
I AM ALIVE!
I have not had a major stroke, heart attack, blood clot, etc. The medication is working to bring my platelet count down to a safe level.
I am upset about having to take chemo pills everyday but I am grateful for the results.
Does anyone else out there taking HU, experience extreme fatigue?
Thank you for letting me share my journey with you and thank you for sharing yours with me!
I hope everyone is doing well -
Shayna
I saw the doctor two weeks ago and he made me understand why I need to take my meds everyday. I have been very good and I have been taking my HU, Hemex and baby aspirin everyday. I have also noticed that my level of exhaustion has increased astronomically!
I have mentioned to the doctor on many occasions that I have been feeling extreme fatigue and most of the time he says it could be from anything but it's not from the HU.
I found the information listed below about Hydroxyurea on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroxyurea
Reported side-effects are: drowsiness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, constipation, mucositis, anorexia, stomatitis, bone marrow toxicity (which may take 7–21 days to recover after the drug has been discontinued), alopecia (hair loss), skin changes, abnormal liver enzymes, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen.
Due to its effect on the bone marrow, regular monitoring of the full blood count is vital, as well as early response to possible infections. In addition, renal function, uric acid and electrolytes, as well as liver enzymes, are commonly checked.
Hydroxycarbamide has been used primarily for the treatment of myeloproliferative diseases, which has an inherent risk of transforming to acute myeloid leukemia. There has been a longstanding concern that hydroxycarbamide itself carries a leukemia risk, but large studies have shown that the risk is either absent or very small. Nevertheless, it has been a barrier for its wider use in patients with sickle-cell disease.
How can my doctor just dismiss my fatigue? I am sure it's because he feels the benefits of the HU, outweigh the fatigue. I know that the doctor is right about the meds but it would be nice for my fatigue to be acknowledged as more than just something in my head.
Also, of all the symptoms listed above, I have the following: drowsiness, constipation, and my hair is thinning......but
I AM ALIVE!
I have not had a major stroke, heart attack, blood clot, etc. The medication is working to bring my platelet count down to a safe level.
I am upset about having to take chemo pills everyday but I am grateful for the results.
Does anyone else out there taking HU, experience extreme fatigue?
Thank you for letting me share my journey with you and thank you for sharing yours with me!
I hope everyone is doing well -
Shayna
April 15, 2011
Hemex - Prescription Iron / Vitamin Pills
I called CVS today to pick up my prescription for Hemex which is an Iron / vitamin pill. They said that they are out of the medication and that the manufacturer is so far behind with making the drug that they will not have any more until June! WOW!
Thank G-D my doctor had some samples to give me but how unprofessional on the manufacturers part. Also, the doctor said if I run out before they can get more, I can take over the counter Iron pills - but they make my stomach hurt, a lot!
What if this would've been my chemo meds, my Hydroxyurea? It makes me wonder and it makes me feel more than a little bit nervous!
Other than this, I am taking all my meds, on time and every day. All the meds make me very tired and I am still feeling a lot of pins and needle sensations and they're always on my left side.
Busy getting ready for Passover in our house, it's so crazy the amount of stuff that has to be done for eight days! One of the best things about the prep for the holiday is that, if your like me, a procrastinator - you have no choice, you have to do your Spring cleaning. =)
I hope everyone is doing well -
Shayna
Thank G-D my doctor had some samples to give me but how unprofessional on the manufacturers part. Also, the doctor said if I run out before they can get more, I can take over the counter Iron pills - but they make my stomach hurt, a lot!
What if this would've been my chemo meds, my Hydroxyurea? It makes me wonder and it makes me feel more than a little bit nervous!
Other than this, I am taking all my meds, on time and every day. All the meds make me very tired and I am still feeling a lot of pins and needle sensations and they're always on my left side.
Busy getting ready for Passover in our house, it's so crazy the amount of stuff that has to be done for eight days! One of the best things about the prep for the holiday is that, if your like me, a procrastinator - you have no choice, you have to do your Spring cleaning. =)
I hope everyone is doing well -
Shayna
April 7, 2011
If Moses Had Facebook / A Laptop
Loved this - I have never laughed so hard!
Thank you to: http://jewishmom.com/ this was great!
Enjoy - Shayna