fluctuations in my blood sugar. I saw a nutritionist at NSHOA, who was quite helpful in laying out meal plans and enabling me to learn more about the elements of a good nutrition plan. In addition, I needed to put back some of the weight that I lost from before the time of the surgery through the completion of chemo treatments.
How would I handle the long-term side effects from my surgery? Some side effects diminished greatly over time, such as my throwing up. This became a rare occurrence. Other side effects will always be with me, such the tightness in my abdomen and my osteoporosis. I still take meds for the nausea and digestive issues. Nonetheless, the bottom line is my life is pretty normal for someone my age. I can do many of the things I could previously. And ce’st la vie (it is what it is) for the things I can’t do. As I have noted before, I see no value in crying over spilt milk. I am happy for what I am able to do, rather than upset over the things that I cannot do. For all of us, happiness truly is a choice. So, choose happiness!!!
What kind of social life would Linda and I have? The lack of a social life while I was sickest was not easy to deal with. I felt – and still feel – badly for Linda. Not only did she to have to be a caregiver and to worry about me, Linda was a virtual prisoner in our house – except for going to work. Since I was so tired during and right after the chemo treatments, I wasn’t physically able to get out of the house much. And if we went out to dinner, I inevitably became nauseous. Too many times we had to cancel out on our friends because I wasn’t feeling well. Thankfully, over time, Linda and I were able to get out more – even to see Broadway shows. Thank you Linda for persevering with me.