Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Today was the easiest IPT (chemo) day so far in the fact that it took the least time. I still felt pretty cruddy when I got home, but things went smoother at the center. After having another "moment" yesterday where I needed a little reviving, they are watching me like hawks. Yesterday my blood pressure went down to 76/32 before I said anything about not feeling very good. They weren't happy with me. I just thought I was feeling a little nauseous and clammy. I didn't know.... I know a lot of it has to do with me already having low blood pressure as a rule and then doing a juice fast on top of that tends to give people low blood pressure. So, I have to be careful. But I am continuing the juice fast -- after Thursday (which is my 14 day mark), I will take it a day or two at a time. I am not committing to a juice fast for months. But, I have someone making my juice for me and soooooo much help with Caleb and Emma, that I need to see this through.

Some people have asked what is in my green juice. Here is the daily recipe:
dandelion greens
kale
spinach
celery
cucumber
lemon (to get rid of the bitter taste from the greens)
green apple (to sweeten it up a little -- green apples are very low in sugar so I can include them and Dr. Lodi says that if the juice doesn't taste good, what is the point; you're not going to want to drink it)

I drink about 3 qts of that each day. That is my food. I am pretty done at this point with not chewing, but on Thursday for my birthday, I might splurge with some homemade flax seed crackers that Mom and Karson made to take to the center (you know, like how kids bring cupcakes on their birthday -- I am bringing flax seed crackers to all my little friends and nurses)

On IPT days, right after they adminster the chemo and the other drugs, I get to have my sugar splurge to get my blood sugar back up quickly. On the juice fast, that means more juice. But this juice is AMAZING! My Mom has mandarin orange trees in her back yard and she peels the oranges and drops the sections into the juicer and I get this thick, beautiful orange juice that is the sweetest thing you have ever tasted! 2 qts of it every Tues and Thurs. When I am done with the juice fast, I will get to eat a banana or orange or watermelon or some high sugar fruit. Then a salad with olive oil on it. Apparently, olive oil can be huge in not letting your blood sugar fall. So, high sugar fruit to bring it back up and then olive oil to keep it there.

So there is a little info on my eating. Sorry if it is boring. I thought it would be great to get it down.

One last note -- GO ALI for winning Biggest Loser! Finally a girl! And isn't she darling!!!!

5 comments:

Geoff and Emily said...

Hey Anna - I think your food intake is very interesting. You have always had strong will-power to just stay on what you are doing. I would last all of 1/2 a day on something like a juice fast. I hope it is helping you. I am so sorry that you have to go through all of this. How has it been for your kids. I know it is so hard to want to be the "do everything" Mom, and not be able to. I have experienced somewhat (not even as much I am sure) what you are experiencing because I have been living with chronic pain and dizziness for the last 3 years, and more than anything it has affected the way I feel as a Mom. It is easy to get down, but I hope you know that you are an awesome person, and have so much to offer! I wish we could be there to help you and see you in this time! Take care!! P.S. Do you know Ali from the Biggest Loser? She grew up right there in the Westwood area. Her mom, Bette Sue is my Mom's cousin, so even though I have hardly even met Ali, she is my cousin, too. Anyway, I thought it was cool that she won!

Alison K. said...

Anna-
I just found your blog. Tell Emma her primary class misses her!! I am glad to be able to keep up with you and your family.

-Alison Kloft

Heather Magnusson said...

Hi Anna,
I'm glad you are keeping a blog, it helps us all keep up with how you are doing. I still plan to call you next time I'm up in Mesa. Will be fun to see you again!! Take good care of yourself!
Hugs,
Heather

Sheyenne said...

Yuck. Are you absolutely starving? I can't imagine getting any sort of full feeling on juice. Gee, my comments probably aren't helping either.)

Jeannie said...

You are amazing Anna! And yes, your entire meal plan IS very interesting!! Does the green juice actually taste okay? After reading about it, it doesn't sound as scary as "green juice" but still... probably not a first choice in a line-up of juices hehe... The mandarin orange juice sounds super good though.

When my bp dropped like that it also started with a sick feeling exactly like what you described, almost disorienting. I hope that you can easily start to recognize it as it begins to drop or better yet, that it stops dropping so low!

I think of you every day and pray that you are comfortable throughout every procedure throughout your entire experience there. We miss you in Texas and are so happy for the updates!! :)