Smooth Second Day (Syukur !)

May 4 (day 2 of Cycle 2)

Syukur Alhamdullillah....yesterday went rather well compared to Day 1 of the first cycle. I was able to contain the nausea as well as my food intake for the day. I was also rather tired, so I remained pretty stationary most of the time, draped on the sofa reading or keeping my eyes closed to engage in visualisation exercises with soft gamelan music in the background.


Today (day 2) seems to be similar....There was no bowel movement like the last time, perhaps due to a lethargic colon as well? I took one Emend capsule before a breakfast of oats and a mug of Ensure. Fruit was sliced apple sprinkled with salt. Per DDIW's advice I need to increase my salt intake during the time I am taking Emend. After breakfast, I took the 4 little Dexamathosone tablets. I tried to catch up on my e-mails but TMnet played me out. I did not want to get all stressed up and decided to get some paper filing done(usually reserved for Sundays).


As planned, SMM got me some lunch. There was quite a spread - Pajeri Nenas, Kerabu Kacang Panjang, Stir-Fried Tauge and Carrot, Otak-Otak,and ahem, Daging Goreng Kicap and Goreng Hati (no such thing as Gulai Hati!).
I concentrated on the Daging, Hati and all the vegetables while SMM tackled the others. We did quite well, I managed to clear what I placed on my plate!
After that it was sitting quietly to read, and read and read so that I could take my mind off any impending nausea.


It worked. I felt quite good. I was able to perform solat standing up and not seated due to giddiness. Hmmh, must be the Emend? Or because I observed certain ettiquette like not springing up like a Jack-in-the-box whenever I needed to get up to get something but instead economised on my movements and walk about gently (not my normal tendency). In anycase whatever the reason, I am indeed thankful as I was not retching, just managing the slight nausea. And yes, I felt a wee bit tired which in a way resulted in the self-imposed limited movements.


My friend Julia came by with 2 containers of oxygenated water, God bless her as our supply was down to the last 5.5 litre container. She swears by the water that is really energising and it seems the quality is just below that of Air Zam Zam, and almost as good as Evian. Anything as good as Air Zam Zam is good, as its high PH level is supposed to help neutralise acidic contents in the stomach.


I ran out of ideas for dinner. When Kakak came back and asked me what she should be cooking, I thought of all the fish in the freezer , waiting to be steamed or trned into singgang or assam pedas and felt a wave of nausea creeping up. I said no fish, anything but fish for the next couple of days. And guess what, I had a hearty dinner of stir-fried kailan with garlic and 2 fried eggs (mata lembu / sunny side up) on a bed of hot rice with a little kicap(black soy sauce) sprinkled on the eggs! Delicious, I hadn't had something so simple and tasty like that for a long time, although God knows what my cholesterol tally was like today. I managed to finish the food on my plate but couldn't help feeling guilty that perhaps today I have played haoc with the type of proteins I took. But as my primary focus is to fill up, and not throw up, eating what I really felt like eating seemed to do the trick. Although I think I really need to put my foot down if I start craving for foods like sambal belacan, budu and cencaluk at a time like this.


So all things considered, I would say this 2nd day of Cycle 2 has gone much more smoothly then the 2nd day of Cycle 1. Hopefully there will be a good bowel movement tomorrow otherwise it will be pretty toxic to be still retaining foods more than a day old in my system. And I am normally a regular gal. If I have to resort to the old "Prune Juice" rescue that I sometimes tried on my Dad, then I surely would....


Syukur Alhamdullillah. Hopefully Day 3 will continue being smooth and manageable.