Slowly recovering

Holy Sh*t has this been an ordeal. This round seems to have been maybe the worst with different side effects than I've experienced in the past. As you know, I did not get the chemo drug Cisplatin this time and after the first couple days was thinking that this round was going to be alright or at least without some of the side effects that I had experienced in the past. It's hard for me to even think clearly at this point, but it must have been two days after the 3rd dose that the nausea and run down feelings began. I've spent up until today on the couch or in the bed. Still haven't puked, but have this horrible feeling in my stomach, it's almost like I can taste the inside of my stomach in my throat??? I don't know how to really explain it, but nothing sounds good or tastes good to eat; don't have much of an appetite, so I basically lay there, knowing I should eat, but unable to, horrible taste in my throat, forcing myself to drink, which by the way is difficult because everything I drink tastes like poison to me. I'm taking some anti-nausea medicine which works but makes me tired, so I end up sleeping/dozing all day. I really only feel good when I'm sleeping and dreaming, but it seams that that only happens for 15-30 mins at a time because I'll eventually wake up, look at the clock and realize I've only been out for a short amount of time.
During all this my bones and joints are getting painful. And when I say painful, I mean PAINFUL. All of them; toes, ankles, chins, knees, elbows, fingers and shoulders. We were thinking that it might be caused by lack of not moving them enough, but that can't be it, because they feel a lot better today and I wasn't moving around much yesterday either. I think it's just one of the side effects. But to give you an idea of how bad they hurt, just to traverse the stairs in the house, it would take me holding on to both of the handrails, and taking each step one at a time with both feet on the stair before I could go to the next one. Marjie would massage my joints which would help temporarily and put heat on them which also helped a little.
I guess it must of been about two days when I noticed the corners of my mouth bleeding. They are so cracked and sore it's difficult to open my mouth. This has been going on now for at least 4 days with no relief gained. I've been applying chapstick, vaseline and Carmex...nothing really seems to help...maybe just time. About that same time, I started getting some mouth sores. It looks like white stuff all over the inside of my mouth. So now my mouth feels all nasty. I've been using this mouthwash rinse called Biotene which works so so. I had my Nuelasta shot on Sunday, and talked to the nurse about the problem I was having with my mouth and she ended up having the doctor on call there prescribe some sort of mouth rinse/medicine stuff that works so so also.
So I guess the bottom line is that this has been a week of hell. I'm feeling better today. Joints are doing a lot better and it doesn't hurt to walk or move around. Don't feel nauseated, but the corners of my lips/mouth are still cracked and bleeding. I think most of the mouth sores are gone, but the inside of my mouth feels like sandpaper. Still don't have much of an appetite, but just ate a bowl of soup and it tasted ok so at least my taste buds are intact for the day.
I feel like all I'm doing in the blog today is complaining and I guess I am, but you just can't imagine how bad this sucks!
I saw this guy in the chemo room while I was in getting the pump removed last week with white cream all over his neck. He was carrying what looked to me like a popcorn bucket lined with plastic, and using it to hack spit into. The guy looked miserable, and my assumption is that he also has "head and neck cancer" and is currently undergoing his portion of the radiation treatment. Boy oh boy am I so not looking forward to that.
So here I am, recuperating slowly, feeling much better than I did yesterday and even better than the day before. Have two weeks to heal up. End of the first treatment. Radiation is next, but will cross that bridge in a couple weeks. Thanks for everyone's thoughts, prayers, comments, emails and cards. I read them all or they get read to me. They do help!
That's all for now, I'm gonna get my arm wrapped in saran wrap so I can take a shower and then attempt to take Cohomojo out for a walk.