From sweet and salty to stage IV metastatic melanoma and everything in between : Chemo #3 And a Merry, Stable Christmas to All!

Lets just start of with some good news for once! Tumors are stable! Meaning they aren't growing and there aren't new ones (had scans) The lungs are a little questionable but the chemo I'm on can help with that. The brain lesions show a halo which is dying tissue. No new tumors in the neck - just one lonely lymph node trying to keep up with what we are throwing at it. Liver is normal. Burns are almost healed and no more feeding tube. More on those things later.

Chemo #3. Shirts came in too!

I had my third chemo on Wednesday and feel pretty good. I have morning nausea from the mucousitis so that has been amplified as well as the fatigue, but all manageable. I am hoping that most of my side effects I was having the last two rounds were more from radiation and the combination of coming at my body at all angles than just the chemo. Here's hoping. Especially since it is the holidays. I would really love to feel ok for Christmas. Right now I am doing alright and plan on spending Christmas morning as we always do, at my parents.

My burns look so so much better. I only have to wrap them at night now and only behind my ear because that was so bad, easily 3rd degree. It is close to being healed though thankfully. The rest of my skin looks good and all new cause as in all burns the skin peels. I will be honest, there was a few moments when I didn't really think I would be able to heal. I think it was more me being at my lowest. Just knowing it all needed time but I just couldn't imagine that time actually coming and going. But here we are and I'm healing up nicely.

#baldy and how it looks at this very moment

So the feeding tube... I had scans and my body already hates the contrast needed for them so to add not feeling well and then putting the contrast into my body that hasn't really had that much volume in my stomach for weeks, well it came up. As did the feeding tube. It was late on a Friday so I said I would try my best to get calories and nutrients in and keep them down for the weekend and if that didn't work then I would have it replaced on Monday. Well to my surprise I kept things down and outside of the morning nausea it hasn't been a problem. Eating is a chore and will be for some time as I am still re-introducing solids into the mix, but the fact that it isn't a tube hanging out my nose I am happy. Nothing has any taste besides lemons in water. I can have a super sweetened drink and it just tastes like water. It is so odd. Most things just taste like mush so it becomes a mental challenge. I am working hard at it though and hope that it gets easier each day. I think I am going to have a re-do of the holidays when things taste good again, get all the good things I am missing in! I also have a random list of places I want to eat when the taste buds awaken again.

Christmas eve is tomorrow and I want to wish all of you a happy and HEALTHY holiday! Thank you for following me on this journey and hope you share your holiday with those you love. oxoxo

Burn progression below....