Creative Process – Page 4

Recovery

Creative Process, Gratitude, Musings, News, Teaching / Kate Kohler

It’s been 4 weeks since my major abdominal surgery. I can say that I am recovering well and getting stronger each day. I knew it would be hard, but I really had no idea how hard. Not being able to move like I’m used to has got me feeling frustrated, but determined and maybe a little bit sad. I can say overall though, I am completely relieved to be done with the surgery portion of my treatments and grateful to be recovering as my doctors expected. Now I just get to be nervous about the rest of chemotherapy…

Since surgery, each day had its milestones. Walking is the most obvious indicator of my progress… The first week, or most of it anyway, I was in the hospital. I was able to get up and stand late the same day of surgery, but I was unable to walk anywhere as I was dizzy and nauseous, but the second day I was able to get up and walk to the bathroom leaning on my hospital wheels, on the third day I was able to walk to the bathroom without wheels, and the days after that I was taking a lap or two around the nurses station after every bathroom journey. The first week home from surgery had me even more responsible for getting up and out of bed for various reasons. After a couple of days home, I walked around my short block once and after a few more days I walked around my long block. Now, though I’m still slow, I’m making daily trips to the coffee shop and around the block a couple of times a day, increasing speed incrementally.

Apple Watch keeping track of my steps, relatively steadily increasing from April 17th (I didn’t wear my Watch in the hospital).

Some Random thoughts:

Roxy has been my constant companion, willing to nap with me anytime of the day! Kitty Cats are the best… My bed has become my office away from my office, so I’m sitting in bed right now and Roxy is lying next to me as I write this, vaguely annoyed by the tapping of the keys, but happy to be snuggled up by my side.

Started teaching my piano students (virtually still) on May 1st. I have to be careful how I sit, but I seem to have enough energy and focus, and I do enjoy helping students move through their difficulties and into the music!

I watched a lot of TV (still am, so send those light and funny recommendations)… I watched all three seasons of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I recommend it to everyone! Although it’s technically a kids show, it’s very deep and lovely in it’s idealism, and since I saw most of it years ago, it was the perfect show to have on while resting in bed and dozing off and on.

Well, that’s all for now, but I will report more soon!

❤️ Kate

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The Lazy Cat

Creative Process, Gratitude, Music, Musings, News, Photos / Kate Kohler

This post is overdo, but surgery went well and recovery is underway. I can’t believe it’s been 2 weeks since I went into the hospital at 4:30 in the morning to go under the knife… Two weeks! I got my staples out yesterday and I feel like my body is becoming my own again, and the report from my oncologist/surgeon was good. Surgery got the cancer out and chemo will get what they couldn’t see.

Still moving slowly, but beginning to take walks around the block and down to the coffee shop. Roxy and I still spend a fair amount of time lazing in bed each day!

Piano Piece by Kate. Video starring: Lady Roxy of Lazington

Two weeks of resting and trying not to overdo it has left me feeling very cat-like… In fact I think I might be turning into Roxy:

Rest when you need it! I know I will… Being a cat isn’t so bad!

❤️ Kate

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We Are Here…

Creative Process, Musings, News / Kate Kohler

3 sessions of chemotherapy completed. 1 pre-surgery CT Scan completed. That’s not all, but those seem like the most important ones for now…

Next thing to worry about is surgery on April 13th… and then more chemo for the summer. The last CT Scan showed that the chemo is working! The tumors are shrinking! And I am ready for my surgeon to take them all out… After surgery, I will have at least 3 more sessions of chemo, but I will also have some genetic testing and testing of the tumors and those things will inform my care going beyond chemo. Still a lot of unknowns, but things are looking good!

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter before my surgery as Christian will be sending and posting some updates while I’m in the hospital. —–>

ID: Kate looks over her glasses, like she’s smart or something. Teal heart earrings and purple in ear headphones.

A little more about Chemo:

Chemotherapy has been a roller coaster of ups and downs and all arounds… Usually, the day of the infusion and a day or two after, I’m riding high (literally, on steroids) and have some manic productivity and positivity. Then on the 3rd or 4th day, my energy drops and I have a couple of tired days and some sadness. For the first week, nausea is constant, although controlled. On the 5th or 6th day other side effects start to show up, and they are slightly different each time.

Chemotherapy is kind of brutal, but it’s also effective. One of the most effective tools we have against this beast. From what I read and hear from those who have been through it, my side effects are toward the middle of the curve. Here’s one time that I’m glad I’m just average as opposed to having it even worse…

Trigger Warning and TMI Section (for if you really want to know):

Chemotherapy and the side effects:

Each time was slightly different then the last… Though some things were consistent; constipation, nausea, and tiredness. I could go on about constipation for hours, if you’ll listen, but I’ll pace myself for this post. Discomfort in my lower abdomen (ovaries and uterus) has been going on since January and that seems to change with each infusion, different locations, different intensity.

The first infusion I got the shakes and some super fast migraines in the first week, started feeling more normal in the second week, and in the third my scalp began to hurt terribly, that’s when my hair started falling out.

The second infusion I started walking more because I was feeling better, but noticed my stamina wasn’t nearly what it used to be. Mouth sores are something a lot of folks talk about and I did get some this time as well as a little bit of spotting. I’m menopausal so that was weird. Speaking of menopause, can you say hot flashes? Phew!

The third infusion was followed by the same stuff (although I mostly seem to have the nausea under control), and more joint and bone pain, depression, and my eyelashes started to fall out. I had a little lightheadedness as well… And apparently acid reflux is also a thing that comes with chemo…

So, if you’ve read this far, thank you! Until next time!

❤️

Kate

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