When eating becomes a challenge

Good news this week; the chemo is working and my paraproteins (abnormal antibodies) have reduced by half. The Haematologist was pleased with the results after week 4. If they disappeared altoghether the myeloma would come back quickly, but as mine are reducing gradually, the treatment is working as expected. I did ask if the process could be speeded up or avoided altogether (impatient to get it over with) but sadly not.
It was worth a try.

We usually manage to combine hospital visits with sight seeing and this time it was a tour of Southladn: the coal mining villages of Nightcaps, Ohai, local villages of Tuatapere and Riverton and the beaches to the west of Invercagill. We enjoyed dusky views around Monkey island; the stoney beach at Colac Bay; the vast expanse and sundown at Oreti beach (officially a road but more like a vast expanse of volcanic sand); the beauty of Omaui.

Sarah paddling in the twilight

Whilst having lunch in a pub in Orepuki, the ever competitive Sarah wanted to enter the lawn mower race (teams of 4) Any takers?

My chemo diet
As the drugs I am taking have changed what I can taste and had different effects on my digestive system, food and drink has been a challenge.

I can’t cope with any alcohol now apart from a weak G&T or one beer which I will sip for ages. My liver and kidneys are taking a beating from the cocktail of drugs, with no room for wine. One sip of wine and I have had enough.

What tastes has changed too. Through trial and error I am gradually learning what works and what doesn’t and what my stomach can handle.  This works for me, but everybody is different.

1. The most important thing is to take an anti-sickness and vomiting drug 30 minutes before meals. This means that I can eat something without those side effects. 
2. Two other side effects whilst on chemo are constipation and diarrhoea. How you can have both in a week is beyond me, but believe me it is possible! It is a delicate balance between enough roughage and not enough.
3. Too much fruit or acidic food e.g. tomatoes, onions, veggies on Day 1-3 of the chemo cycle gives me bad stomach cramps and indigestion despite the pills. 
4. I can’t face the smell or texture of red meat. Sarah was very upset when I could not eat a Barbqd steak
5. I can’t cope with soft cheeses, smoked salmon (unless cooked) or any shellfish. 
6. If there is no salt or no sugar, there is no taste: salted caramels are now my favourite chocolate treat. 

Breakfast 

Chemo injection day + the next 2 days. It is wise to eat mainly carbs. I find a big helping of toast and jam or marmite is the best.

Marmite is called Our Mate here; an Australian/ Kiwi equivalent but not as good according to Simon Collins; my taste buds cannot tell the difference.





I have tried fruit and yoghurt and muesli on these days, but got bad stomach cramps.

Sarah makes wonderful sour dough bread now having persuaded Amisfield winery to give her some of their starter in 2015. This has been nurtured and is still going strong; I fed it tonight and have been allowed to make the occasional loaf.

If you are bored with just toast, you can always try poached eggs, mushrooms sauted in butter (with fresh parsley)


http://tattyandneepworkoutrecipes.blogspot.co.nz/2015/04/sauteed-mushrooms.html

Wonderful all together for a morning treat. I haven’t quite got to the marmite and avocado, lemon and cracked pepper on toast stage yet (Recipe from Bev Brady) but I am close.

Other days in cycle: to avoid constipation. Brian’s muesli with blue berries or fruit compote works wonders for me.
http://tattyandneepworkoutrecipes.blogspot.co.nz/2014/03/brians-wonder-muesli.html

Fruit compote is a posh way of saying stewed fruit. There is no difference apart from the ooh la la factor in mentioning compote. Stewed fruit sounds less sexy than the French version.
Quick recipe: Cut any fruit into chunks, add a dash of water and sugar to taste. Bring to simmer for 10-30 minutes until fruit soft (not burnt). Cool and store in airtight container. Easy!
My favourite is rhubarb, orange and apple compot:









Lunch
I have been skipping lunch recently; but as it is important to maintain the same body weight as I started with on chemo, I have attempted cheese biscuits and humous or cheese on toast. I can cope with Smoked Mackerel Pate on toast: http://tattyandneepworkoutrecipes.blogspot.co.nz/2015/02/smoked-mackerel-pate.html

I still enjoy Eric’s scones: http://tattyandneepworkoutrecipes.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/erics-scones.html but we have now added Dates to this mix for variety.


Dinner
On Days 1-3 of the chemo week, this is the most difficult meal as I
• don’t fancy eating anything
• don’t want to cook anything as the thought of any food turns my stomach
• have an upset stomach at least once on these days, if I am not very careful.
• need to stay awake long enough to eat something; I am usually exhausted by the end of the day

The fatigue is draining. Yawning, aching, unable to concentrate, and the desperate need to close my eyes and get my head down. I have even resorted to laying my head on the breakfast bar/dining table and resting for a minute or so in the middle of dinner, much to Sarah’s alarm/horror.

To be safe, I have to eat something high in carbs and protein.

Usually I can manage baked potatoes, or Jamie Oliver’s fish pie, http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fish-recipes/fish-pie/ some sort of white fish and chips is a hit. Fresh Monk fish on Fridays!


Other days, I am more able to eat relatively normally. Sarah has been insistent on cooking so I can relax in the evenings but on days when I have spurts of energy (normally toward to end of the chemo week) I have cooked too. Latest recipes have included Roast Lamb and egg white frittata. http://tattyandneepworkoutrecipes.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/egg-white-frittata.html

My food focus so far has been on trying out recipes I know to see if they work with the chemo or not. Next month I will try to be more adventurous

Many thanks for Beverley Brady for The Royal Marsden Cancer Cookbook  edited by Dr Clare Shaw and to David Tomley for the Special diet cookbook: Cancer by C. Shaw and M Hunter.  I will get into these very soon. Interesting that the same author had a hand in both books. I wonder why there are not more chefs catering for the cancer market; after all food is important to life and tasty food makes life all that more enjoyable. Millions of people worldwide suffer from it; I am not alone in this hell.

There is more good news: with impaired taste buds, some of my other senses have improved. I can hear the blood schlurpping out and the sharp clang of the glass tubes hitting the metal container (weekly blood test) I can smell, sweat, perfume, smoke, soap on people as they pass me on my walks;  I could even smell the dust in the flat after the builders had finished before it was cleaned. Sarah thinks I’m mad.. but I am sure it was dust.

Sarah leaves for Europe and I am home alone for the next 6 weeks.

Friends are coming to stay and neighbours dropping in to check up on me but it dawned on me today that we have not been apart for this long since 2010.

It will take some getting used to and I will miss her: truly madly deeply.