Before the radiation treatments had finished, I was experiencing bad urinary symptoms. The pain exceeded the capacity of the prescribed phenazopyridine to relieve it and the urinary urgency was now followed by the inability to stop voiding when the bladder had emptied. I first thought that this new symptom was actually the result of no longer needing the dosage of the terazosin that I took for my oldest prostate symptoms, difficulty starting to urinate and incomplete voiding. Therefore, I stopped taking it for a couple of days to see if the old symptoms came back and the difficulty starting did return. At that point I resumed the dose I had originally started taking years ago. However the new inability to stop was still a problem. Now, even that seems to be clearing up and the pain when urinating also seems diminished. I have been able to reduce my dose of phenazopyridine to once a day instead of three times a day.
I'm even feeling a return of some energy to do things. I did not sleep as late as I had toward the end of my treatments. I even took care of a couple of small household tasks that I hadn't done for lack of energy. However, I am not ready to resume my normal level of activity just yet. While I have done more today already than I was doing, I already need to take a break, perhaps even a nap.
This morning for the first time since the treatments started, I made my usual strong chai with herbs that I normally drink in the morning. I had stopped doing it because it would make it more difficult to have the “comfortably full” bladder that they wanted for the treatments and I might have trouble making the drive to the hospital without a urinary “accident.” I try to take Gymnema Silvestri for diabetes and Pau d'Arco for general health daily. However, because both have what I call a “green” taste, they are much more palatable when the black tea and spice of chai masks that taste.
I also notice that I no longer have that hint of nausea that has plagued me for much of the course of treatment. As cold as this morning started out, I felt that a substantial breakfast would be a good idea. My grits, eggs, and vegetarian sausage might have brought on nausea just last week, but now I enjoyed it without any problem. However, I do realize that I can't make that my normal breakfast if I am to lose the weight that I wasn't permitted to lose while I was receiving radiation treatments. I have even signed myself into the VA weight loss program to get the most help I can get in order to lose the weight I need to lose.
I even was motivated to gather and print my information on building my own recumbent bicycle. I'm not ready to build it just yet, but I can decide on the particular design and look at the old bikes see what parts I have and what I need. I can also see whether I can borrow or must buy any tools that I don't already own.
My sister and I are looking forward to visiting the local Thai temple on Palm River Road in Tampa with friends. We haven't been there in years. They have build a new temple that we have not yet seen. Furthermore, we will get the chance to enjoy a lunch of some homemade Thai food that is sold as a fundraiser for the temple. I hope that my strength may be sufficient that I may get to my Dharma Center, but I'm not sure. Furthermore, I still need to continue with the Tong Ren sessions to help with my recovery from the radiation treatments and the general healing online sessions on Sundays are scheduled at the same time as the activities at the Dharma Center.
With the increased energy and the warmer weather after the rare freezing weather that we have had, I hope to work a little today and tomorrow on finishing the repair to my truck. For me it is important that I finish the job myself, because I have lost too much of my capabilities during the course of radiation treatments and from the change in my arthritis medication. I really need to complete this task successfully myself.
Today I have been able to chant more of my daily practice than I have been able to do since very early in my course of treatment. I hope now to be more consistent in doing the daily offerings as well. I also plan to borrow a DVD of the Amitayus Long Life Practice as a refresher for starting to do that on a regular basis since I have only been able to do it a couple of times after treatments started and even then I realized that I forgot so much of the action that goes along with the chanting. My daily practice needs to grow and develop towards the plan set out in consultation with my lama. In all this I need to remember that it is not only for myself but for the benefit of all sentient beings.
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