Disappointment, Hoarseness, and Numbness

I received an infusion of two units of red blood cells on Friday morning. The process took over 4 hours and afterward I decided to take the rest of the day off of work. I had high hopes that the infusion would give me some of the strength that I have been lacking the last few weeks. So far, I have only felt a slight improvement. It has been over 4 days now, so I expect if I were going to notice a large improvement, I would have by now. I probably was a little over optimistic expecting a large improvement.

On Thursday I start the last third of chemotherapy. I also have another appointment with my oncologist that morning. I will try to get an answer regarding the cause of my hoarse voice. I do not have a soar throat, and it does not hurt to talk, but it is frustrating because it is difficult to communicate. It is possible that the hoarseness is no major concern and may just be something that I will have to get used to. Another symptom that I have had to adjust to is neuropathy. Neuropathy is nerve damage, which commonly results in numbness. My neuropathy is slight in my fingers and is only in my fingertips but is a little more extensive in my feet. The numbness makes walking interesting. It is difficult to explain, but it is not painful, just a unique feeling that is similar to when your feet get really cold. Typing and handwriting also feels very different with very little feeling in the tips of my fingers. If the numbness spreads or gets worse, my oncologist may reduce the amount of Vincristine and Vinblastine that I receive each week. Usually neuropathy is temporary and the feeling returns after chemotherapy, but occasionally it is permanent.