Yestarday, Nadine had another breakdown which was very similar to the one that happened about a month ago.

In the morning, we saw her family doctor because she had a skin eruption at her back that turned out to be a herpes zoster. After that, she didn’t like her meal and went to bed with an headache. Wen she woke up she was disoriented and unable to stand or speak properly once again. She also threw up this time. I called an ambulance and we brought her to the Katharinenhospital.

Today she is feeling better, but still not good. Examinations are under way, she sleeps a lot and is also contagious because of her herpes zoster. Anybody who wants to visit her on station I1 Room 16 has to wear gloves, a surgical mask and some kind of overcoat.

On a recently taken X-ray photograph, something indefinable became visible in Nadine’s lung. That’s why another CT of her thorax was taken today. It revealed that it was not a tumor, but a decreasing remnant of her thrombosis. I’m unable to spot anything on the pictures myself, but above you can see what CT images look like…

Today we will be visited by a nursing service who will advise us about caretaking. I’m not expecting much benefit from that right now, but it is an obilgation to have that every half a year when you receive a nursing allowance from your health insurance. Way more important: Next Thursday we’re going to see a neurologist about Nadine’s paresis.

Many sources have suggested that Nadine’s proximal paresis might be a side-effect of her chemotherapy. Indeed, nerve damage is highly likely with Eribulin. I’m wondering why none of the doctors in the Katharinenhospital ever mentioned this possibility. Instead they came up with many other hypotheses none of which could be comfirmed by any of the tests taken. Okay, they were mainly focused on her breakdown, but nevertheless…

Nadine still has her problems with moving and is using a walking frame for stability right now. She is also bemoaning unspecific and changing pain in her left leg.  I hope this is all due to Eribulin which is meanwhile replaced by Capecitabin. It is said that these side-effects wear off after a while and the new substance is not know for causing this kind of damage. We’ve got an appointment with a neurologist towards the end of the month who will hopefully be able to help her in short an long term.

One of the sources that mentioned nerve damage by chemotheraphy is an interview in Zeit Doctor, an online ressort of German newspaper Die Zeit. If you do understand German you might want to read what three different kinds of doctors have to say about cancer and cancer treatment:

Zeit Doctor: Krebs lehrt uns viel über das Leben