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~ Diabetes, Cancer Fighter, Father of Twins, Kayak Fishing, Woodcrafter, Lover of Life

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Tag Archives: Dizzy

Fishing Was a Bad Idea

16 Wednesday Sep 2026

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Cancer, Fishing, Kayaking, Leukemia, Life, Nature, Uncategorized, Weather

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Tags

adventure, CML, Dizzy, Exhausting, Fatigue, Fishing, health, Iron, Leukemia, Medication, Nature, Oncologist, Outdoors, Side Effects, Tired, Travel, Wind

I got up this morning and went fishing.

I’ll have to admit, it probably wasn’t the best decision I’ve made over the last few weeks. As I’m sitting here writing this, I’m completely exhausted.

The wind was horrible. And when I say horrible, I mean horrible. If it weren’t for someone fishing with me, I probably would have called it a day and headed home a whole lot sooner.

Once the wind picks up, fishing from a kayak stops being fun. You spend more time trying to stay in one spot than you do actually fishing. Paddle forward, drift backward. Paddle left, drift right. Before long, you start wondering if you’re actually fishing or just getting a really expensive upper-body workout.

A few weeks ago, I started taking a new CML medication. Within a few days, I was so fatigued and dizzy that I could hardly function. Since that was the only thing that had been added or changed, I naturally blamed the medication and stopped taking it.

After talking with my oncologist, he wanted me to stay off the medication for a couple of days and then start taking it again. I did that, and thankfully, the side effects weren’t nearly as bad the second time around. The fatigue is still there, but the dizziness has pretty much disappeared.

As it turns out, though, the medication may not have been the culprit after all.

My iron levels are extremely low. Low enough that I’m having to get an iron infusion once a week for the next three weeks in an effort to get my levels back up to something resembling normal.

That explains a lot.

It also explains why I’m so completely wiped out after this morning’s fishing trip. Between the low iron and that ridiculous wind, getting back to the launch took a lot longer than I had planned. I had to stop several times along the way just to rest and catch my breath.

Once I finally made it home, I was able to muster up enough energy to unload the truck and put all of my fishing gear away.

And that’s it.

That’s all I’ve got.

I’m done.

In fact, I’m so tired that I’m not even sure I have enough energy to take a nap.

Yes, you read that right. I’m too tired to nap.

I didn’t think that was possible.

Apparently, my body has decided that today is a good day to remind me who’s in charge. And after this morning, I think I’m going to listen.

The kayak can wait.

The fish can wait.

And, thankfully, the wind can wait too.

Right now, I think the best fishing strategy is going to be sitting in my recliner and trying not to move unless absolutely necessary.

Day 23 Roller Coaster Ride For Sure

08 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by Tim Hughes Living with CML in Uncategorized

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Tags

Cancer, Cycling, Dizzy, Gleevec, Leukemia, Pharmacy

Last week was one wild emotional roller coaster ride.  The week started out trying to find out why I haven’t received my Gleevec.  To make a very long story short the nurse at the doctors office sent the script to the wrong place.  I had been told earlier that my co pay was going to be $75 for the prescription.  Well, they were wrong.  It wasn’t $75 but 75% and with my deductible being $1000 that meant that my script was going to be $1000.  One of the things that people are not aware of is that many drug manufacturers offer financial assistance. I called Gleevec and got approved for a drug card.  My script went from $1000 to $100 for the year.  Happy Dance.  I called the pharmacy and got everything ordered yesterday and the Gleevec arrived this morning.  

I got up real late this morning.  I’m on call this month and I don’t usually sleep well while on call.  When I got up my daughter told me that my meds came in and I started reading all the side effects that this med has.  It’s got a long list but hopefully I won’t have any of them.  I ate two pieces of toast with peanut butter with a glass of milk and afterwards took all my meds.  Thirty minutes later I got real dizzy so I went to the kitchen and had an early lunch.  The dizziness went away.

Later this afternoon I got the urge to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.  I hopped on my bicycle and got twenty miles in.  It really felt good to be outside after having to deal with all this weird winter weather we’ve been having.  Spring time is coming to the deep south, it’s just taking it’s sweet time.

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