Kathie----Re: Gleevec pallor

[Guest guest]

Kathie-

Thanks for the letter. I agree completely. With my fatigue I haven't had the

energy to even dress myself up or spend any additonal time with makeup. I am

making changes in my life so that I can focus on those things that used to make

me feel go. I am quitting my full time job to take care of my 3 little ones and

be a wife again. Its been a hard balancing act since dx, almost 2 years ago. I

have had every side effect and am in and out of the hospital frequently with

Gastritis and chronic dehydration. I am hoping with adequate rest, I will do

better in the future.

I always enjoyed looking my best and hope that in the future I can be confident

in my appearance. Dont get me wrong, I am thankful to have Gleevec and glad I

am alive. I guess I am still sorting through everything one goes through with

the side effects, diagnosis, etc.

I have always been sensitive in the sun being so fair skinned but now I actually

start itching and my skin burns when in the sun. My skin also burns when I have

a hot flash or get overheated as well. I truely think its all gleevec related so

I have learned how to reduce those happenings.

Thank you for your thoughts and comments.

Stay healthy

S. RN

[ ] Gleevec pallor

Dear :

I can empathize with your frustration over your change in color. I too

experience the Gleevec " fairness. " In my case, however, I went from being a

beautiful Italian dark skinned woman to being very very very fair. It took a

while to adjust, but once I realized that the pure blues, greens, and reds of my

former life just made me look sick, I began to experiment with a new palette of

colors in which I look much healthier. For me this means apricot, oranges,

browns, tans, lime greens, and some pale blues. In general I look better in

" muddier " colors these days. These colors are the very ones that made me look

yucky in my pre-CML days. So, while I still look longingly at the deep blues and

Christmas reds of my former life, I know that I will look better in the new

shades, so when I shop I avoid even trying on the colors that no longer flatter

me. Overall, I think it is a small price to pay for staying alive. If you have

never " had your colors done " you might want to give it a t

ry. I think we can look healthy, but we just need to remember that we are now

fair skinned blondes and enjoy the new palette.

I also miss the sun. In the old days I could lay out all day with out sun screen

(I know, in retrospect really a stupid idea, but hey, I'm over 50 and what did

we know then?). Now I still enjoy a day at the beach or hanging out by the pool

(we live in Florida) but I do it with a 50 block sun screen, big hat, and a sun

blocking big shirt. Again, a small price to pay to continue to feel the sun on

my body (yep, I'm still above ground).

Maybe some day there will be a drug like Gleevec that allows us to regain our

melatonin, but until there is, I think that as far as chemotherapy side effects

go, these are OK.

Hope this helps.

Kathie in Flordia (formerly Kentucky)

dx 12/06/03

600 mg. Gleevec