New recovery formula?

I'm cautiously optimistic regarding how quickly I have  'bounced' back from my second dosing of chemo.  I was pretty shaken up with the muscle weakness and the extent of the tingling and the twitching in my muscles (no it wasn't my fat getting used up, bummer).  The home health nurse said the muscle twitching is a sign that I need more calcium and magnesium in my system.  I showed her all the vitamin supplements that I was taking and she said I had a good mix.  I said I will increase my calcium intake then and add magnesium.  She also reminded me to drink plenty of fluids because the 5-FU is so dehydrating.   I have been drinking about 5 liters a day (my normal is 3).  She asked if I was experiencing any constipation.  I told her that last time I did and it was just awful.  It took me five days to finally go and that was after I used my organic senna herbal tea.  Once I did go, I felt like myself again (don't we all, lol).  My plan this time was to do the tea early in anticipation and not wait five days.

So I did the tea on Friday afternoon because the familiar aching "gotta go but nothing there" muscle pain in the rectum was taking hold on the same schedule it did the first time.  And when i say it is painful, believe me it is extremely painful.  The only thing that helped last time was a muscle relaxer.  The tea worked fabulously and by Saturday morning, I felt almost back to normal.  I still had/have the tingling in my hands and feet but it is lessened or maybe just different. Example, I could hold a slightly cold drink in my hand but when I clapped my hands after the Sage's soccer team scored a goal it was like I had hit my hands on a bed of nails!  I had to 'clap' by tapping my fingers on my legs.  I could also drink a slightly colder than room temperature drink and it didn't feel like shards of glass were cutting my mouth.  

They say it's the oxiliplantin drug that causes the neuropathy.  I believe that by drinking the copious amounts of water, doing the tea to evacuate the bowels, and continuing the vitamin supplements reduced the amount of time the Oxi was hanging around in my system thereby reducing how long I have to endure its side effects.  

The 5-FU causes the pain in the jaw, dehydration, fatigue and other stuff too.  I think my recovery plan (which also includes resting when my body says to rest) is on the right track.  It's nice to not feel so "hung over" this dosing. 

So, I have a few things planned for this beautiful Sunday.  I want to take care of a few of grandpa's boxes that are cluttering my foyer and then going to Art in the Park with the boys and some friends.  I am trying to incorporate being around people much more to ward off that chemo-malaise that came last time.  So far, so good.

Anyway, I'm cautiously happy that what I'm doing seems to be working and I will keep doing it.  I feel as if I'm a big jigsaw puzzle where the doctors have given me three pieces (the Oxi, the Leucoverin and the 5-FU) and then I have to (through trial and error) find the remaining pieces and how they fit.  So far, my pieces are fitting and I'm not only tolerating chemo but surviving it.