Newly Diagnosed - TNBC - Mantis
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That's a big help @kmakm thank you. And wow, what a lot your family have had to deal with!We're trying to be honest with the kids, giving them the facts and talking about how things work with the older two like chemo, ports, etc. They're all pretty curious and it seems to be working well. My little one is super cuddly and is leaving me little notes and drawings but also wondering why people are giving me chocolate.1
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So cute!0
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So Mantis the chocolate is to give you strength tell the little one .... and because people love you they want to you to have strength.....1
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Perfect @SoldierCrab she'll love that
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I had 3 weekly chemo and found I ended up with a bit of a routine - would only feel better right at the end of the cycle before we went again but I'd use that time to do the preparations to make life a bit easier for the really bad period. So made school sandwiches and muffins and freeze so kids just have to grab some fruit and then pull sandwich and muffin from freezer and lunch done. Also organised a cleaner once a week to make sure things were hygienic. set up a shopping list with home delivery from Woolies (or coles), so can just click and shop is done - even if I don't have energy to work out what we actually need for the week at least a basic shop will turn up with our normal "basics", insist the driver brings in and puts up on the table so it makes unpacking easier. get dental check done before chemo starts. check with breast care nurse if this chemo is one that will effect your nails if sunlight gets to the nail bed and if so pain nails with very dark colour. stock up the pantry and freezer with easy and nutritious options - like 90 second rice, Birds Eye Steam Plus Cous Cous, Birds eye have a steam fresh range with pasta, lemon and parsley fish fillets etc etc. look up freezer dump meals or once a month cooking for ideas for things to do up and have in freezer ahead of time. I found it was easy to just have a weekly meal plan of things that I know my kids love and are easy. that way the shopping is the same every week, everyone gets into a routine, kids get to know how to help with the meal prep and keeps everyone's routine consistent which was really important for my kids when going through treatment. I love my slow cooker (I also have a disability so am always looking for an easy way to do things), I have changed my shopping to make things easier - a bit more expensive but much healthier and cheaper than doing take away. So for example I buy baby potatoes, and precut pumpkin and corn. My go to which we use every week is to put carrots, and baby potatoes,(don't chop or peel either) with precut pumpkin. and chicken drumsticks with some chicken stock in the slow cooker in the morning. Microwave some greens and/or corn cobs just before you serve and dinner is done. this is so easy the kids can do it, or you can make it a whole family affair with everyone adding one thing to the slow cooker as you turn it on
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Thanks so much @TripleNegMama ❤️ Some really great ideas there. Some of the families from my daughter’s school organised a cleaner to come last week and it felt so great to have the house spic and span that we’re going to organise a regular cleaner.3
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Just an update .... tomorrow is my third round of fortnightly chemo. I think I felt the side effects more the second round but it was much easier overall as I knew what to expect. I had a bone scan and chest / abdo CT and both were clear which was a huge relief.
I had a port put in the day before the second round and while it has been really quite sore it has settled a lot in the past few days and I think it will make things a whole lot easier in the long run.
I was really worried about my kids but it’s amazing how adaptable to a new normal they have been! Every day I walk and my younger son comes along. We catch up for a chat and usually a few laughs too. My older son is busy being a teenager 😂 I think my daughter was a bit frightened, because I look different bald, I’ve been too sore from the port for big squishy hugs, etc but we’re getting back to normal again. I make sure to read to her every night and then we chat if she wants to and she asks questions if she needs to. As @kmakm said ‘noting what it is they require individually and delivering individually’ works a treat.
The worry about recurrence is still always at the back of my mind but I know I’m not alone there. I’m doing everything I can and recovering well between treatments. Trusting the process 😊
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Another update ...I've now finished my AC chemo and had my second of 12 x weekly Paclitaxels yesterday. The Paclitaxel is definitely easier than the AC. My hemoglobin is low so I'm tired but not totally wiped out like I was on AC.I still haven't lost all of my hair. I have about 10% left and it's the colour of the doxorubicin! My scalp is super sensitive again so it may be preparing for another shed.I see a radiation oncologist in a couple of weeks to plan radiation treatment. It feels like I've still got a way to go...1
