Chemo this week
So it's down to only 3 more sleeps as I told my 4 year old this morning when he asked when I was going back to hospital.
It's crazy though - everything I read I think - oh that won't be me :-) I cannot imagine feeling unwell at all. I mean, I couldn't imagine having my breast removed either but hey - here I am nearly 4 weeks later and I'm ok, alive and kicking! I have good movement back in my arm, have finally stopped taking regular panadol (just some at night when it's all just a bit sore), the scars are healing well, I'm down to just my normal one pillow and slept a little on my side again (yippee - I have to be able to turn away from the snoring ;-)) I'm driving again and now managing those pesky round abouts! I'm spontaneously using my left arm and not jumping ten ft high if the kids brush me on that side. I am even managing to give full cuddles again. I am back working on my images from before the diagnosis and getting frustrated with how long it takes me to work on them! So I think I am about 90% the normal me.
On the downside, my kids have been showing some major behavioural issues this week that have been driving me spare and resulted in tears from all of us at points. I wonder how easy it is to explain it away on the BC or how much is just poor behaviour and what am I creating by not dealing with the behaviour now if I let it go?
As for chemo - I must be anxious - I'm struggling to sleep despite exhaustion. There is still barely a moment where BC is not the first thought in my head. I cannot imagine the next 12 months at all. I feel like I am on the cusp of becoming someone new - that this cancer thing is supposed to make me that somehow but I am waiting for the revelation!
So I am asking for all of your tips, advice, anything on getting on with chemo - throw them all my way you lovely ladies! Wigs, scarves, skin care, menopause, nausea, constipation, metallic taste, ulcers, netropenia, etc... I am doing Fec 100 first up followed by Taxotere and Herceptin. I am staying in overnight to have an IV drip of fluids before coming home - I think I am also getting a shot of something to boost my WBC too.
I am sad to see so many new ladies on here - I hope to get to more of the blogs tonight.
Cheerio for now.
Amanda
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Amanda,you don't have to be too brave.If you are anxious when you get to hospital ask for something to calm you done.If it's one thing I've learnt about this journey is that your emotions can be unpredictable.I would surprise myself sometimes and be so strong and then blubber about a small thing. I would say stock your kitchen with tins of vegie soup,lemon cordial,lemonaide iceblocks, crackers,panadol,nulax or senakot.That's about all I felt like eating.I went off tea,coffee and chocolate,my favourites.There is a great american website that you can order all sorts of head gear and wigs.It's cheap and they deliver to your door- www.headcovers.org I spent alot on a wig and I hardly wore it-too hot ,too fake etc.I mostly got around in soft cotton bandanas,scarves and caps/hats. I had about 3 looks -washerwoman,gypsy girl,sailor girl! I'm sure you'll find what's comfortable for you.
With kids I find it best to try and keep their routines in place and the usual rules.They feel safer that way.But I also think you should make yourself priority and let hubby deal with the kids.You will need lots of rest when the chemo truck flattens you for a few days .(4 or 5)?.You'll need to slacken off with housework etc.Having takeaway,not bathing,wearing grubby clothes won't really bother your kids.Try and let it go abit.
Best wishes for an easy time of it-you can but only hope.
luv Tonya xx
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Amanda,you don't have to be too brave.If you are anxious when you get to hospital ask for something to calm you done.If it's one thing I've learnt about this journey is that your emotions can be unpredictable.I would surprise myself sometimes and be so strong and then blubber about a small thing. I would say stock your kitchen with tins of vegie soup,lemon cordial,lemonaide iceblocks, crackers,panadol,nulax or senakot.That's about all I felt like eating.I went off tea,coffee and chocolate,my favourites.There is a great american website that you can order all sorts of head gear and wigs.It's cheap and they deliver to your door- www.headcovers.org I spent alot on a wig and I hardly wore it-too hot ,too fake etc.I mostly got around in soft cotton bandanas,scarves and caps/hats. I had about 3 looks -washerwoman,gypsy girl,sailor girl! I'm sure you'll find what's comfortable for you.
With kids I find it best to try and keep their routines in place and the usual rules.They feel safer that way.But I also think you should make yourself priority and let hubby deal with the kids.You will need lots of rest when the chemo truck flattens you for a few days .(4 or 5)?.You'll need to slacken off with housework etc.Having takeaway,not bathing,wearing grubby clothes won't really bother your kids.Try and let it go abit.
Best wishes for an easy time of it-you can but only hope.
luv Tonya xx
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Hi Amanda, I have used a lot of the things that Tonya mentioned. You just don't know what your going to feel like eating & yes your tastes sure do change! I also found Ginger ale was good & something different to water. I put a slice of lemon in with my water to change the taste. I am back to my normal eating habits except that I don't crave chocolate anymore! I have purchased some nice headcovers from the site Tonya metioned & a wig from the wig place at my cancer centre. I am now just waiting for my hair to start falling out, not sure how I will react to that happening! As a childcare worker I would say to try and keep to the same routine you have in place for behaviour issues. This may be hard but in the long run it will be better for all of you.
Wishing you all the best.
Loretta xx
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Thank you for the tips - they are all helpful.
The difficult thing with the children is we have all of our family interstate, so my Mum is coming to stay with us for a week - 10 days with each treatment to help out as my husband works quite long hours and while his work is flexible, I thinkit is important for him to maintain as much of that as he can too. Usually he travels a lot also which has been pretty much halted for the time being.
I have lists for the kids and routines that we are trying to follow. The girls are 6 and 9 and pretty good usually - they are more emotive about what we are going through whereas my 4 year old son has become quite obsessional about his food preparation in particular but also who helps him with things like getting dressed, bathing etc... He is very unhappy with my Mum being around so much and helping with school pickups and the like while my mum just wants to help - its all a little soul destroying at times.
We have put a chart together for each of them to reward positive behaviour so hopefully that will help somewhat too.
I bought a wig today and put in on for the kids this afternoon and it took them a few moments to notice so I guess that is a good sign. I don't expect to wear it too much and I also bought a headband that should cover my whole head and keep it warm as it cools down here. Mum bought me a range of scarves from the site you mentioned Tonya and they are beautiful - I just need a little more movement in my arm to get to tie them up at the back.
I bought myself a few of the supplies you mentioned today - I love Ginger beer - wonder if that will be any good? I think am nearly ready to get going with this thing and get started - Mum bought me a Pandora bracelet the other day - i had the idea that I would mark off each treatment milestone with a charm. I started with a peridot for my birthstone, a pink stone as I'm a "girl", a bought the pink ribbon charm to symbolise my diagnosis and a tree of life charm for my surgery as this will save my life. Already it means a lot to wear it.
I think we will talk through the routine thing a little more with the family and hopefully the house will run a little smoother.
Thank you. :-)
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Thank you for the tips - they are all helpful.
The difficult thing with the children is we have all of our family interstate, so my Mum is coming to stay with us for a week - 10 days with each treatment to help out as my husband works quite long hours and while his work is flexible, I thinkit is important for him to maintain as much of that as he can too. Usually he travels a lot also which has been pretty much halted for the time being.
I have lists for the kids and routines that we are trying to follow. The girls are 6 and 9 and pretty good usually - they are more emotive about what we are going through whereas my 4 year old son has become quite obsessional about his food preparation in particular but also who helps him with things like getting dressed, bathing etc... He is very unhappy with my Mum being around so much and helping with school pickups and the like while my mum just wants to help - its all a little soul destroying at times.
We have put a chart together for each of them to reward positive behaviour so hopefully that will help somewhat too.
I bought a wig today and put in on for the kids this afternoon and it took them a few moments to notice so I guess that is a good sign. I don't expect to wear it too much and I also bought a headband that should cover my whole head and keep it warm as it cools down here. Mum bought me a range of scarves from the site you mentioned Tonya and they are beautiful - I just need a little more movement in my arm to get to tie them up at the back.
I bought myself a few of the supplies you mentioned today - I love Ginger beer - wonder if that will be any good? I think am nearly ready to get going with this thing and get started - Mum bought me a Pandora bracelet the other day - i had the idea that I would mark off each treatment milestone with a charm. I started with a peridot for my birthstone, a pink stone as I'm a "girl", a bought the pink ribbon charm to symbolise my diagnosis and a tree of life charm for my surgery as this will save my life. Already it means a lot to wear it.
I think we will talk through the routine thing a little more with the family and hopefully the house will run a little smoother.
Thank you. :-)
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Sounds like you have some good behaviour strategies in place Amanda. I love the idea of the pandora bracelet & what a great memento of your journey. it will give you something to look forward to after each chemo treatment.
Loretta xx
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Hi all - I'm home. All went ok but it was a long and draining day. We arrived at 10.30 but I didn't finish receiving my chemo until 6pm! It took a while to settle in (I was on the oncology ward as I was staying overnight.) Nurses in and out, then two attempts to get a cannula in - I have very small veins - I had drunk heaps of water and put them under the hot tap to no avail. My Oncologist arrived to chat and look at things and wanted the unit manager to try and get a vein before scheduling a port which would delay everything longer - possibly overnight. Fortunately after resting my arm in a bucket of warm water, the NM got a vein first go with no pain for me. Given I will be having IV every three weeks for 12 months we have decided to get a portacath put in before the next chemo.
I started then with premeds which took an hour (antinausea and steroids I think as well a saline), the the fun stuff starting with the Epirubicin - my red cocktail - quite stingy, cold and sore so they slowed it right down, then my flourocil which was mighty quick then the cyclophosmamide - took forever it seemed though the girl next to me was having quite a bad reaction to it so hers was slowed down even more. We both sat there derobing and fanning ourselves though I was OK with the taste. Then it was saline and anti nausea drugs for the night and a happy little pill/s to help me sleep.
I woke up feeling like I had a hangover from hell - could barely get out of bed to pee in the middle of the night but those sleepers were working! Saw the Breast nurse this morning before discharge. Came home and slept for 2 hours or more while hubby cooked up some chicken soup. I have just been taking it easy but trying to keep up some activity too. I am taking maxalon to keep the nausea at bay too Taste a little altered but not too bad, have reflex like when I was pregnant.
I think my husband is worried I might wallow if I rest all the time - I don't know how far to go. I am tired but is too much rest self fulfilling and making the problem worse? I am know I am only the day after my first chemo so I guess I will learn on the way.
So, all in all not bad for first up.
Amanda xx
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Glad you got through your first chemo ok.You just never know how you are going to react with that first one.Drink lots of fluids and just rest-do what you feel like.By day 4 ,I was so tired I stayed in bed for the day,couldn't get my head off the pillow. Only you know whether to push yourself or not.
Tonya xx
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Hi - glad you dusted the first round. Reflex and constipation is very common with chemo - which I learned that later
... By second round of chemo, I was on Zantac and Coloxsyl. Talk to your doctor, don't wait till it gets really bad. The Dr. can give you some effective cocktails (of drugs). I often said to my hubby, that having Chemo was like being Pregnant again, but this time I am giving birth to ME or should i say the cancerfree ME.
take it easy - let the hubby do the rest, just like when you are pregnant with your first child ... remember!
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Hi - glad you dusted the first round. Reflex and constipation is very common with chemo - which I learned that later
... By second round of chemo, I was on Zantac and Coloxsyl. Talk to your doctor, don't wait till it gets really bad. The Dr. can give you some effective cocktails (of drugs). I often said to my hubby, that having Chemo was like being Pregnant again, but this time I am giving birth to ME or should i say the cancerfree ME.
take it easy - let the hubby do the rest, just like when you are pregnant with your first child ... remember!
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Hi Amanda, good to hear your 1st chemo went ok. I second the drinking lots of fluids. I thinks It's best to let your body tell you what you can do. So now the chemo is over with you can get another charm for your bracelet.
Take care.
Loretta xx
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Thanks everyone. Loretta - my kids presented me with a gorgeous charm last night for my Pandora - 3 pink hearst representing the thee of them. Not a bad night but needed to take my morning anti nasuea as it was settling in again.
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Oh Amanda that made me teary when I read what charm your kids had given you, how special is that. Good to hear you had a better night. Yes that nausea feeling does tend to hang around! The side effects are so similar to pregnancy aren't they! My hair is starting to fall out now & i can't stand the mess it is creating!!!
Loretta xx
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Hope you start to feel better soon, in my thoughts . Big hugs Debbie xx
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I am heading for my first chemo on Wednesday. The last three months have been surgery and recovery as you would well know! love the idea of the bracelet! All my children and grandchildren are interstate and I miss them heaps - but as you can guess, its busy busy busy for them - good luck sweetie x x x
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