First Blog

Gillian,

Thanks for your advise.  Its really good to know there are so many people here who cares and help each other out.  Hopefully my 6 rounds of treatments will be like your, without any major dramas.

We went and got my son some uniforms for him today.  Getting ready for prep next year.  I can't believe how fast time has gone.  Hopefully with the treatments and advance medical research these days, I will be able to see my son grow up and become a grandma one day!

Thanks again for your comment.

Shirley

Hi Emma,

Thanks for your comment.  Only one treatment to go! I bet you are looking forward to it.  At the moment last treatment seems so far away for me but I'm sure I will get there.

Sounds like I have to take each treatment as an individual and see how I go.  Hopefully I won't get any major dramas.

All the best for your last treatment!

Shirley x

Thanks Tracey for your advice :)

Hello Shirley,

I had different treatment to you - 6 months of chemo across 16 treatments. I chose to have a portacath because of so many treatments, although I didn't like it. I got it taken out as soon as treatment finished! I found it helpful at treatment time to close my eyes, take slow breaths and picture a beautiful scene like a lake or a beach with warm sunshine and love.

I had lots of side effects but none of the very serious ones (like being admitted to hospital with an infection) so I feel I was quite lucky.

I did find that the side effects were a bit worse on the first treatment and then eased a little. I don't have young children so I was able to rest when I needed it. So I hope you have lots of loving support from those around you. It's lovely to let them take care of you as far as possible. And to soak in the pleasure of watching your four year old grow and explore.

Hugs,

Gillian

Hi Shirley,

I am 36 years old, am married have a 3 year old boy and a cat! I had a right Mastectomy in May and have just finished my 5th round of FEC-D chemo. I have found each round to be different every time with some things better and some worse.   It really is such an individual thing.   I hope yours goes as easy as possible.   It's funny though I hardly know how I have made it here with only one to go! 

Don't be afraid to take any offers of help.  My little boy has a few sleep overs on the worst days for me which is better for both of us.   

I hope the rest of this round goes smoothly for you. Emma Xxxx

Hi welcome to the site. This is the place to ask away,everyone is at different stages of treatment and chemo is so different for everyone. Take it one at a time, I had different reactions each cycle. Tell the staff about any changes as they are the best ones to help with any side effects. I'm not keen on needles and didn't look when they were putting in. Take care of yourself and keep posting and asking questions, we all get that feeling of frustration.

Hi Shirley, what I've learned on this site is that everyone has different treatments. It's good to ask, as you'll get lots of good advice here. My suggestion is to talk with your oncologist and nurses about the best way to manage your care, including your medications and your IV therapy. We all have different side effects, so it's good to discuss with your treatment team each time that you have an appointment. Take along a support person and a note pad with your questions for the doctor. Write down your information, so that it prompts you. All the appointments and care can be a bit overwhelming, so it's good to go prepared. I hope that your next.  Chemo treatment goes a bit more smoothly for you. Sending you a cuddle, Trace ????

Thanks Lyn! I'm having 6 treatments done. Yes, the nurses told me about Portacath but the thought of something under my skin for that long doesn't sound fun. Just have to hope they can get the IV in right the next time.

Thanks so much again for your comment. I'm still trying to find my way around this network and figure out how it all works. Hopefully I will be able to give advice and help others ond day.

Cheers,

Shirley

Hi Shirley. Sounds like your 1st chemo was a bit traumatic. How many cycles of chemo are you having? Has anyone talked to you about a Portacath, where you have an operation to have a device inserted in your chest that they then insert a needle into for your chemo? 

You're right, everyone is different in how they respond to chemo, but in a way it does get easier, as you work out strategies to cope with the side effects. The important thing is to let you medical team know about all your side effects, so they can help come up with strategies.

take care, Lyn