starting treatment
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Hi Monica,
Welcome to the site. I’m sorry that you had to find us all but glad that you decided to sign up here as you will get so much support from everyone. I came here back in 2008 after my dad was diagnosed and everyone helped me so much, and I know that they will do the same for you as well. If we can help in any way then please just ask and we will al do what we can to help in answering any questions. And we have a great search function here that will throw up many discusions by the members on so many different topics.
I hope that your chemo and radiation go well and please let us know how you get on with that. I look forward to hearing more from you.
My best wishes to you and your family,
Gavin
Nurse 33 – I would come home every day from treatment and have to take a nap. I give a lot of credit to the people that actually went back to work after their radiation treatment. I don’t like to be driven but I had to have my husband motor me back and forth from treatment as time went by.
Dear Monica – I don’t have a lot to add to everyone elses’ posts other than that I want to send you my warmest wishes for better days…..feeling sad and depressed are “normal” when you have received this kind of news – be sure to reach out for some support whenever you can. Be sure to mention depression to your doctor — they can give you some medications to help you through the anxiety and difficult moments that are part of cancer. All good thoughts coming your way – Nancy
Thank you for all the support. My children are 11, 8, 5, and 9months. my path report had margins, but that was not surprising. saw radiation dr. today and at least 25-35 days of radiation starting next week. my port placement is on monday. knowing that the chemo and rad together is not too bad is very comforting. i appreciate the sharing of knowledge. i feel better knowing i have support.
Thank You AllMonica
Monica, I too am a survivor. I had a resection almost two years ago and so far, I’m clean. My resection wasn’t quite as challenging, but I did have two VT events during surgery, one during the liver separation, which caused the surgeon no end of excitement I’m sure. The anesthesiologist was formerly a cardiac anesthesiologist, so it was all handled with no damage to me.
Have you gotten the final path results yet? That was my big moment of truth following surgery and it came up clean, but the aggressive nature of removed tissue caused 6 months of Gemzar to happen following the surgery. I assume you’re home now, which is a good thing.
Good luck and good scans from here out!
Monica,
My husband has been on 5FU since October. He is on a 48 hour continous infusion every other week so he wears a “fanny pack” for 2 days. He has had little side effects. Some weeks a little tired, other weeks a little nausea, but nothing too bad at all.
I think what I have found is that living with cancer causes bouts of depression… some days I can handle anything, other days I want to crawl into a hole and never come out. But, you don’t crawl into the hole and you get through the day. Keep thinking of your family and how much you love each other. Remember how strong you are… after all, look at what you just accomplished!
How old are your kids? Mine are 18 and 14… it’s been a tough couple of years but they are remarkable.
Sharon
Monica – I did chemo (gem) then I did 6weeks of 5days a week radiation with a 24 hour chemo pump. I then did oral chemo (Xeloda) for about 5 months while waiting for a liver. I started my treatments in September, with very little side effects. I was usually tired for about a day, a few days after my chemo. I usually had a “chemo buddy” for treatment and we usually had lunch after and shopping. It was the end of December, about a week after last radiation treatment when I started to feel real wiped out. I was never bed ridden but me and my recliner were best friends. I missed one chemo because of blood counts. I never lost my hair.
Make sure you take nasuea meds before.during and after. My oncologist gave me 3 (compazine, lorazapan and zofran) so I didn’t have to wait hours in between. She also put me on very low dose of lexipro (anti-depressant).
Lots of prayers-CathyLainy– thank you for your support and encouragement.
Joolz822–i will start with 5-FU at moderate dose with radiation, then after radiation i will switch to gem??? what are your side effects to radiation that makes it worse than chemo?Monica-Welcome to a wonderful group of people, but sorry you had to find us. I am a cc survivor. My story like yours was full of miracles. I am alive due to 2 liver transplants. My hepatic artery burst due to radiation damage. I received 14 units of blood, coded and slipped into a coma for 3 weeks. My story started July 2008 and I can say I am finally back to “me” mentally and physically. You can read my story on FB (Catherine Sims-Dunnagan).
Focus on staying strong and don’t worry being, depressed is part of the journey.Keep posting here there is so much information, support and HOPE!
Feel free to contact me jrdunnagan@gmail.com
Lots of prayers-CathyWhat an ordeal! Good luck with the chemo… what are you going to be taking? I’ve found that chemo is easier to deal with than radiation. But I’m sure many others have found just the opposite.
Dear Monica welcome to our wonderful family but sorry you had to join us. You are already a fabulous survivor having survived all that you did. You are a Miracle! I feel the depressed feelings you get are perfectly normal after such a huge surgery and they say that the anesthetic does stick around awhile and can play tricks on you. I am so glad you decided to post as you will find the most caring and loving people here from all over the world. It would seem that this is getting to be a not so rare disease but actually it is with only about 2,000 a year in the USA developing CC. Do not give up hope because as we have learned, “attitude is everything”. Another saying we like is that we try to stay realistically optimistic. I want to send you good wishes for your upcoming chemo and radiation. Take it one day at a time and try to stay strong. We are here for you and we care and please visit us as often as you like.
Hello Everyone,
I have been reading on this web site for an hour now debating whether to enroll or not. I was diagnosed with CC 8 weeks ago. I have undergone a liver resection for a tumor that was measuring 14cm but was actually bigger once my dr got in there. Surgery was difficult. I received 16 units of blood after my inferior vena cava (vein to heart) ruptured while removing the tumor and I received 10 minutes of cpr before my heart decided to start again. Like so many others, I am getting ready to have my port placed and start chemo along with radiation. I am blessed to have found this site where others like me know what I am going thru. It has been hard for my husband and 4 children. This site is such a relief for me. I am starting to get depressed at times. I have always been such an active person. I know there is hope, but sometimes the days seem so long. The one thing that has surprised me about this site is that this rare disease has affected so many of us. I’m not sure it should be called rare anymore.!?
Thank You all for your posts. They are a true encouragement.
Monica
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