On the whole, I’ve had better weeks
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- This topic has 101 replies, 21 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 4 months ago by dukenukem.
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April 16, 2014 at 9:27 pm #76412lisasSpectator
I posted this on Facebook, but I’m disappointed I didn’t get to ring a bell! I’ll take getting hugs from everyone from the radiation tech to Dr. Cheek.
April 16, 2014 at 9:23 pm #76411kvollandSpectatorCongrats Lisa! Way to go. We were so happy to be done yesterday although I think I was happier than Mark. He’s just so tired. But he did ring the bell when he was done.
Now get back to biking and hopefully things will be smooth sailing now.
KrisV
April 16, 2014 at 9:05 pm #76410lisasSpectatorThanks Gavin!
We’ve had a chilly snap this week (I realize my friends who live further north will be laughing at what I call chilly), but before long it will be hot. Pleasant spring temps don’t last long here, but I plan to take advantage.
April 16, 2014 at 9:00 pm #76409gavinModeratorCongrats on finishing your treatments Lisa, great stuff! I hope that the weather is good over your way and that you can get outside and enjoy the cycling asap!
Hugs,
Gavin
April 16, 2014 at 8:36 pm #76408lisasSpectatorNo, no worries. I was, pre-diagnosis, one of those people who avoided sugar as much as possible. I shopped the outer edges of the grocery, I didn’t buy things that came in a box (and if I did, I read labels very carefully). I really did (and do) believe in Michael Pollan’s ‘food rules’.
I do eat nuts, etc. a friend (a really good friend) gave me a vitamix blender for great smoothies. I’ve switched to a full fat vanilla yogurt instead of the much lower fat Greek I did eat. Yes, it probably has more sugar, but not crazy amounts.
Yesterday, when I finished radiation, I splurged and got a donut. I honestly don’t remember the last time I had one. Years. I couldn’t eat it (a plain one), it was so sickeningly sweet. How do people eat them with all the extra goop on them?
I have talked to a dietitian throughout. My radiation oncologist didn’t care what I ate, just that I was getting calories, but I did. I will say I’ve eaten more red meat (which I hardly ever ate) because the smell of fish (which we did eat a lot of) really got to me and sometimes I had trouble handling the taste of roasted chicken. I guess my splurge was giving myself permission to eat burgers more often. I could usually get down half a plain burger from one or two places near us or part of a margarita pizza.
Thanks for weighing in, Carl.
PS, i went back and read some of your earlier posts. Your wife and I are the same age. She was diagnosed 6 months before me. I had many of the same conversations with my oncologist re gem/cis versus the folfurinox (and he said much the same thing about toxicity and promise in pancreatic cancers). We also opted to start with gem/cis and did well enough with it to move to radiation.
L
April 16, 2014 at 8:20 pm #76407scheitrumcSpectatorI know as soon as I write this I will be putting myself up for more scrutiny, which has happened before.
I cringe when anyone talks about adding calories by absorbing mostly sugar. If there is one thing I have learned is the processed sugars we eat as a routine do nothing to help and can cause our systems to work harder to eliminate them.
Note: I am not directly referring sugar helps cancer grow. Just that sugar adds no value and causes our body to put more effort into getting rid of it.
For anyone who believes in the “nutrition” theory, I hope you understand that what I am truly saying is “Please” find a way to get those calories without needing a piece of cake. Try nuts, grains, fruits, smoothies, juicers, almond milk, etc., etc. etc.
A piece of cake, now and then, is a “treat”. But as a standard diet, it has been shown to cause your body – and in most CCF cases, your liver – to work harder to get rid of the sugars.
I know this post will cause others to be upset with me. Sorry in advance, if I upset you.
Carl
April 16, 2014 at 8:10 pm #76406lisasSpectatorDuke, my husband’s been trying to fatten me up with dove bars. Ironically, I’m not a big chocolate cake or other sweets eater (or ice cream). If I could add 10 lbs, I’d be satisfied and I could quit cinching up my belt on all my pants so tight! I realize that’s a minor problem. Yes, I agree with you re the exercise. I’ve continued to walk my dog throughout (although in truth, not on days I deemed ‘too cold’ – left those for husband to handle). The beauty of living with a border collie is that you WILL walk or you WILL regret it.
I’ve gotten back on my bike. Before I was diagnosed, I was downright athletic looking – cyclist legs. I want them back. I’ve signed up to ride around Lake Tahoe in September, so I need to get back to longer rides and weekly spin class. I think finishing all this treatment, I’ll have more energy to do that. Now, if they will only say my bile drain tubes can come out when I do my scans. That’s what I’m hoping for and I have to say, my oncologist has been too.
April 16, 2014 at 7:35 pm #76405dukenukemMemberI was down to 140 pounds for about two weeks. Since I’m 5’10” I was gaunt. While I was in a chemo session I mentioned to my nurse that I needed to stop losing and start gaining weight. The person in the next chair “whispered” “Chocolate cake. 500 calories a slice.” If that doesn’t row your boat, pick something that does. Sam’s Club has a great blueberry muffin that also goes 500 calories each. Just remember, once you get within 10 pounds of where you want to reach, you need to taper off. And make sure you combine this with some sort of light exercise so that what comes back has some tone to it. Eating anything you want is about the only perq of this cancer – make the most of it.
April 15, 2014 at 6:11 pm #76404darlaSpectatorLisa, You are now on your way. Wishing you luck on this part of your journey. At least you can eat anything and everything you want for now. Wishing the best for you on all of the results. Take care.
Love & Hugs,
DarlaApril 15, 2014 at 5:53 pm #76403marionsModeratorLisa….Congratulations on meeting some major milestones. It was not easy, but you prevailed with your consistency, determination and a great medical team.
Although things may not taste well, you must try to force yourself to eat and increase your calorie intake. Some people find benefit with Cannabis or the synthetic version “Megace.” Although, a high protein intake is of most importance, we found that calories of any kind aided in the weight gain.
Hugs,
MarionApril 15, 2014 at 5:29 pm #76402willowSpectatorI second that… Enjoy the freedom from treatment. Enjoy the beautiful spring, friends, family and some fabulous meals as your body and mind recover from the chemo and radiation.
WillowApril 15, 2014 at 3:49 pm #76401lainySpectatorLisaS, YIPPEE, you are on your “GOOD” way! I am sure there is some anxiety about ‘finishing’ all you had to go through in as much as you hated doing it, you knew it was working and now you are done. Hope what I am trying to say makes sense. One of those occasions where I know what I am trying to say but will you? LOL Try to take one day at a time, I know easier said then done.
Enjoy your new freedom and eat, eat, eat!April 15, 2014 at 3:05 pm #76400lisasSpectatorWell, this morning was my 30th radiation treatment. I got hugs from my radiation tech, the nurse, the nurse practitioner, and the radiation oncologist when I was done. I finished my planned chemo last week, getting the 5FU pump off on Friday. I also finished the iv antibiotics, so they took my picc line out Friday. I’m on an oral antibiotic to keep from getting another bile drain tube infection for the next month.
So, now I wait. That’s the part I have the hardest time with. I’ll meet with my oncologist next Wednesday. I assume he’ll do lab work and then he’ll schedule my scans, looking at about a month or so from today to do them.
Anyway, I seem to be hanging in there okay. My goal for now is to gain back a little weight. I was down to 114 this morning. I can’t believe The words “I need to gain a few pounds” would ever come out of my mouth, but it’s true. I am hoping I will have more appetite and foods will go back to tasting normal. That’s been my biggest issue.
Lisa
April 9, 2014 at 4:38 am #76399marionsModeratorLisa….you are incredible. Guess riding the switchbacks of Emerald Bay has you conditioned to the point of no return. Not chemo and radiation plus all additional problems you had to conquer can’t keep this lady off her bike. Kudos to you.
In re: to what comes next in treatments I would like to compare this cancer to that of a chronic disease – a long-lasting condition that can be controlled with varying interventions. Some are able to be cured.
Fingers are crossed that you will receive a great report. In the meantime you will continue to grow stronger with less fatigue and hopefully the bile drains can be removed.
Hugs,
MarionApril 8, 2014 at 10:16 pm #76398lainySpectatorLISAS, I am going to attempt to tell you how to post your picture, I am really computer illiterate.
Click on your Profile
Click on Avatar
Upload Photo You may have to crop it.
Right click on Image (picture) click on ‘open with paint’
Resize the Pixel at that time Pixel cannot be larger than 60 X 60 and make sure you have designated PIXEL.
Go up to file in left corner and SAVE,Hope that does it. The Pixel thingy appears on the paint page.
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