Cancer Support Thread

[Jaguar]

I don't know what to say to start this thread off. This is a thread for Cancer Patients and for Family & Friends to come and vent, grieve, get info or just get by with an encouraging thought.

I have cancer it's my 2nd time with this crap. Some days are good and some days are shit.

So come on in and let it out.

[sesfw]

This week is treatment #7 for me.  Tuesday morning I had chemo through a port, then a second chemo in a pump that I bring home for 46 hours before taking it back (yesterday).  Today I had a shot of Neulasta to keep my white blood count up to I can continue having treatments.

Spent the last couple of days going to bed early.  I'm having hot flashes and night sweats, but I still have most of my hair. 

I agree with you sugilite.  Some days are good, others are not.

(((((((( sugilite )))))))))))))) healing hugs to you and yours.

One stinkin lousy day at a time.

[Jaguar]

Yeah (((( Hugs )))) back to you. I got a call today from the drug company for my Exjade iron chelation drug that I take and they told me not to take it while I'm in the hospital. So I'm happy about that cause it's a wee routine to do it every morning.

I've had ports and hick-man lines before, for the iron chelation therapy I do. I'll Google Neulasta. I do Brainwave Entrainment for some of this. It's about the only thing that relaxes me now.

[Robert not Bobby]

Think

think...POSITIVE...

Your mind and additude is as important as your body.

(well done sugi)

Also, don't be frightened by the word...it's just a word.

[Gardening Grandma]

Suglite
Thank you for starting this thread.

DH finished  Week 5  of radiation today.  5 more treatments to go... I suggested we go out to breakfast a week from today (after his last treatment) to celebrate - assuming he feels like it.

We won't know until August - when he has another PET scan - if this was successful.  If it was successful, then he still has to deal with prostate cancer (at least that is in the early stage)

Good luck with your own treatment
GG

[taz157]

May 17, 2013 19:30:12 GMT -5 Robert not Bobby said:

Think

think...POSITIVE...

Your mind and additude is as important as your body.

(well done sugi)

Also, don't be frightened by the word...it's just a word.

[Jaguar]

I had my first Cat Scan on January 4th, this was the one that nothing was known beforehand, or actually nothing was remembered as we came to know.

I got the call on January 16th that there was a nodule on my Left Lung. I was in shock, but nothing happened beyond regular doctor appointments for two whole months, then the floodgates opened. From that point everything HAD to be done yesterday. In March I had 6 scans, 3 doctors appointments, 1 Lung Biopsy and 1 regular treatment . It was in one doctors appointment [first time meeting] that I learned that there was a nodule on my Right Lung. I wasn't told anything about it only you got one on your Right Lung as well. Nothing was told to me, I freaked.

I was led to believe from back on January 16th that things would happen really soon.

Flash forward to now, what I know is that I have an 11mm nodule on my Left Lung that doesn't light up as much under the PET Scan [this was the one that got biopsied, it was inconclusive]. A tiny .09cm nodule on my Right Lung and even tinier nodules than that also on the Right. These really lit up under the PET Scan. It's the Right Lung that will have the Wedge Resection on May 29th if my surgeon doesn't get called away to do a Transplant. I was originally scheduled to do the Surgery on May 7th, but I got bumped.

I found and still find this whole situation beyond stressful. I got a lot of my diagnosis in pieces and that really stressed me out. I was stressed with inactivity then stressed more with so many appointments all at once there were times I was scheduled to be in different hospitals at the exact same time.

I have a really awesome surgeon, I really lucked out cause he's that good.

The other thing that happened was that my own doctor decided that now was a good time to bring up the removal of my Heart Leads. I have the Leads I don't have a pacemaker. This one could have waited. The Heart Surgeon will take a look when I do the Wedge Resection on May 29th. If they come out then FABULOUS, if not, then next summer they will. There is a time and place for everything. I felt too much was put on my plate at this time.

[sesfw]

Ready for my Rant??

When I started this trip with chemo last January my co-pay was $35 every other week.  April got here and the co-pay jumped to $90 every other week.

Two weeks ago I got my first injection of the blood builder and my co-pay was $160.  Guess what, yesterday (two weeks later) my co-pay is $610.  No, it is not a typo.

Idiotcare has hit me big time.  Its too bad that all of us are having to pay for this idiocy instead of just the ones that voted for bho.

[sesfw]

I found and still find this whole situation beyond stressful. I got a lot of my diagnosis in pieces and that really stressed me out. I was stressed with inactivity then stressed more with so many appointments all at once there were times I was scheduled to be in different hospitals at the exact same time.

Sug ........ I'm so sorry you are going through this stress.  It doesn't help how you are feeling now and slowly going crazy.  I have my whole life on my phone calendar and trying to keep track of everything is difficult.

All we can do is take a deep breath ......... and try to get some rest.

Healing hugs my friend.

[suesinfl]

Positive thoughts for all.

[Jaguar]

Sesfw so dang sorry about the cost of your treatment. Them being consistent would be nice, I would think.

I'll also add in that them being compassionate would also be nice. We are all in this fight together. I've been a research patient since forever and I'm doing a research study on pain for this current bout of Cancer. It would be nice if my helping them could be paid forward to someone needing help. In a perfect world I guess, and ours isn't perfect.

For Everyone.

[Jaguar]

I do have some good news, if you haven't read it yet. My sister who has stage 4 Kidney Cancer got the news that her secondary site the brain all the tumors are gone [she had 5 brain tumors]. She has two small tumors in her Lungs, which is also a secondary site and one small tumor on her Kidney. Her doctors are taking her off the heavy duty chemo and putting her on a lesser side effect one. She was also taken off two other drugs one that tired her out and another that suppressed her appetite.

So all in all that's really good news I would think. It was cause of her Cancer that showed last September that my doctors wanted me to do my Cat Scan in January.

[taz157]

sesfw - I'm sorry to hear about the increased co-pays. That's insane! I hope it's just a fluke and gets straighten out with the insurance company.

sugi - Great news about your sister. Wow about how your's was caught.

[Jaguar]

Mine was caught cause my Doctor heard about my Sister with Stage 4 Kidney Cancer and thought I should get checked with a Cat Scan. So my Sister having Cancer caught mine early. life is just plain strange.

[sesfw]

Sugi ......... great news about your sister. 

[taz157]

I found out tonight that a neighborhood friend (almost 32 y/o now) was diagnosed this past week with paraganglioma (tumor) growing rapidly on her carotid artery. Evidently, she had it when she was 15, it was removed then and was in remission. I don't know if it was routine follow-up or symptoms coming back for her to decide get tested again, but she found out earlier this week that it came back. Through friends she knows, she's able to get free treatment from NIH! Per her FB postings (I no longer live in the same state as she does), she's going through the various emotions and in great spirits considering.

I'm sending positive thoughts and prayers for everyone.

[Jaguar]

, For your friend that must be so freaking scary. I wish her much healing.

[kent]

I'm a "little" reluctant to post this link because the info contained therein can be provided by anyone - including nutcases.  Likewise, people that post to this type of site "tend" to be those that are continuing to struggle and those that have whipped the disease tend to discontinue posting.

All the said, it may still be a worthwhile site to check out.

American Cancer Society

csn.cancer.org/forum

[Gardening Grandma]

The countdown.  4 more days of radiation.  He seemed to have had a relatively good weekend, but is pissy today.  They told him that after his last treatment to expect a week to pass before he feels noticeably better......

[Jaguar]

Well hopefully get gets feeling better really soon.

[Virgil Showlion]

When I hear "cancer", the first thing that pops into my mind is a Campbell's soup can.

[Jaguar]

May 20, 2013 18:32:38 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

When I hear "cancer", the first thing that pops into my mind is a Campbell's soup can.

Virgil Showlion , soup for the soul, DUH

[Virgil Showlion]

May 20, 2013 18:39:21 GMT -5 Jaguar said:

May 20, 2013 18:32:38 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

When I hear "cancer", the first thing that pops into my mind is a Campbell's soup can.

Virgil Showlion , soup for the soul, DUH

Ah. I... see.





Well. I'm going to look on the bright side: at least you didn't pick the skull icon.

[Jaguar]

May 20, 2013 18:44:46 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

May 20, 2013 18:39:21 GMT -5 Jaguar said:

Virgil Showlion , soup for the soul, DUH

Ah. I... see.





Well. I'm going to look on the bright side: at least you didn't pick the skull icon.

You didn't have anything else that was appropriate. That was the nicest non medical, feel good icon I could find.

[Virgil Showlion]

What about the actual bowl of soup icon? Or the picture of the doctor? Or the first aid kit? Or the pill? Or the chart with an up trend?

[sesfw]

'The countdown. 4 more days of radiation.'

Healing hugs to you and DH my friend.

Right this instant I would love for food to taste like food, instead of having cotton in my mouth and my throat restricted.

[Gardening Grandma]

Thank you suglite and sesfw. I have no right to complain. He's the one with the burns on his shoulder and the difficulty swallowing.  I'm trying to make his favorite foods -  the ones that don't require a lot of chewing...

Hugs to everyone dealing with this.

[Jaguar]

May 20, 2013 18:58:08 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

What about the actual bowl of soup icon? Or the picture of the doctor? Or the first aid kit? Or the pill? Or the chart with an up trend?

Virgil I cannot believe your arguing about this non issue who cares thing on this thread. There was NO icon that was appropriate, end of story.

[Jaguar]

May 20, 2013 19:56:52 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

Thank you suglite and sesfw. I have no right to complain. He's the one with the burns on his shoulder and the difficulty swallowing.  I'm trying to make his favorite foods -  the ones that don't require a lot of chewing...

Hugs to everyone dealing with this.

Oh geez I am so absolutely sorry. Words are just so useless when all you want to do is hug someone and say I'm so sorry, what do you need.

[Gardening Grandma]

Being able to safely vent on this forum helps me more than I can tell you, suglite...