Yippee-Last Chemo Starts Tomorrow

micheleamw
micheleamw Member Posts: 62
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Finally...My Dad starts his last session of FOLFOX tomorrow. He couldn't be happier. I second that.

The last three treatments, he's had to take shots (five days in a row) to build up his white blood cell count. Hopefully, this time will be different.

How long does it take to get back to feeling normal?

Please keep him in your prayers. You all are in mine.

Hugs~
Michele

Comments

  • nettie4
    nettie4 Member Posts: 145
    GREAT DAY FOR DAD!!!!!!!!!! that is great to hear. you will have to plan a celebration for him when he gets some strenth back. has far has feeling normal it can take up to a year i have heard to feel normal. agian though i think everyone is different. it must be a relief for you too. i too am on folfox and i know what it is like. rest easy and rejoice that this has passed and now it is time to start anew. i rejoice with you. take care.

    nettie
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    nettie4 said:

    GREAT DAY FOR DAD!!!!!!!!!! that is great to hear. you will have to plan a celebration for him when he gets some strenth back. has far has feeling normal it can take up to a year i have heard to feel normal. agian though i think everyone is different. it must be a relief for you too. i too am on folfox and i know what it is like. rest easy and rejoice that this has passed and now it is time to start anew. i rejoice with you. take care.

    nettie

    Hiya Michele--please pass on our congrats. to your dad--gee, it must be a relief to you as well.As far as recovery is concerned I guess nettie hit tha nail on tha head.Everyone is different--depends on his general health overall and recovery from any surgery.I did 6 months on 5fu/leuc. and had surgery in aug.03.My chemo ended in feb.04 so am now 4 months in rem.
    I have to tell you that nettie is correct- for some people.I still have a lot of trouble with fatigue/tiredness and some abdominal pains/cramps from surgery.The chemo effects are still with me in some ways and also short term memory is affected.But that is my case--hopefully your dad may do better and get over it quickly.Nonetheless my surgeon told me I would take almost 12 months to feel really good and the oncologist said the time for chemo recovery can be as little as 2 months to 6 months and in some extreme cases 12 months.It really depends on the individual.
    Sorry I can't be a little more cheerfull Michele, just be very thankfull that time will heal and patience goes a long way to help.Your dad needs to do things at his pace but to keep in mind not to try and overdo things.
    our very best--luv n huggs--kanga n Jen
  • littlejulie
    littlejulie Member Posts: 311
    That's great Michele. It's a long treatment to health but well worth it. I love hearing HAPPY NEWS!!!

    julie
  • Yipee right back atcha!!!! Great news indeed. As far as getting back to "normal", Bert was told that "what goes in quick, goes out quick and what goes in slow, takes time to leave the system." Bert has been off chemo now a little over three weeks and for the most part, the cold sensation is gone from hands and feet, but the tiredness still remains...although it's getting a little better each and every day. Patience is the key here...your dad, I'm sure, didn't get this way overnight and probably won't be back to normal overnight either. But that he's off chemo and doing well is so wonderful. Please keep us posted.

    Monika & Bert
  • taunya
    taunya Member Posts: 390 Member
    Hooray for your Dad! I didn't do chemo so I can't answer any chemo questions but I am super happy for the both of you!!!!!!
    Hugs to you both,
    Taunya
  • jsabol
    jsabol Member Posts: 1,145 Member
    Hi Michele and Dad,
    I just finished my 6 months of 5FU and leuco on July 9th, and I feel pretty excited about how quicky some of the side effects have gone. I have my sense of taste back, and feel like I'm eating everything in sight! My eyelashes and eyebrows are also growing back, and my eyes have stopped watering so much. My hematocrit is fine now. The fatigue is still with me, though I don't need 11 hours of sleep each night any more!!
    It's just over 2 weeks for me, but I sure see and feel the difference. I understand that many people continue to feel improvements for months!!Hope your dad also recovers quickly, but be sure that better days are ahead. Regards, Judy
  • StacyGleaso
    StacyGleaso Member Posts: 1,233 Member
    Michele,

    Tell your dad GREAT JOB! As far as feeling normal, I'm not really sure if I was prior to chemo! In fact, this whole experience has actually made me more "human" and less a machine that was programmed to speed through life, and disregard everything around me.

    Best of everything,

    Stacy
  • carmen07
    carmen07 Member Posts: 120 Member
    Congrats! Great news for your Dad! Not sure how
    long it will take him to get back, but enjoy!!!!!
    Best of Health Now and Forever!!!