The power of H2O!!

NikiMo
NikiMo Member Posts: 342
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Hi guys,

Just wanted to give a quick update on Jeff and his post-op chemo troubles. I spoke with the nurse yesterday and made her very aware of the trouble Jeff was getting into...he looked horrible probably lost five pounds was pale and you all know about the extreme case of nausea. She ordered a feeding pump (coming tomorrow), dexamethsadone and kytril for nausea, and daily home hydration (started today). Jeff woke up feeling a little better and after a mix of ativan, kytril, and dexamethasone he was ready for breakfast. Ate pretty well didn't have too much nausea and asked for me to take him to get his hair cut...couldn't be looking shabby for all these nurses that would be coming to the house....haha. Came home and was a bit wiped from the trip, but he ate a turkey sandwich, he still didn't have that much energy.

Then the nurse came with the hydration!! She took one look at him and said 'you need fluids buddy'. She showed me how to hook him up and unhook him (he will be getting 1000ml everday..yay for good insurance!). Something about getting an infusion puts Jeff to sleep, while he was out the nurse explained to me that so many side effects of chemo can be treated with a little simple H2O. Including, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, of course dehydration, and most importantly preventing your kidneys from shutting down. SOOOO important that everyone know this, poor Jeff suffered for a week!

He woke up when the pump sounded that the infusion was over, I unhooked him and he was a different man! His color is better, he said there was no nausea, took a gulp of water and said he was hungry. He chilled out for a little while and then asked to go out to a few stores. Right now he is puttering around the house, looking for little chores to do. I didn't realize how bored he was and just didn't have the energy to do anything. So now we wait for the feeding pump, I can't wait to see what some calories will do for him!!

PS. For those of you struggling to get in calories after surgery we found that walnuts are super high calories. 6 walnuts is 200 calories!!

Erica and Terry thanks for your encouragement, couldn't have gotten this far without you two :)

Niki

Comments

  • Ericalynn
    Ericalynn Member Posts: 200
    #2
    Hydration it's a good thing!
    Niki,
    I just got chills reading your post! So happy Jeff is feeling better! Hydration, Hydration, Hydration, so simple but sooooo important!
    More calories is going to make a world of difference too!
    I'm here for you girl!
    Give Jeff a hug and have a relaxing evening, you two deserve it.
    I am going to go clean up the kitchen now (with a smile on my face)
    Lots of Love to you both
    Erica
  • chemosmoker
    chemosmoker Member Posts: 501
    #3
    SO IMPORTANT!! GREAT NEWS!!
    Niki,
    SO glad to hear that Jeff got his water and is doing so much better!!

    I don't know HOW many times I have seen Sherri say this again and again and again, hydration, hydration, hydration. It is the bane of chemo and EC, dehydration and lack of fluids!

    I learned this from reading almost every single one of Sherri's posts over the last five months, and it just doesn't hit home until you need it or hear it I guess.

    Nothing on you here, I am just amazed that with no chemo and no hydration problems, this is SUCH a HUGE issue for SO many of us, and I just happened to remember reading this after a while and I just know in the back of my mind now that even without any chemo or problems like Jeff, I need to go drink glass after glass of water, as I am still lucky enough of to be able to get hydrated through swallowing water, something I ALSO learned that you simply cannot keep up with the body's need for once on chemo or dehydrated already. Then its IV time.

    Glad you posted this and I HOPE many will read this and learn from how much it is helping Jeff.

    I am very happy for you both to be in a better place, a few positive posts the last few days. What a difference!! I am so happy for you, really.

    Hoping for continued good luck and progress. God bless you both.

    Eric
  • sandy1943
    sandy1943 Member Posts: 824
    #4
    So glad Jeff is feeling
    So glad Jeff is feeling better. I wish I had been on this site after my surgery. I wonder how much my doctors missed. I couldn't take chemo post op but I steadily lost weight (99) pds. My doctors kept telling me I was healthy. I was very weak and had no appetite,but I did get better after a couple of months, but continued losing. If I had of been on here , knowing the things I know now, I would of insisted on some answers.
    Keep posting so the newbies will not be like me and except everything the doctors say.
    Sandra
  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #5
    Water is an amazing healer
    Really glad to hear that hydration is making a difference for Jeff. I know that Nick took his 1st chemo better than the 2nd, and I believe that it was his water intake that made the difference. He was drinking 5 32oz mugs of water daily at 1st chemo. He could barely drink 1 1/2 or 2 at 2nd chemo. 2nd chemo was much rougher.

    Delighted also about the Dexamethazone. That's such a wonder drug! It gave Nick hunger when even favorite foods wouldn't interest him.

    Our "class" is a tight group, Niki. I don't believe that any of us would have been this strong without the others. Not glad you are here, but glad you are here. If you know what I mean.

    One more step forward, girl! You rock as a caretaker!

    Terry
  • chemosmoker
    chemosmoker Member Posts: 501
    #6
    TerryV said:

    Water is an amazing healer
    Really glad to hear that hydration is making a difference for Jeff. I know that Nick took his 1st chemo better than the 2nd, and I believe that it was his water intake that made the difference. He was drinking 5 32oz mugs of water daily at 1st chemo. He could barely drink 1 1/2 or 2 at 2nd chemo. 2nd chemo was much rougher.

    Delighted also about the Dexamethazone. That's such a wonder drug! It gave Nick hunger when even favorite foods wouldn't interest him.

    Our "class" is a tight group, Niki. I don't believe that any of us would have been this strong without the others. Not glad you are here, but glad you are here. If you know what I mean.

    One more step forward, girl! You rock as a caretaker!

    Terry

    Well said, Terry
    Terry, THAT was SO well said!! AMEN and amen!
    Eric
  • Heeran
    Heeran Member Posts: 171
    #7
    Hi
    Hi Niki,
    Thanks for writing to let us know the status. Yes, water is amazing. Thanks for sharing. We had a rough weekend with the vomiting, nausea, lack of eating with my mom and they were about to admit to the hospital for a few days Monday when we came in for fluids. She got the fluids, forced herself to drink 1/2 cup of Ensure, and then she was on the positive. We did not have to go into the hospital. Take care

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