1 down 34 to go

Steve5
Steve5 Member Posts: 147
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

One radiation treatment down, 34 to go - I finished my first rad treatment today - needed 5 mg valium about 20-30 minutes before putting the mask on - I tried it first but it seemed too tight around the shoulders - so they quick dosed me - then went in laid down, got strapped down,  still a little unsure I waved my hand but no response, so I said "is anyone there" and the tech responsed to me - so then -  a quick scan, okayed by doc, about 5 minutes of dose, done  - I actually counted 1,2, 3,   to myself and started over - while I did this I moved my hands on my stomach in a soothing fashion- each time for the shots - the biggest help was the tech who asked if it would help if they talked to me - I said yes - so she told me when the scan was starting, when it finished, that the doc was on his way to look at it, that he okayed it, that they were starting - the first 2 minute shot would start soon as the machine lined up, then it was over, the next line up, starting, then over then the final shot which seemed shorter than the first two - then they came right it, checked tape marks in a few seconds and unbolted me -

Know that is will be shorter tomorrow, I feel like I could do it without the valium even though they gave me a prescription - I am going to ask the to talk me through it again until maybe I won't need to hear them anymore -

Just wanted to share - they talked to me about what to do afterwards for skin, eating later on when weeks 3-7 come on - they recommened only ALOE and Calandula cream only, they had a rep come and demonstrate so they recommend no others -

So drank liquids on the way home, 1.5 hours, ate, brushed teeth, rinsed with Biotene, put on ALOE - flushed the PEG - daily routine and sat down to write this -

Tomorrow is the first chemo treatment with rad -

Thanks everyone for helping me get to this point and for letting me write to get it out - it really helps - you are all incredible - I mean it - I don't believe I could have been anywhere, anyway nearly prepared without finding all of you here -

Steve

I cannot help but recall some of your sage words - "and just like that you have a plan" and also "but first" and of course - "just beat it"

Comments

  • j4mie
    j4mie Member Posts: 218
    #2
    Yay!

    Your countdown has officially begun WITH the added bonus of being able to taste your Thanksgiving dinner! glad to hear you made it through day one :D

    jamie

  • Sunshine60
    Sunshine60 Member Posts: 81
    #3
    Awesome!

    You did it!!  Sounds like you have some great techs- my husband got very close to his during treatment.  You can do this, and you will do great:). Keep moving forward and enjoy your Thanksgiving meal!  

    God Bless

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #4
    Mask on

    Steve,

    The start has begun.  For tomorrow (chemo) don’t forget to take your anti-nausea meds, if you wait till you feel sick it may be too late.

    I talked with my techs the first time and then brought in some music.  Once they did not make the switch to my 60’s – 70’s rock and instead I was subjected to some new age stuff (not my bag).

    Start drinking water now and do not stop, that was easily the best advice I got from the H&N forum.

    Really enjoy your Thanksgiving, I can’t stress this enough.

    Retired mask man,

    Matt

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #5
    Alrighty then....

    this show is now officially on the road!  The actual rad treatments are going to get easier as you move along....they are part of your daily routine.....Skiffen calls them "groundhog days"....and they are.  I too, only used Calendula and Aloe.....Aloe first, let dry, then slather on the Calendula. 

    Remember Skiffen's sage advice for chemo tomorrow.....sit close to the bathroom, and if you can't sit close, have a route figured out on how to get there quickly....I've never had to pee so bad in my life.  Also....take something to eat....I was starving when everybody pulled out their brown bags, and folks brought in hot lunches (like tacos)....and I sat there empty handed.  I was tempted to start panhandling the infusion room....LOL.  Like Matt said....start taking the anti-nausea meds right away....don't test to see if it's going to make you sick....it could range from mildly nauseated to spending your day kneeling at the throne....there's no point in finding out which end of the spectrum you're on Laughing.

    I took my laptop and my Kindle with me, and treated it as a day to just rest.....and rest I did (I swear, I usually slept from the 2nd hour, till they woke me up to go to rads.....then came back to finish chemo, and slept some more.....I quit taking my laptop altogether). 

    We'll be here with you until the day you ring the bell....

    p

  • spector551
    spector551 Member Posts: 109
    #6
    Good!

    Steve,

    Glad to see that you finally got started. Yes, being under the mask is tough. I still have to take a Xanex before I go - despite my Faith lol. I found the best thing for me to do is pray. Something about it is more calming and soothing than any tip or trick I could come up with. Good luck tomorrow with your chemo. Chemo has been the hardest part for me - but you may walk right through it. Are you having low dose, once weekly?

    I am in the middle of my fourth week of treatment now and I'm starting to get some of the other discomforts associated with the radiation. Not looking forward to the rest of the road, but it is the road I'm on and I can't get off. Stay strong and push through.

     

    God bless,

    Jamie

  • lornal
    lornal Member Posts: 428
    #7
    Glad

    Glad you got started.  Then the end of treatments are closer.  Take the meds if you need them.  I had them for all 30 of my treatments.  I was almost as anxious that last treatment as I was the forst.  I also refused to let them strap my hands down.  I promised to hold tight, but the straps would have been too much.

    Best wishs for you!

    Lorna

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #8
    Gettin'er Done....

    Just think, by the New Year, it'll be a "New Year" for you as well..., new beginnings, new feelings, new thoughts..... life.

    The things that were once big, now not so much..., the things you didn't think about as much and took for granted, will now be huge...

    As for the little helper (Xanax for me...), you might even find yourself as I did. After the first few days or week, once you are used to the routine, you might not even need it any longer...

    For the chemo day, bring a lunch or some comfort food. If you are there for any length of time, especially during lunch when the "pros" that have been doing it for awhile start cracking out their lunch..., you'll be starving and saying, "Damn..., why didn't I think of that"..., and now you have...

    Best,

    John

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #9
    steve, great!  now that

    steve, great!  now that they've started you can look forward to ringing the bell.  i hope u get thru tx w/as few side effects as possible.  keep us posted on your progress.

    God bless you,

    dj

  • Crazymom
    Crazymom Member Posts: 339 Member
    #10
    Chemo

    I guess I was spoiled....where I had chemo they had lunch served and your own room and a  TV...MD Anderson!...Anyway...I had three kinds of chemo so it took several hours.  They would plug me in...I would take a nap, have my lunch, play on the laptop, watch a movie.....and I never got sick at my stomach.  Then my husband would come get me and I would leave...Chemo was easy for me....the radiation at the end was terribly difficult...but only for a few weeks.   Good luck...Ann

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