Round 2

Here we go my friends, infusion # 2 is underway. Hopefully this one won't take 10 hours. Hope everyone is doing ok today.

Comments

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,803 Member
    Numero Dos

    Aaron,

    Yea, 10 hours could interfer with your social life ! I think I recall that you get no rituxan today ? If you do not, it will dramatically reduce your time there.

    I usually got to the infusion center around 7:45, and was hooked up by around 8:00 AM. I was normally gone by 4;00 PM, or right at 8 hours. But, that was with rituxan.

    Conversely, my neighbor with NHL took some kind of horrible treatment, and he had to be admitted as an inpatient for three days each infusion. He said that the nurse had to have a conversation every 30 minutes or less, to ensure that he was not having "neurological issues." Then, it was home and to bed until next treatment, 3 weeks later. He was not seen outside for over six months, and looked like he had just crawled over the barbed wire at Auschwitz when I did see him. A 30 year old guy, about 6'0', 275 when he started. About 170 when he finished.

    Therefore, there are worse things than an 8 your infusion day. I do not know what his meds were, and he cannot remember. I do hope to get him to look it up some time. He got severe shingles shortly thereafter, something there was a discussion on for a while here at the Boards. MY NP told me to get a shingles vaccine soon, but others have said there are counter-indications for getting the vaccine. But you do not worry about that issue for now.

    On the sub, every guy had an animal nickname; mine was "The Hog," because I liked to "Hog up all the fun." Translated: work all day and night.

    Do not hog up all the fun there !

    May it go quick and easy.

    Note: Your hair will probably drop out within a week or so, so be psyched for that milestone. (Usually happens a few days after the second infusion on abvd.)

    Keep us up to date,

    max

    .
  • allmost60
    allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
    round 2
    Hi Aaron,
    Good luck today! Each round got easier for me to deal with as far as being nervous or anxious. I would tell myself.."one down, five to go...two down, 4 to go, and so on. Before you know it this will all be behind you. Hang in there friend...Sue
    (FNHL-2-3a-6/10)
  • jimwins
    jimwins Member Posts: 2,107
    You're doing great
    Hey Aaron ☺,

    You're doing fine. I agree with Sue, two down, four to go.
    Max is right about the hair. If you haven't just buzzed it off yet,
    it helps to do it yourself and get it over with. You and your family
    can make it fun by finding silly headgear to wear. I mostly wore
    fun "dew rags" and bought a cheap fedora too so I could look like
    a "gangster" ;).

    I had to renew my drivers license last November (one month out of chemo)
    and now it's a reminder of what I looked like. They wouldn't let me wear
    a hat but told me I could come back and do another picture.
    I actually show it to people and they can't believe it's the same person :).

    Since I'm talking so much about hair, you will lose it elsewhere on your
    body too - just think of it as a nice re-visit to pre-puberty ;). I have
    a fairly hairy chest and thought my pecs were pretty decent until I lost
    the hair. It was then I realized I had "man boobs" - LOL.

    Just think - when you get this done, you're 1/3rd of the way to the finish
    line! Hope your mouth is feeling better and it won't be an issue this time.

    Hugs to you and your family,

    Jim
  • Aaron
    Aaron Member Posts: 237
    jimwins said:

    You're doing great
    Hey Aaron ☺,

    You're doing fine. I agree with Sue, two down, four to go.
    Max is right about the hair. If you haven't just buzzed it off yet,
    it helps to do it yourself and get it over with. You and your family
    can make it fun by finding silly headgear to wear. I mostly wore
    fun "dew rags" and bought a cheap fedora too so I could look like
    a "gangster" ;).

    I had to renew my drivers license last November (one month out of chemo)
    and now it's a reminder of what I looked like. They wouldn't let me wear
    a hat but told me I could come back and do another picture.
    I actually show it to people and they can't believe it's the same person :).

    Since I'm talking so much about hair, you will lose it elsewhere on your
    body too - just think of it as a nice re-visit to pre-puberty ;). I have
    a fairly hairy chest and thought my pecs were pretty decent until I lost
    the hair. It was then I realized I had "man boobs" - LOL.

    Just think - when you get this done, you're 1/3rd of the way to the finish
    line! Hope your mouth is feeling better and it won't be an issue this time.

    Hugs to you and your family,

    Jim

    I wish
    Thanks y'all, actually Jim I have 10 infusions remaining and I had hair to the middle of my back and donated it to locks of love before my first infusion. My ANC count was 500 even today and my Onc gave me treatment anyway so I'm on " house arrest " for 2 weeks for whatever reason she doesn't want to give me a nuprogen shot. They believe it can alter the efficacy of the treatment. So I'm on infection watch, I'll be doing plenty of posting.
  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,803 Member
    Aaron said:

    I wish
    Thanks y'all, actually Jim I have 10 infusions remaining and I had hair to the middle of my back and donated it to locks of love before my first infusion. My ANC count was 500 even today and my Onc gave me treatment anyway so I'm on " house arrest " for 2 weeks for whatever reason she doesn't want to give me a nuprogen shot. They believe it can alter the efficacy of the treatment. So I'm on infection watch, I'll be doing plenty of posting.

    Hairy Beast

    Aaron,

    You may know this already, but when they say "chemo will make you lose your hair," they mean ALL hair. Actually, a few chemo drugs do not cause hair loss. I have had two close friends on chemo for prostate, and neither lost any hair.

    I lost my eyebrows, eyelashes --even my nose hair !

    My mother-in-law said "Lots of guys shave their heads. Bald is popular today."

    But, people bald from chemo do not look like people who have shaved their heads; there is a glaring difference. For one, you are not "bald" -- you are HAIRLESS. This is a different look.

    Trendsetters -- that is what we are.

    max
  • ThisisLife
    ThisisLife Member Posts: 101 Member
    Good luck!
    Hey Aaron,
    I hope this infusion is quicker and that you don't have to deal with mouth sores this time around.

    Bummer about house arrest!!! Oh well, we gotta do, what we gotta do!!!! Interesting that your doc doesn't want to give you the Neupogena.

    I went and got a light "sleep aid" from my doc today. Only going to take it after the next infusion for a few days. I found that the either the prednisone or the dexamethasone did a number on my as far as not being able to sleep. Then bang! I hit a week and I've had two sold days sleep!

    Looking forward to your update!
  • jimwins
    jimwins Member Posts: 2,107

    Good luck!
    Hey Aaron,
    I hope this infusion is quicker and that you don't have to deal with mouth sores this time around.

    Bummer about house arrest!!! Oh well, we gotta do, what we gotta do!!!! Interesting that your doc doesn't want to give you the Neupogena.

    I went and got a light "sleep aid" from my doc today. Only going to take it after the next infusion for a few days. I found that the either the prednisone or the dexamethasone did a number on my as far as not being able to sleep. Then bang! I hit a week and I've had two sold days sleep!

    Looking forward to your update!

    Yep
    Yep, good old prednisone... You sound very similar to me - CRASH after it
    wore off. I was given Ambien and was on Atavan as well during treatment
    in the hospital and could only sleep maybe 3 hours at a stretch. I did
    cat nap alot.
  • jimwins
    jimwins Member Posts: 2,107
    Aaron said:

    I wish
    Thanks y'all, actually Jim I have 10 infusions remaining and I had hair to the middle of my back and donated it to locks of love before my first infusion. My ANC count was 500 even today and my Onc gave me treatment anyway so I'm on " house arrest " for 2 weeks for whatever reason she doesn't want to give me a nuprogen shot. They believe it can alter the efficacy of the treatment. So I'm on infection watch, I'll be doing plenty of posting.

    Locks of Love = Cool
    Hi Aaron,

    That's so cool donating your hair to Locks of Love :).
    They usually gave me the Neulasta shot 48 hours after treatment.

    Look forward to your posts,

    Jim
  • forme
    forme Member Posts: 1,161 Member
    Thinking of you
    Hi Aaron

    I am sure you are home by now, but wanted to say that I am thinking of you. So sorry to read that you need to be at home. But if it keeps you safe from those bad germs, then it is so worth it. Just enjoy spending time wity your dear family.

    I will try to post more this weekend.
    Stay strong, you can do it.

    Hugs
    Lisha
  • Aaron
    Aaron Member Posts: 237

    Good luck!
    Hey Aaron,
    I hope this infusion is quicker and that you don't have to deal with mouth sores this time around.

    Bummer about house arrest!!! Oh well, we gotta do, what we gotta do!!!! Interesting that your doc doesn't want to give you the Neupogena.

    I went and got a light "sleep aid" from my doc today. Only going to take it after the next infusion for a few days. I found that the either the prednisone or the dexamethasone did a number on my as far as not being able to sleep. Then bang! I hit a week and I've had two sold days sleep!

    Looking forward to your update!

    Gotta love finally getting
    Gotta love finally getting some sleep! Keep on keepin on my friend.
  • Aaron
    Aaron Member Posts: 237
    forme said:

    Thinking of you
    Hi Aaron

    I am sure you are home by now, but wanted to say that I am thinking of you. So sorry to read that you need to be at home. But if it keeps you safe from those bad germs, then it is so worth it. Just enjoy spending time wity your dear family.

    I will try to post more this weekend.
    Stay strong, you can do it.

    Hugs
    Lisha

    Thanks Lisha
    It's so good to hear from you. You post whenever your up to it we all understand that you have to recover from major surgery. I'm doing my best to hide out from germs but not getting close to my family is difficult especially for my little girl. She gets frustrated and tells me how much she hates cancer and can't wait til it goes away and I must agree. I'm hanging in as best I can and you do the same. Thanks for checking in Lisha, your always in my thoughts. Aaron
  • jimwins
    jimwins Member Posts: 2,107
    Aaron said:

    Thanks Lisha
    It's so good to hear from you. You post whenever your up to it we all understand that you have to recover from major surgery. I'm doing my best to hide out from germs but not getting close to my family is difficult especially for my little girl. She gets frustrated and tells me how much she hates cancer and can't wait til it goes away and I must agree. I'm hanging in as best I can and you do the same. Thanks for checking in Lisha, your always in my thoughts. Aaron

    Getting close
    Aaron,

    You can get close to your family I think - just don't want to get to close if
    any of them are sick. Also, the masks aren't always just for you. Your daughter could
    probably have some fun if you draw a moustache on a mask for her or something
    fun like that. You might want to check with your medical team to be sure though :).

    I know that must be very hard for you and your daughter.