Treatment update

Starleen
Starleen Member Posts: 40 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Got started on the chemo and raditation for stage II or III RC yesterday. Too early for side effects, I just thought I'd get on here to chuckle about my experience.

Wow. I have no modesty left. My big white butt has been poked, prodded, filled with banana flavored barium, drawn on with markers and tattooed with dots. The radiation treatments are painless. I am completely covered, on my stomach, except my bare butt sticking up. Very sexy.

And the chemo pump. It is HUGE! The size of a Walkman??? It is closer in size to the pre-Walkman tape cassette players-the ones with the big buttons. Geez. No concealing that. It's pretty cumbersome, but I was able to sleep with it fine and I'll get used to it once I get rid of this hideous pouch it came with and find something more fashion savvy!

Now that I am over the initial shock, I am settling into the routine. I know I have more challenges ahead, but so far so good if I can keep laughing.

Comments

  • StacyGleaso
    StacyGleaso Member Posts: 1,233 Member
    Laughing will pave your way!

    You are doing great! Attitude is 80% of the battle in my opinion! Plus, no guarantee you will have any side effects....I didn't!

    Best wishes!!!

    Stacy
  • goldfinch
    goldfinch Member Posts: 735
    I love your attitude!
    Mary
  • Sam725
    Sam725 Member Posts: 87 Member
    I love your attitude. My husband is on his 5th round of 12 this week and is also walking around with his pre walkman. He laughs too cuz people will ask what it is and he tells them its his walkman and they laugh cuz they think he is serious. But it's true attitude is a big part treatment. Like Stacy said you may not get any side effects, my husband says he feels like he is missing a cylinder. He does sleep alot the two days after the pump is removed but, oh and the cold thing which lasts about 3 days after he's unpluged but other than that he is doing good.

    God Bless
    Sandy
  • hopefulone
    hopefulone Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    Glad to see you are maintaining that sense of humor. Way to go! Keep positive and keep us posted. God Bless
  • hoagiemom
    hoagiemom Member Posts: 87 Member
    Great attitude.. I hope I can keep up my sense of humor. I go to the onc on Monday and then we'll see what I'm up against. Stay positive

    Michelle
  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    A good attitude is so helpful and you sure seem to have one. My side effects were minimal - I was definitely "off" but didn't realize how much so until after we stopped chemo. And the cold sensitivity / neuropathy - well it was wierd but short lived...........

    So, I love your attitude (think I said that before). It definitely helps.

    Take care,
    Betsy
  • alta29
    alta29 Member Posts: 435 Member
    and you will LOVE the tic tic tic if you dont get to the onco office on time to take it off...
    Oh, and by the way...enjoy your baths !!! (if you have one )
  • oneagleswings
    oneagleswings Member Posts: 425 Member
    keep your postive attitude..it can move mountains..
    Bev
  • mwomack
    mwomack Member Posts: 78
    My husband had 7 weeks of radiation treatments, and we joked that everytime he went back there he showed his a$$. The techs were a lot of fun with it. He told them he hoped he did not run into any of them at the mall or anywhere else cause he would probably automatically drop his pants.

    For the last treatment, I had some tattoo paper that you use for printers that I had bought years ago (don't think they still make it) so I made him a tattoo to put on each cheek. The tattoo was a cool looking smiley face with "THE END" under it. They took pictures of it.

    Of course, they probably had to take the picture any way as it was the last treatment. They took picture routinely and put them in his file.

    Mary Ann