I Actually Have Options???????

2

Comments

  • JDuke
    JDuke Member Posts: 438

    You go Girl
    Donna, I know your excited about some new options, FOLFOX chemo, didn't cause me any throuble just tired, the cold thing its weird, I haven't had any chemo since last sept. but this is because of all the surgery, I have had to postpone my ileo reversal surgery until they decide what to do with my liver surgery,( wanting to do both at the same time, )
    I am laying low of my oncologist because i don't want anymore chemo and i know if i see him he'll want to do it.

    I am glad you are finding options, hang inthere and fight, and when you need a break, take it
    Live, Laugh, Play
    Winnie

    Such good news Donna
    It made me very happy to feel the excitement and optimism in your voice. I am glad that you have some new options for treatment. I wish you the best possible response with the least amount of side effects with the Oxi. And keep looking to the future my dear, you are an inspiration! You will be a sassy Grandmother (smile)!!!
    Blessings to you,
    Joanne
  • JR
    JR Member Posts: 139 Member
    Great news
    Great news Donna. I'm happy for you. A new onc and new options, isn't it great.

    John
  • TxKayaker
    TxKayaker Member Posts: 176
    JR said:

    Great news
    Great news Donna. I'm happy for you. A new onc and new options, isn't it great.

    John

    Congratulations , all the
    Congratulations , all the best to you.
    Mike
  • khl8
    khl8 Member Posts: 807
    Donna!
    This is awesome! I

    Donna!
    This is awesome! I am one of those that had 9 rounds of Folfox and I worked full time throught out the whole treatment plan. I do have some Neuropathy but it is getting better! I would rather have numb fingers and feet than cancer! I am so happy for you, there are options!
    Kathy
  • angelsbaby
    angelsbaby Member Posts: 1,165 Member
    khl8 said:

    Donna!
    This is awesome! I

    Donna!
    This is awesome! I am one of those that had 9 rounds of Folfox and I worked full time throught out the whole treatment plan. I do have some Neuropathy but it is getting better! I would rather have numb fingers and feet than cancer! I am so happy for you, there are options!
    Kathy

    Donna
    I am so glad that the news is good ,sometimes a new face can bring good ideas .Have a wonderful day

    michelle
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    That's really good news,
    That's really good news, Donna. About the growth.... 1mm is teeny. The circumference of a pinhead.

    1 1/2mm is the length of the average FLEA. We're talking so small, most people wouldn't even notice! Sounds GREAT! You go girl!
  • Steve Z
    Steve Z Member Posts: 51
    I'm thrilled for you
    Not only a second pair of eyes, but renewed sense of direction. Move forward, and enjoy as much of the ride as you can.

    I'm sure you'll do great on the Oxy, try not to worry about it. Get those gloves from Mags, and hope for warm weather.
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342

    I know where
    I know where they have some do you guys have a Wal Mart? They have cotton "Glove Liners" that I got and used. It worked great when I was on Oxy and they're only a dollar a pair. If you cant find any call me.

    Brooks

    Hey Brooksy!
    Walmart is like my 2nd home there! I'm there all the time LOL!!

    My kids hunted and found some gloves I bought in their closets, and I now have like 3 pairs, so I'm good there! I always buy those $1 for 2 pairs of gloves, and they come in great colors! I had to use then for the first time, as I was cleaning my dresser, and picked up a cup to wash in the sink and yow!!! It was cold!! and also wooden floors aren't good to walk on barefoot!!! was like fire on my tootsies!! I had to find my slippers, and everthing was ok! I am watchin the temperature of my foods now, and so far so good there!!
    I hope it doesn't get too bad, it's only for a few days right till you're back to normal?

    Hugsss!
    Donna
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    Steve Z said:

    I'm thrilled for you
    Not only a second pair of eyes, but renewed sense of direction. Move forward, and enjoy as much of the ride as you can.

    I'm sure you'll do great on the Oxy, try not to worry about it. Get those gloves from Mags, and hope for warm weather.

    donna
    I really didn't like cold things at all on oxy but the first few days were definitely the worst. I got a thermos and would keep warmish water or juice in it for waking up at night....nothing like reaching for that nice cold water glass....(NOT) don't forget socks hon...some nice warm furry socks are good...wear em to bed. I used to wear mitts to bed but you are entering spring and you should be good..

    I stuck a pair of gloves on the front of the fridge with a magnet so I wouldn't forget and just never did the feezer aisle when shopping.

    mags

    hahah yes steve I'll get those mukluks and mitts in the mail
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    Sundanceh said:

    Chicky and Lisa
    Thank you, Lisa, you have such a good memory - glad I logged back in...

    Chicky, ask them about MAGNESIUM SULFATE. It's a bag drop and it turned my life around when they started to give that to me. Literally, I could leave infusion and drink "cold liquids" right away - this is a nice physical & mental boost during treatment.

    Prior to the introduction of that, it would take between 5-7 days of nothing but room temp drinks. And it really helped with the neuropathy in my hands and fignertips. Please ask them aobut this, because if it works for you, it will be the biggest blessing - and with you only doing 4x, it may help you even more.

    -Craig

    Lion hun!
    I did ask about the Magnesium Calcium bag drip, (see, I even remembered what the lion said too LOL) and he said he may not be even be doing 4 rounds and its up to me to do the Sphere now, and not worry about the Oxy, he's only doing the oxy because I wanted to check in with you guys and see what you thought, so I may be calling him sooner to hook me up with the radiologist and just get off the oxi, I'm so sick of chemo, it's unreal. He said the spheres do produce more life, and better quality of life for me. So I may be off the oxy by the 2nd round, and he said he did have patients use that Magnesium stuff which didn't do a thing for them, they all still ended up with horrible neuropathy and thats why he never has them do 12 rounds, he said he doesn't need 12, the oxi usually does it's job by then.

    I love you all!!
    Hugssss!
    ~Donna
  • GOOFYLADIE
    GOOFYLADIE Member Posts: 232 Member
    Hell yeah!
    There is always HOPE in moving FORWARD!!! You go girl. I am so thrilled for you and so damn happy that your LION has sparked abit. I hope he has rescheduled his appointment for his scans, remembering this too shall pass, and on to the good S%#$!!!!LOL
    Huge hugs your way,
    Goofyladie (Cass)
  • khl8
    khl8 Member Posts: 807
    Shayenne said:

    Hey Brooksy!
    Walmart is like my 2nd home there! I'm there all the time LOL!!

    My kids hunted and found some gloves I bought in their closets, and I now have like 3 pairs, so I'm good there! I always buy those $1 for 2 pairs of gloves, and they come in great colors! I had to use then for the first time, as I was cleaning my dresser, and picked up a cup to wash in the sink and yow!!! It was cold!! and also wooden floors aren't good to walk on barefoot!!! was like fire on my tootsies!! I had to find my slippers, and everthing was ok! I am watchin the temperature of my foods now, and so far so good there!!
    I hope it doesn't get too bad, it's only for a few days right till you're back to normal?

    Hugsss!
    Donna

    Donna, the senstivity should
    Donna, the senstivity should last about a week from your disconnect, at least it did for me. Then you have a break from it and then onto the next treatment! YOU CAN DO THIS!
  • Devasted
    Devasted Member Posts: 185

    Hell yeah!
    There is always HOPE in moving FORWARD!!! You go girl. I am so thrilled for you and so damn happy that your LION has sparked abit. I hope he has rescheduled his appointment for his scans, remembering this too shall pass, and on to the good S%#$!!!!LOL
    Huge hugs your way,
    Goofyladie (Cass)

    Great news
    Donna,

    So glad to hear great news, there is hope! We visited the surg. onc. twice and he said there wasn't anything he could do for us but now we're waiting for a call to schedule surgery.
    There are so many on this board who have been "inoperable" and now are beyond that.
    Best of luck to you and don't ever give up! Thanks for your help, appreciate all those
    words of encouragement you have given us!

    Take care,
    D
  • thready
    thready Member Posts: 474

    Hell yeah!
    There is always HOPE in moving FORWARD!!! You go girl. I am so thrilled for you and so damn happy that your LION has sparked abit. I hope he has rescheduled his appointment for his scans, remembering this too shall pass, and on to the good S%#$!!!!LOL
    Huge hugs your way,
    Goofyladie (Cass)

    Oxi help
    Donna, I did not read through all the posts because I am tired from chemo yesterday. I did 9 treatments of oxi and was getting into some tough neuropathy problems. Treatment ten I had an allergic reaction and the dr said that is enough. We stopped oxi.

    But before we stopped to help with the neuropathy the dr ordered Calcium and Magnesium before and after treatment. I also was getting the oxi over 6 hours. Those were long days, almost 8 hours for chemo infusion but it really helped keeping the neuropathy from flaring so bad.

    I sure hope this works for you. It sounds like you got a keeper for a dr now.

    I will read the posts after a nap or in the morning so if someone gave you the same info you can just ignore what I posted!

    Take care
    Jan
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    Good news Donna
    The nice (if there is one) thing about Oxi is that you will KNOW if it is helping or not after those few treatments.

    Hang tough like I know you will.

    Lisa P.
  • pluckey
    pluckey Member Posts: 484 Member
    Theraspheres
    Donna- I went through a whole drama over whether or not I should do this. When I met with the Radiologist, he could not convince me I should go this route. I was told by my treating hospital/surgeon that this procedure was the least harmful to liver and left liver resection a future possibility.

    I then got hooked into Miracle Man - Dr. Fong at Sloan Kettering, he teaches on this procudere and he told me that NO WAY should I have done theraspheres, it could damage the liver for resectability.

    I am one week post liver resection- after being Stage 4 this past year and not given much hope the frist 6-8 months. I had a great response to my chemo coctail. 7 tumors were resected and one was ablated.

    There is another source over on Colon Cancer Board that told me some things about Theraspheres. not good. if you want to talk privately, pm me and i'll give you my phone number

    ((HUGSS))

    Peggy
  • robinvan
    robinvan Member Posts: 1,012
    Hey Donna
    Good to hear you have a plan to work on. I hope it works out well for you.

    HI PEGGY! Still enjoying New York?

    TTFN... Rob; in Vancouver
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    Love it!
    Donna,

    I'm so glad you have this new doctor. If nothing else, having a doctor who is positive and honestly cares about you should help you with this fight. I'm so glad you have hope!!

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    tootsie1 said:

    Love it!
    Donna,

    I'm so glad you have this new doctor. If nothing else, having a doctor who is positive and honestly cares about you should help you with this fight. I'm so glad you have hope!!

    *hugs*
    Gail

    Oh gosh!
    Now I'm scared to do the Theraspheres...I can't afford the trip to NY, and would love to go see Dr. Fong. What can I do? I don't want my liver damaged anymore, I haven't even been drinking as to not damage it anymore, this sucks. Hey Peggy, did you send your hospital records to him? or did you have to go see him?? I just took a scan last week.

    My onc gave me no guarantees on either speres or surgery, he said I was a very healthy cancer patient, but is spheres a one time procedure?? or do you have to go more then once?

    This is something to really think about now.

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    Shayenne said:

    Oh gosh!
    Now I'm scared to do the Theraspheres...I can't afford the trip to NY, and would love to go see Dr. Fong. What can I do? I don't want my liver damaged anymore, I haven't even been drinking as to not damage it anymore, this sucks. Hey Peggy, did you send your hospital records to him? or did you have to go see him?? I just took a scan last week.

    My onc gave me no guarantees on either speres or surgery, he said I was a very healthy cancer patient, but is spheres a one time procedure?? or do you have to go more then once?

    This is something to really think about now.

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna

    Donna
    Talk to Peggy and weigh your options very carefully. I have heard both good and bad about the spheres but the other day when you posted such hope did not want to burst your bubble, I'm no doctor nor do I have experience with the sheres. I don't think waiting a week or 2 while you make your decision will have an impact one way or another. See what the Folfox does. For Christy on this site she just posted that they worked and she is now scheduled for resection. Talk to her also. Others I have read had nothing good to say about the procedure. It is like chemo, why does something work good for one person and the next it does nothing and they progress in their disease. CindyZ on the Colon Club, her husband just had the spheres, maybe somebody can hook you up with her and then Pattie on this board just had them. Like I said, weigh your options, this may be a good option for you at this time and then maybe not. I know running off to New York right now is not an option, like Craig said, he can't pull $$ out of his a$$. Perhaps sending records to Dr. Fong and getting a phone, written or e-mail opinion might be worth researching. This is a big step, you are a big girl, and I know you will weigh everything and do what is best for you and your family. I think of you often. Take care - Tina