Finally
Comments
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Goodmorning Andreae ,
It I ever get to the point where I need a second
opinion I'II have to come to you . Looks like
you have all the ground work done. Good Job Andreae ....
I had a a porto-cath and if I ever have to do it again I'll have another . It will make treatment 100% easier on you . No looking for veins or worse yet when your almost finished your treatment the vein colllapses and having to start all over again. I DON'T THINK SO ....
As for the long term care Stacy could answer those questions , as I had mine removed after treatment was complete .
Forget The Weepy Dr,
Lisa0 -
I have had one for about a year. It is the greatest thing sliced bread. The only thing you have to do is get it flushed once a month. of course you will have to have minor surgery to install it. There is no restriction your activities.Lisa Rose said:Goodmorning Andreae ,
It I ever get to the point where I need a second
opinion I'II have to come to you . Looks like
you have all the ground work done. Good Job Andreae ....
I had a a porto-cath and if I ever have to do it again I'll have another . It will make treatment 100% easier on you . No looking for veins or worse yet when your almost finished your treatment the vein colllapses and having to start all over again. I DON'T THINK SO ....
As for the long term care Stacy could answer those questions , as I had mine removed after treatment was complete .
Forget The Weepy Dr,
Lisa
Walter0 -
Hi Andrea,
I do have the port a cath. My treatments were over July 2002, and I still have it implanted. I plan to get it removed on my 5 yr clear anniversary, "just in case." As far as maintenance, you don't even see it. It's about the size of a watch dial under the skin, near the collarbone. Nothing sticks out or anything, and nobody even knows I have it. It gets flushed once every 3 months, and is totally painless. Takes all of 7 minutes tops to have done.
Hope I helped,
Stacy0 -
Hi Andreae:
Both my mom and Bert had one put in. Mom's never functioned quite right (her's was put in just below the left color bone) and consequently, never really got used. The results are that should she require any additional chemo, her veins are shot and they would probably have to install another one. Bert, on the other hand, his was placed in his left arm, inside, between the elbow joint and his wrist. His works wonderfully and he wouldn't trade it for anything (well, except maybe beating this damn disease and remaining cancer free). No problems whatsoever...no pain, no restrictions, easy maintenance....he and I both highly recommend it.
I am so glad that you have adopted that "go get them" attitude. Trust me, it will have a wonderful effect on your mom....it's kind of catching...just like a real good mood or a laughing. And you know what else, you kind of feed off of each other...your positive attitude makes the caregiver role lighter...makes the patients' role less stressful...makes the caregiver's happier....makes the patients' happier, and back and forth it goes.
Lots and lots of hugs your way and go get em, girl! By the way, thank you for your wonderful compliment about me being an angel in caring for both my mom and husband, but I don't look at it that way. I love my mom fiercely as her daughter and I love and adore my husband as his wife and mate for life...so how could I do any less for either one of them. And yes, there is time in there for my grown son, who is dealing with all this as well and needs his mom's shoulder. Mom's bounce back...they do....I see it every day in my own mom, despite her illness!
God be with you,
Monika0 -
That's collarbone...not color bone!!!! Gosh, I'm loosing it today. What a typo. Have a good laugh on me.unknown said:Hi Andreae:
Both my mom and Bert had one put in. Mom's never functioned quite right (her's was put in just below the left color bone) and consequently, never really got used. The results are that should she require any additional chemo, her veins are shot and they would probably have to install another one. Bert, on the other hand, his was placed in his left arm, inside, between the elbow joint and his wrist. His works wonderfully and he wouldn't trade it for anything (well, except maybe beating this damn disease and remaining cancer free). No problems whatsoever...no pain, no restrictions, easy maintenance....he and I both highly recommend it.
I am so glad that you have adopted that "go get them" attitude. Trust me, it will have a wonderful effect on your mom....it's kind of catching...just like a real good mood or a laughing. And you know what else, you kind of feed off of each other...your positive attitude makes the caregiver role lighter...makes the patients' role less stressful...makes the caregiver's happier....makes the patients' happier, and back and forth it goes.
Lots and lots of hugs your way and go get em, girl! By the way, thank you for your wonderful compliment about me being an angel in caring for both my mom and husband, but I don't look at it that way. I love my mom fiercely as her daughter and I love and adore my husband as his wife and mate for life...so how could I do any less for either one of them. And yes, there is time in there for my grown son, who is dealing with all this as well and needs his mom's shoulder. Mom's bounce back...they do....I see it every day in my own mom, despite her illness!
God be with you,
Monika
Monika0 -
Andreae-
I have had my port since June '02 and love it. Despite the nurses telling me that usually they are put in under sedation, I had a cheerful interventional radiologist who didn't mind doing it under local anesthetic. I went right back to work. One thing, I am pretty thin, and he told me if they run the catheter over your collarbone, if you are thin, it can be uncomfortable. If you are heavier, then they do run it over your collerbone without problems. Since I am thin, you can see mine under the skin but it is no big deal. The one concern is if they get infected. Oncology nurses are trained to do a very careful cleaning of the skin over it. Other nurses may not have so much experience with them, and I always watch to make sure they are careful with the care.
When they give contrast for a CT scan they still will want to put in another IV catheter, because many of the ports are not designed to tolerate the rapid injection of contrast necessary to visualize the liver well.
As for doctors- remember they don't know you well. People come to them with all sorts of ranges of emotions, and sometimes are too afraid to talk about their fears. Oncologists do have to address such issues. There are people who are depressed enough that they need antidepressants. Others lack the tenacity to keep fighting, even if they have a very minor setback, and need other support. I am a pretty upbeat and matter of fact person. I think it took my oncologist a while to realize that it was not a "front", but really how I am. I developed a really good relationship with him once he knew me better.
As for being treated as though you are unknowledgable- once again they don't know you well yet. A little gentle ribbing about how they are treating you sometimes lightens the mood, as well as making them realize that you do have a clue. There really are adults who are incredibly unknowledgable about their body, the generalities about treatment etc., and don't want to know more. I met a person on a clinical trial for metastatic colon cancer who could not tell me the names of any of the previous drugs she had been on for the last year! On the other hand I have met people, like those here, who have become incredibly knowledgable about every detail of their disease and treatment.
As for the sadness, I think it is natural for doctors when they encounter people with a disease as tough as what we have, and we are younger than they are. It does not necessarily mean that they are ready to give up on us, however. I think being cheerful, and occasional humorous, kept them from staying in that mode with me.
I have had 10 doses of Oxaliplatin/Xeloda since June. It has been quite tolerable. I am a bit tired the first 5 days. I get irritation of my hands and feet on days 4 and 5 post Xeloda, which got much better when my onc reduced my dose.
I have the common oxaliplatin cold induced neuropathy which is annoying the first 4-5 days. If my hands get really cold, they tingle so badly that I can have trouble picking up small objects. Oven mitts come in handy when taking stuff out of the freezer. I just bought super duper ski gloves for this winter. Drinking/eating cold stuff at that time is like eating Pop Rocks. The signs that I get from cold exposure go away as soon as hands, mouth warm up- just annoying while it is happening.
The big concern about oxaliplatin is a more long lasting neuropathy that might limit their ability to give it, even if it is working on the tumor. My oncologist is trying giving me infusions of calcium/magnesium before and after my oxaliplatin, since there have been some preliminary reports in Europe that this may help reduce the incidence of neuropathy. Although it is not standard treatment, I lobbied for it, because oxaliplatin is the only thing that is working for me.
I used to get queasy (although I almost never have vomited) 2-3 days after oxaliplatin. There are a variety of antiemetics available, and I tried a variety of them before hitting on the right combination to eliminate even that queasy sensation without making me too tired.
Best wishes,
Kris0 -
andreae -
YOU ROCK!! You are my hero! You are the epitome of attitude. I wish everyone had your spunk.
I don't really have anything to say about a porta cath, Xeloda or oxaliplatin, and as far as weepy doctors... I could tell you about the urine specimine/apple juice "incident" - that made my doctor cry.
I had recently had my catheter removed and they were taking incessant urine samples. I guess as a way to spur on the urine production they kept bringing me apple juice. Now, I like cider, but I HATE apple juice and I told them they could quit bringing it to me. Being good Government employees, they didn't listen to their patient. So... next time I got the apple juice and a urine specimine cup, I poured the apple juice into the specimine cup. Oh, but did I stop there? no...
When the nurse came in to take the cup, I mentioned that it looked a little cloudy. She agreed. I opened the top and told her it seemed to have a funny smell. She was curious. Then I took a big swig and told her it tasted funny, too. I thought they were going to call a code on her. When I told my doctor the story, he cried.
Anyway...
I didn't have veins either, but I refused to get a porta-cath (that's what they recommended for me, too - sub-clavian). I think it was denial. I endured up to 90 minutes of digging with needles while they tried to palpate a vein for my chemo. Fortunately, I was done with my treatments about the time I decided I really did need a porta-cath. Had I had to go one more round, I probably would have had it installed.
Sorry I couldn't be any more help, but - as always - everyone else gave you the good scoop. I'm just chiming-in as usual.
Be well and ROCK ON!
- Bob
P.S. No, they never brought me apple juice again. (I knew the question was burning in your mind).0 -
Bob - YOU ARE SO MUCH FUN. If the world had more ppl. like you... well, it sould defitely be a more exciting place!spongebob said:andreae -
YOU ROCK!! You are my hero! You are the epitome of attitude. I wish everyone had your spunk.
I don't really have anything to say about a porta cath, Xeloda or oxaliplatin, and as far as weepy doctors... I could tell you about the urine specimine/apple juice "incident" - that made my doctor cry.
I had recently had my catheter removed and they were taking incessant urine samples. I guess as a way to spur on the urine production they kept bringing me apple juice. Now, I like cider, but I HATE apple juice and I told them they could quit bringing it to me. Being good Government employees, they didn't listen to their patient. So... next time I got the apple juice and a urine specimine cup, I poured the apple juice into the specimine cup. Oh, but did I stop there? no...
When the nurse came in to take the cup, I mentioned that it looked a little cloudy. She agreed. I opened the top and told her it seemed to have a funny smell. She was curious. Then I took a big swig and told her it tasted funny, too. I thought they were going to call a code on her. When I told my doctor the story, he cried.
Anyway...
I didn't have veins either, but I refused to get a porta-cath (that's what they recommended for me, too - sub-clavian). I think it was denial. I endured up to 90 minutes of digging with needles while they tried to palpate a vein for my chemo. Fortunately, I was done with my treatments about the time I decided I really did need a porta-cath. Had I had to go one more round, I probably would have had it installed.
Sorry I couldn't be any more help, but - as always - everyone else gave you the good scoop. I'm just chiming-in as usual.
Be well and ROCK ON!
- Bob
P.S. No, they never brought me apple juice again. (I knew the question was burning in your mind).0
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