pounding

stevenl

Hi All,
Well I start my chemo and radiation tomorrow. But I am special. I get the bonus package. Start chemo at 10:30 then go to RO at 3:00 for the dry run, 1st radiation treatment special. What a deal huh? Went Thursday for the dry run and the machine was broke. So I get the package deal tomorrow. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers O.K?

Best
Steve

MaryRC

Hi Steve
You can do it! How long is yours going to last?
I am hoping to get a call this week about my surgery. Though I am not looking forward to any of this, I do want to get it over with.
Mary

D Lewis

Our thoughts will be with you
Steve,

We will be right there with you every step of the way. Just keep taking it one day at a time. Update us as best you can. I'm right behind you.

warmly,

Deb L.

p.s. When things start to get you down, just remember; Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Honey Bee ice cream. H***, it even makes "Ensure" taste better.

fsdman

Good luck Steve. We all
Good luck Steve. We all survived it and so will you.We are here to help ease your journey as issues arise. I got thru it by knowing that each day I got thru brought me a day closer to the time when I could start going in the other direction and heal.One day at a time as there are a finite number of days.Then its over-it will end it will get better.My thoughts were always that this will come to an end and I can put up withit until then.Now,go kick some butt!!Treatments are going to beat you up, but not beat you.

Glenna M

D Lewis said:

Our thoughts will be with you
Steve,

We will be right there with you every step of the way. Just keep taking it one day at a time. Update us as best you can. I'm right behind you.

warmly,

Deb L.

p.s. When things start to get you down, just remember; Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Honey Bee ice cream. H***, it even makes "Ensure" taste better.

You can do it!!

You can do it Steve!! You will be in my prayers.

Glenna

debbiejeanne

MaryRC said:

Hi Steve
You can do it! How long is yours going to last?
I am hoping to get a call this week about my surgery. Though I am not looking forward to any of this, I do want to get it over with.
Mary

prayers
Mary and Steve, you are both in our prayers and always will be. the treatments will be rough as they are for all of us but you WILL get thru it. Just keep your faith and be tough and never give up. Cry when you need to and come here and vent if you need to. We have all been there or are still going thru it so we will definitely understand. Please take care of yourselves and keep us poted.
God bless you,
Deb

Pam M

Congrats - It's Show Time!
Steve,
Wow - excited for you - there's something about taking action that made me feel better, even though I was nervous, and knew the chemo and rads attack your body - they're necessary evils, and I was glad to get them in play, to beat the cancer down.
Are you going on your own, or taking someone with you for chemo? Where I go, you can take one friend. You can also take in diversions (books, magazines, laptops, etc.). Oh - and don't know about others, but there are refreshments and blankets at my place, and it's always cold. Also, for me, the mask wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be during treatments (so far).
Good luck tomorrow - you've got two new team members in the fight now. Breathe, and go in.

stevenl

Pam M said:

Congrats - It's Show Time!
Steve,
Wow - excited for you - there's something about taking action that made me feel better, even though I was nervous, and knew the chemo and rads attack your body - they're necessary evils, and I was glad to get them in play, to beat the cancer down.
Are you going on your own, or taking someone with you for chemo? Where I go, you can take one friend. You can also take in diversions (books, magazines, laptops, etc.). Oh - and don't know about others, but there are refreshments and blankets at my place, and it's always cold. Also, for me, the mask wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be during treatments (so far).
Good luck tomorrow - you've got two new team members in the fight now. Breathe, and go in.

rads
Thanks all,
Mary ,in answer to your question I will get 5 treatments of cisplatin and 5FU every Monday, still not sure how long those will last i.e., 24, 48 96 hrs or what, and 35 glorious daily radios. As Yoda might say, It's butt will I kick, Hmmm? And yes Pam, my wife is relentlessly
by my side, as is my oldest daughter, which is a very good thing.

Blessings on you all,
Steve

Deb, have already sinned and partaken of the Haagen Dazs. GOOOOD STUUUUFFF.

micktissue

stevenl said:

rads
Thanks all,
Mary ,in answer to your question I will get 5 treatments of cisplatin and 5FU every Monday, still not sure how long those will last i.e., 24, 48 96 hrs or what, and 35 glorious daily radios. As Yoda might say, It's butt will I kick, Hmmm? And yes Pam, my wife is relentlessly
by my side, as is my oldest daughter, which is a very good thing.

Blessings on you all,
Steve

Deb, have already sinned and partaken of the Haagen Dazs. GOOOOD STUUUUFFF.

Steve
Good luck my Man, you know you are in my thoughts.

Best,

Mick

Skiffin16

Hang n There
You can do it, it's just another thing.....

Before long you'll be used to this routine of constantr survelliance. What's kind of funny is when you have finshed and only go in occasionally for check ups... It's like you were the center of everyones attention, then all of a sudden they cut you lose....

I had my concuurent on Mondays, Carboplaten in the morning, Amifostine and Radiation in the afternoons for that day.

Hang Tuff Steve, one day at a time man, that's how you do it....

John

Kent Cass

Skiffin16 said:

Hang n There
You can do it, it's just another thing.....

Before long you'll be used to this routine of constantr survelliance. What's kind of funny is when you have finshed and only go in occasionally for check ups... It's like you were the center of everyones attention, then all of a sudden they cut you lose....

I had my concuurent on Mondays, Carboplaten in the morning, Amifostine and Radiation in the afternoons for that day.

Hang Tuff Steve, one day at a time man, that's how you do it....

John

Best Wishes
Steve- best wishes, and my Prayers are with you, and Mary.

It is likely you'll be getting chemo drips on Mondays. I had the 96-hour thing, but that's with pumps hooked into my Port. The weekly thing is typical of drips. It usually starts fairly easy for the patient, Steve. Takes awhile for the stuff to take it's toll. They kinda ease one into it. Again, down the road I urge you to let your Dr. and the Nurses know when it's getting a bit much, you know, if it does.

You're gonna be all right, Steve. Trust me.
And Mary- you are sharing in this historic time with Steve. Churchill was right, I think, about times like this being our "finest hours." Nobody wants such times to ever happen, but the same goes for war, car accidents, etc. Such is life. Just up around the bend, you two just might look back at the battle in front of you as having been of the finest hours. It is possible.

Believe.

kcass

stevenl

Kent Cass said:

Best Wishes
Steve- best wishes, and my Prayers are with you, and Mary.

It is likely you'll be getting chemo drips on Mondays. I had the 96-hour thing, but that's with pumps hooked into my Port. The weekly thing is typical of drips. It usually starts fairly easy for the patient, Steve. Takes awhile for the stuff to take it's toll. They kinda ease one into it. Again, down the road I urge you to let your Dr. and the Nurses know when it's getting a bit much, you know, if it does.

You're gonna be all right, Steve. Trust me.
And Mary- you are sharing in this historic time with Steve. Churchill was right, I think, about times like this being our "finest hours." Nobody wants such times to ever happen, but the same goes for war, car accidents, etc. Such is life. Just up around the bend, you two just might look back at the battle in front of you as having been of the finest hours. It is possible.

Believe.

kcass

Pump
Hi Kent,
Thanks for the encouraging words. My MO said that I would have a pump that I would take with me and bring back. So much has been thrown at me, I guess I just wasn't listening to what she said. My Bad.

Steve

CajunEagle

stevenl said:

rads
Thanks all,
Mary ,in answer to your question I will get 5 treatments of cisplatin and 5FU every Monday, still not sure how long those will last i.e., 24, 48 96 hrs or what, and 35 glorious daily radios. As Yoda might say, It's butt will I kick, Hmmm? And yes Pam, my wife is relentlessly
by my side, as is my oldest daughter, which is a very good thing.

Blessings on you all,
Steve

Deb, have already sinned and partaken of the Haagen Dazs. GOOOOD STUUUUFFF.

A little hint to keep from going nuts

Steve. When they put the mask on, if anything fitwise is uncomfortable, let em know right then and there so adjustments can be made. Ain't nothing like pressure on your chest or throat when they snap it on. Also, get in a routine of counting. When the treatment started in the Tomotherapy tube, the sound would start on the left side of my head and rotate to the right side. It would do this 31 times, then it would be over for the day. One day I would count from one to thirty one, the next from thirty one to one. Every now and then I'd play my favorite golf course in my head, or catch Bass from my best fishing hole. I also had a couple of young Radiation Techs who liked to play "Disco Inferno" (LOL) during treatment, and "I'm coming out" by Diana Ross when finished. Yea....them two were a hoot. Good luck !!

Kent Cass

stevenl said:

Pump
Hi Kent,
Thanks for the encouraging words. My MO said that I would have a pump that I would take with me and bring back. So much has been thrown at me, I guess I just wasn't listening to what she said. My Bad.

Steve

Maybe not
You sure about the pump? If you go to chemo at 10:30, then rad at 3- sounds like drip time between the two, to me. And, 5 weeks of Cisplatin via the pumps, not pump, is kinda unreal, Steve. They can only put so much of the stuff inside the body. And, if you don't have a Port- you will not be getting the pumps. And that might be a good thing. The pumps put, basically, 4 weeks of Cisplatin into the body in 4-days, as my Onco explained to me. Only so much of Cisplatin that they can put inside us, Steve. Rule of thumb, because of the risks for damage to organs, like the liver, etc. Is possible your pump could be the stuff other than Cisplatin, though. That would be medically possible.

Again- you're gonna be all right. And please keep us informed on how you're doing.

Believe.

kcass

stevenl

Kent Cass said:

Maybe not
You sure about the pump? If you go to chemo at 10:30, then rad at 3- sounds like drip time between the two, to me. And, 5 weeks of Cisplatin via the pumps, not pump, is kinda unreal, Steve. They can only put so much of the stuff inside the body. And, if you don't have a Port- you will not be getting the pumps. And that might be a good thing. The pumps put, basically, 4 weeks of Cisplatin into the body in 4-days, as my Onco explained to me. Only so much of Cisplatin that they can put inside us, Steve. Rule of thumb, because of the risks for damage to organs, like the liver, etc. Is possible your pump could be the stuff other than Cisplatin, though. That would be medically possible.

Again- you're gonna be all right. And please keep us informed on how you're doing.

Believe.

kcass

Port
Hey Kent,
I don't know how it is all going to work but yes, my understanding is that I will be on the drip for a few hours tomorrow. I guess this is because I am a chemo "virgin" and they want to monitor me. I do have a port and a peg, got em last Wednesday. In addition to the cisplatin I will also receive fluorouracil, better known as 5FU. Like I say, I don't know the procedure yet but I am sure she said I will have a pump, reviewed my notes, and bring it back the next day. Maybe this will just be the 1st time, we will see tomorrow. Whatever the regimen, this is one doctor that I trust with my life. Just ready to get on with it so I can get DONE with it, know what I mean? Again thank you Kent. You have been there for me since the 1st day I joined here and you have been inspiring to me to say the least.

Best wishes to you and all,
Steve

MaryRC

stevenl said:

Port
Hey Kent,
I don't know how it is all going to work but yes, my understanding is that I will be on the drip for a few hours tomorrow. I guess this is because I am a chemo "virgin" and they want to monitor me. I do have a port and a peg, got em last Wednesday. In addition to the cisplatin I will also receive fluorouracil, better known as 5FU. Like I say, I don't know the procedure yet but I am sure she said I will have a pump, reviewed my notes, and bring it back the next day. Maybe this will just be the 1st time, we will see tomorrow. Whatever the regimen, this is one doctor that I trust with my life. Just ready to get on with it so I can get DONE with it, know what I mean? Again thank you Kent. You have been there for me since the 1st day I joined here and you have been inspiring to me to say the least.

Best wishes to you and all,
Steve

pump
What is a pump? Dont you just go to chemo... they drip it in and you go home? Do you have to pump it in at home too? Is this hard to do? Do you do it yourself? I know I am a nurse but I only do home care with children, dont know much about chemo. Sounds hard to do?
Mary

stevenl

MaryRC said:

pump
What is a pump? Dont you just go to chemo... they drip it in and you go home? Do you have to pump it in at home too? Is this hard to do? Do you do it yourself? I know I am a nurse but I only do home care with children, dont know much about chemo. Sounds hard to do?
Mary

Pump
Hi Mary,
I don't know yet, but I'll find out tomorrow. I know it won't be hard though. Piece of cake, as they say. It sounds bad I know Mary, but it is something that I may have to do, doesn't necessarily mean you will. Hang in there, you will be fine. Remember whatever happens we will beat this O.K.?

My best to ya,
Steve

pk

Steve
You are on your way!!!! The waiting is tough. Now you are moving forward. My hubby finished his treatment the end of Sept. 1st PET was clean. We head for St. Simons Island, GA on Friday for 8 weeks. Golf, biking, relaxing on the beach.
Hang in and hang on. It's a rough road, but you will recover and become you again!!!
Keeping you in our hearts!!!! and prayers too!!
Phyllis & Bob

sweetblood22

Go kick some hined end!
I will be praying for you. You will have so many people lifting you up, and with you in spirit, tho we all may be far away.

Blessings and Peace be with you.

Hondo

Steve
Break downs are normal I guess, in all my treatments I think there were 4 or 5 break downs. One time I was laying there just jetting started and the thing broke, had to get up and wait till it got fixed.

All the best to all of you as you start; you know you will be in my prayers

Landranger25

Hondo said:

Steve
Break downs are normal I guess, in all my treatments I think there were 4 or 5 break downs. One time I was laying there just jetting started and the thing broke, had to get up and wait till it got fixed.

All the best to all of you as you start; you know you will be in my prayers

Pump
Hi all, sounds like what Steve is getting is pretty much what I had. The Cisplaten on Mondays in the Cancer Center is pretty much an all day thing. Couple hours of hydration, then couple of the Cisplatin and then more hydration and a drug that will make you pee like a monsoon. Just before you leave a little battery powered pump pack is attached to your port and you take it with you until Friday. (96 hours) They give you a little fanny pack to wear and run the tubing up under your shirt. This is the 5FU. The pump fires about every 25-30 seconds. Just a short humming or buzzing. I put the pump down next to my body while I slept. If you have a cat at home better not let him in the bedroom. They seem to be attracted to the thin rubber tubing that delivers the chemo. (and ipod headphone wires as well which are similar and I have bought several for my daughter because of our cats) If the chemo leaks you'll have a huge toxic mess to clean up. Not good. Pump or IV pole went with me to radiation. Just rolled it on in and up to the table and then back when done. Good luck Steve, you can do this. As said above, one day at a time. Soon the road ahead to finish will be shorter than what you have behind you and then you'll be done.

Mike