Son on third treatment

lmchils57

Thought I would post an update on Scott. He went in for his third treament today and doing fairly well. He has had some nausea and fatigue with it but ohter then that reacting fairly well to the treatments. The day of the treatments gets to be a long day for him but he did take his mp4 player today so that helped pass the time. After his last treatment he had more pain than he had had in a few weeks but it was bearable at least. His oncologist agreed with him on one good thing, he felt that the swelling in the liver had gone down and the oncologist confirmed that he felt the same thing; This in encouraging, though we know it is not something to necessarily jump and down with joy over as he has a long way to go still. But baby steps are good too. He will be having another CT after his fourth treatment so we will now a little more then how things are going.
I have people ask me how I handle it and I tell them that when he is doing well and looking good it is easier to take and kind of push to the back of my mind. But when he is looking bad and is sick from the chemo it is not so easy to push to the back of your mind. One day at a time is how we take things for now and deal with each thing as it comes. It is the only way we can do things, trying to second guess what is going to happen does not get us anywhere but frustrated and sometimes disappointed.
All the thoughts and prayers he is recieving helps a lot and it really helps to know that people out there care what happens. My family is really working overtime with the prayers of late as my cousin was diagonosed and being treated for Aplastic Anemia. So far his road has been pretty tough too. They were on vacation when he ended up in the hospital but he has gotten better enough that they were able to come home.
Scott did have a question he forgot to ask his oncologists so thought I would ask on here. He is not a heavy drinker but does like to have a very occassional beer once in awhile, have any of you found that it is ok or not ok to have a beer occassionally?
Thank you for all the support you have given me when I asked questions. It helps to know I have somewhere to go for the some answers. I have recommended this board to others that are going through cancer too or have someone close to them going through it.

Linda

Sonia32

A beer or two a week maybe
Hi Linda,

Read your update on your son, firstly as your doing just take each
day as it comes, you will have up and down days as will your son, but it is all normal. The question about beer, it would be best to speak to his onc but I know having read posts on here some have been told a glass or two a week is fine. But the best thing is if your boy can stay as healthy as possible, I stayed away from drinking last year until I finished treatment. Light exercise, vitamins, and green and peppermint tea and eating healthy as I could, got me through last year, as well as my family on this board. Hugs keep us updated on your son. Sonia

AnneCan

Hi Linda,
It sounds like
Hi Linda,

It sounds like Scott is doing well, + hopefully the CT will confirm this!

With regards to the beer, I agree with Sonia, check with your onc because every case is a little different. I am a wine drinker but hadn't any for months. When I finally asked my onc if it was ok to have the occaisonal glass of wine, she gave a resounding "yes" but said "I woudn't drink a bottle!". So when I feeling good (not for several days after chemo) I might have a glass of wine (maybe 2!) but I don't overdue by any means + feel good that the onc knows about it. Your son can even just call the onc's office to ask, if he won't see her/him for awhile.

nudgie

When it
comes to drinking, I would ask the Onc. Dr to make sure and if he is taking Oxpliatian (sp?) which is part of the FLOFOX Regime, drinking cold beverages would not be a good thing.

HollyID

Linda,
You're a strong woman. I'm not sure how I'd feel if I had a child going through this. I'd want it transferred to me so I could take the hell and have them be healthy.

I hope Scott tolerates his chemo better. My first few were kind of a trial, too.

I am a drinker, and I also love my beer and wine, and I admit that I sneak a glass of wine here or there, and I also sneak a beer in when I can, but I don't go overboard. Most meds are metabolized in the liver, and of course alcohol also is metabolized in the liver... so, I don't want my liver overworking, so I use caution and only have one a week.

I'm still praying for Scott and all the other cancer survivors here. It makes me feel better and also makes me feel like I'm contributing something that otherwise I can't.

Love and prayers for you and Scott and his oncs.

lmchils57

HollyID said:

Linda,
You're a strong woman. I'm not sure how I'd feel if I had a child going through this. I'd want it transferred to me so I could take the hell and have them be healthy.

I hope Scott tolerates his chemo better. My first few were kind of a trial, too.

I am a drinker, and I also love my beer and wine, and I admit that I sneak a glass of wine here or there, and I also sneak a beer in when I can, but I don't go overboard. Most meds are metabolized in the liver, and of course alcohol also is metabolized in the liver... so, I don't want my liver overworking, so I use caution and only have one a week.

I'm still praying for Scott and all the other cancer survivors here. It makes me feel better and also makes me feel like I'm contributing something that otherwise I can't.

Love and prayers for you and Scott and his oncs.

Thanks Holly
Thank you Holly, this is a very tough thing to go through as a parent, but we have no other choice so we do it. I would love to have it be me not him but that is not how it so be, belive me at first that was one of my first questions to God. Scott has so much to live for, but you know, that is what is going to get him through this. He told me yesterday he promised his boys that he woud not give up and that he would fight this, so he has to win for them.
Weeks like this and I can believe he is going to win. This tereatment went so well for him, it was hard to remember that he was on the pump even. He had no real nausea this time and was not really fatigued. He and his dad went fishing yesterday which was his second day and that is normally his hardest hit day. I felt comfortable about taking an extra shift at work tomorrow even though I try not to work to late on the Fridays of his treaments since that is when he picks up his sons for the weekend, but this time I think he will be fine. He is even talking about getting back to work which means he is feeling stronger.
I know that he will likely have bad times still but it is nice to see him feeling better and looking better. He even put on three pounds which he was not totally happy about since he has always had to fight his weight and for the first time ever he is the smallest of my three boys. But the weight gain is good because it shows he is eating again.
I really appreciate all the prayers that are out there for Scott and I remember all of you in my prayers too. Thank you everyone for sharing your expereince as it is through your experiences that we all learn what to expect and each success story helps all of you fight harder so that you can be success stories too.

5678dance

A drink now and then
I asked my onc at my first appointment. He said a glass of wine every now and then would be OK. I had a glass at Thanksgiving, and then another one in January. It upset my stomach a little, so I haven't had one since. I would still ask though. I have colon cancer, and nothing in my liver, so it may be different for him.

Crow71

Hey Linda,
Thanks for the
Hey Linda,
Thanks for the update on Scott. Sounds like everything is going fairly well.
I used to love beer and whiskey. There are many reasons not to drink alcohol (Bad for the liver, lots of sugar etc.), but I think a beer every now and then is okay. I made it part of my plan. I would drink a beer on the night before treatment. Up until the last 2 treatments, I was feeling good by the last night. I'd get a good beer and really savor it. It made me happy.

The book AntiCancer recommends drinking an occasional glass of red wine. Red wine is loaded with Reservatrol- an anti-inflamitory that exist in red grapes. Cancer cells flourish in an "inflamed" environment. Cancer hates a relaxed body. Obviously there is a trade off. There are many ways to get anti-infamitories in your system without the alcohol and sugar.

I do have an occasional glass of reservatol, but my drink of choice these days is fresh juice that I make at home.

Take Care - Roger

geotina

Linda
I am so happy Scott is doing well with this treatments and tollerating them. We are not alcohol drinkers here but I don't see any harm in an occasional beer. If he is talking about trying to go back to work that is great just so his employer is willing to work with him regarding time off for treatments and the like. Personally, my opinion only, if you can stay busy and active as possible that is good whether that be working, mild exercise, fishing with Dad, whatever. Staying productive is good for the mind and body. Sometimes George comes home from work exhausted but feels good at the same time. Take care and continue to let us know how things go. Tina

Shayenne

geotina said:

Linda
I am so happy Scott is doing well with this treatments and tollerating them. We are not alcohol drinkers here but I don't see any harm in an occasional beer. If he is talking about trying to go back to work that is great just so his employer is willing to work with him regarding time off for treatments and the like. Personally, my opinion only, if you can stay busy and active as possible that is good whether that be working, mild exercise, fishing with Dad, whatever. Staying productive is good for the mind and body. Sometimes George comes home from work exhausted but feels good at the same time. Take care and continue to let us know how things go. Tina

I
Have mets in my liver, and decided to give up drinking, as I didn't want to add to the problems with it, although tempting, especially in the summer, wanting that nice, icy cold beer, I never been much of an alcohol drinker, though a shot of crown royal was nice, but I drank a beer once last year, and it got me sick, It didn't even taste good to me, so I never had any since..

Hugsss!
~Donna