will decide for myself but soliciting opinions

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Comments

  • sephie
    sephie Member Posts: 650 Member
    #22
    LaCh said:

    7243
    '!!!@grrrr!@!$%% Posted a question in another thread about the slowness of this website and I wrote a rather involved response to your post which was lost when it timed out..... Ok, I'll try again. With regard to having someone here with me, I'm going to try to hold out as long as I can on my own because my sister simply can't stay here for weeks on end. When do I start treatment... Tomorrow, I meet with the radio oncologist, Wednesday I get the planning or simulation or whatever it's called, Thursday back to the medical oncologist, Friday I get the port put in and next Monday the 17th treatments begin. I'm getting concerned about the lack of a plan for transportation to and from the radiaton. It's actually quite close to my house, about a 10 or 15 minute walk but that's when I'm healthy (I also live in a 5th floor walk up AND I also have a dog. I've made arrangeements for someone to walk him when I can't but the stairs are the stairs and there's no way around those). So transporation is a problem. I've called around to several local and national organizations but so far nothing's panned out. I'll try to speak to a social worker about a possible solution if I can. The issue with pain management meds is also a bit worrisome since I can't take most pharmaceuticals without major, major problems. I'll try to manage with topical remedies and OTC pain medications (those that aren't contraindicated). As for journaling... funny thing is, I write. I HAVE to write, it's "my drug of choice." I eat, drink, sleep, breathe and write. It's as necessary to me as that. But I've never been able to journal. Just can''t do it for more than a day or two. So there are still lots of questions and a lot of unresolved issues that need to be resolved now, not later when I can't.

    took no pain meds
    you can do it without meds if you can take the pain. I hurt terribly but was sooooo afraid of constipation (and the pain that causes) that i did not take any pain meds at all and yes it was pretty bad... but i also should have at least tried to stop my diarrhea faster and pain meds would have helped that. so my point is that it can be done without pain meds... i still hurt every time i go to the bathroom just not as much. sephie
  • LaCh
    LaCh Member Posts: 557
    #23
    StruTanToot said:

    The last week and the two
    The last week and the two weeks following treatment were the hardest for me.

    StruTanToot
    Hey StruTanToot,
    Thanks for the info on your experience of it. It's encouraging to hear. I'm feeling better over all about what's coming up and will try to hang onto that feeling. Thanks.
  • pializ
    pializ Member Posts: 508 Member
    #24
    LaCh said:

    StruTanToot
    Hey StruTanToot,
    Thanks for the info on your experience of it. It's encouraging to hear. I'm feeling better over all about what's coming up and will try to hang onto that feeling. Thanks.

    LaCh
    Good luck for next week. I'll be strating mine on Tuesday, so we can look out for each other. We need to make sure we eat well for body to repair. Also rest will be good. Taking dog out though will be good for exercise part, & when that gets too tough (just from observations of others experiences) your sister will be there to help out.
    Best Wishes
    Liz
  • LaCh
    LaCh Member Posts: 557
    #25
    pializ said:

    LaCh
    Good luck for next week. I'll be strating mine on Tuesday, so we can look out for each other. We need to make sure we eat well for body to repair. Also rest will be good. Taking dog out though will be good for exercise part, & when that gets too tough (just from observations of others experiences) your sister will be there to help out.
    Best Wishes
    Liz

    pializ
    Well, as they say, the best laid plans.... My sister can't come, she has a cold and I can't risk getting sick, so the backup (and less ideal) plan is that my cousin is coming tomorrow night (from Massachusettes) and will be with me for Monday's radiation/port/chemo extravaganza and then leave on Tuesday morning. I say less ideal because my main concern is an acute reaction to the chemo when I'm alone, which I will be for most of the week. But there's nothing that can be done about it. Monday will be a looooong day. Plus, the forecast for NY is for rain. Makes a trying day just a little bit more so. In any case, my sister was never going to stay (if she had come) long enough for me to get to the point of being fatigued; she was going to stay till Friday or so and then go back home. I have someone who will walk my dog when I can't (and Monday afternon will be one of those times). Are you also getting a port? How many weeks is your radiation planned for?

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