Been a bit absent -- just a quick update

CammieS

My sweet husband has made it through 4 weeks of radio/5-FU. Today, it finally hit him that his treatments could take him through Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's -- and he may finally be done for St. Valentine's or St. Patrick's. He's been so focused on this first round. He has some thinking to do, and some adjusting. I don't think he realized that he'll have ~4.5 months of chemo after this round, plus surgery and the breaks between.

Overall, he's doing well, but I think he'll find the timeline depressing once it really sinks in. He gets brief waves of nausea (<5 minutes) and he's going to bed 2 hours earlier than normal.

We are planning a "staycation" -- just an overnight at a luxury hotel nearby -- to celebrate the end of this round. Just a little time to get pampered. He misses a good, long, hot shower.

I've been trying to keep things normal at home, but my job has been conspiring against me -- new product launch and re-vamping of the website have taken up every spare moment. It's been good. I worry about him, but I've been too busy to let it consume every moment.

My inlaws have rented an apartment nearby and will be spending more time here as things become more challenging. I've started calling it their "dorm room" because it has our odds and ends. It's a good thing that I like my inlaws. ;-)

Lisa2012

Glad he made it this far

I understand your husband and I feel for him.   Chemo is a long harsh course.  I did a year and a half straight, sometimes weekly, other times every other week.   Like you, my husband relied on my parents so that he could work.  I am happy you have your in-laws.  I only hope to offer you support and encouragement.  There is an end to the tunnel, it just takes a while to get there.  Help your husband find points along the way to celebrate, things other than cancer related, birthdays, anniversaries, whatever it is that will help him focus beyond the chemo.  wishing you all strength 

LisaLisa

lp1964

I went through the same...

...regimen. Not easy, but doable. What we did while waiting 10 weeks for the surgery (which is the most ideal by the way according to the latest literature) I did 3 rounds of Folfox. Then I had the surgery and less chemo to do after. So if he feels ok after the initial treatment do more chemo if ok with the oncologist.

Also don't forget to take 2x400mg over the counter cimetidine at least 2 weeks before and after the surgery which seems to reduce the chance of the cancer spreading during surgery.

good luck 

Laz

CammieS

lp1964 said:

I went through the same...

...regimen. Not easy, but doable. What we did while waiting 10 weeks for the surgery (which is the most ideal by the way according to the latest literature) I did 3 rounds of Folfox. Then I had the surgery and less chemo to do after. So if he feels ok after the initial treatment do more chemo if ok with the oncologist.

Also don't forget to take 2x400mg over the counter cimetidine at least 2 weeks before and after the surgery which seems to reduce the chance of the cancer spreading during surgery.

good luck 

Laz

cimetidine

Thanks for the tip, Laz. I'll make sure to talk to his surgeon about it.

My sweet husband gets a couple of weeks off from doctors, chemo and general medicial stuff. I think he's excited to have a slice of normal. We're planning a long weekend away (train and ferry) instead of the family reunion (plane and road trip) and take advantage of this non-scheduled time.

My in-laws will be here for the next appointments with the surgeon and oncologist. I hope he does Folfox for 2 months before -- his oncologist said that he's seen 100% death in the removed cancer cells and patients tolerate the chemo pre-surgery better. I know it will add a little time to the whole process, but it sounds like a better option overall.