what is the nicest thing someone did during your time or need/ surgery/ treatment (i know we talk ab

disneyfan2008

MY long time frend of 40 yrs drove from VT for the day of my surgery and had to drive back the same day. That meant so much to me. Both my parents were diead pior to my cancer-my stand in parrents (known since birth) came to all my appts, visited me , came with me to my surgiery etc. (even made dinner and dropped it off at my house the next day)

 

Denise

 

I Like happy stories.

 

Denise

rutzetta

Surgery

During my surgery in 4/2011, I had a group of 25 ppl from my family & church waiting for me after surgery. When the doctor came out to give the update he asked, which family members are you here for, when the group replied, they were all here for Constance, the doctor was stunned. He told me the next day it was nice to see such a big support group for his patient. Even though I went in for a lumpectomy and came out of surgery needing chemo also, the doctor knew I was surrounded by lots of prayers and support

jessiesmom1

rutzetta said:

Surgery

During my surgery in 4/2011, I had a group of 25 ppl from my family & church waiting for me after surgery. When the doctor came out to give the update he asked, which family members are you here for, when the group replied, they were all here for Constance, the doctor was stunned. He told me the next day it was nice to see such a big support group for his patient. Even though I went in for a lumpectomy and came out of surgery needing chemo also, the doctor knew I was surrounded by lots of prayers and support

With a Little Help from My Friends

Like so many of us undergoing chemo I lost my appetite and my desire to even drink fluids. I  expressed this problem  to my friends. Two of them went out and bought me some juice popsicles and a large water bottle with clear markings on the side. They felt it would motivate me to drink more if I could see how much I was consuming. They said even if I couldn't drink , at least I would be getting fluids via the juice bars. I will forever remember their thoughtfulness.

 

IRENE

andi44

nice things...

Denise, this is a very nice discussion topic....

I work in the mortgage industry, and one of my loan originators mailed a card to me every day that I was off work.  (ended up getting 30+ cards from her)   Though I received cards from other people, for some reason it meant more coming from her because she didn't have too...She even went so far and created 'flash cards' that pertained to my job.  She said she wanted to keep my mind sharp so I wouldn't forget my job (I wish I could forget about it)  -  Anyway, I found that to be so sweet.  When I did go back to work, I took her out for lunch and bought her a bottle of wine for her kindness.  My partner and parents have also been wonderful, then and now with what I'm continuing to go thru...I am so very fortunate to have so many wonderful people in my life.

Andi     

 

GlowMore

Nicest thing?

No way I can think of only one nice thing...........there were so many nice things that people did and/or tried to do.   And, sadly several of those sweet ladies have now passed away themselves and I am still here.   The ones who came from far away to be with me during surgery.  The ones who helped drive me to the hospital for chemo......the sweet lady at church who made dozens of pink ribbons and pinned them on the members to show support for me and for others in the church fighting BC.   The cards, letters, emails, all telling me of their Prayers and hopes for my healing.....knowing so many prayed for me was very uplifting....I will be eternally grateful.     It is good to be positive when we can. 

tufi000

no support but.....

A woman who used to clean for me years before, came every day to make me something I felt I could eat and cleaned the house every week!!!!  she also understood my unique situation and our talks were invaluable and probably saved my life what the docs couldn't fix

desertgirl947

It is difficult to name ONE,

It is difficult to name ONE, as between family, church family, school (work) family, and community family, a lot of amazing support and help was given me (and my husband) from start to finish.  Even doctors/nurses commented on the variety of people they saw bringing me to appointments. giving to me.

I think one of the special neat things done for me was done a few times by a friend of mine who drove me several times for various appointments.  She knows I like good coffee.  So, if I was feeling pretty good after an appointment/treatment, she would ask me if I would like to get something at a coffee shop.  I think I always was able to say that I did.  We would sometimes take a bit of a drive to try a new location, which was a great way to give me a change of scenery/routine.  My last day of rads, she was my driver -- I had had to ask for some friends to drive me the last few times because my seatbelt crossed the part of my bod getting rads, and I was having a bit of a problem with burns near the end.  She and I went to Origins, a neat coffee shop neither of us had been to before, to celebrate.

I kept a composition notebook where I listed the things people did for me/us so that I would remember how so many people were so good to us in so many ways.  It served then, and still does, as an encouragement to me.  I am blessed with good family and good friends.

CypressCynthia

This is a super

This is a super topic!!!!

Like others there are so many!  But here is a favorite:

After my first chemo, way back in 1987, I was really, really ill.  Puking my guts out and not knowing what to do.  A friend of a relative (not someone I even knew) brought me marijuana.  I tried it in deperation because I needed to get back to chemo the next day.  Well, it didn't work at all.  I was puking my guts out, dizzy and weak.

The next day, I called my dad (in his 70's) and told him that I needed to reschedule my chemo.  I then called my doctor. 

An hour later, my dad showed up in his big ford with a blanket and pot and hustled me in his car.  I know my bedroom was still stinky with pot from the night before, because I could see the shock in his face.   He didn't say a word.  Just got me in the car.

After parking the car, we walked to the office and I was so weak then that I was leaning on this poor elderly man.  We both looked like we were going down.

Somehow we made it, my onc and his nurse took one look at me and started IV fluids and, miraculously, within an hour all vomiting and dizziness was gone.  I guess my electrolytes had really been messed up because I was immediately better.  An hour later, I received my second dose of chemo.

Adding to this mess was my allergy to most nausea meds.  I can't take compazine, inapsine, phenergan, etc without ending up in the ER with an uncontrollable dystonic reaction.  Honestly I looked just like I had cerebral palsy after compazine.  Back then, there was no zofran, aloxi, etc.

My chemo nurse, Cynthia, had a real heart-to-heart with me and really listened to what I had tried and then told me she was getting me a script for reglan (not used anymore much because of risk of tardive dyskinesia - especially in older women).  Anyway, she told me to take it every day I received chemo, which back then was 7 days each month.

It worked!  Thank God!  I was able to finish chemo and go back to work and I made it through just fine.

Fast forward 27 years and I have been fighting bone, lung and liver mets.  The same chemo nurse, Cynthia, had moved to my community and was working at the local cancer center.  She asked if I remembered her and, of course, I did.  She then friended me on Facebook.

With my last chemo, I ran into a big problem with severe joint pain (could not even lift my arms) and Cynthia saw me posting about it on FB and called me immediately on a Sunday at home to explain that this was not from neulasta (as I thought), but was most likely serum sickness.  She told me what to do until I got back to my onc and it really helped.

My husband has been a rock and I cannot finish this post without mentioning him.  I can't imagine how difficult it must be to live with someone with cancer for so very long.  He has never complained and insists that he "enjoys" being there for me.  That love has been such a blessing for me.  The man is just a rock and has the most unbelieveable stamina as a caregiver.  How dd I ever luck into him?  Seriously, I don't know...lol, as we were kids when we married.  I was 21 and we have now been married for 40 years this November! 

So many blessing, thank you dear one for reminding us!

carkris

CypressCynthia said:

This is a super

This is a super topic!!!!

Like others there are so many!  But here is a favorite:

After my first chemo, way back in 1987, I was really, really ill.  Puking my guts out and not knowing what to do.  A friend of a relative (not someone I even knew) brought me marijuana.  I tried it in deperation because I needed to get back to chemo the next day.  Well, it didn't work at all.  I was puking my guts out, dizzy and weak.

The next day, I called my dad (in his 70's) and told him that I needed to reschedule my chemo.  I then called my doctor. 

An hour later, my dad showed up in his big ford with a blanket and pot and hustled me in his car.  I know my bedroom was still stinky with pot from the night before, because I could see the shock in his face.   He didn't say a word.  Just got me in the car.

After parking the car, we walked to the office and I was so weak then that I was leaning on this poor elderly man.  We both looked like we were going down.

Somehow we made it, my onc and his nurse took one look at me and started IV fluids and, miraculously, within an hour all vomiting and dizziness was gone.  I guess my electrolytes had really been messed up because I was immediately better.  An hour later, I received my second dose of chemo.

Adding to this mess was my allergy to most nausea meds.  I can't take compazine, inapsine, phenergan, etc without ending up in the ER with an uncontrollable dystonic reaction.  Honestly I looked just like I had cerebral palsy after compazine.  Back then, there was no zofran, aloxi, etc.

My chemo nurse, Cynthia, had a real heart-to-heart with me and really listened to what I had tried and then told me she was getting me a script for reglan (not used anymore much because of risk of tardive dyskinesia - especially in older women).  Anyway, she told me to take it every day I received chemo, which back then was 7 days each month.

It worked!  Thank God!  I was able to finish chemo and go back to work and I made it through just fine.

Fast forward 27 years and I have been fighting bone, lung and liver mets.  The same chemo nurse, Cynthia, had moved to my community and was working at the local cancer center.  She asked if I remembered her and, of course, I did.  She then friended me on Facebook.

With my last chemo, I ran into a big problem with severe joint pain (could not even lift my arms) and Cynthia saw me posting about it on FB and called me immediately on a Sunday at home to explain that this was not from neulasta (as I thought), but was most likely serum sickness.  She told me what to do until I got back to my onc and it really helped.

My husband has been a rock and I cannot finish this post without mentioning him.  I can't imagine how difficult it must be to live with someone with cancer for so very long.  He has never complained and insists that he "enjoys" being there for me.  That love has been such a blessing for me.  The man is just a rock and has the most unbelieveable stamina as a caregiver.  How dd I ever luck into him?  Seriously, I don't know...lol, as we were kids when we married.  I was 21 and we have now been married for 40 years this November! 

So many blessing, thank you dear one for reminding us!

Many people were awesome. One

Many people were awesome. One thing that took me totally by suprise was a fellow worker won tickets to Ellen Degeneres in an auction and he gave them to me. I flw out there with my sisiter and had a grat time. I met Olga and Ines. He said I was his hero, and he wante to give me something.

disneyfan2008

rutzetta said:

Surgery

During my surgery in 4/2011, I had a group of 25 ppl from my family & church waiting for me after surgery. When the doctor came out to give the update he asked, which family members are you here for, when the group replied, they were all here for Constance, the doctor was stunned. He told me the next day it was nice to see such a big support group for his patient. Even though I went in for a lumpectomy and came out of surgery needing chemo also, the doctor knew I was surrounded by lots of prayers and support

Rultetta: That is

Rultetta: That is great....

 

Denise

disneyfan2008

andi44 said:

nice things...

Denise, this is a very nice discussion topic....

I work in the mortgage industry, and one of my loan originators mailed a card to me every day that I was off work.  (ended up getting 30+ cards from her)   Though I received cards from other people, for some reason it meant more coming from her because she didn't have too...She even went so far and created 'flash cards' that pertained to my job.  She said she wanted to keep my mind sharp so I wouldn't forget my job (I wish I could forget about it)  -  Anyway, I found that to be so sweet.  When I did go back to work, I took her out for lunch and bought her a bottle of wine for her kindness.  My partner and parents have also been wonderful, then and now with what I'm continuing to go thru...I am so very fortunate to have so many wonderful people in my life.

Andi     

 

Adni,
 
I Like perky

Adni,

 

I Like perky subjects....

 

(My mom's boss's son in bad accident/ brain damaged etc. UNTIL THE day my mom died shs mailed him a card weekly-whcih was over 10 yrs) So I can see your appreciation of your cards.)

 

Denise

 

disneyfan2008

desertgirl947 said:

It is difficult to name ONE,

It is difficult to name ONE, as between family, church family, school (work) family, and community family, a lot of amazing support and help was given me (and my husband) from start to finish.  Even doctors/nurses commented on the variety of people they saw bringing me to appointments. giving to me.

I think one of the special neat things done for me was done a few times by a friend of mine who drove me several times for various appointments.  She knows I like good coffee.  So, if I was feeling pretty good after an appointment/treatment, she would ask me if I would like to get something at a coffee shop.  I think I always was able to say that I did.  We would sometimes take a bit of a drive to try a new location, which was a great way to give me a change of scenery/routine.  My last day of rads, she was my driver -- I had had to ask for some friends to drive me the last few times because my seatbelt crossed the part of my bod getting rads, and I was having a bit of a problem with burns near the end.  She and I went to Origins, a neat coffee shop neither of us had been to before, to celebrate.

I kept a composition notebook where I listed the things people did for me/us so that I would remember how so many people were so good to us in so many ways.  It served then, and still does, as an encouragement to me.  I am blessed with good family and good friends.

wow, good idea to write it

wow, good idea to write it all down..Ikept a journal-but mine was to vent , mostly of how crappy my job treated me.

 

NICE you had so many in your life...

Denise

disneyfan2008

CypressCynthia said:

This is a super

This is a super topic!!!!

Like others there are so many!  But here is a favorite:

After my first chemo, way back in 1987, I was really, really ill.  Puking my guts out and not knowing what to do.  A friend of a relative (not someone I even knew) brought me marijuana.  I tried it in deperation because I needed to get back to chemo the next day.  Well, it didn't work at all.  I was puking my guts out, dizzy and weak.

The next day, I called my dad (in his 70's) and told him that I needed to reschedule my chemo.  I then called my doctor. 

An hour later, my dad showed up in his big ford with a blanket and pot and hustled me in his car.  I know my bedroom was still stinky with pot from the night before, because I could see the shock in his face.   He didn't say a word.  Just got me in the car.

After parking the car, we walked to the office and I was so weak then that I was leaning on this poor elderly man.  We both looked like we were going down.

Somehow we made it, my onc and his nurse took one look at me and started IV fluids and, miraculously, within an hour all vomiting and dizziness was gone.  I guess my electrolytes had really been messed up because I was immediately better.  An hour later, I received my second dose of chemo.

Adding to this mess was my allergy to most nausea meds.  I can't take compazine, inapsine, phenergan, etc without ending up in the ER with an uncontrollable dystonic reaction.  Honestly I looked just like I had cerebral palsy after compazine.  Back then, there was no zofran, aloxi, etc.

My chemo nurse, Cynthia, had a real heart-to-heart with me and really listened to what I had tried and then told me she was getting me a script for reglan (not used anymore much because of risk of tardive dyskinesia - especially in older women).  Anyway, she told me to take it every day I received chemo, which back then was 7 days each month.

It worked!  Thank God!  I was able to finish chemo and go back to work and I made it through just fine.

Fast forward 27 years and I have been fighting bone, lung and liver mets.  The same chemo nurse, Cynthia, had moved to my community and was working at the local cancer center.  She asked if I remembered her and, of course, I did.  She then friended me on Facebook.

With my last chemo, I ran into a big problem with severe joint pain (could not even lift my arms) and Cynthia saw me posting about it on FB and called me immediately on a Sunday at home to explain that this was not from neulasta (as I thought), but was most likely serum sickness.  She told me what to do until I got back to my onc and it really helped.

My husband has been a rock and I cannot finish this post without mentioning him.  I can't imagine how difficult it must be to live with someone with cancer for so very long.  He has never complained and insists that he "enjoys" being there for me.  That love has been such a blessing for me.  The man is just a rock and has the most unbelieveable stamina as a caregiver.  How dd I ever luck into him?  Seriously, I don't know...lol, as we were kids when we married.  I was 21 and we have now been married for 40 years this November! 

So many blessing, thank you dear one for reminding us!

wow great....to hear all the 

wow great....to hear all the  good things..

 

mtmom

Lovely!

How nice to dwell on the good!

We were so blessed by our church family, homeschool families, and 4H families. From the time we started chemo until after surgery and occasionally during rads these wonderful people provided meals for my family. I'm talking at least every other day and some weeks it was every day! It lifted a huge burden to know my family was taken care of for this season. And they always came with a hug and a prayer.

Blessings,

~Mtmom

sbmly53

My BFF threw an impromptu get together for me

to encourage me. I had not told my husband yet and she gathered friends closest to us even though no one knew why. I told some of them and still didn't tell hubby for a few more days. But I felt like I had so much support.

And, my hubby bought a puppy for me during rads. She was the reason I got out of bed and off the couch.

 

Sue