Checking In

tuffenuff
tuffenuff Member Posts: 277
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Still having only light side effects. Mucus in back of throat is a bit worse but not unmanageable. Only 3 mOre rads to go!! Rad Onc Doc said if she can judge by how my body has managed it this far, she doesnt expect my side effects to get much worse. Hope she's right! Feeding tube site is all. I ely healed. No issues there.

The bad news.... Didn't get me chemo last week due to low WBC. Had labs today and it actually went down lower. That makes two weeks with no chemo. I'm not quite sure how to process that just yet.

However, the chemo break had me feeling pretty good. I was even out driving around with the radio full blast. And gave myself some pink hair to help a friend feel better. I'm ringing that damn bell Friday regardless of what happens with chemo!!!!

Cindy

Comments

  • NoDuck
    NoDuck Member Posts: 134
    #2
    Rockin' That Pink Hair
    Way to go! I was just wondering about you today remembering you were about a week behind Hubby on finishing rads. It is a great feeling to ring that bell!

    Dale did not get to take all the chemo they originally planned for him. He did all he could and more than some so we leave it in the Lord's hands. Know you have fought the good fight with all you have no matter how many chemos you get.

    Prayers for strength and healing as you hit the home stretch.

    Deb
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #3
    nice report
    Hey Cindy,

    Just checking out you’re checking in and I missed the part about adding a little pink to my hair, that would definitely be feel better move (note to self add pink to hair during week 7). Don’t worry about the chemo, I am sure they will hold a spot for you if needed and the bell, ring away it is a celebration of making it through radiation. I don’t know if there is an official ‘hurrah” for completing chemo?

    I am glad you are feeling good, so keep on doing what you are doing because I think you are doing it right.

    Best,

    Matt
  • katenorwood
    katenorwood Member Posts: 1,912
    #4
    Pink hair...love it !
    Cindy,
    Hello ! I think you're doing great ! I know if your WBC goes too low there is a shot they can give you to help bring it up. Pink hair girl, that's awsome. Hope it brang a smile to your friends face. Warmest wishes sent, Katie
  • tuffenuff
    tuffenuff Member Posts: 277
    #5
    CivilMatt said:

    nice report
    Hey Cindy,

    Just checking out you’re checking in and I missed the part about adding a little pink to my hair, that would definitely be feel better move (note to self add pink to hair during week 7). Don’t worry about the chemo, I am sure they will hold a spot for you if needed and the bell, ring away it is a celebration of making it through radiation. I don’t know if there is an official ‘hurrah” for completing chemo?

    I am glad you are feeling good, so keep on doing what you are doing because I think you are doing it right.

    Best,

    Matt

    Well I just tried to change
    Well I just tried to change my pic to one with the pink hair but it's giving me a fit.
  • boardwalkgirl
    boardwalkgirl Member Posts: 269
    #6
    That is great news, we are
    That is great news, we are on the same count down. My mucous has gotten worse this week too but am using adolf meat tenderizer in warm water to rinse with and it seems to cut it most of the time. They gave me Neulasta the day after each of my chemo to boost my white cells. I have labs tomorrow so we will see what the red cells are doing. Love the idea of the pink hair. You are staying so positive.
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #7
    Yeah pink hair!!
    I think that is perfect. I just know you'll be ringing that bell....on time! Do you have to make up the chemo's, like are they just holding off till you WBC's come back up? Chemo is streatched out so far, for me it's like it's ended 4 or 5 times only to come back around.

    Delete your old pic....put in your new pic....refresh your browser, and that should do the trick.

    p
  • tuffenuff
    tuffenuff Member Posts: 277
    #8
    phrannie51 said:

    Yeah pink hair!!
    I think that is perfect. I just know you'll be ringing that bell....on time! Do you have to make up the chemo's, like are they just holding off till you WBC's come back up? Chemo is streatched out so far, for me it's like it's ended 4 or 5 times only to come back around.

    Delete your old pic....put in your new pic....refresh your browser, and that should do the trick.

    p

    As far as I know, I have to
    As far as I know, I have to make up the missed chemo. Yuck... But better safe than reallllllly sorry.
  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #9
    tuffenuff said:

    As far as I know, I have to
    As far as I know, I have to make up the missed chemo. Yuck... But better safe than reallllllly sorry.

    Bell
    My cancer center had 2 bells, one for radiation and one for chemo. They gave me a free pass on my last chemo I didn't finish but I went down the hall and rang the bell anyway.
    You're almost there!
  • tuffenuff
    tuffenuff Member Posts: 277
    #10
    THIS JUST IN!!! (lol... Who
    THIS JUST IN!!! (lol... Who remembers the news reports Kermit did on Sesame Street??) I get to take an additional two week break from chemo. That's a total of four weeks off to get my counts back up. Then I will go back and finish my last two weekly doses. I discussed this with the doc and after we looked at the statistics on the 100mg every 21 days (for a total of 300mg) and the % of patients who have good results even though they couldn't tolerate the 3rd dose. He said only 50% of patients who opt for the high dose actually finish all the treatment. I'm already over the 200mg mark so I'm just going to enjoy the break. Hopefully this makes sense. I think I'm rambling.
  • tuffenuff
    tuffenuff Member Posts: 277
    #11
    hwt said:

    Bell
    My cancer center had 2 bells, one for radiation and one for chemo. They gave me a free pass on my last chemo I didn't finish but I went down the hall and rang the bell anyway.
    You're almost there!

    My doc is insisting I make
    My doc is insisting I make it up since Herbie the Lump of Death has not disappeared 100%. Of course, I'm told it may not go away 100% because the node is cystic. But we are trying to err on the side of caution since I'm "young and tolerating the treatment so well". Lol!!!
  • CajunEagle
    CajunEagle Member Posts: 408
    #12
    tuffenuff said:

    THIS JUST IN!!! (lol... Who
    THIS JUST IN!!! (lol... Who remembers the news reports Kermit did on Sesame Street??) I get to take an additional two week break from chemo. That's a total of four weeks off to get my counts back up. Then I will go back and finish my last two weekly doses. I discussed this with the doc and after we looked at the statistics on the 100mg every 21 days (for a total of 300mg) and the % of patients who have good results even though they couldn't tolerate the 3rd dose. He said only 50% of patients who opt for the high dose actually finish all the treatment. I'm already over the 200mg mark so I'm just going to enjoy the break. Hopefully this makes sense. I think I'm rambling.

    Good report
    and great to get some time to get that WBC back up to par. Now, just don't go out running neckid in the streets. :)

    Larry
  • tuffenuff
    tuffenuff Member Posts: 277
    #13
    CajunEagle said:

    Good report
    and great to get some time to get that WBC back up to par. Now, just don't go out running neckid in the streets. :)

    Larry

    Have you been spying on
    Have you been spying on me??? Lol.

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