Tomorrow (Tuesday) is Day One of Induction

jcortney
jcortney Member Posts: 503
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Well, after a bit of a panic, tomorrow is the day to start induction. For those of you that haven't seen the blog (jcortney.blogspot.com) my surgeon that inserted my port on Friday called on Saturday morning and said "I had a hard time getting the port in and I'm not convinced that it's in the proper spot. So, I don't want you to start Chemo on Monday I want you back in the hospital to check out the port". So, went to Baylor today and all checked out. I want to send kudo's to the Doc. He didn't let his ego get in the way of making sure I was ok. So, thanks Dr. P.

Let the fun begin!!

Thanks all for the good wishes.

Joe

Comments

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #2
    Chemo Center
    More than likely the nursed will go over everything with you also....

    They'll tell you to let them know if you feel like the solution isn't going in how it should..cold, wet feeling if I remember right.

    They'll take good care of you...

    Sit close to the bathrooms if you have a choice. Also, take a lunch, you'll be glad you did once the regulars start cracking out theres and you smell it..and your stomach starts reacting.

    Best,
    John
  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #3
    Skiffin16 said:

    Chemo Center
    More than likely the nursed will go over everything with you also....

    They'll tell you to let them know if you feel like the solution isn't going in how it should..cold, wet feeling if I remember right.

    They'll take good care of you...

    Sit close to the bathrooms if you have a choice. Also, take a lunch, you'll be glad you did once the regulars start cracking out theres and you smell it..and your stomach starts reacting.

    Best,
    John

    I guess one of the questions
    I guess one of the questions I didn't ask is how long will I be there. For some reason, I thought they'd set me up, start the pump and then send me off.

    J.
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #4
    Is all your chemo going to be from the pump??
    If that's the case, then they do kinda just hook you up, explain what the pump might do if the tubing gets crimped, or it starts running out of medicine, etc...and them send you out the door. I don't know tho, if your doc will do that the first time, tho...they might want to watch you in case of a reaction (they made me face the nurses station the first chemo, in case I had a reaction)....

    With Cisplatin, I got there at 8:30, got out of there at around 4:00...I always took an ensure to drink, cuz John is right....once people start breaking out the lunches (or having friends bring them in), you think you might starve to death...LOL. He's also right about being close to the bathroom....it was nip and tuck for me EVERY TIME I had to pee, I almost didn't get there in time. (this is from all the hydration they give you during treatment)...

    Actual chemo isn't bad...I slept thru most of it....they always made sure I had plenty of anti nausea meds during chemo....and that I had them at home, too....I took them religiously for 5 or 6 days after....sometimes I'd have to even take them a couple more days....but I was never sick as long as I took them.

    You're going to do fine, I think....you have a great attitude.

    p
  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #5
    jcortney said:

    I guess one of the questions
    I guess one of the questions I didn't ask is how long will I be there. For some reason, I thought they'd set me up, start the pump and then send me off.

    J.

    Nope
    If memory serves me right my chemo tx were 6-8hours. The 1st tx I toted in my laptop, dvd player, magazines, sister and husband. After that I just wanted the warm blanket and slept through the tx. Time passes fairly quickly while you are in there. We could take our pumps on battery back-up outside or to watch tv if we wanted to. They had 2 lounges where they provided soup or drinks and volunteers usually had fruit and cookies set up. They also had a complimentary snack cart that came around with chips, etc. I wouldn't count on those perks so pack that lunch until you know what your center has to offer.
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #6
    next step
    Hi Joe,

    I did not see the blog, but tuned in to you here. It is great that the port has been approved for the start of induction. Keep your good attitude; it will work in your favor.

    Best of luck, smooth sailing and take care,

    Matt
  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #7
    hwt said:

    Nope
    If memory serves me right my chemo tx were 6-8hours. The 1st tx I toted in my laptop, dvd player, magazines, sister and husband. After that I just wanted the warm blanket and slept through the tx. Time passes fairly quickly while you are in there. We could take our pumps on battery back-up outside or to watch tv if we wanted to. They had 2 lounges where they provided soup or drinks and volunteers usually had fruit and cookies set up. They also had a complimentary snack cart that came around with chips, etc. I wouldn't count on those perks so pack that lunch until you know what your center has to offer.

    I'm having induction. What
    I'm having induction. What I understand is that the Chemo will be fed continuously through a pump that I will wear around my hip. Will I still be at the center for 6 hours???
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #8
    CivilMatt said:

    next step
    Hi Joe,

    I did not see the blog, but tuned in to you here. It is great that the port has been approved for the start of induction. Keep your good attitude; it will work in your favor.

    Best of luck, smooth sailing and take care,

    Matt

    Best to you ...
    Can't relared to this part of your treatment ...but praying all goes very well. :)


    Tim
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #9
    Induction...
    Concerning the pump, you are partially correct....depending on what you have going on.

    For myself and several here, especially having 5FU.

    In my case, the cisplatin and taxotere (along with around 6 - 8 bags of other stuff, lasix to make you pee, stuff like benedryl for allergic reactions and hydration).... I was there the first visit for over 8 hours.

    It was induced through an electric pump on a pole. If I had to go pee, I unplugged it, and pulled it with me, it had a battery.

    At the end of the day, they would hook up the 5FU in a fanny pack pump. I'd wear that home on that Monday, come back Friday to have it removed and hydration.

    Each time I came for chemo, they'd run it through faster, as long as I had no reaction. The last of those big three only lasted maybe 5 hours or so.

    For my seven weeks of concurrent...

    I'd come in Monday, they'd run a few bags of whatever through me, one being carboplatin. I would be done in about 2 hours and head to rads...that was Mondays. The rest of the week, I just came in and for me got an injection of Amifostine in the stomach, down to rads.

    Also....

    Everyday before chemo, they would do a complete blood series, making sure I was good to go. That usually added nearly an hour first thing.

    My chemo center had recliners, each with a small TV attached and head phones.

    JG
  • Sv1201
    Sv1201 Member Posts: 1
    #10
    Good luck will be with you, probably the 6 hr. Cisplatin?
    2 years last week. S4 t3n2b, I feel great and renewed. Keep your swallowing except code up if radiation is at the party.

    All the best, steve
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #11
    Something Warm
    Was chilly at my Chemo Lounge. they provided blankets, but I recommend an oversized jacket you can throw on. I had a PICC, not port, so my Induction days (taxotere, cisplatin, benedryl, anti=nausea meds, saline, etcs.) lasted ALL DAY. Port is faster, but I dunno how much so. Then I went home, and a visiting nurse came over and hooked up my 5FU that the drug store usually delivered a day or two beforehand.

    Watch for sudden brain fog. It hit me day one, and I was very startled and concerned. I told my friend to tell the nurse it was hard to think - turns out it was the Benadryl. Some folks need a slower flow. I joked that of all the poison pumping into my body, it was the Benadryl that hit me hard that day. Go figure.

    Don't be afraid to speak up if you need something, or have a question. Do well.
  • Barbara B
    Barbara B Member Posts: 40
    #12
    Pam M said:

    Something Warm
    Was chilly at my Chemo Lounge. they provided blankets, but I recommend an oversized jacket you can throw on. I had a PICC, not port, so my Induction days (taxotere, cisplatin, benedryl, anti=nausea meds, saline, etcs.) lasted ALL DAY. Port is faster, but I dunno how much so. Then I went home, and a visiting nurse came over and hooked up my 5FU that the drug store usually delivered a day or two beforehand.

    Watch for sudden brain fog. It hit me day one, and I was very startled and concerned. I told my friend to tell the nurse it was hard to think - turns out it was the Benadryl. Some folks need a slower flow. I joked that of all the poison pumping into my body, it was the Benadryl that hit me hard that day. Go figure.

    Don't be afraid to speak up if you need something, or have a question. Do well.

    Cisplatin on Mondays
    Every Monday my husband went to the chemo center for his dose of cisplatin. Like Phrannie, he took a couple of Ensures with him. Because he decided to get the cisplatin in smaller weekly doses, we were only there from 8:30 to 12:30.

    They had recliers, and we took our own blankeets from home. For the most part he slept through treatment. We also went back on Fridays for fluids. He had a hard time with dehydration and the fluids given intravenously were more effective than through the tube or by mouth. Our insurance also covered a nurse coming to the house twice per week for intravenous fluids. The last two weeks of treatment he decided to receive fluids at home.

    Everyone involved in your treatment will be understanding, like Pam said, don't be afraid to ask questions. Sending prayers your way.

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