Treatment starts

luvofmylif
luvofmylif Member Posts: 344
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My husband, John, has his port put in today and we start chemo on Wednesday and radiation starts the next day. The unknown is all so scary but know that we have to go thru this to erradicate the cancer.

Reading posts about mets to lungs is so scary...my heart aches for those that are going thru this.

I thank everyone for the knowledge and support they provide on this site.

Joan

Comments

  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #2
    Fight
    take the fight like it's John's war to win and you, your family and friends are there to hep John win his daily battle's on the road to a long time survivorship. everyone remain positive always around john so it helps him maintain a POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE that will carry him down the road to winning the war.

    prayers going out for you, john, doctors, family and friends

    john
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #3
    Definitely Stay Positive...
    As John says, keep it positive....

    During treatment I didn't want to hear any negative storys... If someone (any there were plenty) started telling me of family or friends that had cancer, I would politely interrupt and ask that if it's not a potive ending, I'd rather not hear it right now.

    I can understand there feelings, but I don't want to hear negative ending stories...

    One thing that my wife started, and then I got involved with was a group familt, friend, co-worker email.

    Everytime I had treatment, scans, results, etc... We would send out a group email. It was very uplifting to know so many people were pulling for you from their replys and comments.

    JG
  • luvofmylif
    luvofmylif Member Posts: 344
    #4
    Skiffin16 said:

    Definitely Stay Positive...
    As John says, keep it positive....

    During treatment I didn't want to hear any negative storys... If someone (any there were plenty) started telling me of family or friends that had cancer, I would politely interrupt and ask that if it's not a potive ending, I'd rather not hear it right now.

    I can understand there feelings, but I don't want to hear negative ending stories...

    One thing that my wife started, and then I got involved with was a group familt, friend, co-worker email.

    Everytime I had treatment, scans, results, etc... We would send out a group email. It was very uplifting to know so many people were pulling for you from their replys and comments.

    JG

    Thank you to all. I value
    Thank you to all. I value your advice...afterall, you guys are the veterans who have fought and won. I will be strong and stay positive for John.
  • katenorwood
    katenorwood Member Posts: 1,912
    #5
    Stay positive !
    Joan,
    We will all be sending positive thoughts for John through out his treatments ! Keep us udated...and take care of the caregiver too ! Katie
  • cureitall66
    cureitall66 Member Posts: 913
    #6
    Share your feelings...
    We are starting treatment today also. Just diagnosed in August as well(click on my name for details). Yes, the unknown is scarey, but we need to stay focused on the treatment and put our faith in God and trust that these doctors will be guided in the right direction.

    I've read the same things you have. But, I've also read successful stories as well. Everyone is different. Every treatment can be different depending on the location/extent/type of the cancer.

    We are going to focus on getting our weeks down one at a time to get to our 7 week goal. From there we will put our energy into healing and staying positive for a favorable outcome.

    I'm counting on my CSN friends here to help me through this...I suggest you try to do the same. We can all help in one way or another.

    Take care of yourself too.
  • luvofmylif
    luvofmylif Member Posts: 344
    #7
    cureitall66 said:

    Share your feelings...
    We are starting treatment today also. Just diagnosed in August as well(click on my name for details). Yes, the unknown is scarey, but we need to stay focused on the treatment and put our faith in God and trust that these doctors will be guided in the right direction.

    I've read the same things you have. But, I've also read successful stories as well. Everyone is different. Every treatment can be different depending on the location/extent/type of the cancer.

    We are going to focus on getting our weeks down one at a time to get to our 7 week goal. From there we will put our energy into healing and staying positive for a favorable outcome.

    I'm counting on my CSN friends here to help me through this...I suggest you try to do the same. We can all help in one way or another.

    Take care of yourself too.

    Good luck to you also. I
    Good luck to you also. I know we are not alone in the fight. Others, such as you and your loved one are in the same battle.

    I will be thinking and praying for you also.

    One day at a time...


    Joan
  • luvofmylif
    luvofmylif Member Posts: 344
    #8
    cureitall66 said:

    Share your feelings...
    We are starting treatment today also. Just diagnosed in August as well(click on my name for details). Yes, the unknown is scarey, but we need to stay focused on the treatment and put our faith in God and trust that these doctors will be guided in the right direction.

    I've read the same things you have. But, I've also read successful stories as well. Everyone is different. Every treatment can be different depending on the location/extent/type of the cancer.

    We are going to focus on getting our weeks down one at a time to get to our 7 week goal. From there we will put our energy into healing and staying positive for a favorable outcome.

    I'm counting on my CSN friends here to help me through this...I suggest you try to do the same. We can all help in one way or another.

    Take care of yourself too.

    Good luck to you also. I
    Good luck to you also. I know we are not alone in the fight. Others, such as you and your loved one are in the same battle.

    I will be thinking and praying for you also.

    One day at a time...


    Joan
  • ditto1
    ditto1 Member Posts: 660
    #9
    luvofmylif said:

    Good luck to you also. I
    Good luck to you also. I know we are not alone in the fight. Others, such as you and your loved one are in the same battle.

    I will be thinking and praying for you also.

    One day at a time...


    Joan

    On your mark get ready, go.
    Yes its time to get started and thats when you can take control. It will be tough at times but time will tell how tough, likely not to bad as it was for some of us. But your husband will do fine and we will be hear if you need us and prayers are always on there way. So go get the Beast and kick its butt.
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #10
    Like everyone says....positive is the way to go...
    Chemo days for me were relaxing. I could go to the Dr.'s, sit in a nice recliner and play on my laptop as much as I wanted...talk to other folks (when we were all awake...lots of sleeping happens during chemo)...after chemo just follow the anti-nausea schedule to the letter, and at least that part of the side effects will take care of itself. It's all going to be ok...

    Like John has said many times, once you get into the radiation schedule, it is like ground hog days...same thing everyday, same time, same station...one foot in front of the other...just remember that all of this is exhausting. Hubby will be very tired and probably sleep a lot. Gotta emphasize hydration and food here...when he's awake drinking lots of water, and eating whenever and whatever he wants for the first 3 weeks or so until it gets either too burny to eat, or his taste buds take a hike...then meals can be Ensure or Boost, just as long as he gets his calories in.

    Stick close to this group, they are so much help...not only the knowledge, but they boost ya up, and let you laugh at things, and generally lighten the load. I came here everyday without fail (still do)...

    p
  • luvofmylif
    luvofmylif Member Posts: 344
    #11
    phrannie51 said:

    Like everyone says....positive is the way to go...
    Chemo days for me were relaxing. I could go to the Dr.'s, sit in a nice recliner and play on my laptop as much as I wanted...talk to other folks (when we were all awake...lots of sleeping happens during chemo)...after chemo just follow the anti-nausea schedule to the letter, and at least that part of the side effects will take care of itself. It's all going to be ok...

    Like John has said many times, once you get into the radiation schedule, it is like ground hog days...same thing everyday, same time, same station...one foot in front of the other...just remember that all of this is exhausting. Hubby will be very tired and probably sleep a lot. Gotta emphasize hydration and food here...when he's awake drinking lots of water, and eating whenever and whatever he wants for the first 3 weeks or so until it gets either too burny to eat, or his taste buds take a hike...then meals can be Ensure or Boost, just as long as he gets his calories in.

    Stick close to this group, they are so much help...not only the knowledge, but they boost ya up, and let you laugh at things, and generally lighten the load. I came here everyday without fail (still do)...

    p

    Thanks Phrannie for advice.
    Thanks Phrannie for advice. I just want this treatment over with. I am worried about how sick he will get and then on his last day of radiation he has to get last dose of chemo.
    So I know he will be feeling bad for a while even after treatment is ended.

    I will encourage him to eat and drink. He became severely dehydrated while in hospital and I don't want to see that happen again. So, I guess the first 2 weeks will be kind of of, and the last 4 sound like they are grueling. You don't know how much it means to me to here you say "its all gonna be ok". That helps me alot.

    I am just so fearful. Don't want him to suffer. Its truly killing me.

    Praying for all of you that are in this war.

    Joan

    Thank you Ditto 1 and everyone on this site. You are all so kind
  • Billie67
    Billie67 Member Posts: 898
    #12
    luvofmylif said:

    Thanks Phrannie for advice.
    Thanks Phrannie for advice. I just want this treatment over with. I am worried about how sick he will get and then on his last day of radiation he has to get last dose of chemo.
    So I know he will be feeling bad for a while even after treatment is ended.

    I will encourage him to eat and drink. He became severely dehydrated while in hospital and I don't want to see that happen again. So, I guess the first 2 weeks will be kind of of, and the last 4 sound like they are grueling. You don't know how much it means to me to here you say "its all gonna be ok". That helps me alot.

    I am just so fearful. Don't want him to suffer. Its truly killing me.

    Praying for all of you that are in this war.

    Joan

    Thank you Ditto 1 and everyone on this site. You are all so kind

    Sound like a broken record but....
    Stay positive. There will be days that he feels like giving up and you will be there to tell him it's not an option. Don't let anyone tell you any negative stories and don't go researching online if you can help it. Know that this does pass and get better. Being a girl I just kept telling myself that this whole thing was just like going thru a long long labor and at the end i would have something to be happy about just like when my babies were born. It's a lot of work but so worth it when you hear NED!!!
    Take good care of yourself and your hubby and get lots of rest.
    Billie
  • Hard12Find
    Hard12Find Member Posts: 218 Member
    #13
    Positive
    Thoughts, and don't forget to pray. My thoughts and prayers are with you and John. I have one week of treatment down. So you guys will be right behind me, when we get our NED!!
    Jim
  • NoDuck
    NoDuck Member Posts: 134
    #14
    Family and Friends
    In addition to what others have said and to join in with Skiffins suggestion about the mass email, we found great comfort and benefit with one of the websites that allows you to set up a page for your loved one to post updates and photos. Guests can post messages that Hubby looked forward to each day. And it was helpful for me not to have to repeat the same updates over and over. And I think it was therapeutic for me to write about our experience.

    We used Caring Bridge. A friend has used Care Pages. I'm technology challenged and the web page was easy to set up. Photos were easy to upload. Dale's site has been up since June and he has nearly 1800 visits. We are humbled and blessed that so many are following our journey and stand at the ready to help. One of the other features which we have not used is the ability for your friends and family to organize help for you. For example, if you need transportation to treatment, you put it on the planner and friends and family can then schedule when they can help.

    Knowing you are not alone, that folks care and truly want to help and hear about the ups and down of this journey is comforting.

    Prayers for strength.

    Deb

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