Update on me
Hi all. I wanted to thank you all once again for the encouraging things you said in response to my first post "So angry..." from a few weeks ago. Much has happened since then!
I've now had 3 chemo treatments (weekly Taxol for 3 months). Before the first one I had a fairly severe breakdown (just to recap, I have social anxiety disorder, so new situations are very difficult for me to deal with) but I did end up going through with the chemo. I really didn't feel much in terms of side effects for the first two treatments, so that was encouraging.
A few days before my third treatment, I developped a cold. Not fun! I went through with the chemo anyway on the third week, but told my ongologist and my nurse that my colds tend to turn into pneumonia, so could they please send me for a chest x-ray while I was at the hospital anyway to make sure everything was clear? They did send me for one, and perscribed me an antibiotic that I could take "just in case", but they didn't feel it was anything serious.
Fast forward to two days later, and I end up being rushed to emergency with a blood oxygen down around 85%, being pumped full of inhalors and steroids until I became physically ill, and spending 3 days in hospital on oxygen before I was allowed to go home. And to top it all off, my hair started falling out while I was in hospital. NOT the place you want to be dealing with that!
I've been home since Sunday, and i'm finally starting to feel better from the pneumonia today. Saw ongologist again on Tuesday who agreed that chemo would not be a great idea this week while i'm still recovering, so we will re-evaluate next week to see if I can start up again, or take another week off.
The good news in all of this, however, is that according to him I have one of the fastest shrinking tumors that he's ever seen! So, I guess if i can only get lucky with one thing on this whole journey, i'll take an awesome super shrinking tumor over hair or a few days in hospital on oxygen.
Comments
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Sooo glad to hear that your
Sooo glad to hear that your tumor is shrinking so fast that is a very good sign. You should be dancing with Ned soon. ( Ned is No evidence of disease). I will keep you in my prayers and will be checking back on you often.
Take care Kay,
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sorry you were so ill but
sorry you were so ill but happy you are home.
good news about the tumor...
Denise
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Good news about the tumorsmalldoggroomer said:Sooo glad to hear that your
Sooo glad to hear that your tumor is shrinking so fast that is a very good sign. You should be dancing with Ned soon. ( Ned is No evidence of disease). I will keep you in my prayers and will be checking back on you often.
Take care Kay,
Good news about the tumor shrinking!
Praying,
Debby
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Shrinking Tumor
A shrinking tumor is wonderful. I'm on taxol too. I had problems, anemia and need iron infusion, bleeding stomach ulcers but my last scan in May showed tumors in both lungs had shrunk and the ribs were stable.
The trade off is hard and it's scary but ......... I also like the results.
Best wishes to you,
Doris
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This is such good news aboutSIROD said:Shrinking Tumor
A shrinking tumor is wonderful. I'm on taxol too. I had problems, anemia and need iron infusion, bleeding stomach ulcers but my last scan in May showed tumors in both lungs had shrunk and the ribs were stable.
The trade off is hard and it's scary but ......... I also like the results.
Best wishes to you,
Doris
This is such good news about your tumor. Hoping it will shrink away totally!
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So sorry about the hospitalKobias said:This is such good news about
This is such good news about your tumor. Hoping it will shrink away totally!
So sorry about the hospital stay and your being so ill. Hoping you're on the road to recovery now and that the tumor shrinks away forever.
Hugs, Rose
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Lots of hugs and positivePink Rose said:So sorry about the hospital
So sorry about the hospital stay and your being so ill. Hoping you're on the road to recovery now and that the tumor shrinks away forever.
Hugs, Rose
Lots of hugs and positive thoughts! Your good news was so welcomed!
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Update to the update..
Had the hubby shave my head tonight. I've been very day to day on this, because I had really thick hair and I could have gotten away with it a little while longer, but I couldn't stand sleeping with a towel on my pillow and clogging the drain every time I shower, so I just did it. Still on the fence about a wig, since I am a head sweater..
i thought I would be more sad after I did it, but I honestly feel kinda liberated!
does anyone have any tips on what a good moisturizer to use on my head?
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Just to say that I am soComfortablyNumb said:Update to the update..
Had the hubby shave my head tonight. I've been very day to day on this, because I had really thick hair and I could have gotten away with it a little while longer, but I couldn't stand sleeping with a towel on my pillow and clogging the drain every time I shower, so I just did it. Still on the fence about a wig, since I am a head sweater..
i thought I would be more sad after I did it, but I honestly feel kinda liberated!
does anyone have any tips on what a good moisturizer to use on my head?
Just to say that I am so happy your tumor is shrinking!
Sue
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Would your oncologist or oneComfortablyNumb said:Update to the update..
Had the hubby shave my head tonight. I've been very day to day on this, because I had really thick hair and I could have gotten away with it a little while longer, but I couldn't stand sleeping with a towel on my pillow and clogging the drain every time I shower, so I just did it. Still on the fence about a wig, since I am a head sweater..
i thought I would be more sad after I did it, but I honestly feel kinda liberated!
does anyone have any tips on what a good moisturizer to use on my head?
Would your oncologist or one of his nurses be able to help you with a moisturizer? I didn't take chemo, so, I don't know what would be good.
Good luck!
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It's good that you feelComfortablyNumb said:Update to the update..
Had the hubby shave my head tonight. I've been very day to day on this, because I had really thick hair and I could have gotten away with it a little while longer, but I couldn't stand sleeping with a towel on my pillow and clogging the drain every time I shower, so I just did it. Still on the fence about a wig, since I am a head sweater..
i thought I would be more sad after I did it, but I honestly feel kinda liberated!
does anyone have any tips on what a good moisturizer to use on my head?
It's good that you feel liberated after having your head shaved. Always thinking of you and sending prayers!
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Praying it will continue toSIROD said:Shrinking Tumor
A shrinking tumor is wonderful. I'm on taxol too. I had problems, anemia and need iron infusion, bleeding stomach ulcers but my last scan in May showed tumors in both lungs had shrunk and the ribs were stable.
The trade off is hard and it's scary but ......... I also like the results.
Best wishes to you,
Doris
Praying it will continue to shrink for you.
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Back this AM...
Going in to see both on my oncologists (surgical and medical) this morning before hopefully resuming chemo later today. My tumor was 5mm when I was diagnosed and was close to surface, meaning I could feel it very easily, and now I'm not able to feel anything at all, even lying on my back...so we'll see what they have to say about that! Fingers crossed that they give my lungs the all clear so I can do chemo today...
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Hope everything turns outComfortablyNumb said:Back this AM...
Going in to see both on my oncologists (surgical and medical) this morning before hopefully resuming chemo later today. My tumor was 5mm when I was diagnosed and was close to surface, meaning I could feel it very easily, and now I'm not able to feel anything at all, even lying on my back...so we'll see what they have to say about that! Fingers crossed that they give my lungs the all clear so I can do chemo today...
Hope everything turns out well for you.
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No chemo until next week. Butcoco2008 said:Hope everything turns out
Hope everything turns out well for you.
No chemo until next week. But my tumor has lost more than half it's size and volume an the month since I've started chemo, so YAY!
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Yay for sure! That is goodComfortablyNumb said:No chemo until next week. But
No chemo until next week. But my tumor has lost more than half it's size and volume an the month since I've started chemo, so YAY!
Yay for sure! That is good news about the tumor!
Sue
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