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

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

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

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. 

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 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 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.

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