Saw a Wound Care doctor today

EZLiving66 · January 2016

I finally was able to get into the Wound Care clinic today. They took pictures of my port site wound and measured it. Then they gave me a prescription to soak my packing material in before I pack the wound twice a day. I also got some new kind of bandage that isn't supposed to rip my skin off. I go back next week for them to check its progress. If this doesn't work they'll try something else. I finally feel like there is a light at the end of this tunnel. It's been almost three months since I had the port installed and it never healed properly. They told me to keep my blood glucose under control, really push the protein and get enough sleep.

I've also been having more energy. Today is six weeks since my last chemo. So far, no hair is growing back and I still am having major stomach problems BUT it seems like my fingers and toes aren't so numb and I made it through the night last night for the first time in weeks without pain medication. I woke up once with pain in my hip but just changed sleeping positions and fell back asleep immediately.

I have to do our company's W2's and close out 2015 this week. My chemo brain is still evident and it makes me nervous doing this work right now, but it can't wait. Hopefully, everything will tie together!!

Love,

Eldri

Lou Ann M · January 2016

Thank goodnes

I am so happy that you can see that light at the end of the tunnel. Hoping that each day gets a little better for you. Until this is all just a memory. Hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

Kaleena · January 2016

Yes it seems everything is

Yes it seems everything is starting to get better evennif it's going slowly.

I know what you mean about work. My best yo you

Kathy

molimoli · January 2016

keepin blood sugar low is key to healing

Eldri it's good to know that they are now really paying attention to the wound and it's impact on your quality of life. In a couple of weeks this shall be memory. hang tough, Sorry you have gone through so much, directing the wind now is not an option so concentrate on resetting your sails as we all must.It,s the worry about our yesterday that locks us out of tomorrow's joy.Chin up my sister,I am hugging.

Moli.

TeddyandBears_Mom · January 2016

molimoli said:
keepin blood sugar low is key to healing
Eldri it's good to know that they are now really paying attention to the wound and it's impact on your quality of life. In a couple of weeks this shall be memory. hang tough, Sorry you have gone through so much, directing the wind now is not an option so concentrate on resetting your sails as we all must.It,s the worry about our yesterday that locks us out of tomorrow's joy.Chin up my sister,I am hugging.

Moli.

wound care

Eldri,

So glad you are starting to feel better. What an ordeal you have been through!

I'm sending positive vibes your way for that darn wound to heal asap.

Hopefully it will be a distant memory very soon as Moli said.

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

EZLiving66 · January 2016

As I read through the posts I

As I read through the posts I see women who were Stage I, went through all the chemo/radiation - some more than once and STILL the cancer metastasized. Others, just had the hysterectomy, and NED for years. Obviously chemo and radiation are not the magic bullet. I am hopeful, at Stage II, the hysterectomy removed the cancer and the three chemos plus my own immune system will take care of the rest but.....only time will tell.

In the meantime, the chemo damage still takes it toll. I am always happy to read when somebody goes through chemo with few, if any, side effects and that's how I felt after the first two rounds. What happened that third time, who knows, but it's been over six weeks and I'm still feeling like I felt the first/second weeks of those first two rounds. This morning my left leg is hurting and making it hard to walk. I woke up during the night with it but am trying to wean myself off opiate painkillers so just used heat. Hopefully it's not the start of arthritis in my hip and knee. But for right now, I am hopeful my wound will finally heal before spring. It's easy to hide the bandage now but come nice weather, it won't be so easy.

Love,

Eldri

molimoli · January 2016

EZLiving66 said:
As I read through the posts I
As I read through the posts I see women who were Stage I, went through all the chemo/radiation - some more than once and STILL the cancer metastasized. Others, just had the hysterectomy, and NED for years. Obviously chemo and radiation are not the magic bullet. I am hopeful, at Stage II, the hysterectomy removed the cancer and the three chemos plus my own immune system will take care of the rest but.....only time will tell.

In the meantime, the chemo damage still takes it toll. I am always happy to read when somebody goes through chemo with few, if any, side effects and that's how I felt after the first two rounds. What happened that third time, who knows, but it's been over six weeks and I'm still feeling like I felt the first/second weeks of those first two rounds. This morning my left leg is hurting and making it hard to walk. I woke up during the night with it but am trying to wean myself off opiate painkillers so just used heat. Hopefully it's not the start of arthritis in my hip and knee. But for right now, I am hopeful my wound will finally heal before spring. It's easy to hide the bandage now but come nice weather, it won't be so easy.

Love,

Eldri

Understanding Chemo's gift to man is like understanding lottery,

and how to win it. Eldri, yes indeed for most people Chemo is simply quantity over quality. and for the rest who knows that they beat cancer because of chemo or their own bodies rejected further cancer assault, No Doctor on earth can honestly answer that question, they simply say 'We hope" Some cancers untreated gives the same quantity with better Quality. It is not in Cancer doctors interest to try to prove that. They have kids to be schooled and mortgages to be paid.Not in their interest at all.

This is my learned opinion only, not a suggestion for other people's treatment or non-treatment plan. So please read, listen, research before making decisions.

Staying informed, Moli.

Red Corvette · January 2016

molimoli said:
Understanding Chemo's gift to man is like understanding lottery,
and how to win it. Eldri, yes indeed for most people Chemo is simply quantity over quality. and for the rest who knows that they beat cancer because of chemo or their own bodies rejected further cancer assault, No Doctor on earth can honestly answer that question, they simply say 'We hope" Some cancers untreated gives the same quantity with better Quality. It is not in Cancer doctors interest to try to prove that. They have kids to be schooled and mortgages to be paid.Not in their interest at all.

This is my learned opinion only, not a suggestion for other people's treatment or non-treatment plan. So please read, listen, research before making decisions.

Staying informed, Moli.

Choices

Moli said it perfectly, who knows how they beat a cancer. My wife and I went for a second opinion today and the gyne/onc who is the head of the department at University of Chicago said since my wife was staged 1a with no other involvement the doctor could support a decision for observation only instead of chemo now. Our current gyne/onc wants 6 carbo/taxol treatments so who knows. It all comes down to what does you gut tell you. Are you a glass half empty or a glass half full person. Such tough decisions to make.

Red

molimoli · January 2016

Red Corvette said:
Choices
Moli said it perfectly, who knows how they beat a cancer. My wife and I went for a second opinion today and the gyne/onc who is the head of the department at University of Chicago said since my wife was staged 1a with no other involvement the doctor could support a decision for observation only instead of chemo now. Our current gyne/onc wants 6 carbo/taxol treatments so who knows. It all comes down to what does you gut tell you. Are you a glass half empty or a glass half full person. Such tough decisions to make.

Red

A warm welcome to you and your wife Red.

I couldn't do very well without the experiences of the ladies here, their willingness to share keeps me informed and amazed .I hope you both find so in no time.

Now the glass: I think if one is still above ground, able to think and make decisions the glass is half full,more than half full, Thousands of people all over the world who were alive yesterday are dead today. We are a lucky glass half full bunch.We just need to wrap our heads around living our best lives now, in a hurry. This warning that we got dictates that we embrace really living,

When it comes to treatment the doctors are as confused as we are. except that one group gets paid to be confused and the other group gets to cry a lot then hopefully roll the dice and go with the gut symbol.

Yes really really tough decisions . May you both find a way out of the maze very soon with a resolution you can live with. Showers of blessings ,my wish for you both.Hang with us, we have been there where you are, we have learnt the art of ciber hugging, we are Huggers and it cost nothing but a shout-out from you.

Nuff Love , Moli

EZLiving66 · January 2016

Red Corvette said:
Choices
Moli said it perfectly, who knows how they beat a cancer. My wife and I went for a second opinion today and the gyne/onc who is the head of the department at University of Chicago said since my wife was staged 1a with no other involvement the doctor could support a decision for observation only instead of chemo now. Our current gyne/onc wants 6 carbo/taxol treatments so who knows. It all comes down to what does you gut tell you. Are you a glass half empty or a glass half full person. Such tough decisions to make.

Red

I don't think most doctors

I don't think most doctors lay out the true long-term effects of chemotherapy and radiation. I am Stage II but given what I know now, I think I would have taken my chances with being observed every three months instead of the chemo. True, a lot of people make it through chemo without a lot of side effects but a lot deal with those side effects the rest of their lives. And, chemo and radiation are not magic bullets that guarantee the cancer won't metastasize someplace else in our body.

This whole journey has been very hard on my husband of 45 years. He feels so helpless and a little guilty, I think, that he couldn't protect me from this. I wish the best of luck to you and your wife.

Love,

Eldri

giggs100 · January 2016

Oh so TRUE

Eldri your statement "chemo and radiation are not magic bullets that guarantee the cancer won't metastasize someplace else in our body" is so very truely. Although we keep up our courage !!!

Jerri

pinky104 · January 2016

Eldri

There is a dressing called Xeroform that's a gauze that has vaseline in it. That doesn't stick to wounds, so that could be what you got.

I had numbness in my feet for at least a couple of years. Then I started getting shooting pains, which is how some people have described their peripheral neuropathy. The pain was worse in my right big toe. I went to an orthopedic surgeon and was diagnosed with a bunion there. I had surgery for that and the surgeon told me he'd also found a lot of arthritis in the joint there. Almost a year later, I'm starting to get the shooting pains again, so I'm guessing the arthritis is coming back.

I also had hip pain, and I mentioned that to the orthopedic surgeon a year or two before I had my bunion surgery. He decided that with my history of cancer, he should rule out a metastasis to the bone, although he said that was very rare. Nothing was found, and I went thru a month of PT, which didn't help at all. Mine would also occur when I was on my side in bed and would go away when I rolled over. A few months after that, I read something on this site about how the pain might be coming from the bone trying to regenerate blood cells after chemo. I'm not sure if it was related to that or not, but I still get it more than five years later, so I think it's more likely from pinching something when I'm on my side. I'm 67, so it's probably old age related.

EZLiving66 · January 2016

pinky104 said:
Eldri
There is a dressing called Xeroform that's a gauze that has vaseline in it. That doesn't stick to wounds, so that could be what you got.

I had numbness in my feet for at least a couple of years. Then I started getting shooting pains, which is how some people have described their peripheral neuropathy. The pain was worse in my right big toe. I went to an orthopedic surgeon and was diagnosed with a bunion there. I had surgery for that and the surgeon told me he'd also found a lot of arthritis in the joint there. Almost a year later, I'm starting to get the shooting pains again, so I'm guessing the arthritis is coming back.

I also had hip pain, and I mentioned that to the orthopedic surgeon a year or two before I had my bunion surgery. He decided that with my history of cancer, he should rule out a metastasis to the bone, although he said that was very rare. Nothing was found, and I went thru a month of PT, which didn't help at all. Mine would also occur when I was on my side in bed and would go away when I rolled over. A few months after that, I read something on this site about how the pain might be coming from the bone trying to regenerate blood cells after chemo. I'm not sure if it was related to that or not, but I still get it more than five years later, so I think it's more likely from pinching something when I'm on my side. I'm 67, so it's probably old age related.

Wound care gave me a

Wound care gave me a prescription bandage which are like TEN bucks each - I needed 14 of them for the next week. Instead of the normal adhesive it's some kind of silicone and can be peeled back and it will restick to the skin without ripping off my skin. My insurance paid for them since I already have skin damage and scar tissue around the port site. Even regular old bandaids pulls off my skin. So far the new ones have worked great - no pain or ripped skin trying to get the bandage off.

I hope this hip pain goes away. I have to be careful when I get up out of a chair or out of bed because sometimes it's almost like my hip collapses and I'd fall if I don't hold on to something until I get my balance - weird, huh?? One of my grandmas had arthritis really bad so I hope I didn't inherit that!!!

Love,

Eldri

Saw a Wound Care doctor today

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