Had to skip chemo again

pinky104
pinky104 Member Posts: 574 Member

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  • pinky104
    pinky104 Member Posts: 574 Member
    Had to skip chemo again

    I had to skip chemo again this past Wed.  I was supposed to have Gemzar, but my ANC and my platelets were too low.  This is the second time I've had to delay my chemo for failing my blood tests. At least my red blood cells came out okay after having two units of blood the previous week.  So now I have two weeks off until the next round.  I still don't know whether I will get my Carboplatin again with a dose of Benadryl or if I'll be put on a new drug for what may or may not be my last round.  I had an allergic reaction to the Carboplatin last time.  It certainly was nice to get out of there early as it was a beautiful summer's day. 

    If I end up with two subject lines on here with only one comment, it's because my computer wouldn't allow me to type in the comment section on the first one, so I backed out of it.

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,515 Member
    pinky104 said:

    Had to skip chemo again

    I had to skip chemo again this past Wed.  I was supposed to have Gemzar, but my ANC and my platelets were too low.  This is the second time I've had to delay my chemo for failing my blood tests. At least my red blood cells came out okay after having two units of blood the previous week.  So now I have two weeks off until the next round.  I still don't know whether I will get my Carboplatin again with a dose of Benadryl or if I'll be put on a new drug for what may or may not be my last round.  I had an allergic reaction to the Carboplatin last time.  It certainly was nice to get out of there early as it was a beautiful summer's day. 

    If I end up with two subject lines on here with only one comment, it's because my computer wouldn't allow me to type in the comment section on the first one, so I backed out of it.

    Oh pinky - we all get the

    Oh pinky - we all get the computer issues, but I know we would all rather talk about you.  So when is your next visit with your doctor to discuss what you are going to do?  Even if there is anything you can do to help boost the counts in your blood?  You and Lou Ann's spirit so inspirational.

  • Lou Ann M
    Lou Ann M Member Posts: 996 Member
    Skipping chemo

    i had to have chemo postpone many times due to low platelets and twice with low red cells.  White cells stayed ok because of the Nuelasta shot.  My oncologist finally started scheduling my infusions at four weeks instead of three and that worked out better. I did have reactions to Carboplatin they tried a desensitizeing program where they ran it very slow and with different amouts of the chemo. It took about seven hours 

    Hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

  • pinky104
    pinky104 Member Posts: 574 Member
    Next doctor's visit

    My next visit will be on 9/6.  I'm afraid I will be pushed into having the Neulasta shot, and I really don't want to have that.  There is a strong family history of MI's and strokes.  My brother dropped dead at 57, and he had seemed healthy and strong.  My father had an MI at 42, but lived to 84.  He died from kidney failure after having Congestive Heart Failure for many years.  My mother, father, and maternal grandmother all had strokes.  My maternal grandmother and maternal grandfather both had MI's.  My uncles who were my father's brothers both had very bad heart disease which killed them. I could be at increased risk because of my hemochromatosis.  These things are the main reason why I'm not thrilled with the idea of having the Neulasta shot, but I've also been glad I didn't get it when I've read the stories on here of the bone pain it causes.

    My PA told me at one point that there's nothing I can eat that will improve my blood while on chemo.  While not on chemo, there is, but chemo basically ruins the effects of anything that I could eat that might help me now.  I just make sure I eat normally, and I have no problem doing that.  Chemo hasn't affected my appetite.  If anything, my appetite is too good. 

  • pinky104
    pinky104 Member Posts: 574 Member
    Lou Ann M

    That's good to know, Lou Ann, about how they ran the infusions over a longer period of time.  I didn't realize that would make a difference.  I'll bring that up at my next apppointment.  In the beginning, my platelets rose dramatically after they dropped, but the longer I'm on chemo, that doesn't seem to be happening anymore.  I have two odd bruises that showed up on me today which ruins my hope that I'm already better.  I do seem to have more energy today than I've had previously.  I got out and power washed my deck and my large back porch, washed windows that I've been putting off doing for quite awhile, watered grass seed that I'd planted recently, and did some laundry.  It's about time that I got something accomplished.  Tomorrow, I plan to stain my back deck.  Guess I'd better get off here and get to bed so I can. 

  • MAbound
    MAbound Member Posts: 1,175 Member
    If you still have all of that energy...

    Wanna come and help me scrape off the "popcorn" finish off of some of the ceilings in my house??? I can't even get painting contractors to help me with it!!  Yell

  • Red Corvette
    Red Corvette Member Posts: 114 Member
    edited August 2017 #8
    Skipped Chemo

    Mrs. Red had the same thing during chemo. Platelet count was too low and had to go to every 4 weeks instead of chemo every 3 weeks. Frustrating for sure beacuase you psych yourself up for a treatment and they send you home because of low blood counts. All completely routine but still upsetting when it happens.

    Red sop

  • Lou Ann M
    Lou Ann M Member Posts: 996 Member

    Skipped Chemo

    Mrs. Red had the same thing during chemo. Platelet count was too low and had to go to every 4 weeks instead of chemo every 3 weeks. Frustrating for sure beacuase you psych yourself up for a treatment and they send you home because of low blood counts. All completely routine but still upsetting when it happens.

    Red sop

    Good to hear from you

    i hope Mrs. Red is doing well.  I think of you two every once in a while.

    Hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

  • pinky104
    pinky104 Member Posts: 574 Member
    MABound

    We had a handyman remove our popcorn bathroom ceiling a few months ago.  If you wait until the fall, winter, or early spring, the handymen usually get hungrier for work.  It's prime season for painters now, with all the outside work to be done.  They'll be looking for work in a couple of months. 

    I'm in the middle of stainiing my back deck right now, and I'll probably be doing my front porch next week if the weather is good, although I'll be having chemo (hopefully) one day and babysitting another.  I have more than enough to do with the staining.  I live in a log home, and the front porch runs the whole length of the main part of the house. I'm not looking forward to it.  It usually takes me a whole day just to do the flooring, and then another day to do the steps, railings, etc.

    I think doing a ceiling would be a major pain (literally). I can see why you want to hire the job out. 

  • pinky104
    pinky104 Member Posts: 574 Member
    edited August 2017 #11

    Skipped Chemo

    Mrs. Red had the same thing during chemo. Platelet count was too low and had to go to every 4 weeks instead of chemo every 3 weeks. Frustrating for sure beacuase you psych yourself up for a treatment and they send you home because of low blood counts. All completely routine but still upsetting when it happens.

    Red sop

    I was upset the first time it happened, but I was glad this past week when it did.  I was already a little beat, and I figured another chemo would just make me feel worse. Add to that the fact that it was a beautiful day out, and my husband and I had a lot of errands to run, and I was very glad to get let go early.  I know I wouldn't have felt the same way the first time I went through chemo, as I was in major countdown mode until the end of it. This time, they're not promising a definite end date, so I'm not looking at the delay as something that will make me go past the date when I should be done.  I know the chemo has been working pretty well, so I hope there won't be a big delay, but if it lasts another month, it's no big deal.  I don't have much else going on that I need to worry about.  I got my vacation in this summer, so I was very glad of that, although I did have to skip a week of my Gemzar to do it. 

  • MAbound
    MAbound Member Posts: 1,175 Member
    pinky104 said:

    MABound

    We had a handyman remove our popcorn bathroom ceiling a few months ago.  If you wait until the fall, winter, or early spring, the handymen usually get hungrier for work.  It's prime season for painters now, with all the outside work to be done.  They'll be looking for work in a couple of months. 

    I'm in the middle of stainiing my back deck right now, and I'll probably be doing my front porch next week if the weather is good, although I'll be having chemo (hopefully) one day and babysitting another.  I have more than enough to do with the staining.  I live in a log home, and the front porch runs the whole length of the main part of the house. I'm not looking forward to it.  It usually takes me a whole day just to do the flooring, and then another day to do the steps, railings, etc.

    I think doing a ceiling would be a major pain (literally). I can see why you want to hire the job out. 

    My comment was sorta tongue

    My comment was sorta tongue-in-cheek because of all that you are doing while undergoing treatment. I'm so glad you have all of this energy! You are taking on some major projects that many of us would find exhausting even under normal circumstances so my hat's off to you! I am quite impressed and just thought I'd try to take advantage of it ;-).  I probably keep  the mess more under control than a contractor would, anyway. I'm just sick of doing it and tried to find someone to at least do the upstairs stairwell for me. I have a thing about being up high!  Have fun! It always feels good to get these things hanging over our heads out of the way.

  • Nellasing
    Nellasing Member Posts: 528 Member
    MAbound said:

    If you still have all of that energy...

    Wanna come and help me scrape off the "popcorn" finish off of some of the ceilings in my house??? I can't even get painting contractors to help me with it!!  Yell

    be careful with that stuff- wear a mask etc.

    a little tip for you.... if you wet that stuff it comes off much easier with way less dust Wink

  • Red Corvette
    Red Corvette Member Posts: 114 Member
    edited August 2017 #14
    Lou Ann M said:

    Good to hear from you

    i hope Mrs. Red is doing well.  I think of you two every once in a while.

    Hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

    Thank You Lou Ann

    Thanks Lou Ann. Mrs. Red is coming up on her 18 month post front line treatment checkup in 2 weeks. Can't believe how time does fly by. Keeping our fingers crossed for a good report. Don't post much these days but still follow everyone here most days. We love seeing all the wonderful lady warriors like you living productive lives.

    Red