About to begin chemo

nrustam
nrustam Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Emotional Support #1
I have metastic uterine cancer and will begin chemo on July 8. Will be taking Taxol and Paraplatin. My family lives far away and I am new to my community. I have joined a support group, but would love to chat with others who can help me prepare for dealing with this new adventure with dignity. I find that the more I can talk to other survivors, the more realistic and hopeful I become. There are so many courageous people out there. I look forward to hearing from you. n

Comments

  • michelle77
    michelle77 Member Posts: 10
    #2
    Hi my name is Michelle. I'm sorry to hear of you new diagnosis, but my motto is "Don't deny the diagnosis- DEFY the verdict!" I'm not familiar with your type of cancer, I am a Hodgkins survivor for over 12 years. I'm new to this site, but love connecting w/fellow survivors & newly diagnosed. We are all fighters here, sometimes we don't even realize we are - until we have to be. I had straight chemo, nothing else. But that was enough. I was 13 years old (& that was 13 years ago) so the drugs for nausea weren't that great, so I spent my weekends puking (I got treatments on fridays). Now they have a drug called ZO-FRAN that is extremely helpful in preventing nausea. They now also hae drugs for either/or white & red blood cells to rejuvinate. Mostly it is mind over matter. Do some imagery with your self, imagine the chemo & medication eating up all the bad cancer cells. Eat healthy, nurshing food & imagine the vitamins & nutrients building up your white blood cells to be big & powerful to knock out those stupid cancer cells! Also spend time doing yoga and other mind/body excercises, including breathing excercises. Don't isolate yourself from family & friends- laughter & hugs can be the best medicine sometimes. Most importantly my biggest help cam from my faith in God. I don't know what religion you are, but my faith that the the Lord would take care of me was very comforting. Try to keep a positive attitude - and never get up! Knock that cancer on it's ****!!!! Everyone on this web-stie is here to help, you can email me through this site whenever you need to. I'll be praying for you. Take Care, Michelle
  • StacyGleaso
    StacyGleaso Member Posts: 1,233 Member
    #3
    Hi nrustam!

    Congrats on having made it so far...you've already come a long way, and even though the ride isn't over, you can get through it.

    I had colon cancer, and had three different types of chemo. Although every person is different, my experience was not bad at all. I didn't lose all of my hair, it only thinned out. I never got nausea, and never even missed a day of work. Chemo was on Tuesdays, and I was at work bright & early on Wednesdays. YOU CAN DO IT! My cancer also spread to my liver and a few lymph nodes, but today, I'm fine and cancer free! The last two years thoroughly sucked, and I won't sugar coat it. But you know you need to get through the treatments to enjoy the reward...LIFE! Please e-mail me through this site if I can help you more.

    I'll be sure to add you to my ever-growing prayer list...it could only help!

    Stacy
  • cbecker
    cbecker Member Posts: 88
    #4
    I know from carrying for my husband that it is scary to have mestastasized cancer. His primary was in the throat got rid of that last summer and in Feb. 2003 it mestastasized to his lungs and bone. Got rid of the bone but is on chemo fighting for the tumors in his lungs. He is on Taxol and cisplatin and was on 5FU but it brought radiation recall back to his throat. Hang in there and fight. They do have alot of drugs to help you get thru the chemo. He also loss his hair but that will grow back. He gets a procrit shot each week for the anemic and it helps alot. He has not been very nausated due to the drug Zofran. (mispelled) I know it is hard and very scary when it spread but you can kick its butt. Where has it spread too. Research as much as you can and this line can help alot especially the chat line. Love and prayers, Candy
  • jatag
    jatag Member Posts: 6
    #5
    Hang in there kiddo ...... I am kind of a newbie compared to a lot of people that have been fighting the fight for years and years..... My cancer started in the colon and travelled to my lungs. I have been on chemo for the last 2 years pretty continously..... and I can only tell you what works for me
    1. You are a SURVIVOR from the day you are diagnosed with cancer.
    2. Take one day at a time..... sometimes if I try to think too far ahead I just get overwhelmed.
    3. Keep your chin and your spirits up..... even on the days you don't feel like it.....sometimes you can talk yourself into feeling better and other times you just refer to #2.
    4. On the days you get overwhelmed accept help from family, friends and GOD ..... I found that when I turn over my problems to God solutions come in all shapes and forms.
    5. I am always humbled on treatment days when I see someone else having a tougher time than I am. When I see someone having a struggle I can't help but send them a smile or listen if they need to talk .... or sometimes just a kind touch the crazy part is it makes me appreciate what I have.
    6. Cheat the cancer whenever you get a chance..... :) Whenever I get the chance to live life to it's fullest .....I DO. I don't put fun things off for later.... I enjoy life and appreciate it more now than I ever did. By now you can tell I am a hopefull optomist.
    7. Cancer is something I have not who I am .... I look at cancer as a life challenge.... and everyone in life has daily challenges that have to be overcome..... some people have more difficult challenges than I do and they keep accepting the challenges every day.
    8. Always remeber that you and your doctor are in this together.....If something is not working for you ..... you have the right to work with your doctor so you can have a good quality of life..... Ask anything you want to and accept that sometimes the answer may be "I don't know". If your doctor isn't working with you ..... get another one that will..... a good doc makes all the difference..... I trust all my docs with my life and they always answer my questions..... sometimes I don't really like the answer.... but he is always honest with me....and I like that.
    By now you are probably hoping that I would just shut up......lolololol..... but I rarely do. I would just like to share a story that happened to me this week..... I was in the middle of my chemo week and it was a little harder than usual..... the phone rang and it was a girl that went to school with my brother. She has been fighting and surviving lung cancer for 15 years ...... she called to see how "I" was doing ....... I said fine like I always do .... and she heard in my voice that it wasn't as fine as I was pretending ...... and she told me to "hang in there kiddo" she is younger than I am and when she called me kiddo it made me laugh..... and that made me feel better ..... and I knew that if she could hang in there.... so could I....... Over the last two years we have shared laughter and tears. She laughs because I haven't lost my hair because of chemo ..she lost all of hers ...... mine was gonna go no matter what so U just cut it short..... she has trouble gaining weight and I tell her I will give her some of mine. Make friends and they will help you get through the tough times ...... consider me a friend..... If you ever need someone to write to ..... feel free to write me....that's what friends are for... Laters..... jatag

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