Surgery, now Chemo

Hello "J" and welcome. Sorry you have to be here, but you couldn't have picked a greater group of people to be with, so again, welcome!!

To get right to your question, the most important thing that you need to remember is that each individual is just that, an individual, and how one may react to chemo is not exactly how another will react. You may have absolutely no side effects...you may have more than one. It's a crap shoot and just hold your breath and hope for the best.

I am caregiver to my husband Bert, age 51, who was diagnosed stage III 7/3, right colon resection with total cancer removal but four positive nodes...hence, chemo starting shortly after surgery. He has just finished his 18 week regime of 1000mg 5FU/1000mg Leucavorin, but will probably be getting two more months of Oxaliplatin when we start with his new oncologist January 8.....just to give him a little added advantage and because his HMO Insurance covered chemo cycle was not really long enough according to the new oncologist.

I have to honestly tell you that considering the high dose that Bert started off with, he completed his first cycle of six weeks like a champ. The second cycle caused problems....mainly diarrhea, and had to be cut short (only four treatments). His last cycle remained at 1000 mg 5FU, but the Leucavorin was reduced drastically, and he was stilled plagued with diarrhea. But that was really the only "bad" side effect that he had from the chemo, besides very dry skin, which we just lotioned to death.

Throughout all of it, with the exception of a week or two, Bert went to work every single day. Yes, he was tired, but that is not unusual, and for the most part, his quality of life wasn't too bad.

I am also caregiver to my mom who has inoperable lung cancer. She too went on chemo as well as radiation (much, much stronger stuff than Bert) and with the exception of hair loss and fatigue, came through like a champ. I expected Bert to do better than my mom because her chemo was so strong, and Bert is about 18 years younger than her, but actually it was the other way around...which reinforces my point made above...each person is an individual and will respond differently.

Try not to worry to much about it...you'll make yourself sick over it. Go do it with an open mind, positive attitude, and know that whatever side effects you may have (if any) are temporary and will go away. Mind over matter is a powerful tool and I strongly believe that if you approach treatment with preconceived ideas of how you will react and with negativity, it will be so. You know, it's kind of like if you think long enough about being nauseous, you will get nauseous. And also remember, there are medications out there that can help with many of the chemo symptoms.

There are also other alternatives to fighting cancer and I'm sure you'll be hearing from Emily about these. I am not familiar in this area, but she is great.

Final words, my humble opinion, go for it and go for it with a vengence because this disease knows no other way. You will get through this.

Fondly,
Monika