Questions I should ask?

Hi Leesa
Are you asking about questions prior to starting chemo? My Dr.'s office gives a pre-chemo class where they give you pamphlets/ go over what to expect, etc. I say no question should go unasked..... hey, I've gotten my best "poo" questions answered right here! I'd be interested to find out what your doctor says about nutritional supplements.
Hugs right back at ya..... Maria

leesag said:

Anything but salad?
That's weird, why can't you eat salad? It seems so random!

it's about foodborne illnesses
The salad restriction during chemo is only for salad bar fare that might have bad bacteria in it -- not for a fresh salad you make with well washed organically grown greens. Basically, no high risk foods like undercooked shellfish, that sort of thing. When I attended a patient/caregiver chemo education session with Mom, the nurse stressed that recovering from food poisoning could be really tough when you're immuno-compromised by chemo.

Until chemo, you can supplement away. You'll hear all kinds of theories on this and that, but nothing proven. Eat what satisfies you hunger, and it will probably work out great.

Saundra, welcome back! You were missed...

Hissy_Fitz said:

My doctor has minimal food
My doctor has minimal food restrictions. Fruit and veggies of unknown origin (salad bars, restaurants, etc) are discouraged. If you wash them thoroughly yourself, they are fine. Honey, I think, is discouraged, as is uncooked sushi and anything containing raw eggs.

You are gonna need iron. My doctor said eat red meat, medium rare. I am a Texan; I don't do medium rare, but I eat more meat than I want. I think red wine is good for building blood, too. When my husband donated blood for me, they told him at the blood bank to eat Cream of Wheat and orange juice to raise his hemaglobin.

I don't take any supplements except a multi-vitamin with iron. I take a stool softener every day, though.

I have heard so many conflicting things........don't eat citrus fruit because cancer thrives on acid, don't eat sweets because they feed the cancer. My doctor says there is no evidence that cancer "feeds" on any particular food.

All things in moderation, that's my motto. Tonight I made Layers of Love Brownies. They are wicked.....and delicious.

Love brownies
Please share your receipe for love brownies!!!

leesag said:

Ditto Nancy's Request!
Carlene please share the Layers of Love Brownie Recipe!


Also a few nagging questions I have after talking to my sister tonight (everyone can jump in for these)

* How long after the cytoreductive/hysterectomy/omentumectomy did you wait before chemo began?


* What is the usual chemo schedule? How many days/week How many weeks?


I know this is supposed to be my "cancer-cation" but apparently all I can do is worry and think about cancer. It doesn't help that my husband is totally stressed and depressed and having panic attacks over this and I can't help him because I don't know what to do or say.


Ok..I've asked and vented... I'm off for a bit.


Thanks!

Hugs,

Leesa

schedule
For me I had to wait 3 weeks after hysterectomy and all that other stuff. I was in the hospital from Monday to Monday and then went back following Monday to have Portacath put in and then following Monday started chemo.

My schedule for chemo then was carb/taxol every 4 weeks for 9 months but I could not complete all cycles because of my blood counts.

Lost my hair in 13 days.

My husband was okay with everything. But this time around it has been very difficult.

Love,
Libby

Hissy_Fitz said:

My doctor has minimal food
My doctor has minimal food restrictions. Fruit and veggies of unknown origin (salad bars, restaurants, etc) are discouraged. If you wash them thoroughly yourself, they are fine. Honey, I think, is discouraged, as is uncooked sushi and anything containing raw eggs.

You are gonna need iron. My doctor said eat red meat, medium rare. I am a Texan; I don't do medium rare, but I eat more meat than I want. I think red wine is good for building blood, too. When my husband donated blood for me, they told him at the blood bank to eat Cream of Wheat and orange juice to raise his hemaglobin.

I don't take any supplements except a multi-vitamin with iron. I take a stool softener every day, though.

I have heard so many conflicting things........don't eat citrus fruit because cancer thrives on acid, don't eat sweets because they feed the cancer. My doctor says there is no evidence that cancer "feeds" on any particular food.

All things in moderation, that's my motto. Tonight I made Layers of Love Brownies. They are wicked.....and delicious.

YUMMY:)
The brownies sound so good. Your hubby is so nice to donate his blood for you!

nancy591 said:

Love brownies
Please share your receipe for love brownies!!!

Layers of Love Brownies
Ingredients•3/4 cup all-purpose flour
•3/4 cup Baking Cocoa
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut in pieces
•1/2 cup granulated sugar
•1/2 cup packed brown sugar
•3 large eggs, divided
•2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•1 cup chopped pecans
•3/4 cup White chocolate chips
•1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
•3/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
3/4 cup coconut


Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 8-inch-square baking pan.

COMBINE flour, cocoa and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Reserve 3/4 cup batter. Spread remaining batter into prepared baking pan. Sprinkle nuts and white morsels over batter. Drizzle caramel topping over top. Sprinkle coconut over caramel. Beat remaining egg and reserved batter in same large bowl until light in color. Stir in semi-sweet morsels. Spread evenly over caramel topping.

BAKE for 30 to 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Hissy_Fitz said:

Layers of Love Brownies
Ingredients•3/4 cup all-purpose flour
•3/4 cup Baking Cocoa
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut in pieces
•1/2 cup granulated sugar
•1/2 cup packed brown sugar
•3 large eggs, divided
•2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•1 cup chopped pecans
•3/4 cup White chocolate chips
•1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
•3/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
3/4 cup coconut


Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 8-inch-square baking pan.

COMBINE flour, cocoa and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Reserve 3/4 cup batter. Spread remaining batter into prepared baking pan. Sprinkle nuts and white morsels over batter. Drizzle caramel topping over top. Sprinkle coconut over caramel. Beat remaining egg and reserved batter in same large bowl until light in color. Stir in semi-sweet morsels. Spread evenly over caramel topping.

BAKE for 30 to 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Give me chocolate!!!!
Carlene thanks for posting. This looks like a wickedly delightful treat that I know I will try!!!!
kathleen

Mawty said:

Chemo
Hi Leesa,

I started me chemo just a few weeks after surgery -- I think about 4 weeks. I had carbo/taxol/avastin every three weeks. I was totally paralyzed with fear about the chemo. I went to look at the chemo room and saw everyone in there just relaxing as they received the infusions, and that took the fear away. I would suggest looking at the room and just seeing how people aren't being dragged in the room kicking and screaming. It's really not painful, and you're not sick, and a lot of times you just sleep because they give you Benadryl big-time to help keep reactions to the chemo at bay. Hope this helps.

Marty

chemo days
Hi Leesa - I started my carbo/taxol about 6 weeks after surg. I was on an every 21 day one week off sched. for 6 treatments and only had to delay twice due to low platelets even though I felt OK. They always get those blood counts before the infusion. My chemo nurses were great and really put my anxiety at ease.
My pre-infusion IV meds (given the same day of chemo)were like a cocktail that helped with nausea, a dose of steroids and a hefty dose of benadryl like Marty said which usually made me sleep just around lunch time. I would always ask the nurse to please remove any sandwich residue that might be hanging out of my mouth because the benadryl just knocked me out! Second day I felt great because of the steroids. Continued with the anti-nausea meds for a couple of days afterwards. If anything, always keep something handy around the house to drink and stay really well hydrated. I had glasses of water, gator-aid all around my house.
I didn't shave my head but was prepared with a wig I swore I'd never wear, but my daughter insisted right after my first infusion that I get one to 'have on hand'. I loved it when I finally started wearing it. My hair didn't completely fall out until after all 6 of my infusions - weird for me I guess. Every morning I would lean over the sink, comb my hair forward and get all the loose strands out. I then put on a hair net and wore a bandanna when it got thin. I used to tell the family that if they found any hair around it was clean! Hope to help you through this. I wish I'd found this board when I'd started- all of these wonderful Teal warriors and caregivers- wonderful!!. Tell your hubby we're here for him too! in the meantime - we will 'fight like a girl'!!! ((( )))) Ellen