One treatment down...

JDuke
JDuke Member Posts: 438
edited March 2014 in Anal Cancer #1
and it wasn't bad at all. Here's the rundown. Little communication issue, got there two hours too early because they had scheduled labs prior to infusion. I had lab last Wednesday after the Med/Onc appointment so that I did not have to come early today. Apparently the right hand didn't tell the left hand so...two hours to waste. My friend Carol had picked me up and taken me to treatment so we went downstairs to the hair salon and I tried on wigs for an hour or so and she bought a really cute black purse. I have to say it was entertaining and lightened my mood. To answer your question Sue, taxol absolutely causes total hair loss from what I have been told. We'll see. The infusion nurse said 2 weeks!!! EEEKKKK!!!! They paged us at 11:00 (1/2 hour early, that was good) and up to infusion we went. I was completely freaking about the IV since I chose to do this sans port. I have to say that my nurse Linda was an expert, absolutely painless. Didn't even use my lidocaine spray. Two Zofram pills for nausea and a bag of benedryl to counteract any allergic reaction. It kicked my behind (not sure if it was the combination OR the benedryl), but I was a mess!!! I was having a hard time concentrating, slurring my words, and could barely hold my eyes open. Then some steroids followed. About 12:00 we got started with the big medicine. Taxol first, slowly infused for the first 15 minutes to monitor for allergic reaction. Had none, kicked it up a notch! Took about 2 1/2 hours for it to finish. My husband got there about 1:30 to relieve Carol so she could go home and pack for the Daytona race this weekend. Next came the Carbo. About 1 1/2 hours for this and also no discomfort. They fed us a nice lunch, made sure we had all we wanted to drink. I did sleep off and on, this would have been easier if I had not had to go to the restroom about 8 times during the infusion. My bladder has never been the same since radiation, I think it must have shrank to the size of a walnut!!!. Got home about 4:30. Trying to drink, drink, drink to flush this stuff out. Had a nice dinner and all is good. Hoping that I don't hit a brick wall in the next couple of days. Have read that days 3 & 4 can be the worst. We'll see won't we? I go back on the 21st of July for the next infusion.
All in all, I feel blessed that the day flowed smoothly.

Thanks for all of your concerns and support. Love ya'll!!! Hope all of you are having wonderful days.

A special comment for Marilyne, stay strong :) Soon it will all be in the past!

Blessings to each of you today and everyday,
Joanne

Comments

  • z
    z Member Posts: 1,414 Member
    #2
    Joanne
    Hi Joanne,

    I am glad your 1st chemo day is over, and so far so good. You really have some great friends. I hope you will continue to do very well and that the tx will get rid of all the cancer cells. I thinks its great that you don't have to have chemo again until 7-21, and I will have you in my thoughts and prayers. Lori
  • pjjenkins
    pjjenkins Member Posts: 173
    #3
    So first round is infused. I hope you'll handle whatever kick it gives you as gracefully as possible. How many rounds do you need?

    Relax.... sleep.... 3 weeks before #2.

    P
  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #4
    Thinking of you
    Joanne, and am so glad you felt up to giving us an update on your big day. I'm glad it went well and that there were no glitches this time. I'm so glad you had your fun friend with you to fill the gap of time between arrival and the start of your infusion. I hope that this stuff will kick cancer's butt without too many nasty side effects for you. As for the hair loss, they told me that the mito and 5FU would not make me lose my hair. However, I did in patches all over my scalp. But my attitude was that if that's what it takes to get rid of my cancer, then so be it! I tried to not get upset over the things I could not control. If you get a wig, you will look great and perhaps you can get something a little on the wild side! :) I can totally relate to the bladder shrinkage! Mine wasn't big to begin with and now I believe it to be about the size of a thimble, having to get up 2-3 times every night. To make matters worse, my kidney function tests have been elevated lately and my internist told me I must drink LOTS of water to ward off a referral to a nephrologist. So, I spend a lot of time running to the loo! Gilda was right--it's always something! Hope you are resting comfortably and feeling good. Please update us when you can!

    Martha
  • SueRelays
    SueRelays Member Posts: 485
    #5
    Oh I can so relate to the
    Oh I can so relate to the bathroom breaks!!! It has only recently gotten back to normal for me. I remember the first couple of car trips over to our place in Central Ore, and how a 4 hour trip turned in to 5 + with all the breaks I needed. I definitely know by heart where the restrooms are on those roads!
    Well, an exhausting day I'm sure......but ONE DOWN!!!! I'm hoping for smooth sailing for you....Sailing? Doesn't that sound nice????
    So nice to have the company with you isn't it? I sure couldn't have gotten through it w/o mine!
    I never took taxol.....sorry to hear that, but always fun to switch up your look right :):)??
    Thank god, like my liver, it grows back LOL!!!!

    And....I agree....we ARE blessed!!!!
  • sissy310
    sissy310 Member Posts: 300
    #6
    Joanne - glad that you were
    Joanne - glad that you were able to get in and get started. I read your posts intently and my prayers and thoughts are with you always. I think it is a good sign when we get infused and we do not have reactions - I don't know about you but I held my breath with each infusion just waiting and there was nothing...that is a good thing. I had to laugh a little bit (although it is not funny) about the bladder being the size of a walnut. I have had major changes since my hemi surgery alone and now worse - I feel like I have to pee every 10 minutes! My husband used to call me a camel because I hardly ever had to pee (unless I was pregnant) but now? I drink some water or get infused like this weekend and I'm a peeing racehorse. Still having fevers off and on, so correlation to anything that I can see, no infection - they check everything all the time...they think Harvey the tumor is just being ornery. He can be as ornery as he wants...I'm not feeling pity for him. Has anyone else experienced tumor fevers that spike from 98.6-99.6-100.6 and last night it was 101.2. Then two tylenol and within two hours I sweat it out and its down again. Very very strange. Thanks fo ryour support - I will keep intently watching and reading what is going on with you. Blessings back to you. Marilyne
  • lizdeli
    lizdeli Member Posts: 569 Member
    #7
    sissy310 said:

    Joanne - glad that you were
    Joanne - glad that you were able to get in and get started. I read your posts intently and my prayers and thoughts are with you always. I think it is a good sign when we get infused and we do not have reactions - I don't know about you but I held my breath with each infusion just waiting and there was nothing...that is a good thing. I had to laugh a little bit (although it is not funny) about the bladder being the size of a walnut. I have had major changes since my hemi surgery alone and now worse - I feel like I have to pee every 10 minutes! My husband used to call me a camel because I hardly ever had to pee (unless I was pregnant) but now? I drink some water or get infused like this weekend and I'm a peeing racehorse. Still having fevers off and on, so correlation to anything that I can see, no infection - they check everything all the time...they think Harvey the tumor is just being ornery. He can be as ornery as he wants...I'm not feeling pity for him. Has anyone else experienced tumor fevers that spike from 98.6-99.6-100.6 and last night it was 101.2. Then two tylenol and within two hours I sweat it out and its down again. Very very strange. Thanks fo ryour support - I will keep intently watching and reading what is going on with you. Blessings back to you. Marilyne

    Joanne & Marilyne
    Just a note to let you know that I am thinking of your both and keeping you in my prayers. Marilyne, I don't remember any fevers. I did check my temperature 3 times a day back then.

    We're having a big 4th of July party here tomorrow. Hard to think that a year ago I had no idea how much my life would change in 10 days. (Dxd 7/14/09). So grateful for everything and wishing you both the great news very soon!

    Hugs,
    Liz

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