if so how did you manage it, and any helpful info youd like to share i have a loved one about to go through it in 2 months.thank you for your answers. SERIOUS answers only.
2006-10-17 09:18:30 · 27 answers · asked by lori b 5 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
Thank you all so much for your answers,and stories.my loved one has liver cancer amoung other things.thank you for your prayers.im really trying to be strong,but sometimes it gets to me bad thinking of what he is about to go through.the tough part is that he lives 1800 miles away.thanks again.I dont know how in the world im going to pick best answer on this one!!!!!!!!!!!
2006-10-18 03:56:14 · update #1
No, but I am about to. I am not looking forward to this road, but I know we have to. I know it is a long road the bad thing is not knowing if it will even work and how long he has left. He is going to have chemo and radiation both. Chemo once a week and radiation Monday through Friday. We are starting in two weeks after his lung heals from the surgery he had on Monday. The doctors don't want to wait too long to get it started. Good luck to you and god bless. Sam
2006-10-20 17:14:46 · answer #1 · answered by ?Shannan? 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My 17 year old son has been through 8 months of high dose chemotherapy for a rare metastatic abdominal sarcoma. He had cancer in his lympth nodes, malignant ascitis, chest wall, tumors caked onto the diaphragm, dome of liver, spleen, three or four large tumors within abdominal cavity, large and small intestine, and spots on his right lung. He was a mess, and so was I! We coped by living one day at a time, maintaining a positive attitude, and having a good sense of humor.
His chemotherapy schedule was three chemo combinations cycled with two chemo combination every 21 days. He was an inpatient during chemotherapy, (which lasted anywhere from 3 to 7 days). The rest of the time he was at home, going to school, hanging out with friends, and being as 'normal' as possible. He was asymtomatic during all this time. The only time he felt sick was when he had chemotherapy.
The chemicals they used were Doxirubicin, Cytoxan, and Vincristine for the first cycle. The second cycle consisted of Ifosomide and Etoposide. The key for him was to stay ahead of the nausea and to sleep as much as possible. He had around the clock anti-nausea medication consisting of ativan, zophran, kytril, and/or benedryl. He also stayed well hydrated with an IV drip.
The second cycle of Etoposide and Ifosomide was the most difficult for him because he could not stand the smell. Just the whiff of the chemo made him nauseous. However, he discovered that using 'essense of peppermint' masked the odor for him. Thus, even though the experience was far from pleasant he made the best of it.
He has also undergone two surgeries, experimental chemoperfusion (during surgery the chemo was heated and placed directly into the abdominal cavity) and a low dose maintenance chemotherapy of Irinotecan and Temodar. He handled all of this well and was no evidence of disease for 8 months.
Unfortunately this disease has a high rate of reoccurence. More cancer was found on his last CT, so he faces chemotherapy (stem cell rescue) in the coming weeks.
Cancer sucks, but you will find your courage and you will be humbled by how well your loved one faces this challenge.
2006-10-21 05:36:26 · answer #2 · answered by Panda 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My loved one was my 6 yr old daughter, she was on 4 rounds of really intense chemo for leukaemia.
Im not real sure how I coped, i have 2 other small children 4 and 18 months at the time and was 6 months into my marriage. I was also ill with a Gall bladder infection and gall stones that had to be operated on while my daughter was having treatment.
Becauase all she had was me, I had to be there. She made it so easy by being so happy and active ( she would make me so tired) during her treatment. The hardest was last christmas, it was the 3rd round of chemo and it hit her really hard she was so sick, after christmas was her birthday she was too ill to open pressents. During that round of chemo, I would leave the hospital each afternoon to have dinner with my other girls and husband in tears, it was so hard to see her like that. I never got upset infront of her, she didnt need to see me worried.
We are all home and she has no signs of cancer, when I think back, i dont know how we got through the 5 months, its harder now thinking about it. But she was just so brave.
I dont know if anything i have said will help you, i wrote in my blog about her time having chemo, maybe its something you can do, it may help other people to understand what its like.
Good luck with your loved ones chemo and getting through to the other side. Being healthy again.
2006-10-17 14:05:31 · answer #3 · answered by lividuva 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Lori, most of the answers above have covered it nicely. I can tell you it is absolutely horrible for the patient. My wife went through it for a number of years and lost in the end. I am sorry that my comments are not so positive, but I watched chemo as well as the disease destroy her. Most people don't know that you cannot let chemo meds come into contact with your outer skin. It is that aggressive. Tip: Always have small plastic garbage bags available where ever you go. Nausea is a constant companion. Bone pain is common also. Personally, I would try some other treatment if possible. It is horrible!
2006-10-17 09:52:11 · answer #4 · answered by J K M 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I have watched my father go through several rounds of chemo in the last couple years. The first round was the hardest. It was very strange for me, he seemed so healthy before the treatment, and felt so sick afterwards. It was hard for me to understand how injecting this poison into his body was helping him when it made him so sick. Be aware that you may have these types of emotions when your loved on starts chemo. I really tried to focus on how it was giving him a chance to live when otherwise he would not have one, and reminded myself that the pain would pass- always remember this! It will be difficult to stay positive at times. If you have a rough day, don't beat yourself up, just start over tomarrow.
Since my dad was diagnosed it has only caused us to grow closer. Lots more hugs and "I love you's". I am more appreciative of the times we spend together and cherish those moments. Try to be aware of these little hidden blessings between all the bad stuff.
2006-10-17 21:51:22 · answer #5 · answered by St. Louis Girl 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My 27 year old fiance is currently undergoing "maintenance chemotherapy", which will continue for the next year or so.
One of the best things you can do for yourself is to find out as much about what type of cancer he or she has. Also, get as much info as possible about the specific treatment regimen of chemotherapy, as there are a lot of different types with lots of different chemo drugs that can be used.
Overall, he or she will probably experience a lot of unpleasant side effects-- loss of feeling in feet & legs or hands & arms, nausea, lack of apetite, weakness, general depression, bone pain and back pain are common.
Knowledge, understanding, patience and empathy are absolutely essential in helping them through it. Just be available to listen to whatever they have to say. When you don't think you have anything more to give, you may have to reach deep down inside of yourself and give some more.
Just try to take it one day at a time-- and love them for all you are worth, as you can never give too much love or support. Try to keep in mind that they are the same person they always were, no matter how things change on the outside.
If you need to talk or think I can help you further, please don't hesitate for a second in contacting me through "Answers"- the more support you can get, the better.
I'll keep you and your loved one in my thoughts and prayers.
2006-10-17 09:44:34 · answer #6 · answered by optimismopski 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Back in 1991-92 or so, my grandmother went through chemo and radiation therapy for breast cancer. Really, the best thing you can do for them is to just be there. Hold their hand, talk to them, offer to do little chores around their house or apartment while they're getting treatment. If the have a pet, offer to take care of it or play with it, etc.
Your friend/relative will be constantly nauseous, weak, and depressed. Anxiety in this situation is also common (for obvious reasons) and unfortunately, there is only so much you as a non-medical person can do to treat or alleviate these symptoms. But actively visiting and emotionally supporting your loved one is very important.
However, this much exposure and support will take its toll on you as well. You need to spend some time with friends and family away from the chemo patient to recharge your batteries, and stave off depression. This sounds callous, but caring for ill loved ones is very draining as you will find out. To be of any use to your loved one, you must be strong. And to be strong, you must essentially 'rest' by taking periodic sabbaticals from caring for them directly.
Good luck. It's tough, but your friend/relative will be grateful.
2006-10-17 09:30:30 · answer #7 · answered by atomicfrog81 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I went through chemo. It was very tough on my husband and our then 3 year old son. It's important to keep a positive attitude. Having a doomsday or negative attitude won't change anything. We are Christians, so our faith played a big role in keeping us at peace. Whatever you believe in, now is the time to cling to it and look to it for strength. I just tried to smile and be as positive as I could. Some days were better than others. Best wishes to you.
2006-10-18 01:45:53 · answer #8 · answered by Char 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have not had a loved one go through chemo, but I have had a loved one have cancer. However for her there were no treatment options, she had a rare form of cancer. So everytime you start to think that chemo is rough, just imagine what its like to try to keep a positive attitude when there is no hope for a brighter tommorow, and be thankful for chemo even when its wigs and nausea. I wish you and your loved one the best.
2006-10-17 10:53:55 · answer #9 · answered by TechChick 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My mother went through chemotherapy, then chemo-radiation.
Hers involved very heavy metals, so she was sick almost from the first treatment. Her doctors found a way to help her with that. After her drip ran out, she'd go in the next day and be hooked up to what we called "rocket fuel" which was a solution of vitamins and minerals to help flush the chemicals out of her body and get her electrolytes back to some semblance of normal.
Her bones hurt, she lost feeling in her fingers and had a hard time holding on to things. We joked that anything she touched, she'd either drop or throw it in the floor. :)
She stayed cold a lot, so socks and blankets became her best friends.
She was also fatigued, which is normal and expected.
Best of luck to your family member.
Grace and peace be with all of you
2006-10-17 11:06:57 · answer #10 · answered by txgirl_2_98 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋