Maia,
Can I nominate you for a prize or something? I think the Nobel would be appropriate. I can't just lay riches at your feet - I don't have any. Your information and help is priceless, as always.
Just know that you have my enduring thanks.
Dianne

The lack of sleep must be getting to me; I hadn't even thought about cutting the dosage. I'll call as soon as the office opens. This is existing, not living.
Dianne

Gwen,
There's no doubt this baby is your granddaughter -- she looks so much like you!
Love the pix!
Dianne

When the CT on April 7th showed there was still some inflammation in my left lung where I had pneumonia in February, my onc prescribed a course of prednisone - 40 mg a day for 7 days, then 20 mg a day for 30 days. This was also when he pointed out that a lot of my pain was possibly coming from the r...

Had same thing happen with inflammation of bile duct in2010. A course of prednisone took care of the inflammation and it hasn't come back. I felt like I was itching on the inside, it was so bad. Hope your problem is resolved easily.Dianne

Skypup,
What wonderful news! Do you know yet who the surgeon is? I only had single-stage liver resection, but had Dr. Abdalla at MDA. Absolutely loved him. Perfect blend of compassion and cockiness for a surgeon!
Will be thinking about you on Wednesday,
Dianne

If you can do it, a low-fiber diet for a couple of days before the actual prep makes the cleanout faster and easier. I cannot drink any of the preps; I throw up immediately when presented with an odd taste. (Also makes oral contrast for CT scans really difficult!). I used the osmoprep pills even whe...

Gwen,
Ask your onc or even your dentist for an Rx for oral lidocaine gel to put on the sores so you can eat without discomfort, and an Rx for oral triamcinolone (steroid) gel that you can dab on the sores at night and have significant relief by in the morning. These were two of my wonder drugs.
Dianne

If Medicare payments include infusions done at the oncologist's office, then the high cost of Avastin and oxaliplatin (platinum ain't cheap) are two that I know about. It seems that Neulasta shots were also very expensive. I can't imagine what other treatments cost. I would guess the newer the drug,...

Jeanette, How scary, but at least you got some relief for your lungs. Since I had kidney failure after my last IV contrast for a CT scan, they have now said that if I must have contrast, then I need to get IV fluids immediately after and before as well if possible. Don't know if that would help you ...

The first time I dealt with serious dehydration, the onc mentioned Gatorade, and that's when I told him my opinion of it: tastes like sweat with added flavoring. He mentioned the same thing as above, that, after a point, just water doesn't help because you are flushing out needed electrolytes. I bou...

bekkajp, You gave a big clue with cold sensitivity. Your brother, just like Ehut wrote about in February, is getting FOLFOX. If your brother is far enough out from surgery that he is completely healed, he may also be getting Avastin, not a chemo drug, but a monoclonal antibody designed to cut off bl...

Gwen,
Low BP, unexpected weight loss, sluggishness, difficulty with blood draw - are you dehydrated? Or at least were you, before the infusion?
Take care of yourself so you can spend more time with that baby with the gorgeous grin!
Dianne

Diane, I'm sorry, but I don't remember where you are being treated. I am assuming you are seeing a GI specialist as well as a urologist or even a nephrologist who are working together trying to fix this. Three tries is about as many times as I would let them have. If your specialists are local docs,...

Back at the onc's office today for a CT scan and asked to see my onc for just a minute, even though I have an appt tomorrow. Told him the ribcage pain was getting unbearable over the weekend, and if the CT scan didn't show tumors as a cause, then we needed to do a bone scan and look for mets. He jus...