going with the flow wrote:I had my colonoscopy Mar 5th and saw the cancer myself on the screen.
Same here. Originally thought it was hemmoroids, then a polyp. When that black ugly mass showed up on the screen during the colonoscopy, I knew. My doctor knew (it was actually a colo-rectal surgeon doing the colonoscopy), so the biopsy results were not a shocker. But seeing that on the screen and knowing I had cancer, unbelieveable.
As far as lotion, I used Cetaphil, comes in a tub. I put it on from the belly button down to mid thigh, over hips and here's the fun part, and this maybe TMI, but all the way between the "cheeks" and everywhere down in there. This is the only part that I didn't realize I needed to lotion up and toward the end of treatment, wow, ouch. But that's what Norco is for
. I also used a very mild soad, again, Cetaphil, it was a bar soap. The nurses actually said not to use any soap down there. Yeah, right, like water only is going to clean any of those areas! If you're a woman - there are some other considerations as well.
As far as your work, I can see your fear about urgency at others homes. You're going to have to get over any fear of rushing or needing to go pretty quickly to the bathroom, because it's going to become your reality for awhile. Your radiation place should be able to get you a "set" time every day, that way your not trying to work around different times everyday. The side effects most likely won't show up for awhile. Even at the end, I was able to do anything I wanted, (I snow skiied 2 days after radiation ended - this is a theme with me as I had all these treatments during the winter and we had season passes and I didn't want to miss out using them, ha ha) And mine went away really quickly. Then you're going to have some time off for surgery. When chemo starts, your probably going to need some time off. Again, your chemo center should be able to give you approximately same time each treatment so that you know when it's coming. Then you'll just have to play it by ear and see how you react.