Starting chemo today

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Aqx99
Posts: 403
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2017 7:28 am
Facebook Username: aqx99
Location: Pfafftown, NC

Starting chemo today

Postby Aqx99 » Mon Jul 24, 2017 5:55 am

Today is my first day of chemo. I'm nervous. I'm a planner. I like to get everything in order and know exactly what is going to happen. Chemo is a huge wild card and I hate that.

My cats have already given me my first issue. I woke up to a mess in my bed because there was a hole in my bag. Apparently one of them had punctured it in the night. I had changed it last night in preparation for starting chemo. I figured a fresh bag would mean no worries for the first few days after the infusion. Hopefully this bag will last longer.
Anne, 40
Stage IIIB Rectal Cancer
T3N1bM0
2/21/17 Dx, Age 39
2/21/17 CEA 0.9
3/23/17 - 5/2/17 Chemoradiation, 28 treatments
6/14/17 Robotic LAR w/temp loop ileostomy, ovaries & fallopian tubes removed, 2/21 lymph nodes positive
7/24/17 - 12/18/17 CapeOx, 6 Cycles
7/24/17 Dx w/ovarian cancer
9/6/17 CA 125 11.1
11/27/17 CEA 2.6
12/5/17 CT NED
12/13/17 CEA 2.9
1/11/18 CA 125 8.6
1/23/18 Reversal
3/21/18 CT enlarged thymus
4/6/18 PET NED
7/10/18 CT NED
7/11/18 CEA 2.6
9/18 Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy

JudiB
Posts: 71
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2017 5:30 am

Re: Starting chemo today

Postby JudiB » Mon Jul 24, 2017 6:41 am

I hope today goes ok. The first chemo is scary but once you know what to expect, it does get easier. I remember how lost I felt at the beginning, with no idea how the treatment would leave me feeling. I too am a planner but it is hard to plan at first...just take a day at a time. Suddenly I felt that I had no control over what was happening to my body but after a few sessions, I got "me" back! You must be kind to yourself, enjoy the days you feel well and rest on the bad days , if they arrive.
Use your energy to do the things you love doing....the rest can wait. Doing things you enjoy will help keep your morale high, try to find the positives...even chemo has positives! With the chemo, I have found a special sort of inner "calm" as well as realised just how wonderful friends and family can be!
Thinking of you in the chair and hoping that all goes well. Xxxxx
May 2004 Breast cancer lumpectomy followed by radiotherapy, Tamoxifen 5 years, then Femara 2 years.

Jan 2017 resection around colo-rectal junction
T2bN1 M0
March 2017 Chemo Folfox started. Oxaliplatin for 4 treatments, then just 5 FU and Leucovorin for remaining 8 treatments.
June 2017 clear scan
Last chemo August 2017
August 2017 clear scan
February 2018 clear scan

User avatar
horizon
Posts: 1668
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:10 pm

Re: Starting chemo today

Postby horizon » Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:12 am

I was more freaked out about chemo than surgery. Hopefully once you get one or two under your belt you'll slip more into a routine and not have the fear of the unknown.
I'm just a dude who still can't believe he had a resection and went through chemo (currently 12 years NED). Is this real life?

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Starting chemo today

Postby NHMike » Mon Jul 24, 2017 11:21 am

I'm starting one week from today and somewhat eager to do so - though with some trepidation as well. Cats are definitely a wild-card in general. I hope that things go well for you through this process.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

fumaros
Posts: 273
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2016 10:26 pm
Location: Syracuse, NY
Contact:

Re: Starting chemo today

Postby fumaros » Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:28 pm

People get really immunosuppressed during chemo, is it alright to have animals around? I am not sure, never thought about it till now.
Diagnosed 4/8/16, age 29
Colectomy 4/20/16
Stage III, T4bN1 Tumor 7x6.5x2. Muscinous Adenocarcinoma with SRC features
2/16 lymph nodes
Stage IV, Peri mets 5/2019
CEA 4/14/16 - 16.8
CEA 6/2/16 - 1.9
CEA 6/17/16 - 0.87, 7/16 - 1.33, 12/16 - 1.14, 4/17 - 0.6, 7/17 - 0.5, 10/17 - 0.9, 3/19 -5.8, 4/19 -10
FOLFOX began 6/24/16 - 11/25/16, FOLFIRI - 5/10/19
10 round FOLFOX, 2 round 5-FU & Leucovorin, 1 round FOLFIRI
MRI & CT 8/16 - NED, CT 12/16 - 10/17 - NED

Aqx99
Posts: 403
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2017 7:28 am
Facebook Username: aqx99
Location: Pfafftown, NC

Re: Starting chemo today

Postby Aqx99 » Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:53 pm

As long as I don't clean the litter box, I'm fine. My husband does it, so I don't have to worry.
Anne, 40
Stage IIIB Rectal Cancer
T3N1bM0
2/21/17 Dx, Age 39
2/21/17 CEA 0.9
3/23/17 - 5/2/17 Chemoradiation, 28 treatments
6/14/17 Robotic LAR w/temp loop ileostomy, ovaries & fallopian tubes removed, 2/21 lymph nodes positive
7/24/17 - 12/18/17 CapeOx, 6 Cycles
7/24/17 Dx w/ovarian cancer
9/6/17 CA 125 11.1
11/27/17 CEA 2.6
12/5/17 CT NED
12/13/17 CEA 2.9
1/11/18 CA 125 8.6
1/23/18 Reversal
3/21/18 CT enlarged thymus
4/6/18 PET NED
7/10/18 CT NED
7/11/18 CEA 2.6
9/18 Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy

Aqx99
Posts: 403
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2017 7:28 am
Facebook Username: aqx99
Location: Pfafftown, NC

Re: Starting chemo today

Postby Aqx99 » Mon Jul 24, 2017 6:34 pm

My infusion went well. The nurse complimented me on how well I did. My visit with the oncologist did not go so well. The tumor board has concluded that the strange cells found in my ovary are precursor ovarian cancer cells. I will be seeing a GYN oncologist in the future, but right now we are concentrating on my rectal cancer.
Anne, 40
Stage IIIB Rectal Cancer
T3N1bM0
2/21/17 Dx, Age 39
2/21/17 CEA 0.9
3/23/17 - 5/2/17 Chemoradiation, 28 treatments
6/14/17 Robotic LAR w/temp loop ileostomy, ovaries & fallopian tubes removed, 2/21 lymph nodes positive
7/24/17 - 12/18/17 CapeOx, 6 Cycles
7/24/17 Dx w/ovarian cancer
9/6/17 CA 125 11.1
11/27/17 CEA 2.6
12/5/17 CT NED
12/13/17 CEA 2.9
1/11/18 CA 125 8.6
1/23/18 Reversal
3/21/18 CT enlarged thymus
4/6/18 PET NED
7/10/18 CT NED
7/11/18 CEA 2.6
9/18 Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy

KElizabeth
Posts: 400
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2015 12:41 pm
Facebook Username: KElizabeth
Location: Omaha

Re: Starting chemo today

Postby KElizabeth » Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:04 pm

Aqx99 wrote:My infusion went well. The nurse complimented me on how well I did. My visit with the oncologist did not go so well. The tumor board has concluded that the strange cells found in my ovary are precursor ovarian cancer cells. I will be seeing a GYN oncologist in the future, but right now we are concentrating on my rectal cancer.


I'm so sorry you have to deal with another ordeal. Chemo is hard enough. I'm glad though that it went well for you today. Keep your chin up.
We're here when you need to vent.
Elizabeth
Female age 39- ,2 teens.
Colon Cancer - DX March 2013
Age 34 at DX - Stage III B
Resection surgery -May 2013
FOLFOX - June, 2013 to Sept, 2013
5FU plus leukavorin Sept, 2013 to Dec, 2013
METs liver and lungs discovered Sept, 2015
KRAS - MSS
FOLFIRI plus Avastin - Sept, 2015 - July 2017
Durvalumab and Cediranib Sept 2017 Dec 17
FOLFOX with desensitization protocol - current

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: Starting chemo today

Postby Lee » Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:08 pm

Aqx99 wrote:My infusion went well. The nurse complimented me on how well I did. My visit with the oncologist did not go so well. The tumor board has concluded that the strange cells found in my ovary are precursor ovarian cancer cells. I will be seeing a GYN oncologist in the future, but right now we are concentrating on my rectal cancer.


So sorry to read this, "crap" if it ain't one thing, it's another :twisted: . It kind of sounds like they may have caught this one early, I sure hope so.

Thinking of you,

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!


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