Tips for a Folfox newbie – starting Tuesday

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Darn Blond Neon
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:18 am

Re: Tips for a Folfox newbie – starting Tuesday

Postby Darn Blond Neon » Fri Aug 10, 2018 11:13 am

I was more worried about the chemo than I was the surgery. You're right, once you've got one session behind you it's different and you can start to focus on getting through it instead of wondering what it will be like.[/quote]


Well, I hadn't any time to worry about the surgery – I was wheeled from the emergency department (where I walked in with stomach cramps) straight up to theatre for a colectomy…

But having the eight weeks after that to think about chemo was a disaster for my brain.

I should also say that I found Headspace (a mindfulness app) to be a great tool.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Male 48 years old
31st May 2018 – sigmoid colectomy due to complete bowel obstruction; no significant prior symptoms
7th June 2018 – pathology confirms 2.5cm tumour is cancerous; 3 of 12 lymph nodes affected – pT3 N1b Mx
31st July 2018 – Due to start 1 of 12 cycles of Folfox

User avatar
ANDRETEXAS
Posts: 662
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2014 11:01 am
Location: Austin, Texas (University of Tennessee alumnus)

Re: Tips for a Folfox newbie – starting Tuesday

Postby ANDRETEXAS » Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:21 pm

I wanted to say that I agree with your chemo nurse. I made it a point to take my 2-3 mile brisk walks every day, even while toting my pump with me. However, by the time I got to rounds 8-12, I was more tired and only walked 4-5 times a week.....especially the day I slept for 15 hours...lol I was on a Tuesday on/Thursday off schedule so recovered on the weekends. I drank tons of liquids -- mostly hot coffee and hot tea. I couldn't stand the taste of water about halfway through, so turned to Pellegrino which really helped me out. Get rest whenever and however you can. I generally put my brain on cruise control for five months and only thought of one day at a time. The time went by more quickly for me.
2/10/14 - Colon resect
2/13 - DX- Stage IIIb
6 of 18 lymph nodes cancerous
3/7 - Port placed
3/11 - FOLFOX (12 rds w/full oxi)
8/14 - Chemo finish
8/25 - CT- Inc
9/5 - clean PET
12/10- clean CT

3/2/15 - Clean colonoscopy & port removed
3/4 - clean CT
9/21- clean CT

3/23/16 - clean CT

2/22/17- clean CT

3/21/18 - clean CT
4/1 - clean colonoscopy

3/11/19 - clean CT
9/23 - Five-year release - Annual visits now !

4/13/23 - clean colonoscopy

ONE DAY AT A TIME !


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