I start chemo on Friday

Hi my wonderful sisters...
I saw my medical oncologist last week.. he said "he wasn't completely convinced I needed chemo". (even though gyno/oncologist did)
So I had the catscan yesterday (and ca125) and just returned from seeing him. It is confirmed I will be starting chemo friday.

I am depressed. I *thought* I was experiencing a miracle.. that there was a mistake and I wouldn't need Chemo. I didn't want to write about it, for fear of jinxing things. (I know silly of me)

So here I am now... trying to figure out how to work chemo into my work routine.

I'll be having gezmar/cispatin (I think I spelled that right)... again, can you all tell me what I can expect.. should I be taking a few days off from work after each treatment?

I pray for each of you.. God Bless you all.
xo Donna

Oh Donna! What a roller coaster week you must've had! I'm sorry you got your hopes up, only to have them shot down by that pesky ct scan!
I can't help you with your request for info about gemzar & cisplatin, but I just wanted to give you a and to let you know that I think you are amazing. You will get through this with the strength and grace you have shown in the past...and of course your sisters here are with you every step of the way.
Hang in there kiddo..you ARE a miracle, don't ever forget that.
xoxox and
k9

You can do this Donna. I don't know about the cisplatin, but I have found Gemzar to be side effect free. I get tired a few days after the treatment, but otherwise am okay.

Just think of chemo as a little extra insurance to kick those cancer cells' butts.

Blessings,

Jeannie

Gemzar/cisplatin is a good combination. I think one works more or less to help the other. Here's hoping your side effects are minimal but the impact on the cancer is maximal--as in going, going, gone forever!

Thank you all so much for your kindness. I'm just disapointed. When I knew I had to have it, I had come to peace with it (as much as one can) Then to have this "hope" thrown in my direction, after praying and praying for a miracle......... well, you can understand the "wow factor" that hope produced within me.

Number 9,
When you said you were tired afterwords.. do you mean the day after.. or it would creep up on you a day or two afterwards?
Margaret... did you work while on this combo? (same to you Number 9)

K9... thank you once again for your support. And for reminding me that *I* am a miracle. Heaven knows the challange I over came doing chemo the first time.
Like before.. I imagine I'll figure out how to work around treatments and still work.

Big XO's to each and everyone of my wonderful sisters.
xo Donna

s Donna,

Wow - you had my hopes raised for a minute too as I read your post. It seems that one of the hardest things about the first time you have chemo is that it's a complete unknown. At least this time you have some experience with the whole process. You got that going for you, kiddo.

I'm hoping and praying that this will be the very last procedure you ever need and it will be smooth sailing from now on.

Hang in there buddy. You got a big team - all across the country - and world! - rooting for you!

Major s,

Margot

Don't feel too bad I start my chemo Thursday (and I am 5 months pregnant-so I am doubly scared).

I find I assume the worst and become surprised when things work out for the better. I tried the other way, but I too had a major rollar coaster ride during the early part of my pregnancy (news went from having hope to being VERY bad to having a little bit of hope). I just take it one day at a time.

ps-so you are not alone I will be going through it too. I am cisplatin/vincristine. I did a search on the nu med line (searched research abstracts on the drugs). Nu med is part of the National Institute of Health.

Poor you - I totally understand how you feel, it was a shock to me to have to go down this road. I'm on Cisplatin now, last treatment tomorrow.

I have my treatment on a Thursday and it takes all day. I actually feel ok on the day and the next day but find that I get progressively more tired through the weekend. The steriods make me "buzzy" and weird and it's a danger not to rest enough to feel fine. I have crashed and burned this week a little through a rush of hyperness on Monday.

I am working - but only part time - 4 hours a day on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays and I can do this from home if I need. On one hand it helps make me feel normal, on the other it is exhausting, especailly as I have to go to the hospital for radiotherapy.

You need to be very honest with work and set expectations - you will not be any good to them if you don't deal with the chemo well. My bosses have been great and I have done better than they thought so I don't feel bad about not going in because they know that I'm being productive when I can.

Your mantra needs to be that you have to heal and look after yourself. You are the important one here. Rest is the key.



Z xxxx

Donna,

I'm sorry you got your hopes up only have them come crashing down. Same thing happened to me. I forced my gyn/onc nurse practitioner to tell me the results of my path before my doctor appointment, and she thought since I was early stage I wouldn't need as much chemo and maybe no radiation. Ha. Turned out I needed all the chemo and all the radiation.

If I may ask, did the CT scan find areas of concern?

I didn't have this combo, only taxol/carbo, and I worked most of the time.

I'll be thinking of you on St. Paddy's Day. You can do this. We're all here pulling for you.

Awww thank you Margot.. for your wonderful support.

Annebell, yes you are right we can do this together!!
I wish you an easy treatment, with no side effects.

Golightly Cat, I will have to adjust my work load.. once I get a feel for how I will feel after treatments. I am glad to hear that you've worked out a game plan that works for you.

Barbara, thank you for you support as well. Yes, as you know,.. it is a hard fall down, once one's hopes are high.
The catscan showed the the fluid (that I've been having issues with) had some areas (or area, I'm not sure.. I was in a fog when he was talking) that were of concern. Something about the edge of a solid portion. All contained in the fluid filled area. (Thank God)
Plus my ca125 was rising.. it went from 16, to 18, to 21. (16 being my normal number, 18 about three weeks ago, and 21 from last fridays test)
He doesn't think that a draining, to test fluid is needed. (something I wanted to do, to test the fluid to see what drugs would be the best to use) He doesn't feel there would be enough cells to do a proper testing, being (I believe he said or maybe it was my onco/gyno) that it is the very beginning of things flaring up. (for lack of a better word)
Besides he did say something about wanting the fluid to be there.. so one can monitor how the chemo is working, with another catscan in a treatment or two.

It's all to much to grasp right now.. I am just concentrating on getting well, praying to God for his loving, healing grace...... and having faith that I can do this again!
And that once and for all......... I will be healed. (I pray that for us all)
XO Donna