Back on The Chemo Track

Dear HysterSisters,

I will be back on the chemo track in January. My blood counts zoomed up again, including those platelets.

And please let me correct 2 things -

1. When I checked my cancer diary, I did not have a chemo the day of my SAH/BSO, but did 5 days later, while still in hospital. Do not remember too much of that one.

2.Which leads me to the next correction - since I kept my cervix, it was a SAH/BSO that I had.

Hi Wild,,,

Glad your chemo treatments are back on track and that your blood counts are zooming upwards.

Stay Well,
Rosalie

Hi, Wild Rose!

It's wonderful news to hear that you're back on track! Those pesky counts kept quite a few of us from completing our treatments on an optimal schedule, but most of the doctors seemed to say that this kind of thing is really OK in the grand scheme of things.

I hope you're feeling good! I'm still doing low-dose chemo every Monday. No fun, but much more bearable than regular chemo. :-)

s!

Thanks, Rosalie and Siren Song.

And, Siren Song, today, I asked my gyn/onc this question about ascites. Since my one symptom of ovca - before diagnosis - had been a swelling of the abdomen, and then it would disappear, and maybe 3 or 4 months later, I might get the swelling again - well, if that was ascites, where was it going? Apparently, our marvellous bodies sometimes have mechanisms to deal with it, and they can get rid of it - through peeing. So, then I said that there must have been some point where my body no longer had that ability or could no longer do it, but could I ever get that back!

I found that really wonderful about how bodies can cope - well, up to a point, I guess.

That is really interesting. I've never had a flat stomach. I really wonder how long this has been going on. I do remember having to pee much more last year than I have to go now.

I did find that when I had a lot of ascites, the swelling went down if I eliminated all salt from my diet. I did this for the two weeks before my surgery because I felt better.

OK! Have to run to yoga! s!

Glad you'll be back on track in January. Platelets are so fussbudget-y! Mine refuse to go over 100,000 but come close. It's good to be on track--keeps us moving forward to the day we can say "goodbye, chemo" again.

s Wild Rose

Hopefully the January start will lead to the finish!!! You poor babe. Hopefully the end is in sight.

karenann

Great news about those counts. Those platelets need to stay up for their new years resolution.
I don't know about the keeping the cervix term.
Hope you are feeling well.

I have been reading alot about OVCA since being dx'd with it. One thing I'm not getting is how to prepare for chemo. Some of what I do hear scares me. I'll be taking Taxol/Paraplatin, once a month for six months. Each chemo treatment will last at least 4 hours. The lady at the wig shop says I will lose my hair within 72 hours of first treatment. Is this true? Now I know everyone is different, and all that stuff. I tried on wigs, but I don't think that's for me. My 3 yr old daughter wouldn't come near me with it on.
What about vitamins? Nobody has said anything about that. I'm sure there are things to soften the chemo blow, right? I start on the 29th. Any first hand info will help. Thank you.

Laura

LolaJene,

My first chemo was in the hospital, and I do not remember much of it.

But, I can understand your feelings as you get ready to start it. When I did my 2nd chemo at the Oncology Clinic at the hospital, I really did not know what to expect. But now, having 6 under my belt, so to speak, I view it as what it is - chemical therapy. One recent post stated that the chemo drugs - Carbo and Taxol - that I take, are the gold standard in care, and to think of having gold going in! So, next time, I will be remembering that!

And let me give a little quote from Shakespeare, "Come what may, time and trouble doth run through the roughest day" or something very similar. While your chemo does last 4 hours, that 4 hours will pass, and it will then be the next day.

One thing that a number of us do experience, right after a chemo, is constipation, which I had rarely ever had before. You might, pre-chemo, ask your gyn/onc about whether it is okay for you to take something for it. I always do, the night of the day that I have one now.

In the Oncology Clinic that I attend, there is often a little bit of singing, and laughter at times, so it is an upbeat atmosphere. I had thought that I would be able to meditate during the hours of a chemo, but the 2nd one, and the second one only, I napped on and off - due to the meds. And then started to feel really mellow; this latter, being the case with each chemo. Do not think that you can drive right away after one. I didn't.

Re: hair - I have never had short hair since I was a little girl - and I will be 51 next week. I kept a lot - it looks like a brush cut - and short hair is so easy I have discovered, but that's just for this season for me. I want shoulder length hair back. I had had strong thick hair, but it did break off, but, for me, that was the least of my worries, I felt. I also lost all my eyelashes, but they have grown in quickly - like in 4 or 5 days, but I expect them to drop out again, as I resume chemo. But, at least I know that they will grow back now. But, I do wear a wig - that was my choice, and it's a different culture here. Also, I find now - and don't laugh - it is like a nice warm hat, for it is quite chilly here. Please don't laugh, but 50F., with a strong wind, here is cold, as there are no thermostats in houses to turn up the heat!

And, in closing, you will find other advice/suggestions from our wonderful hyster sisters on this board. I have learnt a lot from them.

All the best, and a big