Thank you for letting us know Adair. I have been gone since Friday out of town and just read this.

 

It sounds like a good plan.  Will this be in Reno?  Try and think positive. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Have they told you what to expect from this chemo? Side effects?

 

Is it better for you now having the answers and plan finally?

 

Hugs! Angelbear

The chemotherapy will take place in Reno at the VA hospital there.  The PET scans will have to be done at Mather Field outside of Sacramento though (Reno does not have the equipment).

 

Side effects can be nausea, loss of hair all body hair, tiredness and fatique, dizziness, diarrhea and/or constipation, loss of appetite, and a few other unpleasantnesses.  Can basically expect the fatigue to start the day after the treatment.  Hair loss might begin 2-3 weeks after treatment (that includes eyelashes and eyebrows). 

 

The Avastin causes loss of appetite and all 3 of the medications can cause nausea.  The Avastin may also cause a bloody nose and any scratches or cuts to take a long time in healing (it is a vascular growth factor inhibitor and will damage or injure the cancer cells causing their death).  The Avastin will take less than 2 hours to administer.

 

The Carboplatin is a hard hitting chemo and it will take about 4 hours to administer because they can only set it to a drip because it causes such a burning sensation.  It can cause severe stomach pain and severe skin irritation (oh joy of joys).  Will be given pain meds and Benadryl prior to them starting that....the Benadryl to help dampen any possible allergic effects that the Carboplatin may cause.

 

The Taxol can cause risk of infection so I will have to seclude myself some so that I do not catch anything.  It can also cause mouth and lip irritation.  It will take about 2 hours to administer.

 

I had a blood draw on the morning that I met with the oncologist so will not need one the first chemo session but will definitely need to have a blood draw prior to the second session since they will need to see how everything is looking (especially the white blood cell count since the chemos might destroy some of the bone marrow).

 

The pharmacy nurse said that they would be giving me meds to take home for the nausea.  Needless to say, the closer the time comes to start all of this, the more I am becoming frightened.

Adair, I have taken those same drugs.  They give you the worse case senario because they have to.  I did lose all of my body hair.  (Now I know why God provided us w/pubic hair.  You pee all over your bottom. LOL - so keep some cleansing wipes near the stool.)  The anti-nausea pills are wonderful.  Keep in mind that one of the anti-nausea pills is a steroid which can make you gain weight while going through this or keep you totally wide awake for up to 72 hours, then you crash and burn.  Yes, I had to have reverse isolation.  Meaning that if anyone came to visit they had to put on a mask and some gloves.  I kept them at the entrances when my white count was up.  If you have severe bone pain after your treatments it is because your bone marrow is being forced to reproduce blood cells.  It can be painful.  Make sure you ask for pain medication for that.  I woke up one morning after my first round and swore I was more than 100yrs old and in extreme pain.  It was then that they realized I didn't have any pain medication.  My guess is that you will be given a Neulasta shot or one simular to it to boost the new cell growth in the bones.  It takes about a week to work through the system.  (that's when my old lady body aches kicked in)  Be strong, keep the faith and most of keep a sense of humor.  Find out some things about your oncologist. His interests & such.  Mine is Greek.  I came in one day and handed the whole staff white handkerchiefs and had a boom box with me and put some Greek Music on after my examination and that was the cue for all the staff to be standing at the door with their handkerchiefs.  I asked him to teach me to Greek dance when this was all over and if he took the handkerchief I gave him that meant he would.  He took the handkerchief, laughing and smiling, stating he didn't know how.  I said I know, you only danced it once in your lifetime and were lousy at it then.  He asked me how I knew and I told him, I asked his wife if he knew how to dance the handkerchief dance and she laughed and filled me.  So I gauranteed her a weekly date night if he took the hankie.  So as he opened the door, there she stood and the rest of the staff with their hankies.  That was shortly before Christmas, so I bought him and his wife Authur Murray classes to learn to Greek Dance.    I have an awesome oncologist, he never speaks prognosis with me, he always tells me to "LIVE LIFE" and that's what I do.  I am on lifetime chemotherapy and will have to do another round of radiation and possibly more infusion chemo because of the tumor that is developing at my lower back near the right hip.  But, I figure I've got enough cleansing wipes to get me through it again.  LOL.  Losing my head hair wasn't as bad as I thought it was.  I couldn't stand the wigs, but I found that if you have some brightly colored jogging suits, wear them, you can take some brightly colored, inexpensive, T-shirts and cut off right under the arm-pit.  Take the hemmed side and act like you are going to put on over your head.  Stop at the forehead, placing a single layer of the T-shirth there, leaving the rest of the shirt at the top of your head. Pull the shirt tight together at the back of your head at the nap of your neck and criss-cross it.  Then begin to roll the remaining material inward until there is no more to role and you have a big loop in your hands.  Pull it up and over your head back to the forehead.  Adjust it to your liking for placement on the forehead and "PRESTO" you have your own turbin that you only paid a couple bucks for at a dollar store or may have already had, instead of buying the same thing for $20 or so.  If you want a couple wigs, I will be happy to send them to you.  I was a brunette, a blonde, frosted grey w/brunette and my favorites were knitted by my neice, with that fluffy yarn.  They were Bright Purple and Bright Orange.  They matched two of my jogging suits.  My hair is beginning to fall out again, which is something I've been expecting, so I just had my neice spike my hair until the inevidible.  Have a positive attitude and keep going.  I'm now in my 3rd year with stage IV.  It's beatable as long as you believe and don't give up.  I had some tough days but I always repeated "I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me."

 

My love and prayers and beaming Postive Energy your way!

Doe

Doe,

 

Thank you so much for your input.  Had not thought of using a T-shirt.  Will try your idea with an old one and see how I like it. 

 

I have picked up some yarn to crochet a few skull caps will doing the chemo (if I stay awake long enough during the procedure)   I had quite a few that I made when I had my DBS surgery, but have since given them to others that were having the same surgery.

 

I discussed (with the oncologist) having my head shaved before the hair all fell out and he said to make sure to have someone that is knowledgeable doing it to make sure that there were no nicks, etc.

 

Someone suggested that I should request a MUGA (a heart scan).  Did you have one?

 

My oncologist is Portugese.

 

adair

It may or may not be that bad with the side effects. You are having a two day session once in July and once in August for 8 hours each. I hope you don't have to experience anything Will "Liver" be with you for these sessions?

 

My SIL had breast cancer and received chemo for five days in a row with three drips a day spaced apart of a total of 8 hours from the first to the third. She experienced no hair loss or side effects other than some nausea and its been 5 months now I believe.

 

The side effects are not the concern as it is they get the cancer out of your body.

Keeping you in my prayers and thoughts. Hugs! Angelbear

 

I am sure your oncologist will make that a routine order.  Yes I had one and then another after the Adriamyacin/Cytoxin round.  Adriamyacin is very hard on your heart.  So far so good.  I'm still kicking! 

 

Ask for some of his favorite recipes.  I've always wanted to try making Portugese food. 

 

Keep the faith, keep a sense of HUMOR and stay positive even when you don't want to, because there will be days like that.  That's when you ask God to reveal more blessings to you that day and soon you are up at 'em again.

 

HUGS!

Doe

This is a hard time for you Adair.  I hope you can feel all the caring and best wishes being sent your way.  Hugs  Lynne

 to you both.