Chemotherapy

Heya,

I can't really add anything that hasn't already been said, but that isn't gonna stop me....

I've had 3 people close to me pass away due to cancer, one of them was the single most awesome guy I've known. But all of them kicked it's ass for way longer than the Doctor's thought they would, so the only thing I can say is Screw cancer, you kick it's pimply butt and make it wish it never decided to cross your path.

To anyone else on this thread, if you want to help kick cancer's butt you should joining the bone marrow registry, you never know, you could be a match for someone. </preaching>
 
Hey Wrath .... I was Interferon Roferon A for about 6 months. My body gradually just got more and more sensitive to it. They even tried to lower the dose then a two week break. I also had low blood counts and the fatigue is unbelievable. I was supposed to be on the Roferon for 12 to 14 months but after my last PET, my oncologist reckoned I had done well enough. I had zero cancer traces. So the decision was to stop the Roferon.

For those who have not experienced it, those chills and body aches are the worst. Its like being in a constant state of flu like symptoms. You just wanna lay down and die (or at least pass out for a very long time). My moods were terrible. Side effects for me were extreme "grumpiness", short temper and also depression. I have since been on Cilif to increase my "feel good" hormones, which practically diminished to a zero.

Unfortunately the Radiation totally farked up my left side of my neck, face and inside my mouth. I had stage 3 melanoma too. I have a scar now from the top (back & front) of my ear all the way to my left lower chin (I had 2 ops in the space of 6 weeks on the same site, 1st for the tumor & saliva gland, 2nd to remove lymph nodes). My muscles are permanently stiff (extremely) and it will never improve fully. I have to do a bunch of stretch exercises and massages for lymph drainage. My left shoulder is pretty stuffed to, took me forever to get strength in it to lift objects. I still battle with it. My taste is finally better, allthough my left cheek inside is still very raw & sensitive. No Hot stuff for me :(

But now I'm a lot happier given the cilift! And I still maintain its better than being dead! That all said, I can totaly respect what you have been thru and wish you all the best! The hair does grow back! (Allthou I still dont have to shave the left side of my face)
 
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IRG said:
Hey Wrath .... I was Interferon Roferon A for about 6 months. My body gradually just got more and more sensitive to it. They even tried to lower the dose then a two week break. I also had low blood counts and the fatigue is unbelievable. I was supposed to be on the Roferon for 12 to 14 months but after my last PET, my oncologist reckoned I had done well enough. I had zero cancer traces. So the decision was to stop the Roferon.

For those who have not experienced it, those chills and body aches are the worst. Its like being in a constant state of flu like symptoms. You just wanna lay down and die (or at least pass out for a very long time). My moods were terrible. Side effects for me were extreme "grumpiness", short temper and also depression. I have since been on Cilif to increase my "feel good" hormones, which practically diminished to a zero.

Unfortunately the Radiation totally farked up my left side of my neck, face and inside my mouth. I had stage 3 melanoma too. I have a scar now from the top (back & front) of my ear all the way to my left lower chin (I had 2 ops in the space of 6 weeks on the same site, 1st for the tumor & saliva gland, 2nd to remove lymph nodes). My muscles are permanently stiff (extremely) and it will never improve fully. I have to do a bunch of stretch exercises and massages for lymph drainage. My left shoulder is pretty stuffed to, took me forever to get strength in it to lift objects. I still battle with it. My taste is finally better, allthough my left cheek inside is still very raw & sensitive. No Hot stuff for me :(

But now I'm a lot happier given the cilift! And I still maintain its better than being dead! That all said, I can totaly respect what you have been thru and wish you all the best! The hair does grow back! (Allthou I still dont have to shave the left side of my face)
Click to expand...

Goodness, sorry to hear, sjoe, you've had a very tough time!
(that pain you're talking about, it's like a dull ache that radiates from your marrow, through your bones and muscles, I have to use painkillers sometimes, other times a sleeping pill.

I'm going to inject chemo now, should have at lunch time already :erm:

Keep well and ..do as you please ;)
 
goodness - thinking of you both as you battle through this fight. hope you come out strong.
 
wrathex said:
Goodness, sorry to hear, sjoe, you've had a very tough time!
(that pain you're talking about, it's like a dull ache that radiates from your marrow, through your bones and muscles, I have to use painkillers sometimes, other times a sleeping pill.

I'm going to inject chemo now, should have at lunch time already :erm:

Keep well and ..do as you please ;)
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Yip thats the pain..... I don't miss it one bit! I also forgot the funny side affect (sometimes u can use to your advantage) is the short term memory loss. Damn, I couldnt hold in anything in the noggin while on the Interferon! Thank goodness for my HTC Desire and its calender and reminders! The one positive while being on it, you never get flu! My whole family went through 3 different cycles of flu, and I didnt get it once!

So did u get radiated under the armpit? If so, doubt u will need to shave there very soon! My radiation was a 19 day course at the highest dosage they are allowed to give. Actually I had the highest for 12 days on my tumor site (the area just under my left ear) and then at the same time 19 days at a lower dose for my neck and upper shoulder.

The dry itchy skin from the radiation drove me nuts!!!! And theres practically nothing u can do for it while undergoing the treatment. The worst part for me was the way the radiation buggered my mouth up. I ended up in hospital just after the course ended. My mouth was finished. I couldnt eat or drink, hell I could barely open my lips. The sores covered my entire mouth, lips, toungue and throat (basically my whole inside my mouth was one big a$$ sore). I lost about 10kg. Freaking drips and injections, dunno how many I had now!

But thats all over. Other than the irritatingly stiff and sore muscles, limited neck, mouth (I cant open my mouth much these days - just get a fork in to it - so burgers dont work, luckily I'm a pizza type of guy), and left arm / shoulder movement. I'm doing very well! I did just have a scare the last few weeks, had to have another biopsy on a lump in my right calf. But it was just a fatty cell scar tissue thingy. I can live with all the side effects, and even though I sound like I had it hard, there are plenty of brave, strong people that I met on my journey. My treatment was successful, difficult but I'm lucky. My son was just 3 when I was diagnosed, and that to me scared the k@k out of me, not seeing him grow up. But the key is to stay upbeat and pray for the best.

IRG is Cancer FREE!
 
IRG said:
Yip thats the pain..... I don't miss it one bit! I also forgot the funny side affect (sometimes u can use to your advantage) is the short term memory loss. Damn, I couldnt hold in anything in the noggin while on the Interferon! Thank goodness for my HTC Desire and its calender and reminders! The one positive while being on it, you never get flu! My whole family went through 3 different cycles of flu, and I didnt get it once!

So did u get radiated under the armpit?

The dry itchy skin from the radiation drove me nuts!!!!

But thats all over.

IRG is Cancer FREE! :D
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Unfortunately my tumor was large and all my nodes were removed, entangled with nerves, so I had heavy radiation for a month, my left arm is semi paralyzed, I don't use deodorant or shave. (fortunately I don't stink of sweat - never have)

I am very scatterbrained, and it's all par with the course for me, my short term memory fused long ago lol, I've been supplementing my memory for 30 years with photographs, notes, diaries, short stories.

I have lost some blogs and websites, well, what I mean is, they're still online, but I don't know where they are lol or what I called them (and my password book is getting confusing too, so many years of keeping passwords for so many different services, I am losing control of my web domain, no longer have the ability to upgrade my skills) holding a full cup of coffee is tiring, can't really cook anymore as I can no longer handle pots/pans with weight, sukkel om n blik oopmaker te gebruik, I can't see where my spectacles are lol, spending hours looking for things.

I often type in the wrong password for my debit card, I no longer pop into shops on my own, as I become disorientated between people, and lifting a 2l milk is the limit of my strength.

I fell on brick stairs yesterday, I find myself off balance at times and having been a dexterous person all my life, I find the loss of coordination, disturbing, I'm knocking things over, dropping objects, (permanent loss of strength in arms)

Then there are the moments when I forget how my car works, while I'm driving, or how the microwave must be operated.
To compensate, I keep a low profile, stay home, rest a lot, game, read, watch series, sleep :p

It's a relief to be able to share some of this, I feel so isolated at times, receding.

Nevertheless, there is also contentment and happiness and an insatiable curiosity, which remains a remarkable driving force, to stick it out - to cut your losses, and to continue having fun and experience life wholeheartedly :)
 
Shooo .... brave lady u are ! Trust me I know that ... uhh what was I doing again? and how do I do it feeling? .... haha. But once that interferon is finished, WOA! Its amazing... took a while to get my memory going lekka again. But I'm back in the swing of things. I still tell people not to give me any details or instructions / requests vocally. It must be notarized or emailed to me....
 
Yussi. flippen scarey reading through this thread.

Wish you all the best for your recovery, keep the high spirits up.
 
hi Wrathex, if it helps you're welcome to talk, talk, talk. we're all here for you.
 
nexxus said:
To anyone else on this thread, if you want to help kick cancer's butt you should joining the bone marrow registry, you never know, you could be a match for someone. </preaching>
Click to expand...

A few years ago I filled in the forms for the Sunflower Fund and then they wanted me to pay them a hefty fee before I could join/donate, that just does not sit very well with me.

If you know of any other places that are free let us know ;)
 
I think I've mentioned before how very much I admire you,Wrathex. Stay strong and keep the faith !
 
wrathex said:
Nevertheless, there is also contentment and happiness and an insatiable curiosity, which remains a remarkable driving force, to stick it out - to cut your losses, and to continue having fun and experience life wholeheartedly :)
Click to expand...
/we here for you. Thank you for sharing W! Careful Hugz.
 
This is now really scaring the heeby jeebies out of me..... My wife is starting her chemo tomorrow for breast cancer ...
Looks like we are in for a rough ride... But then maybe not. It probably doesn't affect everyone the same does it ?
 
tcofran said:
This is now really scaring the heeby jeebies out of me..... My wife is starting her chemo tomorrow for breast cancer ...
Looks like we are in for a rough ride... But then maybe not. It probably doesn't affect everyone the same does it ?
Click to expand...

No individuals reacting differently, let us know how it is going and best of luck.

My prognosis:
Yesterday I had the guts to ask the oncologist for my prognosis, I did not ask ask before and they didn't tell.
I have been give a time period of 18 - 24 months, and taking into consideration that I might survive for longer.
The chemo therapy buys me a few months.

I thought I had more time, I thought I would live for another 7 years possibly, but the size of the tumor and the amount of nodes effected was great in my case. So again I am in 'cancer shock' all over again.

Additionally I come with a warning to all of you from my oncologist:

Skin cancer is a fast growing cancer in especially white people.
Skin cancer is one of the cancers that is fast increasing all over the globe.
Radiation from the sun has increased at certain latitudes, eg southern hemisphere countries : eg Australia, New Zealand, southern states of America and South Africa. ( some Northern countries are also effected because of latitude and ozone depletion. )

Light or red hair, blue or green eyes makes you or your child a high risk.

I think my sense of humour is having a stroke, I can't stop thinking about the funny side of death and strangely enough I feel relieved now that the pressure to be happy and enjoy life is on hardcore :twisted:
 
Best of luck, the quicker they find it, the better the outlook, I'm glad you're going little chicken !
 
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