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LauraW68
LauraW68 Member Posts: 100
edited November 2014 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

I had a bone scan Friday, October 31st. It came back clear.

I had a CT scan on Monday, November 3rd. It came back clear

Those showed there were no cancer tumors anywhere else in my body.

I had 3 of 15 lymph nodes removed test positive for cancer with one of the lymph nodes showing that cancer had broken through. 

There's a possibility of a cancer cell or more floating around looking for a place to land and start a tumor. 50% chance. 

I Saw the medical oncologist on Monday, November 3rd. I'll
have an echo on the 20th then and a port placement on the 21st. Then my
first chemo treatment will be December 1st. I'll have 4 treatments (1
every 2 weeks) of AC (doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide) and then 12
weeks of Paclitaxel aka Taxol.

I will have to take the Nulasta shot as well.

The talk of Radiation was thrown in there but not sure how many rounds.

Then take the hormone blocking pill for 10 years he said.

So I'll actually be joining in the December Chemo group. I am not looking forward to being bald in winter. lol

I guess what I am asking, is this...

I'm really concerned about being sick with the chemo drugs and trying to care for our 6 children at home as well as I homeschool.  I'm almost to the point of telling the doctors that I don't want to do the chemo and radiation, etc. and just go to the hormone blocking pill. I have already had my bilateral mastectomies (on October 24th) with tissue expanders. I got two of my drains out yesterday and my first fill of 50cc.  

I'm nauseated today, threw up a little, and have diarrhea (sorry probably TMI).  I'm crying as I type this.  I just don't know what to do.  I don't want to be so sick I can't homeschool and take care of my children.    I took my temp and it's 99.1.    I don't feel achy or anything.  I thought about calling the doctor but don't want to sound like a whiner.  

Please any suggestions or thoughts. 

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  • WinningSoFar
    WinningSoFar Member Posts: 951
    edited November 2014

    Dear Laura--

    I'm so sorry that you are facing this along with caring for your children.  Is it really necessary for you to choose either treatment or homeschooling?  Is there any way to find a way to get your full treatment.  Help from another homeschooling mom?  A relative?  

    Were I in your place, I'd fear that if I shortchange my treatment, I might have a reoccurence that would impact my children more.  Some sacrifice now might really pay off for your children later.

    Regarding your slight fever and nausea, yes, I'd call my surgeon and report it.  They want to hear anything out of the ordinary.  Let the surgeon worry (along with you) about what's going on with you. 

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  • LauraW68
    LauraW68 Member Posts: 100
    edited November 2014

    Thank you.  

    We do have friends who have and probably would again help out with the homeschooling.

    I guess I really  just needed to hear someone else other than the doctors tell me, yes, do this to prevent a re-occurrence.

    I called my PS and left a message for his nurse. 

    Can't figure out how to undelete my original post. I didn't want to sound like I'm whining, so I deleted it.

    Edited to add... can't edit my first post as there's not an option but thanks to the Moderators for posting my full post below: 



    Can't seem to post it in that post, but Laura, see if you can edit.

    I had a bone scan Friday, October 31st. It came back clear.

    I had a CT scan on Monday, November 3rd. It came back clear

    Those showed there were no cancer tumors anywhere else in my body.

    I had 3 of 15 lymph nodes removed test positive for cancer with one of the lymph nodes showing that cancer had broken through.

    There's a possibility of a cancer cell or more floating around looking for a place to land and start a tumor. 50% chance.

    I
    Saw the medical oncologist on Monday, November 3rd. I'll have an echo
    on the 20th then and a port placement on the 21st. Then my first chemo
    treatment will be December 1st. I'll have 4 treatments (1 every 2 weeks)
    of AC (doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide) and then 12 weeks of
    Paclitaxel aka Taxol.

    I will have to take the Nulasta shot as well.

    The talk of Radiation was thrown in there but not sure how many rounds.

    Then take the hormone blocking pill for 10 years he said.

    So I'll actually be joining in the December Chemo group. I am not looking forward to being bald in winter. lol

    I guess what I am asking, is this...

    I'm
    really concerned about being sick with the chemo drugs and trying to
    care for our 6 children at home as well as I homeschool. I'm almost to
    the point of telling the doctors that I don't want to do the chemo and
    radiation, etc. and just go to the hormone blocking pill. I have already
    had my bilateral mastectomies (on October 24th) with tissue expanders. I
    got two of my drains out yesterday and my first fill of 50cc.

    I'm
    nauseated today, threw up a little, and have diarrhea (sorry probably
    TMI). I'm crying as I type this. I just don't know what to do. I
    don't want to be so sick I can't homeschool and take care of my
    children. I took my temp and it's 99.1. I don't feel achy or anything.
    I thought about calling the doctor but don't want to sound like a
    whiner.

    Please any suggestions or thoughts.

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  • WinningSoFar
    WinningSoFar Member Posts: 951
    edited November 2014

    Dear Laura--

    My dear!  I can feel your pain all the way from here.  Don't ever feel like you're whining--whining is about elevating trivial matters to mountains.  You are not dealing with trivia--it's your life.  I'm privileged to have read your original post.  

    I hope you can continue to find ways to get your treatment and fulfill your obligations.  You will be modeling for your children that there is usually a way to accomplish both, even if with sacrifice.  It models effectivity rather than perfectionism. 

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  • April8
    April8 Member Posts: 65
    edited November 2014

    Hi LauraW68: Chemo is tough, particularly more so with the stronger drugs you will be taking. I am getting Taxol and herceptin infusions weekly (which isn't as strong by a long shot) and they give me lots of good stuff to ward off nausea, etc. so that should help you. It isn't as bad as it used to be in the old days-the medical community recognizes that pain and suffering is a deterrent to good health. Do it for your children-short term loss, long term gain. Best of luck to you and I hope you are ok.

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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited November 2014


    Sorry I didn't see your orginal post :) However I was on the same chemo regime you are about to take and if you are contemplating homeschooling during this time, you may want to reconsider. Or maybe just do a reduced load?

    Don't ever worry about venting here ((hugs))

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited November 2014

    Here is the content from LauraW68's original post. 

    Can't seem to post it in that post, but Laura, see if you can edit. 

    I had a bone scan Friday, October 31st. It came back clear.

    I had a CT scan on Monday, November 3rd. It came back clear

    Those showed there were no cancer tumors anywhere else in my body.

    I had 3 of 15 lymph nodes removed test positive for cancer with one of the lymph nodes showing that cancer had broken through.

    There's a possibility of a cancer cell or more floating around looking for a place to land and start a tumor. 50% chance.

    I Saw the medical oncologist on Monday, November 3rd. I'll have an echo on the 20th then and a port placement on the 21st. Then my first chemo treatment will be December 1st. I'll have 4 treatments (1 every 2 weeks) of AC (doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide) and then 12 weeks of Paclitaxel aka Taxol.

    I will have to take the Nulasta shot as well.

    The talk of Radiation was thrown in there but not sure how many rounds.

    Then take the hormone blocking pill for 10 years he said.

    So I'll actually be joining in the December Chemo group. I am not looking forward to being bald in winter. lol

    I guess what I am asking, is this...

    I'm really concerned about being sick with the chemo drugs and trying to care for our 6 children at home as well as I homeschool. I'm almost to the point of telling the doctors that I don't want to do the chemo and radiation, etc. and just go to the hormone blocking pill. I have already had my bilateral mastectomies (on October 24th) with tissue expanders. I got two of my drains out yesterday and my first fill of 50cc.

    I'm nauseated today, threw up a little, and have diarrhea (sorry probably TMI). I'm crying as I type this. I just don't know what to do. I don't want to be so sick I can't homeschool and take care of my children. I took my temp and it's 99.1. I don't feel achy or anything. I thought about calling the doctor but don't want to sound like a whiner.

    Please any suggestions or thoughts. 

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited November 2014

    You have every right the vent! Never feel sorry for doing that here, or sharing whatever is happening as much as you want to.

    Of course you do need to go through the treatments. This whole year will be awful, it will, so you have to figure out how to best get through it so you can be around for those kids in the long term.

    This is the time to accept all the help you can get (you can return the favors later when you are well & others are having difficulties), If you have friends who would be willing to organize a meal calendar and bring meals a couple times a week, who would clean, run errands etc. etc. all that would be so helpful. As far as homeschooling.....if you are already doing it & have friends who could take over some of the responsibilities, I would put that in place. Another option I will just throw out is......a couple in my town who homeschooled was faced with a somewhat similar situation & enrolled their kids in a local private school (Catholic, in this case) for a year & then resumed homeschooling once everything had settled down. They seemed happy with how that worked out.

    All my best!

     


     

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  • LauraW68
    LauraW68 Member Posts: 100
    edited November 2014

    Thanks Moderator!

    I got a call back from the nurse at the dr. office yesterday and said I may be trying to catch a bug going around as the what I was experiencing wouldn't be related to the first TE fill.     After work, Hubby brought me home some gingerale and some anti-nausea medicine last night though just in case I didn't feel good today. 

    This morning I feel better, just ate a little bit ago but now tummy feels queasy.  Gonna get a glass of ginger ale and then sit down to school work with the children.

    I'm sure I'll feel even better when the last two drains come out on Tuesday.  I miss being able to sleep on my side. I have never been a back sleeper.

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