Raising a child through Chemo

I have a 6 year old who is in 1st grade, and I started chemo on August 1st. It's just me, hubby and my son -- we moved away from family and friends a few years back for my job,( which has turned out to be a really bad thing!). Since we've made no real friends out here yet, we have no support system to help during this time.

So far, I've been managing pretty well -- I'm doing a lot more than I want to be doing, but most importantly, I am capable. I work full time, except on my Wednesday treatment days. (Right now I have weekly Abraxane). i drive myself to/ fro the chemo, although my husband came with me the first two weeks to make sure I'd be OK. He works hourly at a small business, (no FMLA), so he can't miss that much work. I am the breadwinner and carry the insurance.

I get my son to the bus stop, do shopping, chores, Open House at school... we moved to a new house 3 weeks into my chemo, and I managed that, too. My worst days are Friday and Saturday, so I work from home on Friday, and try to lay low on Saturday and rest.

One caveat: My doctor tells me repeatedly that 'Abraxane is typically well tolerated" and that "you will feel much worse on AC" so it's very possible this will all come to a screeching halt on October 25th when I switch meds. I'm prepared to take medical leave from work if needed, but I've no clue what we're going to do with all the school stuff or other things when my husband cannot take time off work.

Also, the hardest part for me has been my son. I've been very open and honest with him about "Mommy taking some very strong medicine that will make me tired and not feeling well sometimes but it will make me better" and he understands that I have cancer. I was matter of fact with him and honest, and that has helped. However, he is simply not processing that I am not feeling well, or that I can't do normal things. He Only Wants Mommy all of the time, and there is no understanding or acceptance that I am not well. I'll be honest, it's been really awful. I'm actually going to talk to one of the social workers at my dr's office to see if there is a support group for kids, or even someone who can talk to him one on one, because I am at my wit's end. Your daughter may process it better, but I would be prepared for the opposite. I'm sure it's a scary thing for the kids, even though they don't really understand what cancer means.

autumn, when I try to tell my son he gets mad and says “stop talking about it"!inwanted to prepare him and used words similar to what you did. I even got him a coloring book about it and he threw it away.

My teenager daughters and I share a strong bond. We are very open. My son is my mamas boy and very attached to me. Just so interesting how they all react so differently. But his breaks my heart cause I know he is having a hard time accepting the change coming. I’m gonna try my best to not make it as big of a change.

wonderwoman,

I had 4DDAC followed by 4DD Taxol. The entire bleep was brutal. But I am a lot older than you. Taxol was a lot harder for me than AC.

After DD taxol #1, I contemplated switching to weekly. Glad I did not bc I honestly threw the entire kitchen sink at BC. DD does 2.5 times wkly dosage. So it is shorter. SEs are cumulative so whether wkly or DD, it takes its own time to leave our system.

Either way, minimal SEs.