Best Of
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
Re: Starting radiation October 2025? Let's support each other!
I had very few side effects from radiation. I was a little more tired than usual, but still got out for my walk every single morning,
I had a little redness with radiation but no major skin irritation. I used calendula cream a couple times a day and used aquafor at bedtime. My oncologists office also gave me a prescription cream to apply once a day & they found that really helped prevent skin irritation. You are not supposed to apply anything 4 hours before your treatment. I applied Calendula as soon as I was done, before getting dressed.
I read on here to started using the calendula cream 2 weeks before you start rads- so I put that on once a day.
My radiation oncologist office gave me a bunch of samples of different things to try. I really liked the calendula cream and repeatedly saw that recommended on here.
Good luck to everyone starting radiation this month and hope it goes smoothly.
ann5631
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
Hugs back to you. In your pocket for treatment change discussion. Mine will be Thursday when I meet with MO.
Would love to be soaking in hot springs right now, especially with that view. Can't soak in anything however as I have a midline port in my upper arm for daily antibiotic infusions to treat diverticulitis. Began in June and 4 months of "on again, off again" oral augmentin didn't fix the problem. Switched to a new GI who immediately referred me to an infectious diseases Dr. and here I am. Kisqali has been causing GI issues for 3+ years, but not sure what the next line treatments may do. From what I read here, none of them are easy.
eleanora
Re: how about drinking?
Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy Sunday Funday! Going to Mom's today to help start the sorting and marking process, hoping to be able to get some stuff into the trash as we move along. Also need to get the mileage on her car that’s going to be donated, as the landlord wants it moved in the next couple of weeks. I've just realized that the microwave that Mom is using is one that the landlord bought when the one over the stove that Mom could barely reach stopped working. Tomorrow she wants to go out and pick up an absentee ballot and get a couple of gift cards for the couple next door that have been helping her all along, then we will need to pick a storage unit and get that set up. I'm going to start a box of things that she will need when she first gets in the apartment, sheets, towels, nightgown, couple outfits, critical kitchen items, etc, so we'll know exactly where they are for the first night and ayem. I found myself in tears a couple of times yesterday thinking about what needs to be done so her first overnight and first day is comfortable and successful without me being there. It's being a harder adjustment for me than I thought it would be. But adjust I will, and I keep reminding myself that this move is going to be great for Mom, and that's what's important.
Carole--If I had moved to NC, Mom would have moved as well. I had looked into some retirement communities in the area while I was looking at houses to buy. Not wanting to move Mom away from the few friends she has left still living was a pretty big reason I chose not to move.
It's going to be a pretty busy week here, don't be surprised if I don't post until next week.
Moving Swiftly
INGREDIENTS
• 1 ¾ oz. Bruichladdich Unpeated single malt scotch, or blended Irish whiskey
• ¾ oz. American Fruits Sour Cherry Cordial
• ¾ oz. Giffard Wild Elderflower Liqueur
• ¾ oz. lavender-infused agave syrup (recipe below)
• 3 dashes bell pepper puree (recipe below)
• Garnish: 1 lavender sprig
DIRECTIONS
In a shaker, combine all ingredients with ice and shake hard for 25 seconds. Double strain over fresh ice into a Collins glass. Garnish with lavender sprig.
From
Re: Bone Mets Thread
Thank you for your concern about my condition. I truly hope that no one ever has to experience something this exhausting.
As for my tumor markers, they started at 90 and went down for several months until they reached 74, then began to rise again.
Now, after a year and two months on Kisqali, and with the continued increase, they have reached over 227 — with no clear explanation for this.
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
We went to soak in the hot springs. The tamarack trees were beautiful yellow. The drive up was stunning with beautiful fall colors. It makes me want to paint.
@eleanora hugs to you
@mara51506 May the Force be with you
I find out tomorrow if I have to change treatment...
mkestrel
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
Hello to all the sweet folks here. Mara, In your pocket for the brain treatment. May it be a benign cyst and the treatment is easy for you. In your pocket for you homekeeping plans, too. May all get into order so you do not have to fuss or worry. Kitties will be just fine, though I know they'll miss you.
Eleanora, in your pocket for what I pray is minimal progression and your next plan will halt this with no side effects.
Just finished heavy duty antibiotics for pneumonia. Suspect is aspiration type. I wish I could say I'm doing .good, but I just want to lay in bed, exhausted. Pet scan Oct. 30th and see MO Nov. 10. Off Ibrance since Oct. 6 until??? His nurse said decision will be made at that appt. I believe they'll find problems in the hip and right leg long bone. Guess we will see. The epidural injection to the back area has kicked it. This is like whack-a-mole. I can't go any lower on Ibrance since I am at 75 mg. and still suffering side effects. Maybe he'll change to another treatment.
In pockets for all your needs.
Re: Bone Mets Thread
Thank you for sharing your experience with me; I am truly grateful for that, as well as for your prayers .🧡🧡
I have gone through almost the same experience, perhaps around the same timing.
For me, it started about two months ago, when I would cough whenever I encountered a strange smell. I thought it was normal since I already have sensitivities to perfumes and other unusual odors, so I ignored it and just used the nebulizer when the cough became strong.
But on October 7th, my temperature rose, I lost my appetite, had a cough, and sometimes the cough was so severe that it caused vomiting. I thought it was a virus due to the flu, so I took a fever reducer. After about a week, my condition stabilized and the fever subsided.
After that, I noticed extreme weakness, barely able to walk (I even started using a wheelchair) and unable to complete my sentences when speaking due to the weakness.
I decided to visit my oncologist, and after examining my lungs, he said I had severe pneumonia in my left lung and immediately requested a chest CT scan and asked me to return to him.
The scan showed that almost half of my lung was white, some areas solid and others scattered, which led the doctor to admit me to the hospital.
I entered the hospital on October 17th and spent four days there, then continued treatment at home for another five days.
During this period, my doctor asked me to stop Kisqali, but he didn’t mind me taking the Faslodex injection. I also missed the Xgeva injection for this month.
So I am currently without any treatment, for more than two weeks, in addition to the Kisqali break week.
Now I feel better, except for some fatigue and a cough that the doctor said will continue for the next month. He advised me to use cough medicine and the nebulizer.
I wish both you and me a full recovery from pneumonia and stability on our treatments in the coming period.
Re: Bone Mets Thread
@cure-ious
I did only the most important gene mutation tests, and they came back negative — I don’t have any mutations.
This was the first step my doctor took after the tumor markers started to rise.
@eleanora
As for me ,I’ve completed 14 cycles of Kisqali so far, and after several months of gradual decline in the tumor markers, they started to rise again.
What my doctor told me at that time was that if the progression is limited to the bones only, it might be possible to treat the new lesions with radiation and continue the current treatment without any changes.
@tougholdcrow
Thank you so much for your kind message and thoughtful advice. 🌷
The oncologist I’m seeing now is actually the best one in my city, and the next step for a second opinion would mean traveling abroad. For now, I’ve decided to wait for my upcoming MRI results before making any further decisions.
@threetree
I feel the same way — I’m not fully convinced that tumor markers alone should determine a treatment change.
But, to be honest (and it’s hard for me to admit this), I also have a feeling that somewhere in my body the disease might be slowly progressing, even if it hasn’t shown up on scans yet. My tumor markers have been steadily rising by about 20–30 points every month, which makes me wonder if there’s something we just can’t see right now.
❤️❤️Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and gave me advice. I am truly grateful to you all, and I also thank everyone who has kept me in their prayers.
Re: How long have you been Stage IV?
@lafish Praying you have great results from your scans! My scan is next Friday so I understand how you are feeling!
ssales13