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  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Lamis,

    Thank you for posting to let us know how your mother is getting on since starting her chemotherapy on the FEC regimen.

    I was sorry to read that she had several side effects that started after just five hours, but I was so glad to read that you had been able to manage them with medications and exercise. I am certain that the fifteen minute walks every day will be of benefit as I think it is so therapeutic to get a bit of fresh air.

    I was sorry to read that, two days before her second FEC she developed a swelling in her leg which turned out to be a DVT. I was glad to know that it is able to be treated with a Clexane injection twice a day for five days. Do you have a date for when the next FEC is likely to be. If you do have one, please let us know.

    I was wondering if the oncologist gave any reason for the development of DVT. Were you told whether this was connected to the chemotherapy drugs or to something else? It is always good to know.

    With chemotherapy none of us knows how we are going to react. Sometimes it is just bad luck, even though we are doing everything right.

    Thank you for your kind words and I am sure I speak for all of us on the thread when I send you the warmest wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

    Keep supporting your mother as you are doing and keep looking forward to the day when treatment is over and you get back to a more normal lifestyle.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Rhonda,

    Thank you for your post. I was so sorry to read that you have developed a fever. Unfortunately this does happen with chemotherapy treatment but you are going to be alright.

    I can understand that you have decided not to add carboplatin to your treatment. It is best not to overburden your body with more toxic drugs than is necessary, I would think.

    When is your next Taxol infusion supposed to be? I know that it is due to finish in mid February.

    Remember that lots of us have got through the treatment without carboplatin and have survived.

    I was glad to read in your second post that your white blood counts are good, so that is something to be positive about. I do hope you will get rapid treatment for the UTI and pneumonia. Just take care and get a lot of rest.

    I was wondering whether you had an anti pneumonia injection before you started your cancer journey. I remember clearly that over here in the UK, on diagnosis, I was told to get an anti-flu injection and a pneumonia injection straight away before I started treatment. The pneumonia injection is a once in a life time one.

    Do keep in close touch and let me know how things go.

    Sending you very best wishes.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Hanieh,

    Thank you for your post.

    I was interested to know about the car you are planning to buy. Hyundai are very popular here in the UK. The cars with one of the best reputations are Japanese ones, such as Honda and Nissan. We have had our car for a very long time. It is a Nissan Almera.

    I was interested in what you had to eat on what we call over here "a girls' night out"! I do understand how good it felt to have those foods after avoiding them. That is why we cannot always be as strict as we want with our food. We can only do what we feel able to do. Life has to be bearable and not unbearable.

    I do like your sense of humour, Hanieh, and that no-nonsense spirit that you have.

    Last night, I watched a programme on the television, entitled Muslims Like Us. It was a factual programme in which ten Muslims, men and women, spent two weeks together in a house to see how they got on. The second part is this evening. It was interesting because they had such differing views about their religion and everyday topics. The views went from the strictest to the most liberal. I do like to watch programmes that make me think.

    Try to post as it does us all good to learn about what goes on in different countries. The people of a country do not necessarily represent the politicians. I certainly think this is going on in the UK today and that our politicians are not in tune with the people.

    That is all for today.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • rlk58
    rlk58 Member Posts: 150

    Hello Sylvia,

    I do have a UTI but don't have pneumonia -they diagnosed using an X-ray with no symptoms.The infectious disease doctor was great.Maybr because he was British but he took his time examining

    Me and talking to me.He thinks the fluid in my lungs are

    From an allergy to Taxol.I am going home with oral antibiotic

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Rhonda,

    I was glad to know that you do not have pneumonia. It is one less thing about which to worry.

    I do hope the antibiotics work rapidly to rid you of the UTI. Cranberries are said to be very good for helping this, but you need to have them without any sugar. I have been buying fresh ones in the UK, cooking them with some chopped up apples. They do not take many minutes to cook. They come from the US.

    I was glad to know you were pleased with your British doctor.

    You must be very glad to be going home.

    Take care.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • rlk58
    rlk58 Member Posts: 150

    Sylvia,

    I can't wait to get home.My doctor gave me

    His number and said to call him any time say or night.He was really upset that they said I had pneumonia-he is an expert on infectious disease.I will try the cranberries. I am drinking loads of water which I must continue to do.

    Rhond

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Rhonda,

    I was so glad to know that you are in such good hands and it must be reassuring to know that you have a dedicated doctor.

    I am not surprised that your doctor was upset about your being told you had pneumonia when you did not have it.

    I am sure you are doing everything you can to keep as well as possible during your chemotherapy treatment. Keep up the good work.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Chris,

    I was wondering how things are going as you wait for your surgery on December 19th. How are you feeling post-chemotherapy?

    Hello Pam,

    I hope you are making a good recovery from your bilateral mastectomy.

    Hello Gina,

    I hope all is well with you. What is the exact date of your next chemotherapy session?

    Hello Kath,

    I am just popping in to say I hope all is as well as can be expected as you wait for your next Taxol infusion.

    Wishing everyone well.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • gmmiph
    gmmiph Member Posts: 662

    Hi Sylvia,

    I hope all is well with you. I wish the same to all the ladies and gents on this forum too.

    My third infusion is suppose to be on the 21st of Dec but it would really depend on the results of my blood tests. The orig sched was on the 23rd. I am having a little bit of body itchiness again but it is tolerable and i am taking Claritin for it.

    Regards,

    Gina


  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Gina,

    Thank you for letting us know that your third chemotherapy infusion is on December 21st.

    I was sorry to read that you are suffering from a bit of body itchiness, but glad to know that you find it bearable. All these things are probably connected to the way these toxic drugs affect the immune system. I suppose keeping hydrated and moisturising the skin with an unperfumed cream is the answer.

    Take care of yourself and keep telling yourself that you are going to get through this. The chemotherapy journey is the hardest.

    Sending you fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • maryna8
    maryna8 Member Posts: 1,832

    Hi, Sylvia and all,

    I am the bad penny who has returned, had a great time in Aruba, and have come back to bitter cold with the promise that it is going to get colder over the weekend.

    Aruba was very warm, and the weather was unusual there, in that it rained every day. One day was a washout, the other days just had showers that came and went and didn't bother anything much. But the local people are very puzzled, they said they never have rain like that.

    It is an island of beautiful white sand beaches that look upon a sea of turquoise blue water and it's deep blue out where the water deepens. Just gorgeous! We went on a jeep tour one day and saw the very north of the island, the sea was much different there; it crashed into craggy cliffs and big rocks. The people are very friendly, and are very nice to the tourists. As one cabbie said, their income is 85% tourism and almost everyone has a job, and they appreciate it. There are many, many wonderful restaurants; all serving among other things, the local catches of the day. We ate fresh fish every day, and the fruit was amazing. I really appreciated that because here in the middle of the USA, fresh seafood is hard to come by where we are, and it's almost impossible to get a good melon this time of year.

    The sun was intense, we went out on a boat on the second day and I had too much of the sun. I had sunscreen on, and didn't get burned; but just got too hot. That night I had a bad headache and stayed in the room with cool towels and drank a lot of water, and I learned that for me, several hours in the direct Aruba sun is too much. After that I would walk on the beach and we would go out sight-seeing, but while sitting on the beach I sat under the umbrella for the most part; and still got tan! I don't know if it's the reflection of the white sand, or the wind, but one really doesn't have to be in the sun much to get a nice tan.

    I will try to post some pics, I have been having a problem doing that for some reason.

    I hope everyone is doing okay; I saw that Rhonda had a pneumonia scare, and I am very glad it was not really pneumonia. Gina has itchiness, I hope that will resolve, and I'm glad your SEs are not bad. I think it was Kath that had the runny nose, I wanted to tell you that I had a runny nose while doing chemo, and also runny eyes. I thought it would never stop but it did. I carried a tissue always and swabbed my eyes and nose.; Chris, I'm so glad you are finished with treatments, and my hair started to come back a little bit while I was doing the Taxotere. Pam, I'm glad you have a good support system to help you through your mastectomy recovery, it's no picnic. It was such a relief when the drains came out.

    I will talk to you all later, good talking to you

    Mary

  • kathseward
    kathseward Member Posts: 380

    hi Slyvia

    Had 8 th taxol today and feel ok so far other than aches and pains. I started spiking temps on Monday with rigours and the cough got worse. Went up to emergency and they did bloods and a cxr. Getting the cxr done was terrifying. Both were clear and neuraphils ok so they sent me home on oral abos. Have newlaster tomorrow. 4 to go and the fatigue is getting worse. Sleep for long periods but getting there

    Cheers


    Kat

  • Lamis
    Lamis Member Posts: 4

    Hi Gina , Sylvia and all,

    My mother second FEC session is scheduled on Dec 19, she is slowly recovering and today we started innohep injection once a day.

    The Dr said it is unlikely for somebody in her situation to get a DVT as she's walking daily. So that's might be a reaction to the chemo.


    Wishing everyone a great weekend,


    Thanks,

    Lamis





  • gmmiph
    gmmiph Member Posts: 662

    Hi Lamis,

    I really hope your mother recovers in time for her next chemo. Innohep should do the job for her dvt. My prayers for her.

    Hi Sylvia,

    As always, thanks for your thoughtfulness. I will update you once I get my final FEC infusion.

    Hi Mary,

    Welcome back. You sound so excited with your trip in Aruba. Please do send pics of your grand vacation. Did you learn some Papamiento? I hear they have many tropical fruits there like the guyabano. Did you find any? Melons do abound during the months of December, even here in Manila. I am always happy when the fruits i love are in season. I've practically eaten melons and guyabano almost daily for two weeks now. How I wish we have the berries too. I will be waiting for your tanned pics. Talk to you later.

    I hope all ladies and gents on this thread are doing fine, especially since it is almost Christmas again. How time flies. Life is too short to waste. Melancholia setting in. Sigh

    Regards to everyone.

    Gina



  • lilyp6
    lilyp6 Member Posts: 130

    Hello Everyone,

    Here's the post-surgery update. I had my drains out this past Mon. I was worried that it would hurt, but it was minor, and the relief was huge. I'll have the full pathology report this Mon, when I see my surgeon. Moving around caused pain, so I was still very sore. I went back to taking 1 Norco a day until today.

    Since there was no medical reason to stay, I went home on the same day of the procedure. I had a lot of help, though. I can see where you could easily get into trouble with the drains, and want a professional looking after you. I can also see why some women chose not to do reconstruction.

    Improvement has been very slow but steady. I haven't been given exercises yet, but I have an almost full ROM. This was my first surgery. It was routine and "simple," but recovery is no joke. I'm not looking forward to being laid up again when reconstruction begins. I'm also contemplating when and where I can go without wearing the "poofs" in my camisole.

    Sylvia, thanks for all of your good advice and feedback. ChrisAsh, I'm wishing you a smooth surgery on the 19th. And Mary, your trip to Aruba sounded wonderful.

    Pam

  • Jacklin
    Jacklin Member Posts: 27

    Hey Mary, we were also in Aruba and left on Monday. I kept my eyes open for you, but never saw you. Just curious, where did you stay? We were at Surf Club on Palm Beach. The locals also told us the rain was so atypical - nothing we could do about it but at least we didn't have to shovel it, right? We arrived back to a -13 windchill at the airport, what a shock to the system!! Sounds like you had as good a time as we did. We're also expecting more snow tonight, somewhere between another 15-20", ah yes, winter's here.....

    Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I have surgery on my right thumb on Monday, we're not sure if it's another 'gift' from chemo. I will be glad once it's fixed so that it's not so painful anymore. Has anyone else had joint issues in the thumb as a result of chemo?

  • maryna8
    maryna8 Member Posts: 1,832

    Hi, Gina,

    I did not have the guyabano fruit in Aruba, I don't think that was offered. The resort where we stayed included breakfast in our package. They would serve all kinds of melon, pineapple, mango, papaya, bananas and also something round and orange with large seeds inside; which I tried but I prefer my fruit without hard seeds! All of the fruit would just explode with juice, so good. Our melon season here is June through September, after that I can buy a melon, but odds are it won't be very good. We get good pineapples now but they have to sit and ripen for a while. Our local berry season is summer, this time of year berries are in the store but very expensive. I usually pick and freeze blackberries, and peaches.

    I did not learn any Papamiento beyond good morning, hello, thank you etc. The locals speak it so fast, and some of it sounds like Spanish to me. There was really no language hardship there, we learned that all Aruban children are taught in school English, Dutch, French, and Spanish as well as speaking the Papaimento. We also heard that all children know how to swim by the age of 3. Some do speak English better than others, a very attentive server heard me say I would need a coat when I got home, and he came to me with a chef's jacket, he thought I was cold and needed a coat! It was about 87F at the time.

    Another thing the trip did for me was make me behind on my Christmas preparations, it's now a mad dash, and the weather is not cooperating. Today we had icy roads, I drove 6 miles today on a sheet of ice and I thanked God when I made it home. Lots of accidents earlier today, it's better now, hope everyone is okay. Lots of people suffered falls.

    You seem to be doing quite well with your chemo, I hope your melancholia is short-lived. You seem to be such a high-spirited person and always looking at the bright side; I admire that!

    I shall talk to you again soon,

    Mary

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Mary,

    It was nice to see you back on the thread.

    I was glad to know that you had such an enjoyable time in Aruba. It sounds like a very interesting place. It must have been nice to have fish every day. In the UK the emphasis is very much on meat, poultry and dairy products. It is not easy to get a good fish meal here, unless it is in batter! There is plenty of fish but people seem to be meat mad.

    I was pleased to see that you had caught up on the posts.

    It must be quite a shock to the system to come from heat to cold. I hope you catch up on your Christmas preparations.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Kath,

    Thank you for keeping us up to date with your Taxol infusions. That is eight behind you.

    It was good to know that your bloods and scan were clear and everything OK. What is it that you are taking orally?

    Keep looking forward.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Lamis,

    Thank you for your post. I do hope that all goes well for you mother on Dec 19th when she has a second FEC.

    We shall be thinking of you both.

    Fond thoughts,

    Sylvia. xxx.

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Pam,

    Thank you for keeping us up-to-date with what is going on with you post surgery.

    Just take care of yourself and allow yourself to heal. We shall be thinking of you on December 19th.

    Fond thoughts,

    Sylvia.xxxx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello everyone,

    I hope you manage to have a good weekend.

    Hello Gina, Chris, Rhonda, Kath, Lamis and Pam.

    Thank you all for keeping in touch with what is going on as you go through treatment. We shall all be thinking of you on your various dates.

    Please keep in touch as we go through this final week of December before Christmas.

    Hello Mary, Hanieh, adagio, Amanda, Barbed, Maggie, Val, 4everStrong, Michael, Tom, PeterandLiz.

    Wishing you all the very best at this special time of year.

    I hope I have not forgotten anyone.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • honeytagh
    honeytagh Member Posts: 447

    image

    Hi Sylvia , Mary and all

    Mary so happy to hear about your trip. You must have enjoyed it to the fullest.

    Sylvia, buying imported cars here in Persia is really expensive as we should pay the tax exactly as much as the price of the car. So , we should pay for an imported car twice as much as the real price of the car. They do this to encourage people to buy national cars. Yet they are really lower in quality.

    Here is a picture of my short vacation to North with my brother, sister and their families.

  • adagio
    adagio Member Posts: 713

    hello to everyone,

    We are at our last port of call - it has been a long trip - so ready for home!

    Below is the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge

    imageimage

  • gmmiph
    gmmiph Member Posts: 662

    Hi Mary, reading about your travel experiences makes me realize there's so much to enjoy about life than just sulk and be melancholic. Sometimes, though, i really cant help being that, knowing that during the holiday season, i should alteady be joining my relatives and friends, gatherings and parties, instead of being stuck at home, trying to avoid crowded places and infections due to chemo and most of the travelling i am doing is to and from the hospital, labs and my high-pitched MO. Lol! But dont worry about me, i keep myself entertained doing house chores and small projects, surfing the net for funny stuff and sharing them here on bco.

    I admire you for being a daring and energetic traveller at this point in your life. You are living your life to the fullest and that't how it should be for all of us ( that is, if you have the resources). Lol!

    I hope you can keep up with the Christmas rush and the extreme weather. That's the one good thing about our tropical country, no snowstorms. We have terrible typhoons though. You mentioned about the weird weather in Aruba and I guess it is happening all over the world. Here, back in the 80's, usually starting October, begins the nice cool dry season up to May. But now, It's December and iit is still raining and sometimes storms still come in. I wonder what it will be like 20 years from now.

    Hi Sylvia, hope you're all set for the holiday. I still have so many things to buy as Christmas presents for my relatives, close friends and many godchlidren. Christmas traditions are still very much alive here and you cant hide from your godchildren! Lol. Happy yes, but so tiring too and worse, now, all i can eat are the greens just like a goat! Haha. That uncertainty about how i would feel about my 3rd infusion lingers, having been delayed from my original sched on Dec. 16, which was changed to Dec. 23 and then adjusted to Dec. 21, which is still tentative based on my blood tests which i did this morning, results hopefully by tomorrow afternoon, before going back to my MO.

    Hi Hanieh, nice to see you in pics, you are lovely! I hope you can get that brand new car before Christmas.

    Hello Adagio, it is good to know you're going home for Christmas to enjoy with your family after working hard. There's no place like home.

    Hi Kath, Rhonda, Pam, and all the other wonderful ladies and gents that come to this thread every now and then.

    Have a Merry Healthy Christmas!

    Gina


  • gmmiph
    gmmiph Member Posts: 662

    image

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Hanieh,

    Thank you for the lovely photographs of you and your family. You all look very happy and as though you know how to enjoy your life together. I like the photograph of you and your daughter. You look so alike.

    I do hope you get the car that you want. I can understand that you want a good quality car. I do hope, also, that your short break has refreshed you and that you are feeling ready for work again.

    Keep happy and we shall talk again soon.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello adagio,

    Thank you for sending the photographs and for letting us know you are at your last port of call. I can understand that you are now ready for home. It is going to feel very strange back in Vancouver. You will probably need time to recover.

    Wishing you and your husband all the very best.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello Gina,

    I do hope your mood will lift soon. Just count your blessings and tell yourself your cancer journey will not last for ever, and that it will go really quickly once the chemotherapy part is behind you. Let us hope that with the help of the medications to make chemotherapy easier, you will have just the fatigue that I experienced. You seem an energetic lively person and I think this will help. I know it is difficult trying to avoid crowded places and festive gatherings, but there will be times when this is all over. I did avoid crowds and especially my GP's surgery during treatment, but I did have a few visitors at home.

    I do not make much of a fuss at Christmastime. Raymond and I just spend it quietly. We do not have much of a family now, so we do not have family gatherings.

    It is getting quite manic in the shops here and is somewhat over the top. I am sure there is going to be a lot of wasted food and in this country there is a lot of excessive drinking going on. I feel sorry for the homeless people here and think our government should be ashamed that we have about five and a half million adults and children living in poverty. Our government spends too much money on wars.

    I do hope you will be able to have your chemotherapy on December 21st and then relax over the holidays. I do hope your bloods will be normal.

    Keep smiling and keep positive.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943

    Hello again Gina,

    I very much enjoyed your tree-shaped quotation about joy. It is very profound and very true.

    Thank you for your contribution to our thread. It is much appreciated.

    Take great care.

    Best wishes.

    Sylvia xxxx

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