Survivors who had chemo etc and are into Complementary medicine
Comments
-
I'm a Lord of the Rings fan, so I visualized chemo as the heroes fighting the evil orcs. If I were doing it now, I think I'd turn the chemo drugs into Navy Seals and the cancer cells into Osama bin Laden and his minions.
0 -
ruthbru I love your analogy. I've actually found the idea of visualizing my treatments fighting the cancer a new idea. I never gave it any thought, but love the thought. Anything that makes me stonger is good.
0 -
Ruth .. I used visualization when I was going through radiation. That big machine so close to my face really scared me and caused me panic attacks. I used to visualize it was R2D2 and I tried to make friends with the machine. I know that's silly, but it's the only way I could get through it.
hugs,
Bren
0 -
I took myself to that wonderful calm following hot action to keep myself absolutely still during radiation. Unfortunately, this technique backfired a couple of times which meant I had to keep absolutely still when ready to climb the walls!!!
So not sure I can recommend this method.
I had a more direct approach with chemo: Die, you bastards, die!!!!
Otherwise, I was reading, working, texting, and chatting other than first Taxol when they knocked me out with Benadryl.
0 -
Merilee, I'm sorry but your wolf picture reminds me of what I thought my tumor looked like!
I imagined that everything I was doing was an attempt to beat it back into the darkness it came from... or kill it, if possible. I do keep trying to fit the Harry Potter characters into all this: maybe cancer is like a Dementor, or maybe the Death Eaters; and our treatments are like the Order of the Phoenix. I'm still working on that.
otter
0 -
Claire - TOO FUNNY!!!!
I wasn't nearly as imaginative as you all! When I was doing chemo and rads I think my mind was just pretty numb!
0 -
it's funny how that benadryl is so strong when infused.
0 -
When I was doing rads, I imagined I was lying out on the dock at a camp I worked at when I was young. And I'd pretend I was thinking about the evening activites, like; "Where would be a good place to hide when they are playing Find Your Counselor?" or 'What costume can I make up for the '50s Dance?" When the machine came overhead, I imagined it was a cloud going in front of the sun. I think they should pipe music into those rooms.
0 -
ruthbru, I didn't have rads, but I'm pretty sure some of my May '08 chemo sisters said they did have music piped in during their rads treatments.
otter
0 -
Good. (Although if it were elevator music, maybe that would drive one nuts too!)
0 -
I sort of did a Claire when I had rads. I lay there and chanted 'Die, cancer, die! ' for the entire treatment.
0 -
If you think of chemo or rads as being assassins working FOR YOU against the terrorist cancer cells (our real enemy), it gives you a different perspective on treatment.
0 -
truthfully.. i was always happy for the chance to rest.. even if it was on a stone cold table, but covered with warm blankets in part.
0 -
LOL, apple! I actually rested on that stone cold table, too. It usually takes a while for me to go to sleep, but for the 4-5 minutes I was on that table with the humming, and the warmth from the machine, I almost went to sleep every time! It was unreal - like it was hypnotic or something.
0 -
I have a question:
I am scheduled for a colonoscopy in a couple of weeks. Do I have to write on my surgery arm NO Needles in this arm??
0 -
The assistants did that when I went in for cochlear implant surgery a couple weeks ago. Actually, they stuck a piece of masking tape on my arm not to use that arm for anything. The bad thing is, that's my good vein arm, so I was poked several times for the IV and I woke up from surgery with the IV in my foot (it started out in my inner wrist).
0 -
Painterly, you will be able to tell the nurses not to put needles in that arm. You will be fully awake when they put the need in for the IV.
0 -
painterly, I was worried about that, too.
So, when a nurse called the day before my colonoscopy to do the "pre-procedure interview" (or whatever), I told her about my mast/SNB surgery and my LE risk. I said I'd rather not have anything done on the left arm or hand -- would that be a problem? She said "No problem! We'll take care of that." When they were setting things up the next day, another nurse showed me the HUGE notation on the front page of my chart: "NO i.v.'s, injections, or B.P.'s on the left side." It was typed in big, black letters. There was a bright pink "lymphedema risk" wrist band clipped to my chart. She put the band on my left wrist, started the i.v. on the right side... and that was that. No problem!
otter
0 -
You are awake when they put in the IV.....but it is still a good thing to remind medical personal at every opportunity, "No needles, no blood pressure, no nothing in that arm."
0 -
Ok, speaking of colonoscopy - how does that work? I'll be scheduling one and an endoscopy this fall. I'm 35 and I have no idea what to expect. They're checking for celiac disease...
0 -
Compared to everything you've been through, it is a piece of cake. You drink some stuff to clean you out the day before (that used to be pretty gross but it is not bad nowdays). They sedate you lightly before the procedure, you wake up, go home and have a lovely nap. I finally pressured DH into getting one last fall; he was scared to death, but even he had to admit that it was no big deal.
0 -
I loved hearing about all the different ways we use visualization.
I must admit when I am walking out of rads, I do say "Take that you little F-rs"
LOL
0 -
Ruth, I made the zucchini lasagna and DH said it was "the best lasagna ever"! Yum.
0 -
Thanks ladies for your colonoscopy comments.
0 -
I was talking about the zucchini lasagna at coffee with some friends yesterday and now they all want the recipe too. There is going to be a run on zucchini!
0 -
ruthbru what thread was the recipe on? I'll just go back and read it.
0 -
I looked back and it's on page 16 of this thread. (Do you all realize that we have 40 pages of helpful, positive interactions here
........it can be done!) I will recopy it here. It is really, really delicious!Zucchini Lasagna Hot Dish
1 lb hamburger
1 (15 1/2 oz) jar of spaghetti sauce (they say with mushrooms, but any kind is fine, or make your own sauce)
3 or 4 smaller size sliced zucchini
garlic salt, pepper, oregano
1 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
Brown hamburger and drain. Stir in jar of spaghetti sauce. In 3 qt. casserole begin a layer of slices 1/4" thick zucchini. Sprinkle spices over zucchini, add 1/2 hamburger mixture next. Sprinkle on cheeses with amount you desire. Repeat the layers. Baked covered 1 hour at 350.
0 -
ruthbru, I agree this thread has been very positive which is why it's in my favorites.
Thanks for the recipe. It sounds very much like one I've been using only it uses eggplant.
0 -
ruthbru...
Thanks for the recipe .I was looking for something to make tonight.I love this thread!Have a good day everyone:)
0 -
Oh, I forgot, I also got a wrist band on my LE arm when I had my colonoscopy.
0
