View Full Version : Ddcoo Tongue cancer treatment
Hello to all my friends, I haveread your messages and Annie's updates that she has done for me, thank you Annnie for your help, you know I appreciate it.
I had my chemotherapy on Thursday after my radiotherapy, and as Annie said it wasn't as long as I thought it would be, in fact it was for an hour and then I had to have what they call a "flush through" to make sure I got every bit of the fluid. It was done by a drip and I was given a lovely relaxer chair to sit in while it was being done. They gave me an injection of anti sickness and steriods before the chemo and afterwards I was given 12 tablets of the same to take for 3 days following, but when I woke on Friday morning my pulse rate had gone up to over 100 and it is normally about 65 so I phoned Leeds to ask if I should take the other tablets and she said it was up to me but they would give me a boost. In my wisdom (which was not good wisdom on hindsight) I decided not to take the tablets and was congratulating myself on the way home on just how well I felt.
I will backtrack a little now to the radiation. Of course I was nervous and I had varying emotions while I was under the mask for 20 mins as thy did a scan as well as the treatment and I ws glad when it was over. I have a lovely Macmillian Radiation nurse who suggested that on Friday she talks to me the whole session and calms my breathing down, which we did on Friday and it was much better. There are 7 different positions the machine has to go through during my treatment and the nurse tells me when the positions are about to end, they are only a few minute each. The machine moves around you with 3 different heads on it to deliver the rays. The machine doesn't touch me.
On Thursday after my 1st radiation I felt quite elated and we went to the supermarket on the way home and then to M & S to get a new dressing gown. Then on Friday 1st Feb, we went shopping on the way home again. Then on Saturday morning after about an hour of getting up my saliva glands started working overtime and then I started heaving, I hate feeling sick and it is about 18 years since I was last sick, but I wasn't sick, I just lost a lot of saliva and felt nauseous, but it served me right for not taking the tablets they gave me, so at lunchtime yesterday, I started to take the tablets and apart from feeling very tired now, I feel better than yestrday, so I am having a lazy day today as at the crack of dawn tomorrow we start the 6 weeks in earnest, and I think it is going to be a long 6 weeks. At the moment I cannot imagine what it would be like to be able to lie in bed on a weekday and not have to go to hospital each day.
I am desperately trying to see the end picture, that this is a cure for me and will all be worth it. I have to thank God that I have ben given this chance of life in my latter years.
As Annie told you, I met another lady 20 yrs younger than me that had the same operation as me 4 weeks earlier and it was good to be able to eachange notes. I think she will be there at the same time as me tomorrow so I jave a few questions foor her. She had had a recent tattoo on her wrist with pretty pink flowers and of course they take the skin from the wrist for the new piece of tongue, so when she showed me her tongue it has a pink flower on it.
I think that is about it for this time, but if anyone wants to ask any questions I will try and answer them.
As always I thank every one of you for your continued support and kind words and I am staying as strong as I can for all of you as I don't want to turn into someone who cn't cope with this. It is going to be harder and more sore as time goes on, but I am certainlynot the first person to go through this and I won't be the last.
Love to you all Di x
More Big Hugs :bighug1::bighug1::bighug1::bighug1: When my son was in infant school I used to put lots of kisses up his sleeve so that if he needed one during the day he could take one out :) We will do that with hugs for you Di...you can take them all to hospital with you :D :bighug1::bighug1::bighug1:
Your a very brave lady :hugs:
I hope everything goes well for you.
Remember 6 weeks out of the rest of the living you have left to do is nothing.
Wishing you all the very best :D
Thanks for the hugs for hospital Annie, I will definitely take one tomorrow morning, might help with the nausea.
Em.ma, you are right, 6 weeks is such a short time out of a lifetime and I know it will pass, but when you feel bad a day seems a long while. I was just thinking last night of all the poorly children with cancer who lie in their hospital beds not complaining, just accepting and how I winge about a bit of nausea, and it makes me ashamed of myself. I send a message of love to all those poorly children and will try to match their courage.
You have no reason to feel ashamed at all. Nausea is not a nice feeling and you have a right to winge. You are already showing a massive amount of courage and are a true inspiration to many of us on here. xx
No need to feel ashamed di.
I can't imagine what it feels like to have to go through what you are.
I should feel ashamed . I moan about how I have this and that when their are real people living my worst nightmare out their.
You put your feet up today :).
I have been following your story on here. Your going through all this and still thinking and putting other people first . I can't imagine what I would be like in your shoes.
Hoping these 6 weeks go quick for you :)
Emma x
Anxious_gal
03-02-13, 13:02
Oh that's nice the nurse is lovely. It's great she talks you through the whole thing.
Glad the chemo went well. Sorry to hear the tablets sped up your heart rate.
It's normal to feel depressed or to feel like the getting better part is very far away.
Due to bad communication I was left in agony for weeks, months? With my wisdom teeth. Constant pain, headaches and I slept as much as I could. Eventually I switched surgeons, went private and got the operation to remove the wisdom teeth.
I know it's not nearly the same, but I sort of understand the frustration and how it can feel like you may never feel well again.
Not feeling well can really affect your mood and little things can feel like big things and you can get upset more easily.
I'm not sure if the treatment and pills affect the bacteria in your gut, but taking probiotics or eating live yogurt will help reduce anxiety. There's a big link between the bacteria in your gut and mental well being.
Check with your doctor first though, I've heard you shouldn't eat certain things when you have cancer.
Well done for still going out shopping. I know myself even if I'm not in the mood, that getting out of the house usually boosts my mood :)
Heh that's a pretty cool story about the pink flower. It must be nice and maybe even reassuring ? To meet someone who is going through the same thing.
It's hard, no one likes to feel unwell. I do think that when you've been sick for a while you build up a tolerance. Those in hospital might be on pain meds and anti sickness meds to help them be more comfortable.
I myself find bad nausea soo uncomfortable, it's hard to even describe really.
If I feel like I may be sick I drink water as I find dry vomiting much more painful than bringing up the water.
I guess just try to remember you won't always feel sick.
Eventually you will start to get better.
You're doing so well. I know if it were me I'd make things a lot harder on my self by researching and reading about side effects n being paranoid about everything.
I know it's so easy for us to say you'll be fine, when you're going though it, it's you that feels the real suffering so in that sense it can be a very lonly place, so it's good you've met that other lady whose been through the same.
Again
So you had a lovely relaxer chair.....:D? I thought perhaps you'd get a chair like the one in Mastermind with a spotlight over you and a list of questions to take your mind off the needle? On a more serious note though, I think you're really brave. I'd have been bricking it (if you dont mind that expression, it's just what sprung to mind).
Of the radiation machine, was that "Lucky 7" then, the different positions?? Sounds like a monster with it's 3 different heads. Perhaps they should make it look like an attractive fluffy animal so that it's less intimidating. Was it noisy?:ohmy:
You did it though, didnt you, despite your fears? How cool is that? And a new dressing gown too? Its not just any dressing gown, it's an M&S one! sounds good.:yesyes:
Such a shame you were feeling so nauseous, that's really unpleasant & most unwelcome, I suppose its scant compensation that you werent actually sick.:weep: I guess next time you'll be taking the tablets eh? I wont be whinging about getting up for work tomorrow. At least I'm just doing a day's work, no masks or machines. How uncanny that you met someone who'd had the same operation. How odd to have a pink flower on your tongue, that's different!:flowers:
Please dont castigate yourself Di, really. It may only be 6 weeks but you're going through something life changing here. This isnt run of the mill stuff like training in a new job or something, you're going through treatment that's likely, as you've already discovered to have side-effects. But there's a huge difference between yourself and the children on cancer wards.... and that is I believe, you have knowledge of what there is to come. The children, reassured by loving parents are coping with their treatment in a different way. In many respects you are being a parent to yourself here but that's not easy as you're at the front where the battle is taking place as well.
You really dont want to use words like shame in association with yourself:lac:. What you are doing is brave, Di, not shame-worthy. You're sharing your experiences with others here, being open and honest which also takes bravery. Shame is the last word I would associate with you right now. Courageous more like. By all means use comparisons to help yourself through this next few weeks but NOT if you're going to use it like ammunition to beat yourself up over. Your lovely message to the suffering children is also an inspiration in difficult times, how wonderful that you are able to think of them right now. It is considered more acceptable for the young to cry when scared or in pain. Well, it's totally fine if you feel that way too. Tears were given to us for a reason, they are in themselves a release of emotion and stress. Sometimes although they dont feel good, they are healing in their own way.
So what if you have moments of not coping? So what; it's fine by me and I'm sure no-one would be anything other than supportive of you no matter how you feel, that's why we're all listening. What you want is to support yourself. Allow people here to support you and the professionals like your Macmillan Nurse. She sounds lovely. In times like this, allow yourself to lean on people. Those people are there for your, all in their own way.:bighug1:
Allow yourself moments of dare I say, weakness. It is totally understandable that you will have moments when your physical or psychological strength will be less easy to draw upon or just less available as your treatment takes effect. One way of looking at the physical toll it may take is that the disease is what's really being targetted here but of course your body suffers as the disease crumbles. But your body is stronger, the treatment takes you to ground no-one wants to go but irradicating yourself of this cancer is why you are doing this. You know that at the end of this treatment, yes there will have been pain and unpleasantness and a struggle but you're doing it to continue living your life. That's your strength and its why everyone is so captivated by you and your story.
You are already matching the poorly children's courage. See how it goes.... I suppose like they say, take one day at a time. But also look towards the light at the end of the tunnel because it is getting nearer.:shades:
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Lovely mesage re: Kisses or hugs up your sleeve, Annie. That's a really great and comforting idea.:hugs:
:flowers:Sooooooooo proud of you. You are truly the most thoughtful person I know, to be thinking of us, and other children, while you are going through all this. I am sorry you are not feeling real well, make sure you get plenty of rest. You always amaze me. I am so happy that the nurse will talk and comfort you during your treatments. (I will send a hug to that nurse for taking such good care of my hero. :hugs:) I wish for you that these 6 wks go as fast as they can, and that this will all be behind you. I thank you for hanging in there with us, and letting us know that you are alright, we all think of you all the time. We thank Annie for filling us in also. Bless you Dd, and you are always in my thoughts, and prayers. :hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs:Some more hugs for that sleeve!!!! (Annie, that is so cute!)
Twinsmummy
03-02-13, 19:28
Dear Di
Wishing you hugs and positive thoughts, you're in the home straight now. Think of the Easter eggs at the end of it.
With love and peace.
Cx
Hey Di!
Sending you alot of postivity and love and of course hugs! You can do this hunni!
Thinking of you, thanks for keeping us updated. When times get hard remember, even though we don't know you in person, we are all right behind you and willing you to be strong xx
I look forward to your updates, Di. Hang in there. It will be worth it.
I played cricket again on the weekend and we won again. I took another three wickets, but only made 6 runs, but it was fun. Just thought you'd like to know.
Sending you lots of hugs. You're so brave, I can't imagine having to go through what you're having to go through, you're just amazing. :bighug1: :bighug1::bighug1::bighug1::bighug1::bighug1:
:bighug1::bighug1::bighug1:
thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you
thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you
thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you
thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you
thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you thinking of you
SENDING LOTS MORE HUGS ddcoo:hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hu gs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs:xx
Anxious_gal
08-02-13, 22:59
Hope everything is going well :hugs:
Ddcoo has been to the hospital everyday this week but I may speak to her husband tomorrow for an update :) x
Ddcoo has been to the hospital everyday this week but I may speak to her husband tomorrow for an update :) x
:bighug1: :bighug: THANK U:bighug::bighug1:
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