Re: Chemotherapy Question

From: jhaviland (jhaviland_at_bigfoot.com)
Date: 11/09/04 

Date: 9 Nov 2004 15:47:11 -0800

Darkwing <Darkwing@MorganasMansionxoxoxo.com> wrote in message news:<w2vjd.1484$gS1.978@trndny04>...
> My 58-year old mother had hysterectomy recently, because one of her
> ovaries had a cancerous cyst. Her surgeon told her that none of the
> organs currently in her body have cancer in them, but cancer was present
> in the wash post-sugery. Therefore, she must now undergo chemotherapy
> every 3 weeks for a total of 6 treatments.
>
> My question is, when do most of the side effects start to occur? She had
> her first chemotherapy treatment Friday (two days ago). I hear horror
> stories about what chemotherapy does to the body, but right now it is
> hard to keep my mother still. As a matter of fact, the doctors seemed to
> be surprised that she didn't get sick the day of her first treatment.
> She refuses to sit down and relax- she continues to want to shop and
> clean the house. Her legs began to hurt today, and that is what it took
> for her to sit down. She refuses to lie down. Her doctor gave her
> medication for nausea, nutrition, and pain, so maybe that is why she
> does not feel sick.
>
> (omitted text)
>
> My mother has so much willpower and positive energy. The only thing that
> seems to worry her is hair loss. She wants to keep her hair, and worries
> about it falling out. Other than that she's upbeat.
>
> DW

I had 6 cycles of chemo for ovarian cancer starting last February. I did
not have much nausea and was careful to take my anti-nausea meds on time.
After I recovered from my surgery, more extensive than a hysterectomy, I
returned to normal life, work, hiking, camping, etc. I am 52 years old.
My hair did fall out starting about 2 weeks after the 1st session. I
wear a hat or cap rather than a wig. My hair hasn't grown back yet but
then I just finished a second set of chemo. The only other problem I
has was numbness and skin peeling of my fingers and toes, that caused my
oncologist to switch me to taxotere.

I found being active and returning to normal life very helpful in getting
through treatment. BTW, I did find that some of the anti-nausea meds
made it hard for me to concentrate and I prefered to do active things
rather than read or rest at times.

Good luck to your mother.

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