Sorry to hear about your situation. Glad you caught it in time. We will be praying for you during your treatments.
Im still alive.!
- Thread starter durallymax
- Start date
Well I had my first PET scan last week and everything is looking good I guess.
They said I was responding to the Chemo very well and they were considering doubling it if it wasnt moving fast enough. Thankfully it was and they are leaving it the same. I like still being able to work for the most part. The tumors have all shrank significantly and the lymphnode activity is much lower.
They found some questionable stuff at the bottom of my lungs which can be a side effect of the type of chemo I am getting so I have to repeat some respiratory tests, but otherwise doing good.
I've beeb having issues with my veins getting irritated after chemo so they are installing a port-a-cath before my next treatment. Its just minor surgery and everyone I talk to says they are the best thing to happen to cancer patients since chemo itself. They just sit under your skin by your collar bone and any time they need to give you an IV or draw blood they just stab the port. You cant see it really or feel it and the best part is that it has no maintenance unlike some other products.
I just had my 5th chemo on Friday and they are starting to catch up with me a bit. Still got my hair but its thin. Starting to get the annoying metallic type cotton mouth tastes for the week after chemo along with stomach pains. Nothing major though.
Overall its going pretty well. Thanks for the support.
They said I was responding to the Chemo very well and they were considering doubling it if it wasnt moving fast enough. Thankfully it was and they are leaving it the same. I like still being able to work for the most part. The tumors have all shrank significantly and the lymphnode activity is much lower.
They found some questionable stuff at the bottom of my lungs which can be a side effect of the type of chemo I am getting so I have to repeat some respiratory tests, but otherwise doing good.
I've beeb having issues with my veins getting irritated after chemo so they are installing a port-a-cath before my next treatment. Its just minor surgery and everyone I talk to says they are the best thing to happen to cancer patients since chemo itself. They just sit under your skin by your collar bone and any time they need to give you an IV or draw blood they just stab the port. You cant see it really or feel it and the best part is that it has no maintenance unlike some other products.
I just had my 5th chemo on Friday and they are starting to catch up with me a bit. Still got my hair but its thin. Starting to get the annoying metallic type cotton mouth tastes for the week after chemo along with stomach pains. Nothing major though.
Overall its going pretty well. Thanks for the support.
Give it hell Vin. Pullin for ya. My oldest brother (60) is battling throat cancer (lifelong smoker). Chemo had a cumulative effect on him but was able to get though with a few diet changes and a good 'can do' attitude. We know you already have that.
Thanks guys, trucks seem to be lining up out the door now. HG/s this weekend, injectors next week and some blown motor I guess in an LMM too. Gotta finish the wifes kitchen this weekend too. Plenty busy around here.
Just seen this thread today, Your positive atitude in a tough situation is impressive man :thumb: Good luck going forward and kicking the sh!t out of this cancer :hug:
Been feeling fine. never really had any side effects from the chemo. Had a few "backwards" ones. They always talk about people not wanting to eat, every time I go in they ask how my appetite is, I say you have my chart what do you think. I've gained 30lbs in 6 months during this stuff. I think my appetite is fine.
Feet swelled up and I couldn't walk in my work boots anymore, found this is common and got some new ones. Went from a 13E to a 14EE.
Never lost my hair but it thinned out a lot and grows in a little funky. Some spots are slower to grow than others. Not complaining at all. Had extremely thick hair before which sucked in the summer.
Otherwise I really haven't had much for side effects, I got nausea after the first treatment then they started giving me Emend for two days after. $500 pill, only co pay I actuall have and is $30 for two pills. But they work dammit. No nausea. I will get some cotton mouth and dehydrated feeling after chemo because water doesn't taste good but I make some weak lemonade that goes down fine. Few days later water is good again. For a couple days my taste buds will be off so I just eat chinese or something spicy with a lot of flavor.
When I was only a few years old I would eat Jalapenos out of the jar with my grandpa, lately I turned into a wimp the last 10 years, now I'm back to eating spicy stuff again. Love it.
One thing I cannot wait for is Milk. Couldn't drink it through this whole process because it does not sit well. I was lost for the most part. How do you eat breakfast without milk? I will use it is cereal but nothing compliments ketchup (which I put on every potatoe or egg based breakfast food) or syrup (which goes good with basically anything ketchup doesnt). Lots of other meals too througout a day that Milk just tastes the best with and lately I have actually probably drank more MTN Dew than I should have but just to have something with some flavor. All of the fruit juices out there are way too sweet. I'm excited to drink milk again hopefully.
Overall for being as serious as Stage 4 Hodgkins sounds, its been pretty easy compared to what most people seem to go through. Have to go to a funeral tomorrow for my inlaws close friend that just lost her fight with Breast cancer at 52. One of our salesman is loosing his battle with colon cancer, but didn't catch it very early on and tried the "natural" approach in Tijuana versus just doing chemo.
Thanks for the kind words.
Feet swelled up and I couldn't walk in my work boots anymore, found this is common and got some new ones. Went from a 13E to a 14EE.
Never lost my hair but it thinned out a lot and grows in a little funky. Some spots are slower to grow than others. Not complaining at all. Had extremely thick hair before which sucked in the summer.
Otherwise I really haven't had much for side effects, I got nausea after the first treatment then they started giving me Emend for two days after. $500 pill, only co pay I actuall have and is $30 for two pills. But they work dammit. No nausea. I will get some cotton mouth and dehydrated feeling after chemo because water doesn't taste good but I make some weak lemonade that goes down fine. Few days later water is good again. For a couple days my taste buds will be off so I just eat chinese or something spicy with a lot of flavor.
When I was only a few years old I would eat Jalapenos out of the jar with my grandpa, lately I turned into a wimp the last 10 years, now I'm back to eating spicy stuff again. Love it.
One thing I cannot wait for is Milk. Couldn't drink it through this whole process because it does not sit well. I was lost for the most part. How do you eat breakfast without milk? I will use it is cereal but nothing compliments ketchup (which I put on every potatoe or egg based breakfast food) or syrup (which goes good with basically anything ketchup doesnt). Lots of other meals too througout a day that Milk just tastes the best with and lately I have actually probably drank more MTN Dew than I should have but just to have something with some flavor. All of the fruit juices out there are way too sweet. I'm excited to drink milk again hopefully.
Overall for being as serious as Stage 4 Hodgkins sounds, its been pretty easy compared to what most people seem to go through. Have to go to a funeral tomorrow for my inlaws close friend that just lost her fight with Breast cancer at 52. One of our salesman is loosing his battle with colon cancer, but didn't catch it very early on and tried the "natural" approach in Tijuana versus just doing chemo.
Thanks for the kind words.