I have to do chemo for my Seminoma. My lymph node in my stomach area is 2 inches big. My treatment will be 5 days for every 3-4 weeks for 4 rounds. I will have a port on my chest area for the treatment because I have bad veins. After each round I will have to do a scan to see if my lymph node shrink or not. I probably will start sometime in next month. They want me to fully heal from my operation before starting my chemo treatment. Oh, my cancer stage is 2C.
Falcon
You are better off with the port. I used to have veins that I used to describe as a junkies dream. But I got about a 3rd of the way into my treatments and the veins started to collapsed. during one session it started leaking and did some minor damage t the muscle tissue in my right forearm. All healed now but it took about a year before it felt right again. After that the put a portacath in and I had no more problems.
Dont know what your getting or what the side effects are or what they told you. They have all sorts of new stuff out they didnt hve 20 years ago. and each type of Chemo can be different. So your results may vary. For me. food generally tasted like crap. the only things that tasted normal were beer and powdered ice tea mix drink. Eggs tasted and felt like I had a wad of snot in my mouth.
My treatments were 1 treatment every two weeks for 6 months. I'd get my treatments on Thursday and wouldnt eat again till Sunday. I managed to maintain my weight by when I could eat. Eating as well as I could. Since Im a pretty decent cook that actually knows how to cook fresh food This was no problem. Lots of fresh veggies and meats. And I ate as much as I could when I could.
Mentally I broke the treatments down in half. I counted down the first half telling myself "1 down only 5 to go to the halfway point." then I counted the way down to the finish. Much easier to deal with then 1 down 11 to go. Find whatever mental tricks work for you.
Keep a positive outlooks and try to find the humor wherever you can.
While you will know its well intended. You're probably going to get tired of people asking you how you're feeling or how you're doing. I used this as a humor moment
"How you feel?" - "with little nerve endings just under my skin"
I never shaved my head. Now when the hair comes out. (dont know if yours will or not) It can comes out in clumps. I used this for self entertainment
"How you doing?" - "Fine. I learned a new trick from my dogs" - "Oh? what" With that Id grab a small clump of hair and pull and say "I learned how to shed". as a chunk of hair would easily pull out. The jaw dropping facial expressions were priceless.
Oh and if you do loose your hair. You loose everythig but your eyelashes. Aint so bad till it grows back in. And your wife/ GF may find it a bit sexy
Take it all in stride as best you can. Keep your spirits and humor up.
Im gussing you had a lymphangiogram. Trippy experience peeing turquise huh?
Wait till ya get to pee in peach color.
Cat scans suck unless they fixed the taste of the stuff. You have to drink beforehand. Not the test itself. Just the stuff you gotta drink
Lots of stories to share. Interesting experience. both before and after.
