OT "Adventures in Radiation and Chemotherapy etc"

[MrsLop]

Hello All,




   

Radiation is finished! Amen to that!

During the last five treatments, they "Boosted" the

regular levels of treatment, wiping out what little energy

I had.  I had no idea that I would be as lethargic as I

was from the treatment.  Now that it is a done deal, I am

taking some time off to relax.

I had a return visit with my Chemotherapist on August

6th (Wednesday) , and I was given a 12 month

prescription of Tamoxifen.  This is a pill form of

Chemotherapy.  I will, if I have no adverse reaction to it,

be taking this for five years.

I was advised to rest for about a month before having

anything further done - ie... Hand Surgery.

Meanwhile, my Primary Care Physician had left her

practice and I had to find a new one.

I met with this new, very nice young doctor just last

week.  She wanted me to have all of this testing done.

A Colonoscopy to determine if I have any other Cancer,

a Stress Test to determine why I am having breathing

difficulties, and some other routine Bloodwork etc..

After serious consideration, I cancelled all testing until

further notice.  My husband and I have not had a break

since the diagnosis, surgery and treatments in December

of last year.  I just wanted us to have some trouble free

weeks together.

It has been a very long journey and I am tired.

My Chemotherapist has promised me that my hair will

grow back (it all fell out during my Chemotherapy).  My

hair was all the way down my back before it fell out.

She also said that my energy level will be increasing

but that I had to give it some time.  One possible

problem is that the Chemotherapy pills have a very

slight chance of causing another Cancer somewhere

else in my body.  

I feel like Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With the Wind",

in the last scene she says "...I can't think about this

today, I'll go crazy if I do.  I'll think about it tomorrow."

I am just going to do what I have been doing throughout

this journey and that is to take it one day at a time and

pray every day.

For right now, I am just going to work on the Mac and

try to get out and do things with my husband , and

beloved adult children and grandchildren.  

I just wanted you to know that I have been lurking

around TS even when I wasn't posting.  The brain just

was not cooperating during treatments.

   for all the good wishes and prayer support.

I really do appreciate you all and everything that you

have done for me.

Myrna

Macland ...and I say to myself, it's a wonderful world.

[Gregg]

Good to hear you got through the chemo. I'm sure it's no fun.

A colonoscopy isn't bad, it's the prep that isn't worth a $#!+ (sorry, couldn't resist)

I agree with the "take a break" approach. I've been "bedside" with a son and my wife this summer. Enough is enough, and neither were truly traumatic.

[dolphin]

YOU go GIRL...REST and relax...and enjoy hubby and family.

The best to you Myrna!!!

[MrsLop]

Gregg,




Even the Colonoscopy right now, seems too much to ask.

I have never had one, much to my doctor's chagrin.

She is hot to  trot about the testing.

Somehow, I find it hard to get enthusiastic about

anyone fishing a tube with a light attached to it

through my person.

Care giving can be really hard to do.  I am sorry to

hear that you were pressed into service.  

I don't know how my husband perservered all this

time (since December 19th, 2002).  He is my rock.

I hope that your family appreciates your efforts.

It is so good to hear from you again.

Thanks for the understanding and support.

Myrna

[MrsLop]

dolphin, to my "Adventures...",

How very kind of you to buck me up.  Thanks for being

here.  It has been a real help to me - coming to TS; and

it really helped to make my journey more bearable.

Thanks again and drop in and let me know what you

are doing and what you are up to.

Myrna

[RobW]

Hi MrsLop! Good to hear from you again--and I'm glad things are going well (or at least as well as you could hope). A physical and mental break is probably a good thing--but I want to second what Gregg said about the colonoscopy. I'm one of those "lucky" folks who now gets to have one every year. To MrsLop and any one else "of age"--for god's sake--when it's time to have it done--do it! As Gregg said--the prep sucks but the procedure itself is nothing to worry about. (I'll be happy to "talk" offlist with anyone who has the need to get more information.)

[MrsLop]

Evening Rob,

Nice to hear from you to.  

Don't panic, I didn't say I wouldn't ever have a Colonoscopy,

I just said that I wanted some time off.

My husband goes back to school at the end of this month.

He needs a rest from "our illness", as much as I do.

I will be setting up an appointment within the next two weeks,

along with the Stress Test and Bloodwork, that the new Primary

Care Physician wants.  

I need to steel myself for the next hurdle.  Besides the above,

I am badly in need of hand surgery.  It appears that the soonest

that I can make an appointment is in a month.

I need some time to empty the brain from all the traumas "we"

have been through and recharge the batteries for the next

surgery.

Believe me, I plan on doing all I can to preserve my life.

   for your input.  It is always valued and appreciated.

How have you been and what have you been doing?

Myrna

[krissel]

Hi Mrs. Lop,

Good to hear the worst of the treatments are behind you. After all you've been through you certainly deserve to take a break. It's amazing what a little mental breather can do for the physical side of your being.

Have a little fun and playtime with family and the newest child... your Mac.  

[RobW]

Hi Myrna,

Nah, I wasn't in a panic about you at all. I know you'll do whatever it takes. You've more than proven that in a very short time. As I said in my post--I do agree that the break will probably do you a world of good. I was actually just giving some not so subtle advice to those of our TS family who may be a bit squeemish about the colonoscopy. When the nurse tells you that it's done, you'll wonder when they started.

[MrsLop]

RobW,

You aren't far from the mark about the TS members being

squeamish about having testing.

I was chatting with one who insists that doctors always

find something wrong - ergo, if you don't have the tests,

the doctors can't find anything wrong.

Of course, I was concerned about having the testing

done.  That said, concern, did not translate to fear or

of denial.  It was more like my version of a she

she, hissy fit.  I thought to myself, "..you want to fish

this tube through where to do what... well, of course,

dear, mind that you don't puncture anything vitally

important, now.  How about next year?"  I think that

my being very tired had more to do with this she she

hissy fit, than anything else.

My visit to the doctor that day, was after being up 21

hours straight trying to fix my Internet problems.

The doctor thought that I was "spaced out".  She

laughed when I told her why I seemed to be "spaced"

It wasn't until the next day that I decided that I really

needed to be good to myself and get some R and R.

My husband thought so too.....

I am glad that you brought that up though,  because

you never know who may be lurking around TS.

 

Myrna

[taliesin]

Hallo, Mrs Lop.

I have followed your courageous adventure but not chipped in so far.
It sounds like R and R really are in order -- and have been for some while.

So do relax as best you can and make the very most of it with your husband for just as long as you need.

I'm saying this now partly because I had a colonoscopy, on top of a few other things, last month. It really is no big deal: I was able to walk to the clinic and then back in the afternoon, and my real mistake was to be hungry enough to shove a meal down then.

But -- as Gregg sort of says -- the preparations are, mmm. Arduous.
Not painful, but exacting.
You do not need to put your body through that right now.
Like you, your feller and your mind, it requires as much rest as it can get.

All my very best wishes,

Nick

[MrsLop]

to "The Adventures of MrsLop in Macland", Nick,

It's a pleasure to finally meet you.

I have been frentic since I received my "new" Mac.

I have had the most awful time trying to print out

medical information using IE, to my printer.

Post Script errors abound.

I fly by the seat of my pants to try to learn as I go.

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement and

support.  "We" (my husband,Tom) and I, have been on

a long road with my Cancer.  "A journey of a thousand

miles begins with one step."  I just take things one day

at a time.  That has been a real blessing.  Before I knew

it, my surgery and recuperation were done.  The same

was true with my hospital IV Chemotherapy and finally,

with my Radiation Treatments.  In retrospect, I am very

glad that I used that philosophy of taking one step.  It

can be overwhelming to try to look to far ahead.



  for being out there and I am happy that you

finally decided to join in my "Adventures.."

Believe me the word "Adventures" couldn't have been

more appropriate - for me or my circumstances.


Myrna

[taliesin]

Yes, Myrna, that's what I feared.

Thanks for the welcome aboard your long journey.
These days, I'm far more often "out there" -- way out there -- than I show up here. But that doesn't mean that I'm not here in spirit, or "lurking" and prowling.

Like you, I'm learning to rethink time.
Post Script errors I haven't had to tackle.

BTW. I don't know who made the banner. If somebody said, I've not spotted it. But I like it!

[Mrious_be]

I can't say much about this all (sorry) as i had a little brother passing away and i can remember how he looked.
Makes me feel hurt all the way inside.

But, i do wish you all the best, and it seems you are going on the right track
My wishes and hopes are with you.
And i'm really pleased to read that you don't give your believes, things like that are verrrrry importand.

[MrsLop]

Mrious_be,

You don't have to tell me, but I wish I knew your real

first name.  You have been here to support me from

the very beginning of my "Adventures".  I like to think

 of you as a friend, and my friends have first names

that I use when addressing them.

I really felt the pain you still carry about you little

brother.

Just for speaking for myself, I don't believe that our

loved ones ever really pass away.  My loved ones are

with me in every memory of the times we spent together.

I think of my Mother and all of the fun I had with her.

The sound information and advice she gave are with me

today.  I think of my older brother who passed away

from Pancreatic Cancer and how he opened up whole

new worlds for me as a little girl.  He instilled in me a

love of the Arts: music, painting and writing.  He was a

firm believer in family loyalty, too.  I think of my Maid of

Honor, a diminutive Sister of Mercy, who made me and

everyone she met feel like they were the only person

she cared about.  She was the best listener and friend

that I have ever had.  She passed away from Leukemia

complications and battled Cancers of various forms for

ten years.  I there are many losses of relatives and

friends... and many fond memories.  I smile when I think

of them.

I am  sorry about the loss of your little brother.  

Nothing will ever erase your love of him or your

memories.

Thank you again, for sharing and for being here for me

and others on the TS Board.

My journey in Macland has been enriched with you as

a fellow traveler.

Gratefully,

Myrna