Comments on: Thanks. A LOT.

By: podrock

podrock — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 03:44:11 +0000

Delighted you are out of the hospital.

Chemotherapy is a hard choice. I’ve only experienced it second hand, being with loved ones as the meds dripped in, taking care of them in the days after. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. You choice is a proactive type, you show no other signs of cancer, but you’ll have to decide if it is worth the treatment just in case any of the nasties escaped.

I do know that chemo saved the two most important women in my life. It didn’t save others I loved. So it goes. Tough choice, Bowser, learn all you can before deciding. You’ve already been down the hardest part of the trail.

By: DanS

DanS — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 13:45:13 +0000

Different insurance coverages handle it differently. If you do have a visiting nurse, suck all the information out of him/her you can. She would have ready access to relevant med pamphlets, as well as personal experience with similar cases.

Again, do your exercises, every day but Sunday. No workouts on Sundays. This is called a reward for doing your exercises.

Cheers.

By: alcaray

alcaray — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 04:19:57 +0000

I last had knowledge of a case (certainly not mine) a few decades ago, and it was rather unpleasant at that time. But I have heard that it’s a lot better now.

By: johannes

johannes — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 02:03:36 +0000

As far as the chemo is concerned, I concur with Robert.
I have two friends that have had chemo therapy, one of them had it done about 15 years ago, she lost all her hair and was quite sick during the treatment, she is in great shape and working hard these days, with no worries about cancer. The other person has been treated relatively recently and has had no side effects from it.

By: SteveS

SteveS — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 17:22:32 +0000

But you seem to be tougher and that’s agood thing. Best to you on your recovery.

By: Robert

Robert — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 18:20:13 +0000

Glad to read you’re feeling better, bowser. I was worried about you.

From the experiences of friends and family over the years, I know for a fact that chemotherapy has come a long way. Five years sounds like an old-fashioned rule of thumb, and I hope the modern yardstick of six months will apply to you. I’ve also been told, by somebody who’s past chemo but still sees an oncologist regularly, that the experience was not quite the hell of yesteryear. He even continued going to work during chemo, which tells you a lot. Didn’t lose his hair, either.

I hoped that knowing that somebody else had experienced the peristaltic shutdown would be some solace to you. The experience is behind me now and the memory holds no sting, so I’m happy to relate it when it can do some good. And you’re right that the opiates can make matters worse. In retrospect, I’m not pleased that they were so free with the demerol. I didn’t become addicted, but I remember I felt rather nostalgic toward the needle for a few days after getting out.

Rest, sleep, get better. We’re here for you.

By: TB

TB — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 16:41:42 +0000

Really good to hear!

Don’t forget to get lots of information on the chemo issue. I don’t know much about it myself, but I do know there are many different kinds of treatments and options, and not all of them are incapacitating.

By: FrankC

FrankC — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 04:31:50 +0000

Not 5 years but 6 months in her case, to overkill what the surgery might have missed. It was not pleasant, probably like having a nasty bad cold for 6 months. It affects different people in different ways but it was not as devastating, as some describe, for her.

If they are telling you 5 years, I might try to negotiate.

I think the only way you would have 5 years of being sick is if they were fighting a rear guard action against a persistent tumor.

Glad you are feeling better

By: RobVG

RobVG — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 04:08:15 +0000

Keep on Keepin’ on