AleHondaa

I’m getting the treatment! I’m only on the chemo for 4 more times and afterwards will be just keytruda. Hopefully this does the truck and gets me going. 

Hey y’all,
Hopefully today will be the day I start treatment. I gave it another week for my platelets to come up so hopefully they’re up. Again I’m a lot more mentally prepared and ready for what comes my way. Wish me luck! 

LUCK!!! I can feel it--this time's the charm.
 

Good to hear from you--We moms can't help but worry about you.  
Hope this time is the charm!
 

Yeah exactly lol, I was a lot better today. At this point I’m just ready to get going. 
I was supposed to get it done Friday but they canceled it due to my platelet count. So no word as of yet when it’s going to be done. 

Alright so once again, the port was put off. The doctors were concerned with my neck during the procedure so they put it off until they get approval from my neurosurgeon about it. So my first infusion tomorrow will have to be done through an IV. I’m so frustrated right now, I just want this done and over with so I can start to get better. 

Oh...and before each infusion they will check your blood each time. Most important are your red blood cell counts, your white blood cell counts, your platelet counts, and your liver and kidneys function numbers. Depending on your risk factors for low numbers they may check your counts more often than that and most definitely after your first infusion. Everybody reacts differently to chemotherapy and that includes right down to blood and platelet counts.
Now if your counts are low, they may lengthen the days between infusions (usually 21 days) or they may lessen the dosage of chemotherapy given by up to 20 percent per infusion.
As stated chemotherapy is rough stuff...it has to be to do what is intended. There is no doubt about it; we have to be tough too!!!😡😡😡

Yeah, it helps with pain, too. But I don't think it does anything for platelets.

They’re putting me on a steroid called dexamethasone which I was already on for pain in the past but way less of a dose. 

Starting my first round of treatments today. Wish me luck, a lot more mentally prepared this time. 

Alright so once again, the port was put off. The doctors were concerned with my neck during the procedure so they put it off until they get approval from my neurosurgeon about it. So my first infusion tomorrow will have to be done through an IV. I’m so frustrated right now, I just want this done and over with so I can start to get better. 

Starting my first round of treatments today. Wish me luck, a lot more mentally prepared this time. 

See, by the time you actually get your infusion, it will be anticlimactic, lol. You won't even be worried, you'll just be relieved to get started.
Any word yet from your neurosurgeon re the port?
 

Starting my first round of treatments today. Wish me luck, a lot more mentally prepared this time. 

Yeah exactly what i was thinking. At first they were debating on doing an arm port but they spoke to my oncologist and said that they can’t since I’m gonna be long term on the chemotherapy. 

You should be fine... Oh yes I was worried as hell about chemotherapy side effects too, but I got through it and you will as well. Just stay ever mindful of your body and the signals it's sending you. If you need to rest, then do so, eat good wholesome foods when you can, and stay away from food and maybe even the smell of it when your stomach says no way... 
And before you know it the really rough patch is over. Stay in touch...

Thanks @Jesse L.for the advice I really appreciate it. I really hope that everything works out the way it should in the long run. As for my youth being in my favor, it has helped lots with radiation. It did put me on my butt for a little bit but I recovered pretty fast. The side effects of chemo really do make me nervous as I don’t know how my body will take it. But I’m confident that I’ll be okay in the long run. 
 
I do have an update on my esophagus issue and it seems to be healing now. That day was the worst it was ever at and now I’m able to eat with minimal pain and talk with minimal mucus buildup. I’m hoping that I’ll be good before chemo so I can eat somewhat normally. 

Hey Ale, I have been following your thread and I know of your issues. Whereas, I'm sure you feel this has all hit you from straight out of the blue, you have to know too that you have some advantages in beating this thing flat out. You're young and you have a wellspring of energy that most of us can barely remember. That and I would trade my 64 yr. old immune system with yours in a heartbeat!! And one last thing...you will probably live long enough to see not just treatments for but actual cures for cancer.
As for now though, I too am in the midst of a four course chemotherapy treatment plan of Carboplatin/Alimta. My first infusion was on 4/5 and some of the side effects from day two through day seven after infusion were kind of rough. The nausea was manageable only with anti-nausea meds (Zofran) on three of those evenings, but you want to watch taking those meds as they will definitely give you constipation. I found that if you keep your eating to small amounts, eat only bland foods, and liberally eat crackers (saltines, graham, animal, etc.) when you start to get even just a little queasy, there's a lot less chance of getting sick. The other problem I had during this period was pretty hard core fatigue. Now there is really literally nothing you can do about that except just give your body a rest and just plain relax. Have faith that your body will come back...from day seven to day eight was like night and day in my energy levels. My energy came back just like that; it was amazing. But know that even after the worst of the side effects are over, that does not mean they are all over. The remaining two weeks before the next infusion consists of other side effects that are not as prominent, but can even be possibly more deadly. I've had somewhat of a bloody nose lately and I'm told that there is a much greater chance of infection of any open wounds that may occur during this period.
The above just shows that while chemotherapy is no walk in the park, it is survivable. You'll do fine and with your above stated advantages, probably better than me... Stay positive and in the fight!!

Hey all, 
I had a really long thread on the new members area so if anyone is interested that hasn’t seen my story it’s all mainly on there. I decided to start this thread so I’m more in tune with everyone that has been supporting me as well. 
 
To bring it short for anyone else, my names Ale. I am 22 years old and was diagnosed in February for a form of lung cancer that had spread to my lower back, spine area and caused a cervical fracture in my c2. Since then I’ve received 10 doses of radiation treatments and have seen improvements but don’t know for sure. I start chemotherapy on Tuesday to combat this nasty disease that decided to waltz in my life. 
 

Hey all, 
I had a really long thread on the new members area so if anyone is interested that hasn’t seen my story it’s all mainly on there. I decided to start this thread so I’m more in tune with everyone that has been supporting me as well. 
 
To bring it short for anyone else, my names Ale. I am 22 years old and was diagnosed in February for a form of lung cancer that had spread to my lower back, spine area and caused a cervical fracture in my c2. Since then I’ve received 10 doses of radiation treatments and have seen improvements but don’t know for sure. I start chemotherapy on Tuesday to combat this nasty disease that decided to waltz in my life. 
 

Hey all, 
I had a really long thread on the new members area so if anyone is interested that hasn’t seen my story it’s all mainly on there. I decided to start this thread so I’m more in tune with everyone that has been supporting me as well. 
 
To bring it short for anyone else, my names Ale. I am 22 years old and was diagnosed in February for a form of lung cancer that had spread to my lower back, spine area and caused a cervical fracture in my c2. Since then I’ve received 10 doses of radiation treatments and have seen improvements but don’t know for sure. I start chemotherapy on Tuesday to combat this nasty disease that decided to waltz in my life.