Flowergirlie

My husband finished his last chemo treatment round on 1/4/07. We expected a considerable improvement the week he would have normally been back in chemo. The Nutritionist said that it takes quite a while to get the toxins from chemo out of your body and that it takes about the same length of time (generally) to recover from chemo as the chemo treatment took. So, in other words, if he was in chemo treatments for 4 months, it would take about 4 months to kind of be back to normal...??? I do not know if this is exactly true or not. My husbands blood counts are just now starting to stabilize but he doesn't feel great yet. He is still low on energy and has to be very careful to not overdo it or he suffers for days afterwards. I do not know if this helps you but it is all I know for now. Please pm me if you ever need to talk. Flowergirlie

I am so sorry about your mum's diagnosis and that you need to be here. This is a terrific resource for any questions or information you need as well as a place to rant and rave (as much as you want as long as you want). We are all here for you. Flowergirlie

Your gestures are wonderful for your dad for his birthday. It is such a gift you give your mum to take her out on Sundays. As a spouse I know how hard it is to leave when your hunny is not feeling well, even though I know it is good for me. Your mum will come around and take the opportunities for a break. Sometimes our needs change though and rather than needing a break, we need to be close and comforting for ourselves and our loved one. Hang in there! My thoughts are with you and I wish there was more I could do to help make it easier.

So beautifully said...a mother is so lucky to have a daughter who is so selfless in caretaking in the times that we all hope would not ever come to our children. I am pulling for your mom too! Flowergirlie

Well, up until this, things were going pretty OK. We had some snow and it really was a good time for our family to enjoy each other and play together. My husband has been focusing on things that he loves to do and it has lifted his spirits. We have truly enjoyed each other like we did before this all happened (you know, as much as that is possible). Just so you all know, I sent the doctor who said this a scathing email so he knows how this has affected us. He replied and even though it could never make up for the damage he caused, it is important to me to confront him and make him aware so that hopefully no one else will ever have to go through something like this from him. I also called my husband's regular oncologist and he said he does not feel this way at all about my husband and also feels like his progress overall has been positive. That is all we need: some encouraging words and a friendly, sincere smile delivering them.

We went to an internationally known and accredited Naturopathic Doctor who has written books on reversing the effects of cancer and has been involved in cutting edge treatments to improve the survivability of cancer and quality of life while undergoing treatment and he told my husband that he had about a month to live and should save the money he was planning to use for treatment and go to Hawaii. My husband has never heard his "prognosis" per se' and has held onto some internal hope of beating this unforgiving disease and this crushed his spirits (and mine). We went to this doctor to get some direction and guidance while my hubby is not having chemo and we got this? I am so angry and such an emotional wreck that I can hardly function whatsoever now. I can not believe anyone could be so heartless, negative and without compassion with someone who is trying to make it through cancer.

I am so sorry for the loss of your mother. My thoughts are with you and your family. Flowergirlie

It is great to hear the good progress from your husbands tests! Sending you many warm thoughts! I hope your husband continues to feel better and better! Flowergirlie

I agree, forewarned is forearmed! It is hard to know what to expect exactly, as everyone is different. My husband was fine day 1, tired day 2 and super exhausted day 3, 4, 5 and 6. I do not know how many days in a row your dad has treatment, my husband had 3 days on and two weeks off and then it repeated. My husband didn't have any effects the first 3 treatments but the last 3 were horrible for him. I hope your dad gets through it with very little or no side effects. All the best to you and yours! Flowergirlie

Oh, I feel your anxiety and offer all of my support to you! It is always so difficult wait for the scan and then have to wait for the results. Just take deep breaths. We have another one coming up soon too. My husbands oncologist also said no supplements during treatment because he said he wanted my husbands body to be like a sewage pit so the cancer would not want to be there. He said that some of the supplements make the cancer grow. I am sure there is much controversy over this subject but as soon as my husband had his last treatment of chemo (last week) the oncologist said to go ahead and start the supplements and everything right away if we wanted. I wish you and family all the best. I wish there was more I could say to ease your anxiety but if you need to talk, this is the place to come. Flowergirlie

Thanks...I posted this in the wrong place and wasn't sure how to move it so I reposted it in the caregiver forum. Oooops! Thanks for your encouraging words. It is so hard to have hope sometimes. We are going to a hardcore and very accredited doctor, who is well known for his achievements with cancer. I would be interested in your father in laws regiment and will share what information we get as well, in a week or so. Thanks, as always, for your response. Flowergirlie

It has been a while so I thought I would post an update. This has been such a traumatic 4 months that I am beside myself with emotions on a daily basis. I can honestly say that many days I would not have gotten through without the support here. Thank you to all! My husband has just completed his sixth round of chemo and is done (hopefully forever). He does not ever want to go through that again. He will be having a CT in a week and a half to see how it all looks. It is a scary time because it is at a waiting period and everything seems unsure. He recovered from this past chemo quite well and is trying to move on with life since he is feeling pretty good. I am happy to be able to do some old activities with him again. We will be going to a Naturopathic Doctor. He is known as a cancer guru and I am looking to him for some answers and hope. Do any of you have experience with Naturopathic Doctors? I know it will be a complete change of lifestyle, diet and supplements will be implemented. I am excited about the prospects of immune building and naturally fighting cancer. If it works so well, why isn't everyone doing it? I am going to tell the whole world if this works! The kids have been acting up a little and challenging me. They are having nightmares, as I am, about cancer and all of our life changes. Flowergirlie

It has been a while so I thought I would post an update. This has been such a traumatic 4 months that I am beside myself with emotions on a daily basis. I can honestly say that many days I would not have gotten through without the support here. Thank you to all! My husband has just completed his sixth round of chemo and is done (hopefully forever). He does not ever want to go through that again. He will be having a CT in a week and a half to see how it all looks. It is a scary time because it is at a waiting period and everything seems unsure. He recovered from this past chemo quite well and is trying to move on with life since he is feeling pretty good. I am happy to be able to do some old activities with him again. We will be going to a Naturopathic Doctor. He is known as a cancer guru and I am looking to him for some answers and hope. Do any of you have experience with Naturopathic Doctors? I know it will be a complete change of lifestyle, diet and supplements will be implemented. I am excited about the prospects of immune building and naturally fighting cancer. If it works so well, why isn't everyone doing it? I am going to tell the whole world if this works! The kids have been acting up a little and challenging me. They are having nightmares, as I am, about cancer and all of our life changes. Flowergirlie

Kim, we are ALL here for you. I am so sorry for your loss.

I am so sorry for your husband's diagnosis. It is so hard to adjust to such changes so fast but this is a great resource for all of the questions and much needed support. We are all here for you. Flowergirlie

My thoughts are with you. Keep us posted.

I am so sorry your father was diagnosed with lung cancer. It is such a difficult thing to ever have to go through. My thoughts are with you. Please feel free to ask questions or express your feelings anytime you need to. We are all here for you. What kind of lung cancer does your father have? Flowergirlie

You are so delightfully positive...Thank you for that! My husband will not get clothes that fit him either...I think he likes that he can wear his belt on a much tighter hole...Good Luck! Let's try for a Happy New Year!!! Flowergirlie

Congratulations to you and thank you for sharing your great news with all of us! Flowergirlie

I am so sorry for your loss! My thoughts are with you and your brothers! I am not sure if there is such a thing as the right thing to say but please if there is any way I can be of support, please let me know. Flowergirlie

It is so scary and so many uncertainties seem to be looming about all of the time but you have a great attitude and that is very important as the support and the caregiver. Here's to your mother, that she may have great response to treatment and win against cancer. She is young and has a wonderful daughter to carry her when it is all too much. Then, when it is too much for you to take, you can come here and release it all and have the support of so many. Hang in there! We are all here for you!

I am so sorry! My warmest thoughts are with you. Please feel free to pm me if you ever need to talk. Flowergirlie

I am sorry your dad is in so much pain but I am happy that you were able to have a nice Christmas! Every good day is a day to be thankful for. Greetings for the rest of the holiday season and a great '07! Flowergirlie

I just read an article from sciencenews.org and it sounds like an amazing advance in cancer treatment and has had loads of success in the trials but is not being used too much outside of testicular cancer, even though the benefits are tremendous, as good as 60% improvement over standard treatment...even in breast, skin of the head and neck cancers. Just wandering if anyone has had any experience or has any knowledge...???

It is not about telling him that he is going to die within a year or with the intention of being negative but to give him the opportunity to make an educated decision of his own as to whether the suffering is worth it or not based upon the possible benefits. I have told him that I think he can beat this and he continues to go on with the treatment but the truth of the matter is, is it at some point irresponsible for him to not have the knowledge when he is suffering DEEPLY and not sure if he can even survive another round of chemo? His tumors have shrunk and we have one more shot to reduce a mass that is 10x13 cm. I want him to live and grow old with me and beat cancer but I do not want him to be so miserable and continue doing rounds and rounds of treatment if it is only to keep him around and he has no quality of life.