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Chemo and leading normal life????


elkiesmom

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Gary will be starting chemo next friday. He will be on Taxol, Carboplatin,Aloxi,decadron,benadryl and Zantac. I have been reading the chemo book that we have been given and the don'ts out number the does. Stay away from malls, theaters etc. Try not to use sissors, Wear golves when doing general chores. Try not to use sissors, knives and razor. Do not eat raw fish (I can understand that) but what I do not understand keep away from sea food,beef and chicken. What else is left. I can go on and on.(SENSITIVE ISSUE) THEY SAY USE A CONDOM?????? wE HAVE IN OUR 41 YEARS OF MARRIAGE NEVER USED A CONDOM.We will have to practice that or get a how to book. tHEN THEY SAY GO TO WORK AND TRY AND RESUME A NORMAL LIFE. hOW.I am sorry that I am asking so many questions but gary is so up set. He has been going to work and with this Chemo I don't know how he can avoid all of the dont's.

Lorrie

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I think those instructions always err on the side of caution. We have discovered a new "normal" life, since Lucie cannot do everything she used to do, mainly because of fatigue. However, we eat out most of the time, and she has done just fine. The thing we were told to avoid was salad and raw things because of possible bacteria. We were not told to avoid cooked things. Lucie has done just fine eating out for three years, so certainly anything you prepare at home, taking the precaution to clean things that are not cooked, should be fine. Best to you. Don

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Lorrie,

While others have directed their responses to your general concerns pretty well; I'll try to field your question regarding the use of condoms. When Bill first began chemo and radiation we were overwhelmed with all the same precautionary do/don't guidelines and that one surprised me as well. What we found out is that the use of condoms was a general recommendation as a safety precaution to avoid an unexpected pregnancy. Now, I realize that they also told us that chemo/radiation will decrease the sperm count and may make fertilization in the future a problem, but that the use of condoms was to prevent a pregnancy while the toxins from the chemo were in his system. That said...if you are not at the stage of your life where you are planning or starting a family; there were other reasons to use a condom, atleast for the first 24-48 hours after receiving chemotherapy. I'll send that information to you in a separate pm as it is a bit personal and highly sensitive. Hope this helps.

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When you go on chemo your body goes into sort of a "cycle". You feel ok for the first few days, then your white and red blood counts drop on about the 10th day. (It's probably different for everyone) This is the time to avoid anything germy: crowded places like malls, movie theaters and restaurants and small children. Your body can't fight the infectious germs.

As far as I know, when they refer to avoiding the chicken, fish and beef, I believe they are referring to the "handling" of raw foods. My family would never let me touch raw meats when I was/am on chemo.

Then you go back into an "up swing" and you usually know you are doing better because you are "feeling" better.

It's better to be safe than sorry. I've taken all the precautions and still wound up in the ER with high fevers, neutrapenic fever and so on. And that is no fun.

The condom things is probably like the others said, you don't want to get preggers while he is on chemo and to prevent any infection to him that may be lurking, and in a "healthy" person would not even be an issue.

Hope this helps,

TAnn

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I know how scary all those warnings can be. You feel as if you're being asked to become a bubble person. I think anything to deal with the medical profession chooses to deal out the maximum amount of precautionary information they think our brains can process. When Dennis was on chemo, we tried to avoid crowds and watched raw seafood and salad bars. I know reading all this must be quite shocking but I think you will find that life will be pretty normal for the two of you during chemo. Just look how cool our Don and Lucie are and follow their lead! Hope Gary does very well with the treatments!

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After reading your note I decided I did not read the chemo instructions very well. The condom thing made me laugh (maybe it shouldn't have but I did anyway) Is that for people who have already had their family and will not be able to have more children? I had four kids then had a tubal ligation. Grandchildren are what I am looking forward to. When the white blood count or the red blood count was low I did not go into crowds and tried to stay away from coughing family members. I have cooked all kinds of meat. I didn't know you weren't supposed to. We have been very blessed. Never had any fevers, illness or any sickeness since I did chemo or Iressa. I take all kinds of supplements that may help my immune system. But I am doing great by the grace of God. Praying for Gary to get through the chemo in a wonderful way with great results. pammie

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Thank you all from what I read here I should just use common sense amd we will be fine. I wasn't worried about all of this until Gary read the book on chemo that the onc gave us. I will do what I usually do when to much info comes my way through a book keep a little and throw the rest aside.

Lorrie

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I went through the same chemo regimen as Gary. The blood counts dropped lower after every session. At my 3rd treatment the nurse was going on and on concerning the 'stay away froms' Most were on your list but I didn't see money mentioned on your post. Yep, tell Gary not to handle any money!!! It's covered with germs. You'll have to handle the money and go to the mall by yourself too. :) I didn't know about the meats. But I probably didn't read everything they gave me. Besides, my tastes changed while this was going on, and I had cravings for foods that I rarely ate before and not so much after either.

Despite the low blood counts, a couple of times needing neuprogen to boost the white counts, I made it through the chemo without missing a day of work except for the chemo day itself, which lasted from 6 to 8 hours. Tell Gary to hang in there, it gets better on the other side of all this.

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Sheesh!! :shock: I never got a list like any of you mention for chemo....but during radiation there was a booklet with warnings.

The one that upset me the most???? NO sprouts!! Like alfalfa or broccoli sprouts...which I love on a sandwich. Guess it's too hard to make sure they are clean???

Oh, and scrubbing the outside of a cantaloup to get all the bacteria/germs off so you don't cut thru into the fruit, contaminating it. I mean, if you have to soak the dang thing in Clorox who wants to eat it afterwards? :?

But re: use of condoms??? Oy vey~! :oops: It wasn't in MY booklet!!

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okay okay.. I know this is serious business but I just can't help it...

After Forty one years you guys are still doing "it"?

Wow. 8)

Who knew?

And yeah. I'm all for common sense. Have no idea about the beef and chicken avoidance. Someone is thinking too hard.

I avoided crowds. If someone was coughing or sneezing in a store, I turned and walked away and covered my face with my sleeve. I did alot of handwashing after touching anything public...door handles, carts, etc. Lots of handwashing.

I did pretty good.

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Geez, how did I ever get through this?

Most of this I was never told, only the "germy' things when my counts dropped.

A week after my first chemo I left VT for a Christmas trip to TX, when the nurse found out where I was going she very seriously told me not to eat any raw vegetables if I was going THERE(?) I explained that you don't have to boil the water there and Texans were actually very clean but she wasn't convinced that I wasn't going to a third world country........How has Lucie survived this long in Houston Don?! (my counts were down a bit and I did get the rest of the the list)

The two things I did take VERY seriously......do not touch a cats litter box and don't touch any kind of soil........I've never wanted to empty the litter box (and have never taken that job back!) and as for gardening my favorite part of that was always supervising!

Take care

Geri

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Geri,

Hmmmmm, I'm still here. I live in Houston too, not too far from Don & Lucie. What do ya think Don??? How HAS Lucie and I survived living in this "third world country"?? Must be the margaritas that's keeping us going!! :P

Well, Houston is almost as big as a country. It takes me 1 1/2 hours to get to my doctor appointment in rush hour traffic.....

TAnn

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