The plan starting July 1, 2019

[Isabelle49]

Cisplatin and Etoposide on day 1,  Etoposide only on day 2 thru 6. Repeat in 28 days. Radiation Mon thru Fri for about 7 weeks.

Requested a med port, waiting to hear if a surgeon is available this week.

[Donna G]

Hello Isabelle.  I just read this last post and boy I am surprised !  Someone is actually getting the same treatment I got nearly 22 years ago.

They did not do ports like now.  I definitely think you should get a port.  I did not know then but if cisplatin blows a vein and gets into your tissue it can do 

lot of damage.  Luckily I didn't have this happen but it sure is possible.   I pray you have the results I had, cancer free still ---today.

 

Donna G

[Isabelle49]

Donna, the potential for major tissue damage with leakage of chemo drugs into the tissues is the very reason I asked for a port. Also, for the six days in a row that I will receive chemo, if I didn’t have a port, I understand I would have a new IV started each day. That’s nuts!!! So the potential to blow six veins would exist and who knows what. Wow you got this combo 22 years ago??? I guess that’s good to know, if you are communicating with me on this board in 2019!!! So happy you are still cancer free and really happy you replied to my post. You have given me much hope. Blessings to you.

adding: So very sorry you lost your husband to lung cancer.

[Isabelle49]

Plan updated to start July 8. Evidently insurance approved. First day is 7.5 hours (I have never sat still for that long, OMG!!!) second day is 4 hours (almost as bad), 3rd day 2 hours (this not so bad). Any ideas for keeping the brain, hands busy. I will bring needle work/crochet to do and reading and crossword puzzles. I don’t think they want me to bring my oil paints, canvas and easel, lol.

[Rower Michelle]

Ye gads! You definitely don’t feel like the sitting type.  I think you’re on the right track- create a schedule, knit for an hour, crosswords for an hour, you can have visitors- tell them what time to come, find an interesting series to watch on Netflix (we loved the scenery in Shetlands, Broadchurch and Body Guard set in the U.K.  Pick an epic movie (Titanic and Lord of the Rings are wonderful time killers) 

You could spend another hour doing research to plan a short vacation to celebrate the end of chemo (even if you don’t take it right away it can be fun to take a virtual vacation. 

In 2017 I spent 38 weeks on the road- which was a lot of killing time in airports.  I’m not a shopper so I got to be an expert on killing time-especially phone calls to keep up with friends & family  

For my chemo I didn’t wear a watch & the time went relatively quickly.  

Once your infusion nurse learns that you’re a comrade in arms they are going to ADORE you.  Chemo nurses don’t mess around, neither do you! 

Keep us posted! 

Michelle

 

[Tom Galli]

Isabelle,

Long infusion times are a pain. Here are some ideas to make time pass:

Research your family history. 

Write your cancer journal. 

Organize your digital photo album. If you don’t have one, make one. 

Read several times The Emperor Of All Maladies 

Plan, with details, next five years of significant vacations. 

Read NIH Journals on your type of lung cancer to learn of emerging treatments. 

Stay the course. 

Tom

[Isabelle49]

Thanks for the tip on The Emperor of All Maladies. That’s my kind of reading and any type of biographies. Will see if I can get that loaded on my IPad.Will have to think about a vacation in the future. LOL, husband asked if I had anything on my bucket list and I don’t really. But, Paris for the third time would be nice. I love that city.

I think I forgot to mention, the chemo has been cut from 6 days to 3 days. Not sure if it’s my size or age or what and as I mentioned before, radiation to follow chemo rather than concurrent because of possible complications (rad doc thought I was high risk for complications).

I’ve added Mahjongg to my ipad, love the game and have at least one other word game that beats me every time, lol.

Blessings to all.