kimmek Posted July 25, 2004 Share Posted July 25, 2004 Hope this weekend finds everyone well. This is my second post, after the first time, i spent the last few days reading many of the stories and different topics within. WOW amazing place. My questions or maybe just mythoughts have to due with the side effects and such from the radiation and chemo treatments. Moms chemo is low dose once a week for 6 weeks. She has been doing really well i think or else she is just hiding it really really well. She gets her chemo on wednesdays and after the 1st treatment she felt fairly bad on the saturday,sunday and started getting better by monday. After second round, she just really seemed to be low on energy, upset stomach enough to take something for it, but no real complaints, and 3rd weeknd was pretty much the same. now this weekend, she felt pretty bad yesterday, said it was prolly her worst day. Said she was really really tired, chest and throat hurting pretty bad from radiation,alot of muscle aches and pains i her back,she hasnt really said anything about nausea, and now today says she is feeling better, not great but not as bad as yesterday. IS this like normal and i know we are not the same and each have different responces to chemo and radiation. at first after dx she could wait to go back to work, as she only works 8-12 4 days a week during summer, and im sure her boss would even let her continue that sshedule. She was adament about going to work ASAP before, but when i said something to her about it might be good for her while she can and feels like getting out of the house, but she is not interested in that now(maybe she really doesnt feel like it) It makes me so happy that she is not having a hardtime with this... dont get me wrong, its just well all i hear about is the horror stories of chemo and the people we are around everyday going thru radiation, saying how bad it was the pain, not being able to eat and swollow, etc... Mom has used the medicine to numb her throat yesterday for first time. She was really afraid to try it, she is so afraid of choking she panics thinking about it. But she let me squirt it down the back of her throat, and after seeing she didnt choke, she let me givve her more before she went to bed. So this morning when i went over to check on her, i was able to make her realize she could do this herself, that she wasnt going to choke on it, besides if she did it herself she would be in control it not me, anyway she did it fine, then laughed that she had been so scared for a week to try it. She did the same thing with zanax(.5 mg), petrified to take it, but knows she has bad bad panic attacks (these just started since her heart surgery 2 yrs ago) and the pills help. she has taken 3 since she got them june 30th...and i had to tell her those times to take it, but yesterday morning when she felt so bad, she had already taken one out of the bottle before i could tell her too, she had just not gotten around to getting a drink and taking it, so she is slowly making some progress, seeing that its ok to take medicine, and they work. I just hope she is not really suffering and hiding it because she doesnt what to take addicting meds. well might has well tell the truth to my new friends, i have been addicted to pain medication 2 times in the last 8 yrs the last time being just weeks ago that i gave them up(June 11) and my son her favorite grandchild and only grandson had a problem a few yrs back with zanax, she has has every reason to be scared. ive told her over and over again i dont want pills, especially hers, if she gets to the point that she needs them. do I tell her dr about this so maybe she watch her more closely about the pain because i know as wellas i know my name she will suffer before the lets someone know she is hurting. Ive never seen her hurting and complaining. Her motto about going to work sick was " I can feel bad just as well at work as i can at home" and off she would go...she is an amazingly strong woman and dependent has a whole new meaning when she know her. she only knows how to give not receive. I am absolutly the only person she will allow to help her although im afraid she is going to have to break down and ask my very wealthy brother for finacial help. if she has to quit her job (only a 3 month leave they give) but she is 66 and already drawing her social secuirty so at least thats already done, but she is never gonna make it on 910 a month and thats a whole other problem im trying to figure out. Everything as fallen to me and i love it and the quality time im able to spend with her, but there are only so many hours in a day and i have my own family to care for. Mom would go live at a homeless shelter before she would ask for help, but i dont think she should have to ask my brother for help. he knows, there have been enough "hints" dropped. He could definelty ease the worries from moms shoulders about her bills, etc, and its not like she leads a grand livestlye i think her rent and all total 650 but her meds are 250 and rising daily. Thank goodness she has insurance for now, when she retires i guess she will get medicare. She has part a now.. well ive ratlled on enough, thanks for listening and god bless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stand4hope Posted July 25, 2004 Share Posted July 25, 2004 Kim, What a sweet and wonderful daughter you are. It is so obvious how much you love and care for your mom. God bless you for that. Kim, the effects of chemo and radiation are cumulative. Your mom might get a lot worse before she gets better. I can't remember where it was, but very recently there was a thread about this and how it has to get bad before it can get better. If someone else doesn't link it before me, I will find it and post the link for you to read. Please keep us posted how you and your mom are doing. Love, Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted July 25, 2004 Share Posted July 25, 2004 Hi, Kim! Appreciate your sharing about your mom and yourself. You are a good caregiver. I think we all have to learn the lession of being able to receive as well as give. It is hard for someone who is always giving, like a mom, to be on the other end. Be patient. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 Kim, I know how hard this is for you. It is not a fun journey. Regarding the chemo and radiaton and side effects, like Peggy said, it is c umulative. When my mom first started chemo she was fine. Then gradually it got worse. Same with radiation, it was worse right at the end. Thankfully it was the end when it was the worse. It stinks, but it is NORMAl to gradually get worse before better. Hang in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stand4hope Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 Kim, I finally found that link. It was a thread started by Ben NYC in the Family Members/Caregivers Forum. Here it is: http://www.lchelp.com/community/viewtop ... 6399#86399 Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nushka Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 Kim, I can tell from your post that you love your mother dearly. It may be that she is afraid to temp you and her grandson with medications. She may feel that you have been through enough and she shouldn't put them at close reach day in day out. Maybe a little safe...one to hold her medicines. I have a family member by marriage that has problems with pain meds and we must hide our medicines from him. It is a shame that you have a problem but it sounds like you are really working on it and have it under control right now. You are a brave, strong woman to be able to stop. If you are worried about it maybe the safe would be a solution. As for your mom feeling worse...she will. It just the nature of the beast of chemo and radiation. She will be tired...nauseated...feel like heck. The good news is it will get better...much better. I will add you to my prayer list and keep you in my thoughts. Take care of yourself and your mom. Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmek Posted July 26, 2004 Author Share Posted July 26, 2004 Thank you all for your ideas and support. The safe idea is aa good idea, especially since i have one just sitting under my bed. Funny thing is though that is pretty much what i bought it for. With children and teenagers around i kept my meds always locked up for safety reasons. I am going to take it to her today. We have an appointment tuesday with the dr. I have a list of questions ready for her. Does anyone know what is the normal time frame for a follow up ct scan to see if the chemo and radiation are working?? Personally i would like one done every week, but i know thats crazy, radiation doc said after all treatments were finished, thats like december, and i would think they would at least do one after first round of chemo and radiation are done, which is about 3 more weeks. Hope this week is a good one for all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Ry Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 Kim, I have scans every three months. I had a pause in my radiation treatments to be evaluated for surgery. You can only have a certain amount of radiation and have surgery in that area. If a patient has too much radiation and surgery is done to that area the body does not heal very well. I an not sure the number of Rads a patient can have and still have surgery. I had two options on my surgery evaluation. Surgery was not an option for me so they continued radiation after my evaluation. Your mothers side effects and timing was about the same for me. I would have radiation every work day and low dose chemo on Wednesday. Friday night and Saturday morning where my worst time for side effects. By Monday I would be feeling a lot better. I remodeled our kitchen during chemo/radiation. I understand your mothers need to get back to work. It gives you hope for being normal again. Best of luck to your mother. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 Kim, Sounds like your doing everything right to me. Your mom probably is doing fine with the treatment. It may stay that way, or it may get worse. I think you will be able to tell if shes acting fine if shes not. She probably just wont be "being herself". Keep up the good work with your Mom, Im sure your helping her more than you know. Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhutch1366 Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 Kim, I hope your mom's discomfort truly doesn't get any worse than it is. It is so hard to second guess a stoic. I'm glad she has you to take care of her. Keep us posted. XOXOXOX MaryAnn Prayers, always... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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