Showing posts with label ChemoBuddy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ChemoBuddy. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The end of Chemo #3


Yesterday I received the last of six infusions of Chemo #3, aka, Doxil®. Awards! Congratulations! Good Work! and a BIG Thanks to my ChemoBuddy, Bruce.

But as I found out in one of my cancer survivor's group today from another person who received her second infusion of a chemotherapy drug, she too is wondering just what will the new side effects be. For some people, the side effects are cumulative, that is, they get worse with each additional infusion.

My swollen, tender feet and hands have peeled and gone back to normal and then returned to being red and swollen again. The redness in my torso has peeled and is red again. Broken skin around my breast. The red spots are increasing around my thighs. The skin around the joints (especially the knees and elbows) is raw and tender. The inside of my mouth was swollen for two weeks and then I developed an open sore. And that was after 5 infusions of Chemo #3.

WELLLL, yesterday, with the 6th infusion, I'm just wondering, what new sensations will my body harbor AND what old sensations/side effects will get worse?

BUT, as I try to tell myself in a loving manner, This is all to rid my body of the cancer in my abdominal area. There is going to be some discomfort, but HANG IN THERE!

Now, ready for this cancer survivors; After all the side effects, multiple medications, nausea, bad needle placement, some one says, "You look good!"

If they only REALLY knew!




Sunday, October 11, 2009

Chemotherapy this week



This Thursday I'm scheduled to receive Doxil®, aka, Chemo #3. Bruce will be my ChemoBuddy, and he is by far, the most experienced ChemoBuddy I know. He is fun to talk with, a safe driver, a nice person, and a wonderful neighbor, all excellent qualities for future ChemoBuddies in training. One day he even brought a board game, but we never even opened the box.

There are so many people receiving chemotherapy these days, everyone can be ChemoBuddies. And just in case you can't drive someone, Phone ChemoBuddies are also needed. All you have to do is volunteer to call your family member/friend while the person is receiving the drug. Talk about movies, television programs, the weather, new clothes or old clothes, and vacations. You get the gist! Just ask...


note on image:
"Seasonal Still Life," work in progress
dried plants, fabric
about 7" x 7"