Cancer Support Thread 95 - No googling allowed 😊

[LemonDrizzle10]

New thread - we need to stick together!

@frostyfingers I am so, so sorry to read this. What utter shit. Pancreatitis cancer is a bugger as you say. 💐💐💐 and hugs

@frostyfingers oh I’m so so sorry to hear this utter shit news.

take care of you and you know we are here if you need us xxx

@frostyfingers. I am so so sorry to read your news. How totally awful. I am lost for other words but please know we will be thinking of you and sending love x

@frostyfingers I'm so sorry, I don't know what to say. Sending you so much love x

@frostyfingers I’m quiet at the moment while chemo side effects kick my backside but I didn’t want to ignore your post … I’m so sorry . You just be feeling absolutely terrified right now .. do you have any family support ? X

Sending you lots of love @frostyfingers very sad situation.

So very sorry, @frostyfingers sending much love and hope you have some good support around you.

Just back from first chemo and immuno. Long day. Devastating to read your update @frostyfingers I am sending so much love 💕

@frostyfingers Im so sorry. The bloke next to meet waiting in a&e yesterday had just been diagnosed with bladder cancer after a trip to a&e. So sorry again, it’s everywhere.

@frostyfingers so sorry to hear this news, life can be so cruel.

Sending love all round.

I’m waiting on whether my treatment can go ahead today. There’s a cyber attack in the hospital that processes the bloods (the machine at my hospital is broken and the new one will take another few months for calibration). The bloods I had taken yesterday have been lost so we went over early this morning for another batch to be done and then couriered over to the hospital with a working machine. It’s all being done by hand. It’s getting a bit too close to the wire for it to be realistic for today. They did mention possibly tomorrow - I really don’t want to have to skip a week.

🤞🏻 it can go ahead today @dancingwhilstfacingthemusic I totally get not wanting it to be delayed.

I have my bloods tomorrow, fourth pax and second Phesgo on Friday, all being well. Another ultrasound has been booked in for December, followed by an appointment with the oncologist for the results (although the lovely radiologist gave me my result last time ,😁). Am hoping my response to chemo continues to be good 🙏

Best of luck with scans and treatments everyone. Does anyone have any advise re self administering filgrastim? Have to do every week for 5 days and I'm dreading it, don't know if I can do it. I know Claritin can help but more the actual injections, don't know if I can do this for 6 months straight. Probably being a wuss.

Minty I think anticipation is worse than reality. For various reasons I didn’t have much lead in time to chemotherapy and the need for injections wasn’t discussed until I was having my first treatment So v little anticipation time!

I didn’t like it much to start with but was totally fine, having previously been a complete wuss. Set an alarm on my phone so didn't fret about remembering. Got a nice pinch of tummy and tried not to rush (but also not too slow!). Was careful to move the jab site around each time and not too close to navel. I needed to be on my own to do it, no spectators or chatting!

It was fine, that said I was pleased to hand the last sharps box back.

@Mintymood I think the thought of it is probably worse. I had pegfilgrastim, which only required one injection 24 hours after chemo, I don't know if that's an option? And I only had to do in for my EC cycles.

Thanks @GrannyGoggles yes they just handed it to me yesterday after my first triple infusion and I had no idea! So was a bit of a shock. Ok well you have given me some good tips thank you. Did you have to do it after every weekly infusion? I think I will by the looks of it so that's a lot of needles! And I'll do it through the 3 weekly EC and immuno too.

@BatshitCrazyWoman that's interesting to know I may ask about the 24 hour single one if I really struggle! Sounds silly being so precious about it when I'm being poked and prodded and cut about all the time but it's the doing it yourself bit that gets me! I can't look away!

Minty Yep, after each treatment. Like you, I thought I’d struggle but was absolutely fine after I’d done the first one. Can give you real bone and back aches, dose up with paracetamol if required. My reaction to it varied treatment to treatment, no idea why.

I think it’s comparable understandable to be a bit weirded out by DIY jabbing even thought you’re tolerating other people coming at you

Back from pax 6/12 (6/ 16 chemo in total), started late due to the cyber attack but so relieved it’s done. Riding a very woozy antihistamine and steroid wave.

Thanks GG. Glad you could go ahead with treatment @dancingwhilstfacingthemusic. Know the feeling!

Minty I was a big wuss and refused to have the blood thinners and had Pax chemo instead as it didn't need them. Though after my operation I had them and they didn't hurt, whereas when I had them before it left a big bruise and hurt. I think it helps if it goes somewhere with some fat and alternate sides. Though if you can't do it tell them and there might well be alternatives.

Well done for reaching half way Dancing and hope you are feeling OK Rock and anyone else going through chemo.

I’ll have a week of injections to do with each ex. My son was 7 when dx with t1 diabetes. I injected him several times daily and later fitted canulas, sensors and dressed these with tegaderm. I hope to be able to do my injections. I found rubbing the skin briskly and then pinching up a wodge of fatty skin helped to be more comfortable for ds.

Glad it went ahead dancing and yay for being halfway through!

With the pegfilgrastim side effects, I had none with the first injection, felt a bit achey with the second, and the third and fourth made me more achey (it stimulates your white blood cells, so bone aches are common). Weirdly my arm bones ached the most! Nothing that paracetamol wouldn't help. Take the injection out of the fridge half an hour before you are injecting.

What a morning!

cleaners are coming today. So obviously my kids chose this morning to completely trash their rooms before school.

so there goes my resting time. Instead of a coffee on the couch I’m going to have to tidy the rooms. Before I do the usual pre cleaner stuff - like strip the beds. Ffs.

I am heading to Macmillain today for a complementary therapy session. Reflexology. So nice. Might get a little nap in too.

Enjoy, @ememem84 !