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Travels with Zombie - Chemo Cycle 2 and beyond

413 replies

IamtheZombie · 11/07/2014 15:57

The previous thread is approaching capacity so just preparing this one.

Link to previous thread here

OP posts:
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Allalonenow · 29/07/2014 01:01

Barbie
How about a facial spritz with cucumber mallow etc or plain water, Evian do them IIRC, have a look in Boots.
Wet wipes with a nice scent.
Nail varnish and emery board.
An orchid in a box.
A cube or fridge magnet with photos of your children (this would really cheer me up)
Tissues with aloe vera or other balm.
A fun key ring, maybe her initial in diamantte
A collapsible drinking glass, Lakeland probably have them or any picnic ware place, so she can have a drink anywhere.

Sorry if I'm just repeating things you have already thought of, all best wishes to your Mum and you.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 29/07/2014 01:02

Zombie nice to catch up with you. Sorry you're feeling low this time and so tired, although I cant think of 2 naps a day as a bad thing Grin

Ice water is a great tip. During my dad's chemo he has to have ice on his fingers and toes to prevent him from losing his finger / toe nails!

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 29/07/2014 01:10

And YYY to the three week cycle. Dad has chemo on a Thursday, feels ok on Friday and Saturday, is flat on his back by Sunday when they go up to their cottage on Georgian Bay so he can recover.

They spend a week to ten days there (it's right on the water so lovely cool breezes, and it's all on one level so much easier for Dad to navigate) by which point he feels better again, and they spend their remaining week travelling (to see my brother on the west coast or us in London or to see friends), fixing up the house, going to the office even though he is supposed to be retired and just generally running around like mad things until his next chemo, when it all starts again. Dad sleeps in the back of the mini van while mum drives him around. Not quite what they had planned for their retirement but they seem to be mostly coping until my mum ended up in hospital last week but that is a whole other story

mummylin2495 · 30/07/2014 10:20

Good morning Zombie, hope you are feeling as well as possible and enjoying this lovely sunshine. When is your next treatment ? Next week ? Am I right in saying the next infusion means you will be halfway through your chemo? Enjoy today

IamtheZombie · 30/07/2014 21:44

Evening all. Apologies for the short absence.

I had an appointment with my GP on Monday morning and got my meds sorted for the next couple of months. Then I went across the road and had breakfast at the greasy spoon. Then I came home and napped.

Yesterday I had my pre-chemo bloods drawn, returned home for a brief nap and then went to Birmingham. My lovely young friend who lives there had checked her breasts after her last visit to me and found a lump. Her appointment at the Breast Clinic was yesterday and I went with her. Thankfully the surgeon is 99.9% sure that it's benign. She did a needle aspiration just to make sure and the results should be back in 2 - 3 weeks.

Today was chemo day. And, yes, mummy, I am now half way through the Docetaxel and have completed 2 of 18 Herceptin. A friend met me at MaccyD and took me to the hospital. She then got to watch me sleep through most of the treatments as I was well away with the Piriton fairies. They had to wake me up when it was time to go! We went back to the retail park, had a Costa coffee and then hit TKMaxx. Spent a long time but less than £20. I popped into Sainsbury just to pick up some limes for my G&T and emerged 15 minutes later having spent nearly £80.

Thisvehicle, I'll continue my info tomorrow.

mummy, my friend was much the same. I had been to visit her several times over the years and last saw her at her wedding in 2011.

Allalone, the next significant birthday is my SIL next week. Hope the lads remember. Wink

Welcome back, Bee!

Hearts, I have my nails painted which also works to preserve the nails. The Docetaxel makes you EXTREMELY photosensitive so nail varnish stops the light getting to the nail bed. The ice works because it helps stop the Docetaxel getting to the nail beds. Some places use full ice mitts and socks to minimise the risk of peripheral neuropathy. Sounds like your dad has an excellent way of riding out the side effects. I hope your mum is OK!

I think about brings me up to date. xxx

OP posts:
iklboo · 31/07/2014 20:14

Hey Zombie - how are you feeling today? Sounds like you had some well deserved retail therapy yesterday. Hope you enjoyed those G&Ts.

mummylin2495 · 31/07/2014 20:59

Hi. Zombie, never knew limes were so expensive !
Hope no ill effects have kicked in after your treatment. Now you will be on countdown towards the last 3. It must be such a relief to know that half of them have been done. So that's another 9 weeks and chemo will be over ? Hope you have had a restful day today and enjoyed the sunshine, I have heard its not going to be here for much longer.

BewitchedBotheredandBewildered · 01/08/2014 01:09

Half way! That's good.

Your garden must be gorgeous by now, make the most of the sunny days.

BearFlowersBear

BewitchedBotheredandBewildered · 01/08/2014 01:12

Hearts hope your mum and dad are OK and mum's hospital stay was short.
Love and hugs sweetheart xxx

magimedi · 01/08/2014 20:15

Just popping by to check in on you, Zombie

I may not be on the keyboard a lot, but you are never far from my thoughts.

It's Friday so hope you are making good use of those limes! Wine

Barbie1 · 01/08/2014 20:29

Hello zombie, here's hoping for a relaxing weekend.

I've been really busy running mum back as forth to the hospital, I think of you every time we go.

Today was her pre chemo talk in prep for her first one on Tuesday.

Thank you all for your suggestions re the box of goodies for mum, so Excellant suggestions which I will start to put in place this weekend.

Have a good weekend everyone x

Barbie1 · 01/08/2014 20:34

hearts terribly sorry to hear about both your mum and dad! How is your mum? Is she out of hospital yet?

It sounds lovely, the little retreat to relax and build strength before the next chemo session Smile my dad is thinking of taking early retirement to look after my mum over the next 6 months. However I can't quite see them doing anything as spontaneous as leaving the house!

IamtheZombie · 01/08/2014 22:46

Evening all.

Please forgive me for not replying to each of you but I'm pretty wiped out. I just wanted to pop on to say hi and to let you know that I'm OK but just need to ride out the side effects.

I'm going into semi-hibernation mode for a couple of days. I'll try to pop on each day just to wave at you all.

Love you!

OP posts:
magimedi · 01/08/2014 22:48

Love you too - have a good hibernation.

You don't get shot of us that easily!

Will be popping back to look for you.

(((XXX)))

Thisvehicleisreversing · 01/08/2014 22:49

Lots of love to you zombie Thanks

mummylin2495 · 01/08/2014 23:01

Zombie, please don't worry about posting when you are feeling crap. We all understand. Hope the bad times soon pass for you. Take care x

mummylin2495 · 02/08/2014 15:03

Thinking of you Zombie, hope you are not feeling too bad today. Hopefully you can sleep a lot of the hours away.

iklboo · 02/08/2014 15:25

Thinking about you Zombie. Hope you're feeling a bit better today. Sending love & best wishes to you Thanks

Wolfiefan · 02/08/2014 15:32

Love you too Zombie! Don't worry about keeping us updated. Just know we are all thinking of you and cheering you on (quietly whilst you nap!)

BewitchedBotheredandBewildered · 02/08/2014 20:10

Hope you're snuggled under the duvet with the ZombieCats.

Also hope you can have a little mooch into the fresh air tomorrow, maybe wrapped in your woolly hug.

SmileFlowersBear

IamtheZombie · 02/08/2014 21:59

Zombie waves hello.

I got a fairly good night's sleep last night which is good. It's still been a quiet day and evening. Aches are starting so I think it will be a couple of co-codamol and an early night soon.

Zombie waves night night.

OP posts:
magimedi · 02/08/2014 22:28

Sleep well, Zombie & I hope the co-codamol do their job.

Allalonenow · 02/08/2014 22:45

Sending you sweet dreams and kind thoughts Zombie
Thanks Thanks xx

mummylin2495 · 02/08/2014 23:50

I expect you are tucked up in your bed now and fast asleep. Hopefully the painkillers have kicked in so you don't feel any aches and pains. I hope tomorrow may be a bit better for you. Thanks

BewitchedBotheredandBewildered · 03/08/2014 17:35

Hope today hasn't been too achey Flowers

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