Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Back in hospital - Chemo Cycle 2


I have had a good week of rest and recovery and feel ready for another cycle, I am hoping that knowing what to expect will make it easier this time around. Also they are making some changes with medications that will hopefully reduce the side effects. Just had my steroid DEX which gives you the munchies and they've started injecting and pumping in the chemo drugs. At the moment feeling really good and pain free. I have a few strategies to work through the difficult times ahead and hoping that we will get through this cycle more easily. Pic above is the kids clowning around during a hospital visit.

9 comments:

  1. I have been getting some fantastic rehab for back and posture which has been really great, I have a really good pysio and it's been making a real difference. One unauthorized actively I have been doing is hitting out a few golf balls to my private golf hole. Two months ago I need a wood (club) to hit the 140 meters , but have been slowly progressing and now doing with a 8 iron. So also been throwing a few basket ball hoops of days when feeling well. Finding light excercise good for sorting back out plus good for nausea and clearing the head.

    Steve, thanks for your post, great to know that I have Sydney on my side. Looking forward to getting back to work, I have been delayed by chemo and side effects, at this stage looking like mid May.

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  2. I have had a real good first day. Alighning to the chemo process, sleep, rest, eating etc. and being laid back seems to be the way to go. Being syched up, which maybe is Ok with surgery, isn't good necessarily for chemo. Relaxed and stress free is my evolving strategy although this is not necessarily that easy when you know what's coming. I dont that it will eliminate the tough days put may shorten and reduce the intensity of them. Prayer, relaxation & back rehab exercises and continuing to remind myself and my body that what they are doing is healing and helping. Close friends and family visits are good burning and enjoying the long lospital hours. The nurses in this ward are exceptionally good, knowledgable, longterm caring people which makes the process that much easier. Ciao for now Gary

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  4. Friday Day 3 of treatment, out tomorrow morning. Trucking along ok so far, progressively sliding, but managing alot better. They are doing a good job and using medication to keep weight off, last time I was increasing two kgs per day & you eventually feel very bloated and sick. I have found it good learning what the individual drugs do, sideeffects and cycles, e.g. With the heavy hitting chemo drugs, I tell my body that they are coming and their role, I visualize them killing any residue cancer and I tell them to exit the system ASAP. With the calming and repairing drugs I just try to relax and let them do their thing. Your kidneys dont knowthey are kidneys and i dont think it hurts to try to talk and explain things especially when they are about to be inundated by harmful toxins. One of the new nausea pills i am on sounds like Dom Pirionux bubbles (sp?), great brand name and being nausea free is far better than expensive champers. Brains beginning to go cloudy but overall doing pretty well. Checkout med morning Sat morning. Talofa Gary

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  5. Hey Gary - sounds like youve got some good positive stratagies in place, Thinking of you! x

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  6. xxxxxxxx and goodnight from Seaton rd.

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  7. Hi Gary

    Caught up with Brendan S who gave me an update on your progress. Well done fighting this thing with such a positive attitude.

    Good work hitting golf balls - on the basis of my efforts at the Deloitte golf day yesterday your doing better than me! :-)

    Take care Ken Aitcheson

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  8. Feeling completely disgusting but doing a lot better than last cycle. Won the mind game this time around, keeping positive and focus on healing and recovery. Thanks for all the well wishers and txts!

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  9. Thinking of you Gaz. You've come along way, still a ways to go but you've got what it takes. Great to catch up in Otematata.
    M & D in Bridgeless Kurow

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Thanks for your comments Gaz