[QUOTE=CatalinaRose;488992]YAY Clay!!! This is wonderful news! Does she need to have a proper poop before she can leave the hospital, County?

Yep and that baby has been dropped

I got an email yesterday from my sister in NYC. She had her second chemo last Friday and already her blood work is showing a positive response to the drugs. The first chemo she had a mild allergic reaction to the rituxin (sp?) so this time the pushed it in super slow and she did great. Her weight is slowly stabilizing and she is no longer coughing!! I am so excited for her and I think she is starting to believe she might beat this thing!!! I made her a chemo blanket using her favorite colors and am popping it into the mail today. :)

GO CANCER FIGHTERS, GO!!

So glad your sister is responding in a most positive manner! Your both in my prayers! :goodluck:

Hi Everyone-

My Mom has just finished her first round of chemo for small cell lung cancer with liver and brain mets. She will having radiation today for the brain mets. She has had all of this done in the hospital as she was very weak prior to treatment. She is coming home tomorrow and I want to make sure I have all the supplies that might make this first week after chemo as comfortable as possible. Does anyone have some suggestions of must haves? Tips or tricks? So far the anti-nausea drugs have worked great for her and she has not had any nausea. Our main concern is bleeding because she is already on blood thinners. She is 73 and had COPD before all of this started so not in the best of health but not terrible either.

Thanks so much and many healing prayers to all of you who are fighting the good fight!

Glad that your Mom is doing well and ready to come home. :)

For my mom, the biggest issue is nausea and lack of interest in food or drink...so the most important list is juice, tea with honey, and soup broth.

Next most important has been sleep, sleep, sleep. She gets very tired, very easily...and I have to monitor her activity because exhaustion can come on very suddenly for her.

I'm sure some folks here will have better suggestions for you...but I'm sending you big hugs.

Hi, julie!

I am glad you posted in the thread.

The side effects of chemo depends on the type of chemo one receives. I am sure that your mother's chemo is different than mine was (mine was for colon cancer).

I would suggest finding out the specific medications that is in her chemo cocktail and then search the web for information on side effects of that specific chemo. After you know that, or after she has some of the side effects, please bring them here. I don't want to ramble on about something that would not be useful to you!

As an aside to Jo's comment about her mother's fatigue...radiation actually causes more fatigue than chemo does, so expect your mom to be really pooped!

Hi Julie,

So sorry to read about your mom. From my experience, everyone has different cravings and needs during chemo. We stocked up on whatever tasted good and took it from there. Now days I can't even look at Gatorade 2 without gagging a little. ;)

County, yay for pooping!!! That's a victory for sure. :)

Lots of water to flush the chemo and meds out. Anything yummy that she finds appealing to eat. Protien for strength.

Hey Dapper, you are so right about the fatigue with radiation. I had it at 40 and again at 55 and it kicked my ass both times. Jean

Finally! Woo Hoo! A long time coming, I know! Congrats on the cancer being contained. That means no chemo for you, right?

How much weight did you lose from not being able to eat? I lost 20lbs (granted, I got the surgery done twice, 2 weeks apart, but, still...)!

Welcome home Clay! Rest, relax and recover. It must be so nice to be back in your own bed :) I'm so glad Country was there for you. Country - thankyou so much for the fantastic updates on Clays progress through this difficult time for you both! :clap:

Fantastic,glad u r going home,tonight u will get the best sleep u have had iuna while in your own bed...nothing like being home.Take all the thime u need to get your strength back,we all will be hear when u want to post any thing.
Country,thank u for all u have done,u r indeed a special person..

Way to go claybaby.

Boost Plus and other Store Brand protein drinks available for variety until you can blend your own ~ CVS, Walgreens, etc.

Kudo's to County and Caregivers .



Jo, and julieisafemme thinking of you and your Mom's during this tough time and in a season of love and giving.

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...rd5f1eb3b5.gif

Super fast update then I'm headed back to the ER....Mom's picc line was halfway out last night, so waiting and waiting to get it replaced today.

Struggling with pain meds....docs in FL don't prescribe but send to a separate pain management doc. Of course, they neglected to mention this (and mom neglects to mention that she's almost out) until we have difficulty getting a refill right before the holiday weekend.

Nightmare.

I'm kicking desks (figuratively speaking) and shouting at people (for real) ...and we have a short-term solution, an appointment with said pain mgmt specialist...and it'll all be okay...but it's taking a heck of a toll on me in the process.

My research, thanks to all this, also makes me think that a lot of her dizziness, fatigue and lack of appetite may be in part due to the morphine she's been on since the spring.

Hi Jo
Thinking of you and your mum during this difficult time.

So happy to hear that you are home and that Heidi will be with you soon! We've been praying and am so glad to hear you're doing well.

We have been so grateful to Countyfemme for her reports to us. Thanks you!!!

Hello All. Thank you very much for all the nice posts. My Mom is doing remarkably well. No nausea and no pain since going into the hospital. She saw the oncologist today and he said her blood work looks good, no temperature and her blood pressure is good. She has the ok to come for the family Christmas. That is a wonderful thing. She is still very tired but is getting up every day and doing things in the house. We are so blessed in that all four of her children live five minutes from her house. We have all skills to lend to her care. Add to that a good family friend who is a critical care nurse and her sister who is a nurse and we are set! I know she won't get better but it means so much that right now she is feeling good and not in pain.

Claybaby I am so happy you are home! I know my Mom is so much happier in her own bed without the nurses poking her all night!

Many blessings to you all and happy holidays.

The pecan flavored Ensure drinks are really good! Glad you are going to get the pup back soon!

You didn't answer me about the chemo?

Gosh, Jo. I am so sorry this is happening. Please keep us updated.