Hi DGM

I am so sorry to hear what you are going through. Try not think tooo much of what happens further down the line you will deal with that when it happens.

My dad had blood transfusions every 3-4 weeks while on chemo. It is to do with the blood count not comning up fully before the next chemo. I think it must happen a bit as saw others getting transfusions also

Stay strong and enjoy every day with your wife,

x

Hey

Sounds normal to me, I had my bloods tested before every chemo and was borderline a few times but never actually needed a transfusion.  If you have any questions just ask one of the nurses, mine were only too happy to answer questions.  My first few cycles went in ok, then I hit a wee patch where veins collapsed and they needed a few attempts to get the needle in another vein, just to give you the heads up incase this comes up.

Try and stay strong and let us know how you're both doing.......remember you've gotta be down to come back up again, it's a bit of a rollercoaster.

S x

went to see her yesterday and she looked shocking ,they dont seem to be able to get a handle on the nausea,she feels it all the time ,face looked red and bloated really upset me ..how i wish i could swap places with her she doesnt deserve this ...just got back today and she is looking better fingers crossed she may be allowed home late tonight ,about 11.00pm the chemo finishes ,,i suppose we are quite lucky in that we live in sheffield so the journey isnt too bad for us ,weston park is am amazing cancer hospital..i know some people have immense journeys to endure which cant be good ..

DGM,

I too go to WPH for my cancer care...It is an amazing place...I have been having a break from chemo for the past few weeks and off there to see my oncologist on Monday to get results of a CT scan and what next!

I live about an hour away but well worth the little journey. As for the nausea...my break after 17 doses of Irinotecan and 14 of Avastin, just before the break I had several bouts of extreme nausea, it was so bad that sometimes it even started prior to treatment which started the cogs ticking in my Oncologists head. They believed that I was so fearful of nausea that I brought it on myself. They gave me some lorazepam to take a couple an hour before treatment which relaxed me right down. Also I was checked into a ward/Bed rather than the big room downstairs as I had trouble sitting due to effects of the cancer. For the 3-4 cycles before my rest I didn't have any nausea and slept during treatment, only to wake when dinner was served or they changed the bags. It worked and I felt so much better abouth both the treatment and the cancer.

I do hope they let your wife home as nothing better than snuggling up in your own bedding when you feel a bit rough - I will say the treatment of me didn't totally get rid of side effects only the issues whilst having treatment!

p.s. I originally had bowel cancer and after surgery in Jan 2010 I had a bad reaction to chemo so that had to stop...I was told there was other chemos they could try if it came back. In June 2010 I had a stoma reversal operation and then in October 2010 I was advised that I had inoperable secondaries in my pelvis and chest with a potentially operable liver tumour...I know how your wife feels and sometimes try and put myself in Fran's place (my wife). This upsets me the most as when my pain is over she will be left behind which makes me sadder than ever!

Much Love to you both,

Tony xxxx

thanks susan ,she seems to suffer with nausea most,still has quite a good appetite,fetched her home at 10.30pm last night and she had a really good nights sleep which always helps as you say ,nothing like your own bed,today she seems quite perky the nausea seems to have eased thank goodness,ive seen her have a couple of moments when she is obviousley thinking about the future ,it beaks my heart but just keep hoping the chemo will slow it down for us,,put the xmas decorations up today and that brought a tear to her eye again obviousley wondering if this is the last time she might be diong this ,i pray its not ..........thanks for your support ..dave

thanks tony ,we seem to be on parrallel courses although in my case its lisa that has the cancer ,reading your posts has always given me hope that she has a while left with us ,id be lying if i didnt admit i'm so scared of life without her for lots of reasons not least i love her so much ,but also worry about myself being here long enough to see my kids in a position to fend for themselves ,im 55yrs old but lisa is only 41 and i always thought she would be around long after me to care for our kids ,chloe is only 11 yrs old and i worry i might not be here to see her grow up to be a woman ,,i myself had a scan yesterday for testicular cancer which really drives the fear home ,,6 weeks ago we didnt have a care in the world apart from the usual everday problems  but now the world has caved in around us ....my thoughts are with yourself and your family also..

Dave,

Yes it does seem that we are on parralel courses. It would be interesting to find out the name of your oncologist.....obviously we are not able to give names live on the air so to speak, however mine is femail and initials are DF.

From my point of you, I am scared of the pain that may come and of the dying...however my biggest fear is leaving Fran behind....We can often be in the same room whilst watching TV and I will look across at her and get upset at the thought of her being alone and not having me there to comfort her when she is upset....It breaks my heart!

I have put together a series of photos (about 46 so far) entitled my life so far...they chronicle my life from a baby to the present day....they are on facebook however I want to put them on a disc for my daughter (16) alongside some video clips of me giving her some key bits of advice. I would hope they will bring a smile to her face as I will title each disc accordingly i.e. Upset with boyfriend...and there will be me giving her advice to cope...they are more for fun and so she can play them whenever so she doesn't forget me. Now I am thinking of it I may do a few for Fran to give her a smile when she needs it most.

Thoughts are definately with you all and if you want to ask anything, maybe what I am thinking. Obviously your wife and my thoughts will be different due to personality differences etc however I can chat through things with you as you need to.

T x

Hey Guys,

I'll reply to both of you.

Dave, so glad Lisa got home, hopefully a few days in her own bed and she'll feel better, good that she's till eating, hopefully the nausea will stay at bay for her.  Fingers crossed the chemo is nuking all the baddies in her system and will give her more time.

Tony - PS I love You - I'm not being familiar, it's a book/film - describes what you are doing, he passes away, she lives, he leaves letters, one for every month for the first year.  I won't say watch it, it was a tear jerker, and I'm not in Fran's position, too close to home I'm afraid.  I think this is a perfect thing to do, how nice when you need a bit of advice and a shoulder to lean on that you can pop in a dvd and get the talking to you need.......not ideal and won't replace you, but it will still be you.

You are both brave boys

Take care

S xx (one each)

DGM and Tony

OMG, how brave you are, i dont want to sound at all patronising but you must be great comforts to your partners, this is very frightening and it is so very hard being a parent as well as a carer victim, if that is the right word. your love for your partners is palpable , my best wishes to you both. Both my kids came up tonight, daughter is 22 and son is 21, daughter did the touchy feely thing then went back to her own husband, son said hello, i cooked him a steak and then he went down the pub, but, they love us both and know we love them for the poeple they are and will be. i havent a clue what to do about christmas, i am all done, presents wrapped, cards sent, even done the whole picled eggs and onions, sloe gin on the brew, but havnt a clue if he will be here, will we be clelebrating or debasted, its an odd dialectic, my thoughts to you and your families

rainbow