I hope it has gotten better for you this week and that your mom is feeling better as well.
Have any of you ladies noticed a head fog? My long term memory has always been bad, but I've noticed that my short term memory is also a bit foggy (like remember what the doc said). I don't know if it's from the trauma of the diagnosis or from the medications and was wondering if any of you have noticed a bit of a change.
I miss chatting with you ladies, but I'm so glad that the worse is over. Gallbladder out yesterday. Lots of pain in the middle of the night and today, but I should be fine in a few days and can to start fattening up.
Brain fog? I appear to have a significant, ongoing cognitive impairment. No memory, long or short term. Unable to think in the abstract, thoughts are purely reactive. Inability to worry/care/plan/ponder or hold a negative thought. Sometimes completely deatched. Forget words, sometimes struggle to get words out.
All of this while appearing to remain articulate. Meant to write something else but I've forgotten what it was.
Hey Taff, I forget words as well. Not sure I would mind being unable to hold a negative thought, but I'm sure that all of it must be very difficult for you. Did you notice this after diagnosis or was it an issue before?
I'm back to where you are, Lyndy, with the constant worry about potty issues. I had several mishaps while out and about for 2-3 months after treatment. It did get much better and controlable....but now a setback with this surgery. Hopefully it will level off in a few weeks.
It will get better for you. It just takes a little time. And I was eating lots of fatty foods trying to gain weight which made it worse.
As I was one of the last go through the treatment I wondered how every one is doing?
i had the results of my scans yesterday and heard the magic words “you’re in remission”. Am so relieved. I now don’t have any appointments until November with the colon-rectal team and oncology a the end of January.
I still have issues with my skin in that area but my oncologist did say I had been fried! Loving the menopause that I was pushed into especially the night sweats during our hot summer! Still using the dilators but can’t move from the second size to the third, it’s till too painful.
apart from that I’m now back at work and have takin up cycling, decided to look after myself a bit better.
It's great to hear that you feel well enough to be back at work. How is your mom doing?
Thankfully I am still in remission. Next scan the end of October. They do a scan every 3 months during the first year and then every 6 months. I still can't venture far from my potty. The potty issues became controllable a few months after treatment, but it's been uncontrollable with the gallbladder issues. I'm seeing a nutritionist and a gastro doc, but the gastro doc has been unable to determine the cause of the tummy issues and the nutritionist tells me to eat anything and everything. Normally I would be more selective with my diet but I have to eat, eat, eat to gain weight. I spent another 9 days in the hospital which I have actually grown fond of. My weight was dangerously low. The hospital doc thought my stomach pains might be from gastroparesis. They could not do the scan because I was on pain meds which they tapered me off of, but they gave me the medication to treat it. I have been able to gain a pound a week but have 23 to go to get to my normal weight (which is still considered underweight). It's been scary and I wasn't sure I was going to be able to pull myself out of it, but I'm feeling stronger and better mentally althouogh I now have chemo brain. I think I'm older than the rest of you ladies and was probaby more susceptable to it. The radiation permanently damaged the tissue and I have lots of scar tissue so I will always have bum pain. I am seeing a pain management doc and I hope to get a nerve block. The pain grates on my nerves. Of course all of this could still be withdrawals from the pain meds. The length of withdrawals is different for everyone and I was on a very large dose.
I think of all of you ladies (and Taff) often and I'm so glad to hear from you and that it's good news.
Was thinking of you all, and thought it might be nice for a catchup, you all were such a support for me while I was going thru that horrible time, I'm more or less back to my normal self now, still get tired easily and fell my age a bit more but otherwise doing great.
Lovely to hear from you. Pleased you are back to your normal self. Same here, although a little weary of what I eat and like you feeling a little more tired than I did before or is it I am analysing things a little more? Still having regular visits for check up at the hospital, as I am sure you are. Next will be end of March and meeting again in April with my consultant. Lovely to hear from you and appreciate the little conversations this little group held which gave me strength when I needed it most. Love to you and your family and wishing you health and happiness in the future. Love Mandy x
Hi, this is Texas Gal. I am so thrilled to hear from you ladies! I’ve thought about you often.
I was hoping to go back to normal after treatment but I did not handle the treatment well. I’m 15 months out and still struggling. I have pelvic radiation disease. I still have inflammation and pain in that area that grates on my nerves. That entire area atrophied. The radiation destroyed my hip bones and the base of my spine and I’m nauseated off and on throughout the day. It affects the heart and teeth. I’m scared to go to the dentist. I stay pretty close to my bathroom. I’m still struggling to put more weight on. I gained 20 but need to gain at least 11 or 12 more but I’m stuck. Any suggestions? I doubled the protein drinks but it’s not helping. No evidence of disease. Next scan in May. I found a great personal care physician that has referred me to pelvic floor PT which I’m dreading but hoping it will help. My oncologists never mentioned it. Since the treatment is universal I chose to stay in Austin; however, I’m discovering that some docs know more than others. For instance, I was not told to go to treatment with a full bladder to protect my organs. I learned this from another support group but after I had completed treatment.
I miss chatting with you guys and still hope to meet you one day. My youngest is getting married in May so all fun money is going towards the wedding. Maybe in 2020.
I am so glad that Sue and Mandy are doing ok. I hope all of you are strong and healthy.
Its lovely to hear from you, I think of our little group often, it's almost a year now since treatment, I never thought I'd ever get back to normal, but considering how rough the treatment was I'm feeling more or less back to how I was.
I'm so sorry your still suffering, they always insisted with us here in the UK that we drink at least 3 cups of water before radiotherapy in order to lift your organs out of the way. As for putting on weight I'm not sure what to tell you, I wish I could loose a few pounds but at least I'm not putting more on! Lol
Congratulations on your daughter getting married ,
I've just come back from a holiday in South Africa , I went with my sister-in-law and had an absolutely fabulous time. I was worried a little bit about coping with the journey but I was fine.
We are having a bit of a heat wave here in UK at the moment, it's lovely, makes everyone feel much better, can't believe it's been 18°C and it's still only February!
