Re: cytoxan

[Guest guest]

,

A friend of mine had cytoxan for breast cancer. She

actually said that the chemo wasn't that bad. She did

say to make certain that you get meds for nausea if

that happens to you.

daphne

--- rkelty wrote:

> Joanne,

>

> Thanks for the advice. I do worry about everything,

> and I shouldn't,

> because when it comes down to it, I am one very,

> very tough cookie. Most

> people say I'm the bravest person they know. Case

> in point: when I was 17

> I starred in a large musical theater production of

> Celebration -- a role

> which required me to strip down to a red sequence

> bikini and silver

> stilhetto (sp) heels. Haha!

>

> I fear the unknown. Once I know what's coming, I

> can brace myself and put

> my armor on tight. If anyone has been through the

> Cytoxan treatment (every

> two weeks for 6-12 months), please let me know what

> to expect. I'm really

> NO WIMP, so give it to me really straight. I'm that

> kind of mom. I never

> lie to my kids about pain, and they really

> appreciate it. If something is

> going to hurt, I tell them yes, but for how long and

> in reference to what

> else they've been through.

>

> Come to think of it, though, that may have

> backfired. They are both rough,

> tough ball players now. My eldest had three

> concussions last year!

>

> Yikes!

>

> Huggers,

>

>

>

> Reply-To: Neurosarcoidosis

> Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2001 00:01:00 -0400

> To: <Neurosarcoidosis >

> Subject: Re: spinal taps

>

>

> Hi Renne,

>

> My doctor told me today that they problably rips

> several holes

> in my spinal covering trying to take the fluid so a

> blood patch

> would not work. He did give me medicine to take so

> I can take

> the Tylenol 3 and told me not to be in pain. I'm to

> call him

> if this doesn't work.

>

> You sound like you are very worried about starting

> the chemo.

> After what you have been through this should be a

> breeze. Try

> not to anticipate to much with this and take it as

> it comes. (this

> is my husbands advice to me all the time)

>

> Please excuse my spelling and grammer but my head is

> very fuzzy

> lately and I have trouble getting thoughts and words

> out of my

> head and to my fingers.

>

> Keep a good thought and I'll be thinking of you.

>

> Love

> Joanne

> Re: , you are a

> true gentleman

>

> Dear ,

>

> First, thank you so much for the compliments and

> kind words. It always

> makes me feel good to know someone appreciates me.

>

> To answer your question about spinal taps: Yes, I've

> had at least 7 spinal

> taps in the last 7 years (10 total, all in the last

> 8 years) plus a total of

> 12 epidural injections to treat back pain. What I

> hate most about spinal

> taps is the LACK of QUALIFIED doctors in the ER's

> who KNOW HOW to perform a

> lumbar puncture WITHOUT inflicting MORE PAIN.

>

> The very first time I had a spinal tap was in March

> 1993. It was the first

> time I had meningitis. The attending doctor

> actually taught a resident how

> to do the spinal on me. It went pretty smoothly so

> I thought that it was no

> big deal and didn't understand what everyone was

> talking about when they

> said spinals were horrible.

>

> But I've had 2 experiences where one ER doc started

> to do a spinal tap on

> me, kept hitting bones with the needle (OUCH!!!) and

> realized he COULDN'T DO

> IT and had to find ANOTHER DOC to finish it!

> TWICE!!!! (I think I should

> count each of those as 2 spinals.) Each time I told

> the first doctor that I

> had narrow spaces in my lumbar spine where he wanted

> to insert the needle (I

> have degenerative disk disease and 2 herniated

> disks, one of which was

> removed a year ago). Do you think they listened?

> No, not by a longshot! So

> for the last 6 years I've always asked a nurse " who

> is the BEST doctor here

> for doing the spinal? " I won't let just anyone in a

> white coat stick a

> needle in my back anymore. Now that I've had spinal

> fusion surgery I will

> have to tell them that I have hardware in my back

> where they will want to

> insert the needle.

>

> My neurologist in Los Angeles did 2 in 1997 to run

> some tests, and he was

> real smooth at it, but all the others were in the ER

> at Cedars-Sinai Med Ctr

> in Los Angeles. It's always a crap shoot in the ER,

> but I liked the doc

> that just put me out so I didn't feel anything.

>

> Regarding your other question: No, I do not have a

> lawyer helping me with my

> disability application or appeal. But if I get

> turned down again I will get

> a lawyer to help me. I think I need to start

> looking for one, though.

>

> Anyway, thanks for asking. I try to read all my

> mail but I sometimes miss

> some the first time around. But write again if you

> have any other

> questions. Thanks for your friendship, . I

> appreciate all my friends

> here. This is an important part of my life, I hope

> you all know that I

> value each and every one of you.

>

> Everyone, please take good care of yourselves

> tomorrow.

>

> Love and Peace,

>

>

=== message truncated ===

__________________________________________________