Saturday, September 22, 2007

Starting Chemo

Now that all the cancer they found has been taken out my Fiancee has to go thru Chemo treatments which will start on the 1st of October. Her schedule consists of 4 separate treatments each 3 weeks apart and if all goes as planned will be over the 3rd of December. I have done a lot of research and found quite a bit of information which has helped me to understand what the next few months dealing with this will be like. I pray that there will be no complications or surprises and she will be cancer free as the end result.
Many people fear chemotherapy because they have heard that it can have uncomfortable side effects. But side-effect management has come a long way over the last few decades. Today, many side effects once associated with chemotherapy can be prevented or controlled. With some types of chemotherapy, you may experience only minimal side effects. And chemotherapy may be your best option for a successful outcome.
Chemotherapy Side Effects
* Low white blood cell count * Low red blood cell count * Low platelet count * Nausea * Vomiting * Hair loss * Fatigue
More than half of all people diagnosed with cancer receive chemotherapy. For millions of people chemotherapy helps treat their cancer effectively, enabling them to enjoy full, productive lives.
Chemotherapy is designed to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be administered through a vein, injected into a body cavity, or delivered orally in the form of a pill, depending on which drug is used.
Chemotherapy works by destroying cancer cells; unfortunately, it cannot tell the difference between a cancer cell and some healthy cells. So chemotherapy eliminates not only the fast-growing cancer cells but also other fast-growing cells in your body, including, hair and blood cells.
Some cancer cells grow slowly while others grow rapidly. As a result, different types of chemotherapy drugs target the growth patterns of specific types of cancer cells. Each drug has a different way of working and is effective at a specific time in the life cycle of the cell it targets. Your doctor will determine the chemotherapy drug that is right for you.
I have set up a really good help web page for anyone who may want more information about cancer treatment and it really has helped me just click on the Title at the top of this post Starting Chemo.

Sunday, September 02, 2007

Dealing With Cancer

I have not posted these past few weeks like I planned due to an illness to the most important member of my family. The 1st week of Auguest my Fiancee found out she had lung cancer and was told to they had to schedule an operation a.s.a.p. and 2 weeks later on the 17th of Auguest she had 1/3 of her right lung removed and the Doctor informed us that they removed it all but had to send samples of the lung and Lymph nodes to a lab for more testing and she would find out the results in a few weeks when she has her 1st follow up appointment with the Doctor. I hope and pray that this is the extent of this and she will not have to endure anymore pain and suffering. I believe it is in GODS hands now. The thing that I find hard to understand is she was a smoker for over 40 years and quit 6 years ago and had been checked out each year by her Doctor and had been told she was healthy and her lungs looked and sounded good, and then the cancer just shows up. For now all we can do is wait and do everything that the Doctor says and go thru the healing process. I am planing to write more on this in the future after I do some research and learn more about this. Cancer is a really bad disease but they have come a long way in the past few years and it is no longer a death sentence. Please help me in your prayers if you can. Thank You and take care.