Dear CLDCR,
I'm cheering you on from here --- through all of your chemo treatments --- we're members of the same "Chemo Club", I guess you could say ... and it means a lot to hear from you and to know you are forging ahead through your treatments. I've thought of you a great number of times and have been hoping you have continued to do well. Reaching the halfway mark like you have is an important milestone --- I remember the halfway mark very well, just some months ago myself.
Our paths have definitely crossed on past threads, so I am glad to hear that the "ice chip" method DID help you in preserving your taste buds, as it did for me. It sure worked in my case and it was easy to keep chomping on some ice chips during each chemo infusion ... no harm, no foul. I have friends here that go to other hospitals for chemo treatments and they didn't chew on ice chips, as my oncologist had me do --- and so they have reported to me that they have lost some sense of taste and they now wish they had simply asked for a cup filled with ice chips. One of my good friends who was treated at another hospital later went to a Mexican restaurant and told me he couldn't really taste the spicy food for a time after his chemo treatments ... and really regretted not asking for ice chips. In regard to trying the ice chip method for possibly preserving taste buds, I would say ... can't hurt, might help !
I'm also very THANKFUL that the ice bag strategy for your hands and feet ALSO seemed to work for you --- it seems to be standard protocol at the hospital where I am treated ... when my oncologist and chemo nurses first told me about
doing that, I must have given them a very skeptical look ... as they told me to put both of my hands on ice bags and then told me to remove my shoes and put my feet on ice bags during chemo infusions --- but they swore by this method, and I later felt fortunate to have no problems with neuropathy in my fingers and toes whatsoever ... and they kept my hands and feet on ice bags for the duration of every chemo treatment. So that was my personal experience, at least, recommended by my oncologist. Sounds like it is working in your case, as well !
Yes --- I lost my hair after the first chemo treatment, as well --- yet, I have friends here who kept all their hair intact --- so there is definite variance in that regard. Other than that, my side effects were few and I kept up with everything in my life and kept moving forward. Yes --- I agree with you --- LOTS of water before AND in the days following each chemo treatment seemed to really help me, as well. You also mentioned exercise and I found that staying active in that way during the months of chemo treatments really helped my energy stay intact. Sounds like you are doing really well through it all !
It did encourage me, also, to see my P.S.A. creeping down bit-by-bit-by-bit with each successive chemo treatment. You are really making strides and I'm THANKFUL you are doing well during your treatments.
Your post is important, because you are sharing those direct, first-hand experiences ... your experiences in this post will be helpful to others, present and future ... and it's important to post these direct experiences that will never be mentioned in the medical brochures that they hand you at the hospital as one begins their chemo treatments ... that's the value of this forum ... the sharing of our collective experiences.
Meanwhile --- keep us posted on your progress --- I always follow your posts. The time between treatments seems to go quickly, I always thought ... and soon enough, you will have them finished up in the New Year ahead. It's great to hear from you --- keep forging ahead, CLDCR !
Best wishes for the holiday season ahead,
Iowa State "Cyclone"
Post Edited (ISU-CycloneFan) : 12/19/2015 8:47:27 AM (GMT-7)