^Is it possible to go ahead and have your hair cut, and then have a wig made? My mom did something like that.

1/20/2018 8:56:21 PM

^^ damn, sorry to hear that

kick cancer's ass

1/20/2018 9:26:56 PM

I wore a pixie cut last year and would be okay getting it cut again. I guess I'll just wait and see what the oncologist suggest for treatment. Maybe my hair won't fall out... I have always heard nice wigs are expensive. I guess I'll just cross that bridge when I get there. I currently have very thick hair so maybe that will help

^ Thanks for the encouragement. I feel like I really need it today.

1/20/2018 11:05:55 PM

Kick some ass bmel

1/20/2018 11:12:06 PM

Thanks!

1/21/2018 6:12:48 PM

I’m sorry to hear that, Brandi. I wish you all the best and hope you get some helpful insight tomorrow. You can always come here for support and encouragement!

1/22/2018 7:51:29 PM

Well I went to Duke yesterday and the oncologist said she's not convinced that I have cancer. This was quite shocking since my obgyn told me I did have cancer and needed chemo asap. Nobody was expecting that curve ball. Peter got quite upset with the oncologist because he's worried I'll start bleeding out again. Turns out he wants to keep me around after all.

So for now the plan is to keep monitoring my blood work. If the tumor comes back again, then we'll plan for chemo. She did give me information to help me decide if I want MXT or ACT-D chemo, if needed.

Good news is my HCG levels are down from 400,000 to 42,000. I'll be getting labs drawn weekly until it hits 0, then I'll be monitored monthly for 6 months. Hopefully it doesn't come back and we can move on from this. Doctors keep telling me after 6 months we can try again, but I'm not sure I'll be ready to try again. This has been a bit traumatizing.

1/24/2018 4:11:59 PM

My OBGYN just called me and the HCG blood work I had drawn today came back higer. She said she spoke with Duke and she's hoping they can start chemo tomorrow. Fuck, it has been a whirlwind of a week.

1/25/2018 1:48:13 PM

1/25/2018 2:17:17 PM

Damn, bmel, thoughts to you.

1/25/2018 5:54:01 PM

you got this.

stay strong.

we are here for you.

1/26/2018 12:42:22 AM

what were your symptoms?

1/27/2018 7:13:05 PM

I didn't really have a lot of symptoms besides a gradual increase in bleeding and nausea/vomiting. I also developed a tremor, but that was due to hyperthyroidism caused by my extremely high HCG levels.

My chemo on Friday went well. The nausea didn't kick in until Saturday morning. Had a lot of nausea and vomiting all day. So tired of always being on the verge of throwing up.

[Edited on January 28, 2018 at 7:53 AM. Reason : And thanks for the support. I appreciate you all. ]

1/28/2018 7:52:45 AM

Hang in there. Before christmas we found out my wife has breast cancer, and she is currently undergoing chemo.

She had her first chemo 3 weeks ago and her hair is just now starting to fall out, which is really bumming her out.

Fuck cancer. Hope you are feeling better today and that you can get lots of rest.

1/28/2018 10:24:23 AM

I am already a hypochondriac. This threads makes more more

1/28/2018 11:37:14 AM

Yeah, I'm the same way. Luckily molar pregnancies are very rare, only 1/1000 women. Of that, only 20% of complete molar pregnancies become malignant.

[Edited on January 28, 2018 at 11:46 AM. Reason : I am feeling better today. Haven't pucked up breakfast yet so definitely an improvement. ]

1/28/2018 11:45:25 AM

My cousin just found out she has stage-2 breast cancer. From what information has trickled down to me, it has gotten into a lymph node but the prognosis is reasonably good. Still, it will require a few rounds of chemo and at least a lumpectomy (though she seems to be favoring the mastectomy because, why risk it).

As of a few months ago we live in the same city, but we don't see each other that often. We grew up pretty far apart. What I'm driving at is that we get along well but aren't best pals like some cousins are.

I'm not entirely sure how to go about reaching out and being of any help. She's not married and her family all lives in the Midwest, and I have known her to lament her lack of a support network here. Still, I told her we could help with anything - place to stay during chemo, company, bringing stuff if she doesn't feel like going out, whatever. She said thanks. A week or two later I took another crack at it and asked if she wanted to meet for brunch or something - I knew her chemo hadn't started yet so I thought that might be safe - but I guess the port just got put in and she wasn't feeling up to it.

It's not easy to tell how often or what I should offer. On the one hand, I'm sure plenty of people are coming out of the woodwork for this and it's probably getting old. And since (to my current shame) we didn't hang out all that much prior to this diagnosis, every time call or text I feel like it comes across as, "You have cancer, I guess we should hang out." Can see how that would get old.

Anybody have experiences with this that might have useful advice?

1/28/2018 6:33:02 PM

I asked my wife, and we concur, the best gifts she has gotten so far are things that either help financially or help reduce the amount of time we have to spend worrying about food, etc....

She doesn't feel like going out with friends or hanging out with anyone, so I'd say don't take your cousin not wanting to hang out as something personal.

I would just mail her $100 in gift cards to restaurants or grocery stores and say "hope this helps". It will.

1/28/2018 7:01:03 PM

People keep offering me the generic "if you need anything" response or trying to feed me. I can't really eat anything much at the moment. I also don't want to be around any crowds due to the flu outbreak. I think asking if she has someone to go to her next appointment with or needs a ride would be nice. My husband has been absolutely amazing through all of this, but sometimes I feel like he needs a break. All he does now is take care of me and work. I couldn't imagine going though this without him. I'd probably be dead already. I think it's important to offer something specific if you truly want to help, especially rides if she's battling this alone.

My aunt did make me some homemade chicken noodle soup that was really good and I was able to keep it down. The best part is she left it on my doorstep and then texted me after she was gone. She knew that I wasn't up for visitors. She also got me some beautiful flowers. I've never been much on flowers, but they do make me happy.

1/29/2018 9:40:08 AM

Quote :

"Fuck cancer."

<3 to you bmel and peter

1/29/2018 1:37:03 PM

Quote :

"People keep offering me the generic "if you need anything" response or trying to feed me."

Yeah, I can see how that would be unhelpful. I tried to have specific offers - "Rides, housecleaning, food delivery, place to stay near treatment" - but I did sort of offer them all at once so it may have come across as kind of generic.

I'm glad your aunt at least found meaningful ways to help, and hope you continue feeling better.

Wolfmarsh, thanks to you and your wife for the input. Her mom and sister will be down over the coming weeks, maybe I can get one of them to tell me what kind of gift card would come in the most handy.

This cancer thing is bullshit, man.

1/29/2018 2:19:13 PM

I totes would bring some filipino food

1/29/2018 10:44:26 PM

Best of luck bmel! You got this!

2/1/2018 2:29:37 PM

^thanks

Also, thanks to qntmfred

Also, fuck cancer

Found out that I can't return to work until after my next chemo treatment which is February 9th. My oncologist is worried about me getting the flu, especially since I work in a hospital. Fair enough, I suppose.

I've grown bored sitting around the house. I'm usually a pretty active person, running or cleaning, something that involves movement. However, whenever I start moving around a lot I get nauseous and have to sit very still. I've watched all of the office and parks and rec on Netflix. Slowly just losing my mind.
I made an offhand comment to Peter that the next person that asks if there is anything at all that I need, I'm going to ask for a Nintendo Switch. To my surprise he brought one home a few hours later. That man, I tell you. I've been having a lot of fun playing Mario though and fun hasn't been in my vocabulary lately.

2/1/2018 4:09:42 PM

LUMPIA

2/2/2018 9:59:47 PM

My dad is officially cancer free from his latest screen

I'm sorry bmel, that's a long painful road and it seems that when you get cancer that you are treated like a specimen 24/7 even family does it by accident. It's hard to know what to do for someone, but you want to, so you blast everything that you can think of. My dad is stubborn as a mule, so he NEVER needed anything. So i went with him to all his trts and told doctors things my dad was too tired to argue about, like they I insisted he take opiod based pain killers and i had to keep telling him that those made him extremely nauseous, i took notes about medications and visits, as talked to insurance. I'm glad you are hanging in there.

Also super Mario odyssey is amazing

2/5/2018 1:06:50 PM

My grandfather has been in and out of rehab since having a tumor removed from his kidney last month. He want back into the hospital this morning and he's not coming back out. The cancer has spread too far beyond where they can operate. He could be gone any day now, might not be for another month, either way it's coming.

I’m doing ok, he’s lived a long and full life and I’m just hoping the end will be peaceful for him.

But fuck cancer.

4/9/2018 2:02:35 PM

kick cancer's ass, bmel! all of you kicks its ass!

praying for you guys.

4/9/2018 6:16:06 PM

^^ So sorry to hear. I hope the end is peaceful for him and for your family.

4/11/2018 10:54:54 AM

He passed last night, peacefully from what I'm told. I'm glad his suffering is over.

4/12/2018 12:43:10 PM

Thanks for all the support! I've been feeling better since having half of my tumor removed. I'm currently on day 3 of a new 4-day chemo regimen and feeling pretty good. If this doesn't work then I'll be having a hysterectomy so all the tumor can be removed.

^So sorry for your loss. I'm glad he didn't suffer for long and went peacefully. I know it's hard even when you know it's coming and for the best. Hang in there.

And fuck cancer.

New hairstyle: https://thewolfweb.com/photos/00535245.jpg

[Edited on April 14, 2018 at 6:58 PM. Reason : . ]

4/14/2018 6:50:20 PM

You're rocking that hairdo! You look wonderful!

4/16/2018 3:55:01 PM

You look great bmel, keep hanging in there.

My wife finishes her 4 months of chemo next week on May 8th. She lost all of her hair and the chemo has beaten her down so much.

Stay strong bmel.

5/2/2018 10:06:02 AM

^Hope she's feeling better since finishing chemo! I can't wait to be done with this.

Luckily, the chemo I'm on now seems to be working well. Unfortunately, this chemo is pretty fucking rough. I don't know how many more rounds I have to go either, which is frustrating. I guess I should just be glad I am able to keep my uterus and not die. I'll be healthy again one day and much more appreciative of being alive.

6/3/2018 10:13:07 AM

bmel how are things?

Wolfmarsh, is your wife doing okay since finishing the chemo?

6/27/2018 9:10:06 PM

I'm doing alright with all things considered. The chemo is still working. My hCG, which is what they use as a tumor marker, is down to 11.2. At my highest it was 710,000, so I've come a long ways. Annoying part is it drops very slowly as it approaches 0. I have to get to <3 and then get 3 precautionary rounds to make sure it's dead. Still feels like I have a long ways to go. I also got fired, so that kind of sucks. I'm trying not to stress over it though. Just focusing on getting healthy again.

6/28/2018 2:22:50 PM

Wow, WTF? Ran out of vacation time and they said fuck off?

6/28/2018 2:31:53 PM

Yeah, said that I was out of leave and there was nothing they could do. My coworkers said they'd cover my shifts until I was back. Then even agreed to work less hours, so I could come back to my full-time shift. Instead managers decided to fire me and change my shift to part-time. Hopefully I can find another hospital to work for that cares more about their employees. I will miss my coworkers and patients though.

6/28/2018 2:38:34 PM

Found out yesterday my 6 year old dog has bone cancer. FML

7/19/2018 10:53:34 AM

Jeez, I'm sorry

7/20/2018 10:40:51 AM

I'm cancer-free, bittttcchheesss.

9/5/2018 12:45:42 PM

congratulations

9/5/2018 4:42:23 PM

Awesome!

9/5/2018 4:43:51 PM

9/5/2018 6:30:08 PM

gg bmel

9/5/2018 7:05:39 PM

Thanks, it feels good to say it.

9/6/2018 3:05:18 PM

fuckin right, you go bmel

9/6/2018 11:13:32 PM

Congrats!

9/7/2018 12:35:33 AM

Yay! Congrats!

Doctors just discovered a cancerous spot on my father-in-laws lung. Its not huge, but it's not small either. I think he goes in next week to determine what kind of treatment he's going to need. Healthy guy (spin instructor in retirement), non-smoker, and was showing none of the regular signs. He actually passed out while walking his dog on the beach and they discovered it when they took him in to mainly check on his heart.

I know lung cancer is one of the worst ones, so I'm already preparing for this not to go well.

9/7/2018 11:13:42 AM

Congrats bmel!!!

My wife just completed her 4th surgery of 7 in her cancer treatment/prevention. This was the big one, the double mastectomy with reconstruction.

9/13/2018 8:35:25 AM