TCH - vacation during?

[LittleLegos]

I am seriously considering doing TCH as recommended to me. I don't think I would be up for a vacation during treatment. So if I start very, very soon I should be done by the time of my vacation. However I also think I need a bit more info before I can make that decision. I'm getting a 2nd pathology review and another test. I can't even get a 3rd opinion for a couple weeks, but that might really be too late for me.

My question is...has anyone postponed their final round for a vacation? Or had two a bit closer together 2.5wks instead of 3. I think it's more important to make the right choice about chemo than going on this vacation, but I don't want to cancel yet if I don't have to.

If I started the week of March 23, my last round would be July 6 and I leave for a week vacation July 19. The vacation includes a three day conference for me! I really need to be with it for that part. It would be a shame to sleep through the whole thing! Starting the week before would give me an extra week at the end - obviously! I also can't really account for any delays in treatment due to illness, low blood count, ect.

Thanks!!

[janet/FL]

Howdy,
Others can tell you what they did, but here is what happened to me. As a stage oner before the TCH became apparently the recommended regime, I was on just TH. For one week of my treatment, my blood counts were too low so I only had the H not the chemo part which is the T. When this happens, evidentally the protocol is just to skip the treatment and not make it up at the end. Then, hurricane Wilma came through and I could not handle chemo and the aftermath of the damage she did along with chemo. So I skipped the treatment. I spoke with the doctor and asked to make this one up at the end. He allowed it as it was a voluntary skip. Don't know what other oncs would say about this.

So, what I mean by this is that as a stage one, you might have more latitude in your treatment. However, I do want you to realize that chemo affects everyone differently. Most likely you will have very few problems and be ready for your vacation afterwards. Some people have more side effects and would not want or be able to go. Given your age, and if you are in real good health and not effected by every little thing in your environment I think you might have few side effects. Perhaps others might comment on age and health making a difference in side effects. It seems logical to me, but then with chemo, not everything is logic! I would say--go for the vacation if it is not too strenuous. (boy I wish we had spell check--I dont' know how to spell strenuous!) And get all the exercise you can during treatment it sure might help.

[Erin]

Hi,

I had a similar dilema, which the folks on this site helped me resolve. I had to decide whether to postpone treatment by 3 weeks to take a much anticipated vacation - a "trip of a lifetime" - or to start TCH and take the trip between round 2 and 3. Ultimately I decided to cancel the trip for now, and plan to do it as a end-of-treatment celebration next year. This is just me, everyone responds differently to treatment. But I know before I started I rather arrogantly assumed that I would be able to handle it well, but now I have been quite humbled by the reality.

Now that I have 1 round of TCH under my belt I am very glad I did not plan to take the trip while on treatment. While the treatment and side effects were manageable, I certainly was not up to the stress of traveling, and would not have felt good enough to enjoy many activities associated with vacation. I needed to be in my own home, my own bed, with easy access to whatever I needed, and with friends and family to take care of me. Not in a strange place, in a strange bed, having to hunt for a pharmacy in the middle of the night. My side effects were not so severe and I only missed work the day of chemo and the day after. Still by the end of the day on day 3-9 I was done in - exhausted and under the weather.

Some other things you might want to consider are the possibility of complications you had not anticipated, the risk of being around crowds while your white blood cell counts are down (risk of infection and illness), and, since you are going to a conference, "chemo-brain".

I developed cellulitis in the vein they used for chemo (I get a port next week) and also developed a minor problem with my eyesight which they think is a result of the stress of cancer and the treatment. The cellulitis would have resulted in a hospital stay had I not been close by where my onc felt comfortable monitoring me while I was at home. I cannot imagine having to find medical care while out of town.

You said you were planning on going to a conference and needed to be "with-it" For me, this would have been a problem. I have had some trouble with chemo-brain. I have a fairly technical job and have always been known for my grasp of the complex regulations associated with my field and a good ability to recall facts and figures from memory. Day 3-9 of my first round were a serious wake-up call. I had decresed memory, decreased ability to recall words and names, and serious problems with complex thinking. I would look at something that might be moderately difficult normally, like a program budget, and not be able to make heads or tails of it. Thank god I have a wonderful and understanding supervisor and staff!! :-)

Everyone has to make thier own decision. And you may just sail through it much better than me. But I am glad I have chosen to slow-down and not demand so much from myself during this period. I feel good about saving my energy to concentrate on healing and beating this thing. As everyone on this site told me, life will go on after treatment is over, there is nothing that cannot wait until I am done with all this.

Hope that is helpful :-) Please keep us informed about what you decide...

[tousled1]

Before I started down this long road, I had a cruise scheduled that I was really looking forward to. I cancelled the cruise and started my chemo. I figured that I could take the cruise after I'm completely done with my treatments. Have you talked to your doctor about this?

[LittleLegos]

Thanks for everyone's input. I forgot about "chemo brain." Maybe I have it already!

I have not discussed this with any drs yet as it just occurred to me. One dr is aware of my vacation plans, but she hadn't yet recommended a treatment plan. She had just mentioned a few options and did say she'd like to start sooner than later.

I was just talking with someone today about this very thing and she mentioned a friend of hers discussing this. That many women will not make changes to their chemo routine, but that in many cases it would work out to do so.

I guess a good point would be that no one will make me go in and have a treatment, it's up to me. I understand that it might very well be against medical advice.

I have seen in some sigs that treatment plans change or chemo gets started after rads...many people's stories are not textbook perfect. I will have to remember that.

Thanks again!

[MJo]

Some of us have gotten sick in the middle of treatment -- sinus infection or some other illness which delayed treatment for a week or even two. Hopefully your treatment would go like clockwork, but delays do happen. Best of luck, whatever you decide.

[Jean]

the chemo is serious treatment and it maybe best to address the fact that this is time when you want to do all you can for yourself. Sometimes it is okay
to fly under the radar.

What ever you decide all good wishes are with you. Had TCH also. Please note
that the treatment is acumulative in nature. So near the end it is far more
taxing than the early sessions. I was able to work thorugh treatment but
I did take every Friday off and if needed Mon. There is the strong
tired and dragged out feeling, it is doeable - keep your mind open.

Regards,
Jean