brain mets - Page 3

GracePang · 03-12-2011, 05:17 PM

Pam, good to know you tolerate Decadron well. Take a lot of rest, eat well and you will beat it for sure! Grace

ElaineM · 03-24-2011, 09:10 PM

I am so happy to hear from you Pam. I wish I were closer, so I could make you some homemade thin creamed vegetable and bean soup or fruit juice. I do that for myself and I did that for a friend who had to have her jaw wired shut last years as a result of an accident.
If you don't feel like cooking or don't have anyone to help you cook I have a suggestion or two. Instant white miso soup with instant rice plus a little canned salmon and a few frozen veggies thrown in the soup might help. Also if you have a blender you might want to pour in some milk, almond milk, soymilk, rice milk or yoghurt. Add protein powder from a health food store and a little frozen fruit in small pieces like blueberries. Add water if desired. You can add a little honey, cinnamon or brown sugar if you want, but I never add extra sweeteners when I make it for myself. Cold cereal with milk or yoghurt is pretty good with a cup of tea. You can also get instant oatmeal. Just add hot water and some dried fruit like raisins.
Whatever you decide to do I hope the WBR kills all the mets, so you can get back to chemo as soon as possible.
Take good care of yourself. I have my fingers crossed for you friend.

MJo · 03-25-2011, 09:28 AM

Sending up prayers for you. Looking forward to hearing that those nasty spots are gone, you're eating and sleeping again and doing something fun to reward yourself for this rough time. Keep up the courage.

StephN · 03-25-2011, 10:47 AM

Dear, dear Pam.
So sorry to hear this state you are in. It goes with the territory though.

Besides the rads themselves, the Decadron is a killer. It is muscle wasting and everyone here who had to take it said their legs weakened while on it.

When It was my turn to take that drug, I tried to concentrate on proteins to keep up my strength. Scrambled eggs in chicken broth. Eggs were always an easy choice. Noodles in chicken broth. Egg salad sandwich. Apple sauce or grated apple when my mouth was bad was tolerable. Bananas.

Do you have a friend or church member who can help with some cooking/shopping? Hope by the end of next week this will become a memory and the weight loss will have halted. Cyberhug coming your way!

ElaineM · 03-25-2011, 12:19 PM

Thanks Steph. I forgot the eggs. I boil 3-4 eggs and keep them in the refrigerator for a quick snack with a cup of tea or eat one with a bowl of cereal and almond milk.
I am vegetarian, so sometimes I get some of those packaged instant noodles. I throw away the soup base and add water and instant miso soup plus a few frozen veggies and some edamane or other beans. Great comfort food !!!!!! I use Bragg's amino sauce in water if I am cutting back on salt. Miso tends to be a little salty.
I hope you are feeling better today Pam.

krisvell · 03-12-2011, 05:44 PM

Pam,
I think of you every day and I'm glad you are tolerating the treatment. You are a very strong person and give me great inspiration for me to fight the fight that I'm just embarking on.
So glad you are doing well.
Love & Hugs,
Kris....

Chelee · 03-12-2011, 09:04 PM

Hi Pam,
I'm glad your almost at the half way point with rads. Here's to the 2nd half flying by. I'm happy to hear you are tolerating the Decadron so far. Your medical team is right...you will have more fatigue coming unfortunetly. I was just thinking how you were still doing rads on your femur when they found the brain mets. So counting the rads to your femur and now the WBR...your body will be screaming at you to get some serious rest. Keep up on the high protein foods...that is so important right now. You take care of yourself and know that your in my thoughts and prayers daily.

Chelee

Kavy · 03-13-2011, 12:54 AM

Pam,
Thinking of you, and praying that soon those brain mets will be history. I'm glad decadron is helping you, and that you are tolerating it well. Rest, rest, rest, eat well, and try to get some sun and fresh air daily. You are in my prayers.
Hugs,
KarlaV.

Catherine · 03-20-2011, 08:45 PM

Dear Pam,

I have been out of town and not on the computer. Just now reading about your treatments, think I saw #7 up higher on the post. My thoughts and prayers are with you as you go through all these treatments. I want to add my love and support and wish you well. I will think of you and the little naps you will be taking as everyone has mention the fatigue. Hoping that your bed or lazy boy or couch are really comfy. If I get to Minneapolis this summer, I hope to look you up. Please take very good care of yourself. Sounds like you are doing that with the rest and the protein. I hope the treatments are over soon. You deserve a break and some sunshine!

Hugs, Catherine

Mary L · 03-21-2011, 07:50 AM

Hi Pam, I just wanted to say hello and hope that you are doing well with the tx. I am praying for you and send my Best Whishes, Mary L

Becky · 03-21-2011, 11:13 AM

Hi Pam

I just wanted you to know I am thinking about you!

schoolteacher · 03-21-2011, 12:58 PM

Pam,

Hope to hear from you soon.

Amelia

chrisy · 03-22-2011, 09:31 AM

Hi Pam,

Thinking of you and sending healing thoughts as well.

krisvell · 03-22-2011, 12:21 PM

Hi Pam,
Chiming in to say hi too and send my prayers and best wishes you are on the road to recovery real soon.

I'm tolerating the Gamma Knife well and seeing improvements in my vision. The same will happen for you.

Love and hugs,
Kris..

Sheila · 03-23-2011, 12:26 PM

Pam, wanted you to know you are in my thoughts and prayers...hoping everything is going smoothly for you, and this new issue will be resolved soon so you can get back on the chemo....

Chelee · 03-23-2011, 04:38 PM

Hi Pam,
Just wanted to let you know that your in my thoughts and prayers. I hope things are going ok for you and you have finished up with the wbr? I'm sure the fatigue has caught up with you so get plenty of rest. Sending lots of positive thoughts your way. Big hugs!

Chelee

Pam P · 03-23-2011, 05:51 PM

Quick update = I still have 5 more wbr rads to go. Fatigue is more; I have mouth thrush and can't tolerate much food. Lost 10 pounds last week. Got to get over this thrush so I can eat more. I have meds for it and it's a little better. Start chemo again April 7. Decadron is being tolerated - down to 2 tabs a day from 3. Still need atavan to help sleep. Head is bald. Headache and dizzy symptoms much much better. Lots of muscle weakness = I sure from the combo of rads, fatigue, not eating and just lying around. Hopefully after next week I can start to get stronger. Pam

Jackie07 · 03-23-2011, 06:09 PM

Thanks for the update, Pam. Can you drink Ensure or Carnation? They were recommended by my oncologist (who had told me the Carnation powder was much cheaper) I also used some packaged instant medicine soup (GreenMax 'Yam and Multi Grains Cereal'from Taiwan and Percent 36 'Ashitaba Immune Globulin' from Japan besides twice daily 'Linchih' (Gonaderma Lucidum) during my chemo and actually gained a little weight. (Yes, I remember the days when I was using the 'mouth thrush'...)

If you can't find these instant soup, try to cook some rice soup with sweet patato...

Keeping you in our prayers.

Elizabethtx · 03-23-2011, 08:40 PM

So nice to see you are strong enough to send out an update as we are all thinking about and praying for you! You sound good even if a little worn out. WBR is almost over, hang in there, then you will have some time to recover before chemo begins again. Big hugs!

Jackie07 · 03-23-2011, 09:20 PM

Pam,

This is the mouth wash you posted before:

"The magic wash(maalox, lydocaine, benedryl) helps a little but the maalox stuff is not pleasant." It's the same formula I was prescribed during my chemo. Be sure to use it. We'll be praying for you.