Spouse Starting Her Treatments

I'm Pete. My wife was diagnosed with cervical cancer (Stage 2B) last February, 2008. She is only 37. It hit us like we ran into a brick wall. She started her treatments this week (6 weeks chemo, every Monday....28 days external radiation, 5 treatments of internal radiation thereafter). She is coping through the this first week as well as anybody in this situation would. One day at a time I say. Anybody else out there going through the same treatments? or have been finished with these treatments? Let me know, thanks.

Hi Pete, I'm so sorry you and your wife are going through this.  I can only share the experience of my sister.  She went through chemo for cervical cancer in 2006 at about the same age as your wife .  She coped very well at first, even though it made her terribly sick.  Early in the treatment she cut her hair really short so it wouldn't traumatise her when it fell out and then got herself a good wig when it did.  She actually looked amazing for the first few months but it is an intense regimen and it eventually took its toll.  I don't want to worry you unduly but she found each round of chemo a little harder to deal with - it knocked her blood count and reduced her immunity.  She looked very, very poorly towards the end of her chemo treatment. But she remained positive and determined to beat it at all times (whilst obviously needing a lot of emotional support).  She took the view that each round was one more that she didn't have to go through.  And when facing the next one she knew that she had coped with the last one and so could cope with this one too.  Once chemo was finished she underwent radiotherapy which was nowhere near as bad for her as it didn't make her sick.  Recovery after that was steady and she looked and felt better and better each week. 

Unfortunately she has a rare form (small cell cancer) which has a high recurrence rate so, after two years, she's back on chemo again... but with the same determination to beat it once more.  Please don't interpret this as your wife being likely to suffer a recurrence.  My sister was unlucky to have the rare version which I'm sure your wife does not (you would have been told if she did)

I wish you both all the best in the coming months.

 

On 4/18/2008 Pete1965 wrote:

I'm Pete. My wife was diagnosed with cervical cancer (Stage 2B) last February, 2008. She is only 37. It hit us like we ran into a brick wall. She started her treatments this week (6 weeks chemo, every Monday....28 days external radiation, 5 treatments of internal radiation thereafter). She is coping through the this first week as well as anybody in this situation would. One day at a time I say. Anybody else out there going through the same treatments? or have been finished with these treatments? Let me know, thanks.

hi there ny name is rita i was diganosed with it feb 08 stage 2b i was totally devistated i did 25 radations and 5 weeks of chemo every monday and every monday had blood work done,now i have to go to pittsburgh for internal implants ill stay in the hospital for 3 days drs are hopfull and stage 2b is early dont worry she will be fine think postive like i have been i have lots to do yet lots of blood work yet and ct scans and follow ups its been hard they gave me creme for my pelvis area and a donut to sit on and take sitz bath  please do it  it does help.now i have to wait and see what pittsburgh says  i had pet scans done and no more cancer anywhere so thats a plus too   take care and keep me posted please  thanks rita

 

On 4/18/2008 rita123 wrote:

 

On 4/18/2008 Pete1965 wrote:

I'm Pete. My wife was diagnosed with cervical cancer (Stage 2B) last February, 2008. She is only 37. It hit us like we ran into a brick wall. She started her treatments this week (6 weeks chemo, every Monday....28 days external radiation, 5 treatments of internal radiation thereafter). She is coping through the this first week as well as anybody in this situation would. One day at a time I say. Anybody else out there going through the same treatments? or have been finished with these treatments? Let me know, thanks.

hi there ny name is rita i was diganosed with it feb 08 stage 2b i was totally devistated i did 25 radations and 5 weeks of chemo every monday and every monday had blood work done,now i have to go to pittsburgh for internal implants ill stay in the hospital for 3 days drs are hopfull and stage 2b is early dont worry she will be fine think postive like i have been i have lots to do yet lots of blood work yet and ct scans and follow ups its been hard they gave me creme for my pelvis area and a donut to sit on and take sitz bath  please do it  it does help.now i have to wait and see what pittsburgh says  i had pet scans done and no more cancer anywhere so thats a plus too   take care and keep me posted please  thanks rita

ps i forgot to tell you today is my 37th birthday  take care

 

Thanks Rita and happy birthday!

Hi Pete.  I'm one of those women who tolerated the treatment very well.  I was diagnosed with 3b in February 2007.  There was one lymph node involved.  I had 5 chemo infusions (once a week, low dose cisplatin, to help enhance the effectiveness of the radiation.....lost hair was unnoticeable, had some digestive discomfort but no serious side effects) 25 external radiation treatments, 8 booster (more highly focused to the diseased area) treatments, then 5 internal treatments (brachytherapy).  The daily treatment became my full-time job, even though the trip to the hospital took longer (about 45 minutes) than the radiation (5-10 minutes). 

The radiation's effect was cumulative for me; as the days wore on, I was easily tired out (took at least one nap a day), had to watch what I ate, had some problems with diarrhea, but it wasn't bad at all.  I put cream on from my waist to my knees every night and didn't get any radiation burns at all.  I also took a Tylenol PM every night to sleep and felt well rested every morning.

The brachytherapy that I got was a lot easier than some others here had.  I was able to get it as an outpatient because the facility that I was treated at had one of the few machines in the country that delivered the radiation to the exact site of the cancer while you are under anesthesia and then four hours later, you are ready to go home.  I would highly recommend finding someplace where you can get that same brachytherapy.  I had five treatments in three weeks' time.  The first time was tough, because my back hurt from lying on it for four hours straight.  After that, the nurses positioned me a little differently and I was fine and ready to go home thirty minutes after the treatment.

Had a PET/CT scan in July 2007 and there was no evidence of disease.  I get an internal exam and a Pap smear every three months and so far, so good.  It took about a six weeks to feel stronger and feel like my old self again.  BTW, I'm 54yo; your wife has youth and general good health (other than the cancer) on her side.  She just needs to rest when she feels tired and be good to herself.

I hope her doctors are respectful and happy to answer your questions.  It makes a lot of difference to be treated like a valued person.

I'm hoping your wife has a wonderful outcome.  Good luck and just take it one day at a time.  The days will fly by and this will all be behind you both soon enough.  Take care.

SydsMom,

I'm happy for you that the cancer cells have disappeared. I appreciate the feedback from people who have gone through this process.......my wife is a strong woman.....she is just scared due to the lack of knowledge this disease brings forth. One day at a time I tell her. Support is so important.

Thanks again

An update on my wife. She is in her 5th week of treatments. She had the HDR (internal radiation) last Monday. The Doc said that the tumor has decreased in size significally. Great news. 3.5 more weeks of treatments to go. She's on the right path.