laredosam1

Laredosam1, I am sorry to hear about your stress during this. Here is a note off my wall; some things on it may help you with 'doing' something. And 'doing' is better than 'stewing'.
These are some things that we have learned over the years:
Dryness. Total body dryness. This was (is) a big issue on a daily basis for my wife when she had IV chemo and now as she is taking oral chemo. Here are some things that we have learned from a number of people over too long a time.
BIOTENE This stuff is wonderful for her mouth. Get the rinse-and-spit bottle and the lozenges. Plus, they make a toothpaste! Goods stuff.
RESTASIS This is a prescription from her ophthalmologist for her dry eyes.
EYES: Also, we learned that it is OK to mix Restasis with Systeane Ultra drops and Systane Nighttime ointment. The 3 are working well against the dry eye.
LANOLIN LOTIONS Put it on after a shower while you are still damp.
SHEA BUTTER in chap stick.
COCONUT OIL This is wonderful for sex. We started using it years ago during menopause---still works great. Use liberally.
WATER Keep a bottle handy and drink it.
LIQUID BANDAGE Pat gets cracked finger tips. Use this to allow them to heal.
RUBBER GLOVES Get some elbow-length ones for washing dishes to keep your hands out of soap and water.
NO SOAP Pat uses soap only on her arm pits and crotch. Everything else gets MOISTURIZING CLEANSERs.
LOMA This is an after-shampoo rinse to help her hair, from Amazon. She tries to shampoo as little as possible, like twice a week.
PROBIOTIC: The chemo is hard on her gut. The probiotic helps keep those microbiomes in there to aid digestion. Talk with your doc about it.

It took us too long to learn this because this dryness is torture by increments. So save yourselves the aggravation and get ahead of the curve. Try some of these products and make life more pleasant.
Compression stockings. Pat thought (for too long) that those ugly hospital or airplane stockings were the only thing out there. Then she started looking and found some very attractive ones, that work! Why put up with the swollen ankles if you don't have too? Buy yourself or your sweety some as a gift.

How are you?

Hi. Just wondering how you were doing as I haven't seen any posts from you lately.

Hi laredosam. Wanted to wish you goog luck and I'll be praying for you. Trying to stop smoking is difficult.
I have to have my coffee too.

If a person doesn't have a history of dehydration, everything should be OK. I don't think that telling someone to drink water if they are thirsty is very nice. Some people have conditions or medications, where all of the water in the world won't keep them from being dehydrated. They have hydration salts for these people and refugees in the desert. They used to call them salt tablets, and the military dispensed the pills to military in the jungles, desserts, and even France and Italy. They prevented dehydration.

People drink water, but the cells are so depleted that they can't retain the water. Twice, I've been given meds that caused me to dehydrate-my mouth felt like plastic, my back hurt when I drank water (kidneys). I ended up in the ER with IVs and demerol. That's why some meds have warning- if your back hurts, if you have trouble urinating, get a head ache see your doctor immediately.

Only you know if you have trouble heat and dehydration. Dessication is a slow drying out, but water will hydrate the person.. Dehydration is a total failure.

Good luck

Hello and welcome, we are sorry for your diagnosis, but we are happy to have you with us. Please feel free to join in the conversations. Here is a link to our cancer dx page for your type of cancer. Take a look at it to get you started on some information. You will notice at the bottom of that page 4 of our active users who have had that journey already, you may wish to contact them for their experience and wisdom. Also, I encourage you to go to the questions page now by clicking on the questions tab at the top of the page and post what is the most pressing issue you have right now. This will introduce you to the community and get you started on the help you need right now.

https://www.whatnext.com/conditions/cancer/cervical-cancer

There are also subtypes listed on this page to narrow down the type of cancer to match your dx. Also, if you can take a few minutes and fill in some details of your journey so far, it will help others as they try to answer questions for you, it also helps others as they search through the database to find someone like themselves. Confirming your email will allow you to receive updates and notices from the site when someone answers your questions or writes on your wall. Thanks for being with us and let me know if I can help you find any information on the site. After you have an opportunity to look the site over and see what great things there are here, we encourage you to invite your friends, family or anyone you know that may be helped by the connections on WhatNext to join the site also.

Just click this link to invite them to join. http://www.whatnext.com/recruit-a-friend

Follow Us on Twitter Click Here =>http://bit.ly/XExkce
Find Us on Facebook Click Here =>http://on.fb.me/zjBAPl
Follow Us On Instagram=>>http://bit.ly/1pF5yh0
Our Pinterest Page with Resources=>http://bit.ly/12qVtEs
Our Page at Flipboard=>>http://bit.ly/1XpucCk
Our Help Page with instructions for the site->http://bit.ly/1aR5165
GregP 3X Survivor
WhatNext Community Mgr.

Hi laredosmam1, I'm Laurie and I completed chemo//radiation/brachy for Stage IIIB Cervical Cancer August of 2013. I'm 44. I'm here if you need to talk or if you have any questions.

Love and Light,
Laurie

Good luck on quitting smoking! ! I finally managed to kick the habit several years before my diagnosis. Believe it or not, I now can barely tolerate the smell of cigarettes. If you need encouragement or tips, be sure to let us know. For now, I am extending my best wishes and a little prayer for strength.

Welcome to the WhatNext family! The WhatNext family is made up of people like you who are looking for help or looking to help others. To help you along your journey the WhatNext family has put together a Beginner's Guide to Cancer that I highly recommend you check-out here: http://bit.ly/10BQKCi. Also, please do not hesitate to reach out to others or ask for help.

Wishing you the best.

David
Founder, WhatNexter