Newbie daughter from Bristol

Hello you're very welcome here, though I'm sorry for the reasons you've had to find it. It must have been a nasty shock for your Mum to be told that they're treating the enlarged lymphnodes as a recurrence of cancer. I imagine you're all still reeling from the shock of it all. Gentle hugs to you both.

Has your Mum been told which chemo she'll be having? I had 6 cycles of chemo in 2016 after the post op histology found microscopic cancer cells in just one single pesky lymphnode. The cells were too small to be seen by the surgeons eye and too small to show up on the ct or MRI scans they'd done before the op. I was staged at 3c1 and had an aggressive type of cancer (serous endometrial adenocarcinoma) so was advised to have chemo and external pelvic radioas adjuvant treatment. 

I had 6 cycles of carboplation and paclitaxel between Sept 16 and end of Dec16. I usually describe it as tough but doable as do others on here. The chemo was administered every 3 weeks and I would be at the hospital all day for that. Before each cycle my bloods and weight were checked to make sure the chemo could go ahead, p,us I was seen by the co sultans or his team at the start of chemo week. I was very well looked after by the nurses each time. Tea, coffee and biscuits were provided as was a sandwich lunch, but I used to take my own lunch so that I'd be sure of having something I liked. Each session, they inserted a cannula and did various checks and flushes before giving antihistamines, anti sickness meds and steroids through the line. They'd then do the chemo drugs one at a time. You sit in a comfy recliner chair and you wear your own clothes - preferably something easy to get on and off over the cannula. They sometimes had a radio or tv in and of course you can chat to other patients or doze if you wish. I'd suggest taking things like a book, puzzle book, music etc. I'd intended to knit but found the cannula bit in the way. Lots of people had friends or family with them who stayed to chat or who visited at I get als through the day. 

Side effects vary depending on the chemo. Your Mum should be given anti sickness needs to bring home. If they do t work ask for something different. I found the side effects from the chemo I had were the same each time and occurred at the same point in the cycle. So for me, that was nausea (never actually sick but close once or twice) then aching joints (knees, legs, wrists) for a few days. I developed some peripheral neuropathy too. I lost my hair and also struggled with tiredness and fatigue. Also your Mum will be given the number of the on call oncologist to ring if there are any issues between treatments. You do have to steer clear of anyone with colds or other infections because your zmum will be more susceptible to picking things up during treatment. Good hand hygiene is essential. Some people say don't go in busy shops or on public transport but sometimes that's impossible - it's a case of being sensible. I used to go shopping when the stores were at their quiet times, for example. My oncologist said he'd rather I went out and did things I enjoyed when I felt well enough to do them because, he said, he didn't want to treat me for depression too. 

Before I started chemo my friend (awho worked as a chemo nurse) told me that most people cooed with chemo better than they anticipated. Yes there are some horror stories but that isn't always true for everyone. As a Mum, I didn't want my daughters at the hospital on chemo day (I just didn't want them upset) but I did appreciate visits, phone calls, FaceTime calls, little trips out for tea and cake or a walk, photographs of what they were up to, etc etc. Making the odd meal was helpful too, as was the occasional scooping up of any ironing or doing some housework. Just knowing they cared was a massive support. 

Gosh i didn't intend to write so much. If you've managed to stay awake, I hope that has helped a little. Any questions, please dont be afraid to ask. Gentle hugs and best wishes to you both x

Hi Fairycake,

This reply is really helpful, She'll be having the same chemo as you then.

I've been doing a lot of research today trying to find out about it all but avoiding Dr Google !

I've got a lot from the forum already and I'm hoping she'll join too.

xx