OT: Wife is cancer free today!!

Sundaybluedysunday, I hope this gives you more hope that you can beat Hodgkin's as well. I looked for a way to private message you on the board but couldn't find one. It seems like for many people, the initial protocol for Hodgkin's is four to six rounds of ABVD chemo. I was wondering if you have the same chemo cocktail and how you are managing certain side effects from those specific drugs.

One bit of advice I will offer you is to chew crushed ice during the administration of the Adriamycin. The chemo nurses call it The Red Devil, but we corrected them by choosing to call it The Red Soldier, who is just doing its job by seeking out the cancer cells and destroying them. Nobody was going to dump Red Devil anything into my wife's body.

By temporarily restricting blood flow to your mouth and throat, the ice chewing will help you lessen the chances for the painful mouth and throat sores as a known side effect of that drug. We started doing this after the first dose when she got the open sores, and never had an issue with them after chewing ice during the administration of that specific drug. I know of other patients who use ice packs or chilled gloves and socks during the administration of Vinblastine to lessen the probability of peripheral neuropathy to the hands and feet as a side effect of that drug.

Her oncologist is the director of the Lymphoma clinic and called the ice chewing/packs "voodoo", but he has never injected any of those drugs into his veins, nor suffered from their wicked and sometimes permanent side effects.

I will keep you in my prayers for a full recovery and limited short and long term side effects from the drugs. Keep me updated so I can celebrate with you on your upcoming clean scan! God bless!

Up until now, it has been a scourge for our family as well. Blessings to you Unsalted!

Hi Steven175. I will keep you and your wife in my continuous prayers, and that our wonderful outcome can be both of yours as well.

I hope you can find a way to lower the stress in your life as her caregiver, as it is beyond a full time position and it is hard to be "All In" 24/7/365 - but you have to be. While this unenviable position is a true labor of unconditional love - and I wouldn't have it any other way - it absolutely takes its toll on you.

My escape was to fish a few local kayak bass fishing tournaments with about 20 guys/gals on Tuesday evenings during her "good" week in between her bi-weekly treatment schedule. Just being on the water for a few hours to just exhale was a godsend, and catching a few fish while I was out there was an added bonus. I found a lot of emotional support with that little band of kayak gypsies as well, as being a caregiver is a most hectic isolation as you battle through this with your loved one 24 hours a day.

During the last four treatments, it just wasn't possible for me to get away as the chemo buildup in her body was really doing a number on her. But by then, we were nearing the end of the treatment plan and we could start to see the light at the end of the dark tunnel, even though the day to day grind was becoming more and more taxing on both of us. 

May God strengthen your spirit and give you His peace that surpasses all understanding, and may the love for your wife grow exponentially deeper as you care for her during this time. Let God do your fighting for you, and may you rest in the comfort that He is holding you both in the palm of His hands. God bless!

Thank you BlowGoo. The silver lining to all of this was we truly were able to savor every moment together - and plan to continue to do so! Cancer immediately re-prioritizes your life from the very moment the diagnosis comes in. We literally took life one day at a time, and sometimes an hour at a time throughout this journey. We celebrated 28 years of marriage in August, and as soon as she gets enough of her strength back, we are scratching Hawaii off from our respective bucket lists!

Thank you for the kinds words. I am savoring all of them from all of you! Blessings! 

Myblueheaven, I will add you to my lengthy prayer list as well. So happy you are seeing the reduction of cancer cells in your bone marrow! That is awesome!

Keep the faith and keep fighting the good fight. My single greatest takeaway from this journey with cancer is the absolute POWER of prayer. It has been overwhelming, and has strengthened my own faith like nothing else has in my life. 

God is good, and He is forever faithful. May He bless you abundantly and continuously as you press on!

And, Go Blue!!

Ibow, we will take all of the extra prayers you can spare! Thank you for them in advance! Blessings!