Susan Ruiz76 said:In the short time I've been hanging out on this forum, I’ve noticed that—whether people want to admit it or not—it’s pretty much the same group of people constantly showing up because they're all dealing with serious illness. It feels like "newcomers" don't always get a warm welcome unless they speak the exact same language or fit a certain age bracket... if you don't vibe with the established crowd, you just get ignored. Take Rose, for example... she's 44 and shows up everywhere just like I do, but I bet she's feeling that same sense of being left out that I am...
Look, can we give us a break? Some of us just aren't great at using all those emojis and angry faces... We aren't actually mad at the healthcare system or the doctors—honestly, why would we be? It’s just the nature of the disease itself. They read our CT scans immediately today, just like they did during our checkup two months ago. They're doing everything humanly possible, so how can we blame them if the results aren't what we hoped for? Our oncologist tells us exactly what's happening, what we're entitled to, and what we aren't. We’re fighting just as hard as everyone else to deal with these massive drug costs, and our struggle doesn't have to be an "open wound" for everyone to see... even though we've been absolutely relentless with letters and inquiries to the authorities! Believe me, he’d be the first one wanting to provide the absolute best treatment without any hesitation—like what you'd get at the Anderson Clinic in Houston. But with the tools he has right now, he is doing his absolute best for us, and we truly believe that...
So, quick question—it looks like we’re starting Taxol on Monday... we’re totally in the dark about the side effects and how it's actually administered. Does anyone have experience with this? Any advice would be amazing...
I feel so bad that you’re feeling left out, but honestly, I don't think you have any reason to feel that way! I’m not exactly young myself, I'm definitely not a tech wizard, and I've only been on this forum for about ten months without meeting anyone in person... but believe me, I've never once felt rejected or ignored. On a forum as heavy as this one, I really doubt anyone would ever ignore someone on purpose...
It feels like people often stay silent because they aren't sure how to answer, or maybe they’re just afraid of saying the wrong thing... It always makes me sad when someone gets left hanging! But hey, this is just a community of everyday people where age and status don't mean a thing. You get out exactly what you put in...
You just share what you know and what you can... There aren't any "duty officers" here who have to answer everyone's questions. We're all in this together, at least that's how I see this forum... Right?
I have to share my own experience with Taxol... I took it as my first line of chemo alongside Cisplatin every 21 days, and then later used just Taxol as a second line—weekly, but with smaller doses...
He usually handles it pretty well! No vomiting at all... just a little bit of nausea for the first two or three days...
Honestly, I felt almost back to my old self after just the first round of treatment. I didn't even lose a single pound... Phew! But hey, no big deal, all things considered! During that first session, they watch you a little more closely just to make sure you don't have a heavy reaction to the chemo, but that rarely ever happens...
Anyway, like Angela Wright said, you should definitely check in with your oncologist about the most common side effects. It’s way better to be prepared so you don't get unnecessarily stressed out... This is just my own experience, though, since I dealt with metastatic ovarian cancer myself!
Hey there! I really hope you'll keep checking in with us...