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I use visual imagery to control pain. I breathe in beautiful cool baby blue air and imagine it going into my body and right to the painful area(s) of the bodyl, and then I breathe out nasty hot red air and imagine it leaving my body and taking the pain away with it. It sounds corny, and maybe the rhythmic breathing alone is what really does the trick - but it works. The mind is an amazing thing!
Yeah, if I understand it correctly, in yoga breathing is called pranayama and is incredibly powerful. I have my violin students "breath through their hands." I am sure your technique works. I think it is thousands of years old too, and it's cool you discovered it on your own, if you did.
On the anti-nausea meds, I'd pop a Zofran in the morning before you go. They will give you "pre-meds" as a drip before actually giving you chemo. For me, that was a lot of fluid, IV benedryl (which makes you really sleepy - be ready!), IV aloxi (a really powerful anti-nausea drug), occasionally iron, and after the first few treatments they put me on IV ativan as well to deal with the anticipatory nausea.
Yoga is excellent! I have been doing it following videos online in my recovery - it is really helpful! I wonder if that's a way to meet likeminded warriors at your cancer center - I know mine had yoga classes for a reduced cost and while I was only ever able to go to one, the people there were very open minded!
Sending you lots of hugs and strength for tomorrow. <3
Will do. I don't know what I'll find there. This is a very Jesus-oriented area and the one yoga studio closed; I contacted the head of it one time and she agreed to trade yoga lessons for piano lessons, and sounded enthusiastic, and then she never called me, and didn't return my calls. I finally used a different cell phone and she picked up; she said she had three children, couldn't get the piano from her aunt, and wasn't going to do it. She could have called me and let me know, but she didn't. She was not a very good yogi, IMHO.
Let me state, though, that I don't have anything against Jesus. Some scholars say that there were a number of years in his youth (15, I think?) where his certain whereabouts were unknown, and that he traveled to Asia. This would explain a lot of his miraculous actions, IMHO. It's organized religion that scares me, and because of its past history.
Having said that, let's not argue about it or the mod will close the thread and we don't need to have that happen.
The kind of person that I want to be does not get angry when someone flakes out on a commitment to me, nor would I be very proud of myself if I were a bigot, about anything. Even opposing religions.
What I have realized, today, is that I just might return to the spirituality of my youth, before I was sort of corrupted by the cares of the adult world. There really is a chance for redemption, but I don't have to pray on my knees to Jesus to get it; there are other paths. What I realized, in essence -- and because of the cancer -- is that I have a long way to go spiritually. I want to live so I can go in that direction.
>> Yoga is excellent! I have been doing it following videos online in my recovery
There is another woman, an author, who started that way, too (with videos). She has an excellent book I recently got on Kindle, about Astanga yoga: 21 Things to Know Before Starting Astanga Yoga. What sort of yoga would you recommend for an elderly, recovering cancer patient?
I asked that question in the Exercise forum and only got a recommendation for Yoga for Dummies, which I'm just starting. Hatha? I'm supple but I have arthritis. Astanga yoga (via the YouTube videos) looks way too strenuous for me, as a start. I did Yoga via the tv when I was young, and it was just a lot of turning, stretching and breathing, which I still do. Is that Hatha??
Complimentary therapies are becoming more and more common in cancer centers - even in more conservative areas! My center had reiki, yoga, and massage therapy at discounted rates. People training to be reiki masters would offer 10 minute sessions during infusions for free! And I was in a very small hospital.
If that's not something they offer, talk to someone about it! I found that many older people who have a cancer diagnosis become much more openminded about things like yoga, reiki, and so-called alternative lifestyles when dealing with a diagnosis and treatment.
Also, many YMCAs offer a free LIVEStrong program for survivors which incorporates elements of yoga. See if your local Y has anything.
If you do feel the need for community, Unitarian Universalists are more like a spiritual club than a church. Even my rural, Bible Belt town in Georgia had one less than half an hour away.
Sorry that I keep pushing various communities on you - I just know what it's like to deal with this alone and I don't want you to feel like you *have* to.
Fingers crossed that chemo is easy today and your port isn't too bruised!
My large hospital had a licensed massage therapist on staff as a CNA. He convinced them to run a study on the patients on the neuro-rehab unit. Patients who had a massage asked for 75% less PRN pain meds than on days when they did not. Massage has a real place in any treatment. While those patients were not getting cancer treatment, they had traumatic brain injuries, severe strokes, amputations, and a few diseases that affected cognition.
Hey, guys: I'm home, chemo was just fine, taught this evening. Don't feel sick at all. Only got a little cold and a little bored, and it hurt, sitting in that chair all day. Started at 9:00 and was over at 4:30. LONG, LONG time, I thought. Lot of cool people there and the nurses were great.
Took my Kindle, my Ipod, and did the crossword in the paper. Also took water, fruit, ff cookies; but they served lunch and brought me a vegetarian meal. Had to get up and pee about five times! Had to sponge bath after the port, but they took everything off and I showered before I taught, which was heaven.
I don't like massage; I've tried it a couple of times and it's not a pleasure to me, to have stranger's hands touching me. I would go to the Unitarian church, if I went to a church. I really don't feel so alone now, or just as alone as I want to be. (I'm one of those people who mostly likes being alone; people get on my nerves, I guess: I was an only child until I was 12).
I feel good. I feel like I can handle this. I just hope that after the four chemos,. I don't have to keep doing them (that would be less good).
So happy it went well. Tomorrow may be your bad day, at least for my friend it was.
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
I do feel a little wierd but I'm taking meds this morning; I'm not going to fool with it. (I don't think it's useful or appropriate to tell me that, by the way. Don't input a negative thought to somebody when it's not necessary.)
I do feel a little wierd but I'm taking meds this morning; I'm not going to fool with it. (I don't think it's useful or appropriate to tell me that, by the way. Don't input a negative thought to somebody when it's not necessary.)
Well, she's not really being negative. I think she's just helping you be prepared for what might be coming. You don't have to think of it as a negative. It's a potential effect of the treatment that you may experience.
For me, IV chemo was Wednesdays and my biggest days of impact were Saturday and Sunday. This might happen to you, or might not ... but it's not a bad idea to share our experiences so that others can learn. I hope you can get through treatment with as little impact as possible. That would be wonderful.
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