Flowers and FCR

[Root65]

Well, it's the evening before I start FCR and a friend has sent me cut flowers. There is conflicting info on line, some sights say no flowers or plants in the house at all and others say just not in the bedroom. Any thoughts?

[mrsjsmith]

I always thought just bedrooms 🤔 but what a very kind and thoughtful friend you have.

Best wishes for tomorrow

Colette x

[Root65 in reply to mrsjsmith]

Thanks for quick reply, yes, very kind friend. I think I will get husband to pop them in the dining room and try not to worry 😊

[mrsjsmith in reply to Root65]

Reading in between watching Bake Off ! Don’t worry and wishing you well for tomorrow.

Colette x

[Root65 in reply to mrsjsmith]

Ah, Bake Off, not really watched that yet, must check it out to see what all the excitement is about! Thank you for the best wishes, they do really help 👍x

[Newdawn Administrator]

Best wishes for tomorrow Root! 😊

Just put the flowers in the hallway and be glad for such thoughtful friends 😉

Newdawn

[Root65 in reply to Newdawn]

Thank you, all the dos and don'ts have had me in a spin. Trying to be prepared and sensible but probably failing at both!

[OkanaganCLL in reply to Root65]

Hoping all is going well today! 💛

[JigFettler Volunteer]

All best wishes for tomorrow.

May 1st 2018 was my FCR day 1. Its was fine and am now well.

Jig

PS Flowers in home ok. Prob not bedroom.

[Root65 in reply to JigFettler]

Thank you 😊 Good to hear your treatment went well, hard to imagine for me on this side of treatment. Onwards and upwards!

[JigFettler Volunteer in reply to Root65]

...the first week was tough and weird for me. Cos FCR works. There are downsides - you will know as you will have consented, short and long term.

For me from day 6 of the 1st cycle I felt amazing after a rubbish week, about 1 in 5 will find FCR easy I am told. I was not warned it might be easy - I was anticipating a rough ride... For some it will be. Be optimistic. Drink water. Have a good healthy simple diet. Dont drink alcohol - spare your liver extra work load.

Above all move. I was on a physical training regime with a Personal Trainer - a v good one, and I was fitter by the end of FCR 6 cycles. Cycling and doing stuff, limited only by the neutropenia - which can be severe and you must take care of infection. Stop shaking hands, hugging and kissing etc...

I will happily, as would others on this site mentor you through your FCR. If you post - put FCR in the title - grabs attention, and can be searched.

Meanwhile lie back, be a good patient and let the wonderful Nurses and Drs do their stuff. Be safe. Wishing luck and and best outcomes.

Jig - UK based...

[Root65 in reply to JigFettler]

Thank you for your honesty. Good advice, but not sure about the training. My anemia is bad and going to get worse, I was super fit six months ago. How quickly things change. I loved my annual two week hike (camino) and have set my heart on doing it for four weeks from France to Spain but seems a long way off just now 😕

[JigFettler Volunteer in reply to Root65]

Keep focused... 1 step at a time... it'll pass quickly enough. Jig

[bigunwill2 in reply to JigFettler]

Great advice on shaking hands, hugging extra.

I also do not dry my hands on towel, but use paper towels. Throw any sponges away and use paper towels in kitchen. I know it’s a waste, but not getting infection is worth the extra.

[Root65 in reply to bigunwill2]

Thank you, sent husband off with shopping list. Sitting in ward having lunch, no sign of treatment yet!

[GMa27]

Never heard of that!

I never had any restrictions like that... just no Mani/pedi during my FCR. Make sure they administer the Rituxin over 5-8 hrs...very slowly. Ask them how long they plan to do it. You will do great. I had hardly any problems. Neulasta was fine, slightly tired few days after chemo and one day a month no appetite. Rest of time I was fine and lived my life.

In remission one year. Good luck! 💕

[Root65 in reply to GMa27]

Thank you, they did say slowly but not how long, I will check that. Concerns me a bit as I have low blood pressure and heart rate. Glad to hear you got remission, good news is nice 🙂

[JigFettler Volunteer in reply to Root65]

1st retux I fusion will be split in 2 over 2days, well mine was. Also mine 1st retux took 10hrs to go thru as I could not tolerate it other than at lowest rate.

All subsequently went thru fine.

They should also be doing 6hrly bloods to check for Tumour Lysis syndrome. I hope the spoke to you about that.

Jig

[Root65 in reply to JigFettler]

Yes, they mentioned that, giving me gout medication? And anti viral and antibiotics, and something to protect stomach. Feel like medicine cabinet!

[JigFettler Volunteer in reply to Root65]

Dont count the pills and different meds, you'll lose count.

Hope they have told you to drink loads of water...

Jig

[Root65 in reply to GMa27]

Just found out they spreading it over two days, so guess that is slow enough 👍

[GMa27 in reply to Root65]

Great! Mine was spread over 2 days! 💕

[sue2412]

Good luck for today. I found it’s not as bad as I had imagined, just take something to read as it will be a long day I didn’t leave hospital until 1am. Flowers in the house should be fine but probably not in the bedroom

[Root65 in reply to sue2412]

I am staying in over night, but will prob be 1 am tomorrow night that they chuck me out as delayed already as ward not called back with time yet! Have my kindle ready and thinking might get husband to get me colouring book 😉

[sue2412]

I’m not usually called on time, so that’s sounds about right. I go as a day patient my first cycle I had a bedI took about 12/13 hours because I had a allergic reaction so they took it slowly. Now just in lounger and I go will iPad, so can read etc, snacks and drinks. I’ve stopped my husband coming with me as he needs to be entertained and it gets me annoyed, so I can have a relaxing time.

Hope it goes well, it’s worth it to get your life back on track

Sue

[Root65 in reply to sue2412]

Funny, I just chucked my husband out so I could have lunch in peace. Want him here but his anxiety is bouncing off mine! Also, strange being in an environment where this is all routine 😳

[sue2412 in reply to Root65]

So true, it surprisingly becomes normal, and you know all the jargon. That’s why I’m comfortable to go alone now he slows the car down outside so I can get out and picks me up. When you get home monitor your temperature and ring the alert number you will have if necessary. You may seem ok but it’s really important. Just relax as much as you can and go with the flow and you’ll be home before you know it 😸

[noeagaman]

I agree about no flowers in the bedroom. Also if you have a cat stay away from the littler box. My wife took care of that for the 6 months.

Good luck with your FCR infusions! Be sure to bring plenty to do like magazines and books. It's a very long day the first day. The second two days for me were only about 4 hours. Hang in there...

Chris

[Marie-54]

I had flowers and I had no issues. enjoy them while they last. My only restriction from the doctor was no gardening(no hands in soil)

[Fran57]

Hello.

I hope you are feeling well and a bit less anxious.

My husband finished FCR about 4 years ago now. You will get through it and I know everyone reacts differently.

Paul was fine for the first month and thought it was going to be a breeze.... and it really wasn't too bad (easy for me to say, I know) after that. His main problems were really not too dreadful- he had awful nausea and vomiting each month, but that lasted only for about three days each month. Other than that, he had very itchy skin during treatment and occasionally has that now too.

We were very careful about hygiene etc., of course, and he was able to go for a cycle ride every day, which did make him feel a lot better.

A good tip is to have a chart for each day, showing when you take your medication and any side effects etc....the hospital found this invaluable when he did have to contact them on a couple of occasions with high temperature etc. It really helps to have dates/ doses etc., when / if you need to call them.

Lots of good luck to you - you can do it and it will be so worth it!

Fran 😉

[Root65 in reply to Fran57]

Thank you for your reply, everything sent to me is a comfort. Hoping to be discharged later tonight, but second part of my rituximab is taking forever to come up from pharmacy. Took slight reaction yesterday but they gave me a break and turned it right down and I was able take the rest. Anxiety comes from the unknown, the other ladies here seem to take in their stride and I guess I will learn to do the same. Hubby going to buy a note book and thermometer today, he has already got all the things already suggested on here. I'm as prepared as I can be I think. Looking forward to my own bed 😊

[Red49 in reply to Root65]

I’ve been thinking of you. 🤗

[sue2412]

I hope you are now home. We all react to Rituximab differently, there was a lady in her late 80’s who sailed through it and l kept having mine stopped due to allergic reactions!!

I would recommend writing everything down my hospital gave me a notebook to use which has loads of useful information. Your hospital number is useful when you ring the alert line number. Take care

[Root65 in reply to sue2412]

Yes, at home. Had reaction to first test infusion, they stopped it and challenged me again with slow trickle. Next part on second day went through fine in 5 hours. Was overwhelmed with the amount of tablets I had to take home, but thankfully found the MacMillan phone app to enter all meds and appointments, with reminders 😊

[LovecuresCLL]

Pseudomonas is one of the organism that can be brought in. The water in the vase and the soil can have organisms in them from the flowers and plants.

[Root65 in reply to LovecuresCLL]

Thank you for that info. Yes, I'm being cautious. All I have is two plants in bathroom which I'm reluctant to move, just got the orchid to bloom again after 2 years! Cut flowers have ended up on kitchen window sill to remind hubby to change vase water every day. They will go as soon as they start to wilt. Tricky balance to everything 🤔