Starting chemo Sept 05

Calico

Liezel,
I am sooo sorry that you have to go through this. Hopefully a few days will give this lady time to cool down.
I think too that you were more than reasonable with your salary.
Time for a chat with her without tears (that might be the hardest part going through chemo).

I too need to loose 7 kg at least (if I say 10 kg I will be discouraged right away).
I came across a website for fast food nutrition values, amazing how much fat everything has, even a grilled chicken sandwich. I try to stay away from that and chocolate (oh boy).
Also, muscle burns calories while you are resting, where can you buy those I've been walking a lot and hiking my old trail up the mountain, hope to get something out of that.

Hope you all continue to do well or better.

God Bless

susan_02143

Tina, you are mighty ambitious playing foreman to the tile group. I am so glad to hear that you are doing well!

Liezel, I am a little surprised that your doctor approved a restricted diet during treatment. Mine told me not to even think about weight until after I was done, but everyone seems to have different opinions. In the past two months, I have sliced 17 pounds off of my body. I am using the small plate diet. Instead of a dinner plate, I use a salad plate. Plus, I am being careful about butter and other oils while cooking. I do better when the food has lots of flavor, so we are trying some new asian-inspired recipes.

Your business partner is another matter though. How awful is this? I only hope that she is simply scared, and somehow it came out as anger. I will wish for whatever outcome you want!

*susan*

foxxf

Sorry I have a totaly unrelated question.

Does any one live near a discovery store? I am wanting to buy a quantity of T-Shirts from the show Mythbusters. They have them in their online store but do not ship to Australia..(Aaaahhhhh!) So I was wondering if someone would be willing to help me. If you could private mail me if you would like some more details. essentialy what I would like to do is get my parcel shiped from them to you then from you to me.

Obviously I need someone I can trust and I don't know anyone else in the U.S. After all we have been through together who could be more trustworthy that one of our B.C Sisters.

Thanks again
Nicole

AussieMum

Nicole,
Have you tried ebay? I have seen them there and post to Australia. Postage works out less if you are buying more than 1.
Just an idea

hopeful1

Hello everyone! Sorry for the long absence - my life has just been very hectic! I completed rads before Christmas, and am trying to get back to 'normal' - which for me means very little free time. Though I worked all through treatments, I worked a slightly reduced schedule. Trying to get back to a full time schedule has been an adjustment. Not to mention the 2 young kids, 2 elderly parents who need assistance, school committees, kids activities .... Honestly - I feel very blessed to be able to do all of this. Back in July when I was first diagnosed, I wasn't sure if life was ever going to be 'normal' again.

Thanks again to all of you for the amazing support! I have not had the time to read through all of the posts - but I hope everyone is doing well. I'll try and take some time to catch up - until then - take care!

susan_02143

Nicole, I sent you a PM. Happy to help you with these t-shirts.

Hopeful, so good to hear from you again! Sounds like you define the sandwich generation.

Hoping that everyone is well,

*susan*

sholroyd

I have felt on top-of-the-world today. Not sure why. I had a full day planned which started off with a relaxing bath and ‘tarting’ myself off and then driving to meet a friend for lunch – we had a good time. I have to say I have been sleeping terribly and I resorted to taking a sleeping pill last night – I only woke once and I feel this helped me tremendously. I am going to have an early night tonight with the help of another pill – I don’t want to become reliant on them but whilst I have ‘two weeks off treatment’ I am going to do my hardest to build my strength and my positive thinking.

I am going on a ‘meditation course’ tomorrow, offered by the ‘C’ support centre – don’t know whether all this will help? I do know trying to lead a more relaxed, stress-free life is helping. I try and spend a little time each day or before I go to bed listening to some of my relaxation tapes and visualising myself in a nice place. In other words, giving myself ‘me’ time.

Oh and I think I have a slight show of snowy white hair on my head – keep it coming.

Sorry if I am waffling!

Liezel – I have been categorising people in my life –‘Toxic’ and ‘non-toxic’ people – I am discarding the toxic ones – Your business partner sounds like a toxic person to me??!!

I have to say I am finding CMF worse than the Epirubicin – dry mouth, ulcers and those hateful hot flushes and then being freezing cold the next.

Tina we are also thinking of tackling the bathroom – but I am playing foreman role. I do the choosing, my hubby (with help) will do the labouring. I like having the time to choose the little bits and bobs whilst being off work.

Well goodnight ladies, try and enjoy your weekend whatever you are doing.

Sandra from the UK

tornadogirl

Hi all, Have not been on this thread much since I had "Taxol depression" for a while through the Taxol treatments and moping around even more after my last Taxol Dec 28th. Today and yesterday I feel mentally better....

I will start rads in a couple weeks and nervous about that but it should be fine.

I am concerned about two areas they found suspicious on my "good breast" MRI I had before chemo. Yesterday when I went in for the 6 month mamm and unltrasound and they could not find either spot but the small oval shaped lump they found before on the other ulstrasound before chemo has shrunk. Does that mean it was cancer?

So, Now I have to find a way to get an "after chemo" MRI or get a MRI guided needle biopsy in order to see if those lumps in the good breast are still there and/ or if they dissapeared with the chemo.

If things dissapear with chemo, maybe they were cancer, and then what should be done? nothing???? It is a mystery I hoped I would not have to deal with.

This is what sometimes happens when you dont get bilateral mastectomy and when you get an MRI. They find stuff you dont want to see there.

jlpd

Greetings everyone...I've been away from here for some time. It's hard to access this site efficiently from home with 'dial-up' and with a new semester starting at work, I haven't had time...hope to get back here more often now!

Liezel...From the sounds of what your saying...it may be that your partner has 'cooked' the books while you've been away. As soon as your able...take a look at all monies in and out during the time you've been away...and look for documentation for everything! I'm not sure how accounting records are kept in your country, but in ours documentation is essential!

Bubbles...my MRI before surgery had two spots that were suspicious...one in each breast. They recommended follow up in six month to a year with another MRI. Well had a mastectomy on the one side and will be curious what they find on the other. THe note on the MRI report referred to watching for changes if my ovaries were removed or no longer functioning. So I two wonder if it was 'pre-cancerous' matter that would disappear. My onc says wait a year, but with everything I've been through, I want it at nine months, which will be right at the beginning of the summer...I two wonder if I should have had a bi-lateral.

Susan...great news on your daughter! My daughter's first semester wasn't quite as stellar...but she had mostly A's and B's. What an adjustment for them to make...first year in college...mom's breast cancer...life on their own (sort of!)...This is only the beginning!

Well I'm eight weeks out from my last chemo (AC)...The AI I am on has caused definite bone and joint pain. Bought a treadmill to keep walking (in addition to all my farm work with the horses) and am taking glucosamine and chondroitin, which is finally helping

My hair...well...I've noticed a lot of WHITE fuzz coming in...including my bottom eyelashes (which I had lost most of) and eyebrows. It'll be interesting to see what it looks like a month from now!

Pegk

Great to hear from you, Liezel!
I hope the Taxotere is not too hard on you. Sorry about the problems with your business. That's the LAST thing you need to worry about now. I hope it all works out.

Sandra, seems like you're doing a great job of conquering those mental demons. Let us know how the meditation course works. I'm sorry you're having problems with CMF. How many more tx do you have?

Janet and Barb, I've also had the "other" breast dilemma. I had a left mast with reconstruction. They did a reduction on my right breast so they would match. Because of that, they discovered that my right breast had LCIS (lobular carcinoma in situ). The doctors have assured me that they do NOT consider this cancer, but a cancer "marker". But, as you can imagine, I'm troubled by it. It didn't show up in the mammogram, the ultra sound or the MRI. My onc says my taking Arimidex will prevent it from progressing, but it's something I'll be watching forever.

Congratulations on the progression of hair!
Six weeks from my last chemo my head feels like velvet, but to anyone standing 3 feet from me I'm still definitely BALD!
I really miss my eyelashes. They left about 2 weeks after chemo ended. Janet, your eyelashes are coming in white, too?
How's everyone else doing on the hair journey?

Peggy

tinkermax

Hi everyone

Apologies for the long delay in posting.

I'm still on chemo, have number 7 of 8 on Tuesday, its been going okay, fatigue being the main side effect.

I am concerned about whether I will get any scans etc after chemo, as I havent had any yet.

I have an appointment to see my breast surgeon on 15th Feb, which is a week after I finish chemo, so hopefully I can have some tests to see if everything is ok.

Have all of you ladies had scans? Can you let me know what tests you have had?

I hope everyone is doing well, and will try and post more often.

Take care ladies

Maxine

CoffeePot

Looks like we're all moving along. I am thoroughly enjoying this month between chemo and rads. I read a wonderful cancer memoir called A Yearful of Miracles by Susan Wolf Sternberg that makes me want to investigate meditation. So Sandra, let us know how it goes. I think that trying to alleviate stress, or bad stress anyway, is so important, but I still find that little things can really bother me. And then I realize later how unimportant it was, but it's still difficult!

I hope everything turns out well with the MRI for Bubbles and the rest of you that had suspicious spots. I have lots of pain in the breast that had the tumor removed, but I guess it's just from the surgery. I never had any pain with the cancer or tumor. I'm having my first-chemo post visit with my onc in 2 weeks and then she'll tell me how she'll follow me. She said she doesn't believe in tumor markers--is that blood tests? And she won't use scans unless I have a complaint. Is this normal? It makes me feel alone after all this care, relying on my own feelings of wellness or illness.

As for my hair, handfuls are still coming out. My brows are non-existent on the outer edge and my bottom eyelashes are gone. It looks as if I have a mohawk on my head and a thin mohawk at that. From my widow's peak to the back of my neck I still have hair, thinning but still there. But it's coming out everywhere else and it's 2 1/2 weeks since my last taxol. After AC, I still had hair covering my head. My legs and arms also have no hair.

The best thing is I feel better. I'm frightened of recurrence and want to know how to fight the cancer after rads. I want to feel empowered and I think that's good. The taxol and steroids really affected my mood and I felt as if I was surrounded by a dark fog all during Christmas, but it's lifting.

For all of you still doing chemo, hang in there. It's so much better on the other side and you'll be finished soon. And for those of you doing rads, I hope it's easier for you than it seems from reading the threads. And for those of you finished with all the treatments, I am so looking forward to joining you!

Oh, one more question about after-care. Are most of you being followed by your medical onc or your breast surgeon? Don't you have to choose one to be responsible for overseeing everything? My breast surgeon left the area and now I have to find another one.

leannem

Hi all

Glad to hear everyone is slowly but surely getting through treatment. I am going from number 7 of 8 on Wednesday- so close now! I have heard that alot of women get a bit anxious at the end of treatmen and I can certainly see that now. Does anyone else feel as though while getting chemo you are "actively fighting" ?? Don't get me wrong I am looking forward to getting through to the otherside of chemo!

Liezel- I had a similar situation with my ex buisness partner when I was going through IVF 5 years ago. It is so stressful I know and I would imagine having BC would be even worse than when I went through it with infertility! I hope you get it sorted out soon. I was able to sell out to her and just get out and didn't look back.

Maxine- I didn't have scans either but am going to ask to have them at my next appt this week. I am not really expecting that there is anything there but I want to have a baseline I suppose for the future. I don't want, in time to come, to have a scan and there be something " suspicious" and it get left to "wait and see". I figure this way if there every is anything different in the future we can act immediately. JMO. Anyone else?

Coffeepot-I haven't yet even seen my surgeon so I guess my onc will be my main after care provider?? I mentioned to him at my last appt I havent' had a surgical follow up and it is apparently being organised soon. I really like my onc- he has given me his mobile number and is contactable anytime so I feel pretty confident with him. He is a bit arrogant but in a confident way which strangely enough makes me feel confident too!

Love
Leanne
xo

Liezel

Hi All,

Thank you for all the encouragement and help. Sometimes I just want to bury my head in the pillows, but the problem won't go away that way, so I'll face it this week. Even with all of the problems, I do have a very good feeling about 2006. Even though we'll have to learn to deal with our recurrence fears, I am sure we'll find a way to cope with whatever life throws at us.

On the hair issue - mine is slowly starting to grow again. I lost most of my eyelashes and eyebrows in December, but that looks as if there is growth as well now. I had to start shaving my underarm and leghair again as well. They are growing out very softly, like baby hair.

Lance Armstrong is visiting South Africa this week. I want to try and attend one of the events he'll be hosting. I read his first book while recovering from surgery, and it was such an inspiration. Maybe I can get him to sign it for me.

Have a good week all of you! One day at a time...

Liezel

jlpd

Coffeepot...my surgeon dismissed me after my drains were removed...I really didn't like his manner at all! My onc is the one I need to call for anything suspicious. I also will deal with my general physican, although she has not been part of any of this.

Someone broke a glass in my kitchen about a week ago...my husband cleaned it up...but not quite good enough as I stepped on a piece that was in the rug in front of the sink...ouch! Well, I was bleeding pretty good and it hurt. My daughter tried to find the piece of glass, but couldn't. So I made my husband drive me to the ER. I can't tell you all how much I hated being back at the hospital...it was a feeling like I wanted to RUN and get away! Total panic! The PA on duty couldn't find the glass, so they sent me off to xray...great. They then told me that glass doesn't always show up, especially if it is small (which mine would have been)...which made me angry, more at myself for letting them take the xrays. My husband called my daughter and she looked in my sock I had on at the time it happened and there was the piece of glass (although I wonder if I still have a small piece in my foot)...I guess this reminded me that I have to be incredibly pro-active and do whatever I can to stay out of the hospital and the doctor's office...

I wonder if the cancer reoccurs how I will cope. At least my lifestyle keeps me so busy that I don't have time to dwell on it...but I know when I go back for checkups, my nerves will be on end (my first check up is scheduled for March).

My doctors will only do scans if the markers indicate something is going on. However, I will have an MRI this summer as a follow-up to the MRI I had last summer.

No school today, so maybe I can get some work done at home...take care everyone...we will get through this!

susan_02143

Sandra, please tell. What does 'tarting' oneself up mean? How was the top of the world? How is the meditation helping, or not?

Bubbles, I don't want to think about small dark spots anywhere in your body. Can't offer any information about this. My cysts are gone now, but that is considered normal in my case. My scans have shown me all types of problems that I never would have known about if I weren't a breast cancer patient. To be honest, I am ignoring most of it.

Janet, so good to hear from you. So impressive that you are still teaching your full course load [and without much home support at that!] I hope to hear how the farm work is going now. Have you managed to find ways to throw those bales of hay around? Oh I hate the ER..... so sorry that you had to go there for any reason.

Coffeepot, of my three doctors, two will continue to be ever-present in my life. I will see the surgeon and the medical oncologist every 6 months for the next two years; then I will move to yearly [assuming I am still hunky-dory.] The surgeon schedules my mammograms and then I meet with her an hour later to review them. My first mammogram post-treatment will be in June. My oncologist uses blood tests, and he does like the markers. If my CA 29.27 is elevated or I have symptoms of mets, then he will order scans, MRI's, or whatever he needs to take a better look.

Leanne, you are getting close now!!!!!! Hang in there. My emotions post-treatment are very complicated and I haven't sorted them all out yet, but I am not anxious. Perhaps I feel vulnerable, but my medical team is too darm good to feel like I am flying without a net.

My trip to France is slowly coming together. My cousins INSIST that we stay in their apartment in Paris [right by the l'Arc de Triomphe] while they are off skiing. Still deciding where to spend the remaining 10 days: Lyon, Carcassone or Uzes. Fun thinking about this.

The sun has come out again today, which always makes my mood bright and optimistic! Hope everyone is well.

*susan*

txred9876

It sounds like everyone is doing pretty good....we did not tackle to bathroom as planned as my boyfriend had an important hand rail (really cool stainless steel stair hand rail...hand polished like a mirror) he had to finish installing so the new owners could get a certificate of occupancy (for those of you that don't know this...you MUST have it before you can move into a new home). They finished late on Saturday and we rested sunday. Next weekend....we WILL tackle the bathroom!

Liezel...that is so cool about Lance coming to your area...he lives across town from me. In fact my boyfriend did the fancy iron (hand forged) stair rails in his new home here in Austin, Tx.

I had my first bloodwork again with the oncologist today and awaiting the results of my MUGA scan before they schedule my chemo (taxol) and herceptin. They said they will call when the doctor gets the results (he is only in on wednesday and thursday at the location I go to). That means maybe thursday or friday at the earliest...I said...ummm...NOT on thursday! its my birthday....you do not know how glad I am to have made it to the ripe old age of 36...LOL if asked just 6 short months ago...my outlook was much grimmer...but now it looks VERY good!

For some personal reasons I started homeschooling my 8th grader (daughter) this month. I got her books and she is just going to town...she is SOOOOO easy and self motivated for the most part all I have to do is give a few pointers and grade papers! I should have done this long ago! She informed me she wants to take up karate or some kind of martial arts.

Have a great one everyone!
Tina

marg1

Hi everyone, it me Marg



I been reading all the posts, I too have been having fears of reoccurence. I think as we approach the end of our tx we are starting to get paranoid. I try hard not to think about it but just today I made a comment to my husband "Would'nt it be funny if my pets (Milos 3 year old cat and Miss Meadows 1 1/2 yr old dog) out lived me?" He did'nt think that was so funny but this is the stuff that runs through my head. I have my good days and bad. The bad days come far and in between so I guess that is good.



Today was tx #6 of taxol and hercpetin. 6 more to go!!!!!!!!! then off to herceptin every 3 weeks thereafter for one year. I started Weight Watchers, I am about 40 pounds overweight and my onc and dietician at MD Anderson that I could start weight watchers now (becuz it was a balanced diet of protien, carbs and fruits and veges. It only cuts back on fat intake hence cal intake). Anyway started last wed and I weight in this Wed. The dietician said that I should be satifised only to Maintain my weight since a lot of women GAIN weight on this type of chemo. I hope I lose at least one pound.



I have a super personal issue that only you ladies can answer. Here it goes. My hubby and I recently started to have sex again (was not in the mood while on AC). I use to have these amazing orgasms prior to BC. I swear my head would spin, eyes rolling (probably too much infomation by now---sorry) well anyway, recently the last few times we have had sex my orgasms are a 4

on a scale from 1-10. My nipples use to get erect and my heart would race and had some heavy duty breathing. Well obviously no nipple hard on since I dont have any anymore. I was really into it and excepted it to be great. I can't believe that this also has been taken from me. Not to mention the Overdose of ky I need to use. I am in Chemo pause right now. Sex has always been good between us and now I feel cheated. Anyone else going through this? Please tell me it gets better and back to normal after chemo. Sorry this is so personal but again -- no support group here intown and I don't know anyone with BC on chemo except you ladies.



I WANT MY 10'S BACK!!!!!!!!!!! Marg

sholroyd

Hi all

Peg, I have ‘treatment’ on 31 Jan and 7 Feb and then 2 weeks off (cycle) and then another complete cycle and then rads. I am ‘enjoying’ 2 weeks ‘off’ at the moment and trying to make the most of it. After last night my no stress intentions went out of the window. Had intruders in the garden in the early hours – hubby heard them and came down and caught them – Police called. Probably won’t be able to charge them with anything cos hubby caught them before they got up to no good – will probably have a nice breakfast and be sent home this morning.

I also have a bit of WHITE fuzz. Lost most of my eyebrows but not my eyelashes.

I also wish I had had time to consider a bi-lateral.

Coffee-pot (and others) I didn’t realise how hard work it would be to ‘learn’ to relax – I am keeping up with it as I do think it is helping me.

Sorry Susan – ‘tarting myself up’ – trying to make myself look pretty (a losing battle). Haven’t tried the meditation bit yet – that starts on Thursday – will let you know how it goes. I just think whatever the ‘name’ of the complementary therapy, it makes me lie/sit down, close my eyes and lose my thoughts into some sort of relaxed state – got to be good I think.

Marg – good luck with weight watchers – something I will have to tackle after treatment ends though. Sex is a definite No No in our house at the moment – I have no feelings whatsoever in that department – I can’t answer your question but would anticipate that all things will begin to get back to ‘normal’ given the fullness of time.

Well you seem to be talking about aftercare so I thought I would share what is in store here for me in the UK. Went to a ‘meeting’ yesterday at my hospital – sort of ‘are you happy with service’ – ‘can you suggest improvements’ etc etc etc. Think I was chosen randomly (there was 4 of us –3 finished treatment) – good meeting and I was also able to understand follow-up treatment. Early days for me but I was given a small booklet with an explanation on what to look out for. I will get discharged from my Oncologist at the end of ‘treatment’ and I will be seen in the follow-up clinic by one of the members of the breast team once a year for 6 years – they said from experience, problems (if any) usually occur in between appointments so they feel it is not necessary to be ‘seen’ every 3 months or so as they are always available and will always answer/investigate anything and I should telephone when ever concerned. I will receive a mammogram every 2 years (thought this could be yearly) for the first 6 years. I think I am happy with this, as they have given me every confidence so far that they will look after me.

Another long-posting (sorry) from Sandra in the UK

tinkermax

Hi Marg

From what I can gather, its normal to have a moderate orgasm during chemo.

There is a great thread on the "moving beyond cancer" section called "I want my mojo back", which deals with sex drive, orgasms, lubricants etc. Check it out !!!!

I have had chemo today, 7 of 8, but my blood counts were low so I have to have neupogen from tomorrow for three days, and i'm not looking forward to it.

Take care all

Maxine

AussieMum

Hi all.

I know there has been a bit of discussion on what happens when treatment finishes. As Leanne and others have written, while having treatment we are 'actively fighting' the beast, then what happens? There was a book (published in US) listed on the Aus BCNA (Breast Cancer Network Australia) called



Living Beyond Breast Cancer: A Survivor's Guide for When Treatment Ends & the Rest of Your Life Begins

Written by Marisa Weiss and Ellen Weiss



I looked it up and there is a list of chapters, an excerpt to read etc on Amazon. This might be of help to some.



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812930665/104-5725613-0163149?v=glance&n=283155



Janet - trod on a piece of glass this morning! Knew I'd trodden on something sharp, didn't realise the damage till I saw the trail of blood through the house. Found the glass - thought of you!



Marg - I too can offer no advice except perhaps patience. There has been so much altered in our bodies- chemically, physically, emotionally- that it will take time for the balance to return I'm sure. Like Sandra, this is a 'no' in my home, too. Not that hubby isn't interested. I'm just not at all. Tried a couple of times since surgery, but just no interest for me there. TIME



For all you ladies on the home renovation front: How are you going??? Renovating your homes while renovating our lives. . . .



On the weight gain issue: Began radiation yesterday. Started early. That's good. The sooner I start, the sooner I finish. However, they have asked me not to try and lose the weight I've gained while on rads - it will affect the measurements and markings! I don't like carrying around these extra kilos. So many of us have gained weight during this treatment. I suppose its better than the 'chemo diet' of days gone by.



Susan - enjoy the planning of your trip to France. I love the excitement of planning and dreaming for such things.



My son(17) leaves for Germany on Saturday. He'll be gone for one year. I have a tattoo (temporary, of course!) of an Aussie flag for my head. Just to make him smile at his silly old bald Mum as he leaves our shores.



It would be great to see updates of how you all look on the picture forum. I have some white fuzz all the way through, as I think Maxine has? Yours is growing as white fuzz, Janet? I've posted a pic of me "washing my hair" so to speak. I would love to witness the progress of regrowth.



This has been a long posting, sorry!

tornadogirl

Hi Marg, I felt the same on Taxol. I guess I should have been glad to orgasm at all. Try twice as much foreplay as you are used to, mabye after the Taxol is all outta our systems our sex lives will get better.



Well, I was worried about the spots in my right breast so I went outside my plan and saw the best Breast Surgeon I could who believes in BREAST MRI's for every woman and who can read them!



I brought my mammograms for the last 6 years, The MRI done in Sept, the three ultrasounds, 40 pages of records, etc. We made a "plan" for each breast.



The (former) cancerous breast's plan will be to just go thru radiation therapy starting Friday (as planned) and continue with that and do "regular checkups on it" and get an "MRI of it" later when it recovers from radiation. She says that radiation will wipe out any tiny clusters of cancer cells that were never found. I never did have that particular breast MRI'd.



The "good" breast with the two spots, there are "only two", not four as the Dr at Kaiser told me at first. And this surgeon thinks they are probably not cancerous but that we should follow up on them anyway.



She is going to ask an MRI expert to tell her if I should just have another MRI in March (which is scheduled and paid for by my plan already) or to get a "MRI assisted biopsy" which I would be paying for (outside my plan.)



I dont care a bit about the money I just want what is best for the breast and my life. It eased my mind to go thru the thinking process with an expert. She will call me. Now i feel I dont need to overreact and get an MRI like "tomorrow" or something. It is all I can take right now going thru the radiation. I dont need anything else....



I feel better now! I will be able to sleep tonight. Without the worry I am doing something wrong, Finally. If the hot flashes dont get me!

tornadogirl

Hey Marg, try recieving manual or oral sex. Easier sometimes to get to the big "O" that way!

And you women who just dont feel like sex, satisfy your dear men with great hand action or.......! There are 100 things to do in bed besides intercourse to make somebody happy! Please give your loving men "something" in bed to satisfy them! Does NOT have to be intercourse.

foxxf

Marg, like you sex is an important part of our relationship. We have been active through out Chemo and although it's not even close to a 10 I was happy for the Intimacy, just knowing that despite my bald head,fat ass, occasional vomiting and aches and pains my hubby still finds me attractive.

Now 5 wks post Chemo it's getting better slowly, time is the only thing that can help I think. Prob not what you wanted to hear but hang in there and enjoy. Remember we all have a new kind of normal...

Best wishes
Nicole

sholroyd

Maxine – sorry your bloods were low – could you ‘tell’ your bloods were low with any symptoms?

Michelle – you will miss your son like crazy at first and when he first comes home it will be wonderful – then!!! Wait and see what I mean ;-). I wish him all the very best on his travels.

Hot flushes bubbles – grhhh – look at the time of my posting again 1.40 pm here in the UK – real pain this sleep pattern, I just can’t wait for it to get back to ‘normal’.

Journeyer, my hubby also is ‘very interested’ and says all the right things about my appearance etc, but like Michelle I just have no ‘feelings’ whatsoever and I feel this would make my hubby feel as if he isn’t ‘doing the job right’ so to speak – I wish it wasn’t like this cos after all a man has to do what a man has to do – we do have a strong relationship in every other way so hopefully this will see us through – sure it will. He mad me laugh the other night after I had been to the hypnotherapy session – he started swaying something in front of my eyes like they do on the tele – you can guess what he was saying ;-). Yeahh, we all have got to be patient I guess and rely on good old TIME.

Oh forgot to tell you. (enlarged womb) The probe thing I had did not spot any ‘nasty’ cells. I am now booked in for a day-case on 9 February – think to have a sample off the lining of my womb – they did ask if I wanted to go and discuss the procedure to which I said “No thank you, just get on with it”. I am fed up with all the hospital appointments especially with this thrombosis business – there again today for my check (grhhhhh).

Thoughts to you all.

Sandra from the UK

tinkermax

Hi Sandra

I didnt get any side effects, apart from the usual fatigue, but no more than usual. I dont think you get any side effects from low neutrophils that you notice, you are just very likely to pick up any bugs that happen to be around.

My red blood count is still ok, and I think if this is low that you do get side effects, as your red blood cells take oxygen around the body, so you would notice.

I have had my third dose, and last dose of neupogen today, no side effects from this yet, no aches at all....YIPPEE I was worried about that.

Hope you are doing okay on the CMF.


Michelle
I have hair growing,in fact it never really stopped, for the first couple of months it was white fluff, now i have quite a bit of dark hair on top, mixed in with white fluff, and the leg hair has been growing throught chemo, about 70% of normal growth.

I get my hubby to shave it every three weeks or so, as I get fed up of looking at white fluff, I will try and get a picture taken this weekend before he shaves it again, the last shave was New Years Day, so you will see how much growth I have in a three week period.

Take care all

Maxine

foxxf

My hair started as white fluff and now is dark brown may be 1cm long but still looks like I am bald just looks like my head is dirty. also my eye brows are coming back in and it looks like I have two huge dirty marks above my eyes...lol (missed with the eye shadow..lol)

I took about 3 wks for the fluff and it has been almost 6 wks now.

Nicole

susan_02143

Hi all,

Well, my life is supposed to be back to 'normal' now, but of course, nothing is the same. My remaining side-effects are almost bald, nails that are shedding and the nipple burn from radiation. But, each of these will pass with time. Thank goodness!!!!!

I am back to working albeit a little more slowly. Why? Because I am enjoying a slower pace that allows me to work through all the possibilities. So, I bill for less time, and I am happier. I like that trade off.

Coming into this forum today... well I had a teary moment. There is a new thread "Starting Chemo in February '06." Of course women continued to be diagnosed during my treatment, but I found myself weeping for all these women who are following us. Isn't it enough that we had to go through this? Couldn't the September 2005 group be the last one? It also made me aware of how many months have passed since I found my lump. This thought train makes no sense; but my empathy level is high today.

Hope that everyone is doing well....

*susan*

lynellb123

Hi Susan, A fellow Sept. sister here. I just passed over this thread because we're officially out of chemo. Although we are still dealing with the after effects, i suspect that I'll always have "something" to deal with. Glad to hear that you're back at work, hope you're taking it easy.

How is your stomach? If I remember correctly , you had a lot of problems with intestinal distress. Are you finshed with radiation? I just wanted to respond to a fellow September sister and wish you well! Hugs, Lynell

AussieMum

I feel a little teary at the moment. My son (17) has left for 12 months to stay in Germany on an exchange. He left sunny Sydney +38 C to arrive in Berlin -13C. (pic on forum)

Susan-

Quote:

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Coming into this forum today... well I had a teary moment. . . . . . This thought train makes no sense; but my empathy level is high today.

---

Your thought train makes perfect sense. Every day there are more women being diagnosed with this and other cancers. We often focus on ourselves but we are not alone. There are beginnings, middles and endings to the battles. The end of the battle can be victory or loss, and this is very sobering.
I went to visit a friend after church yesterday. I arrived at the door to be told she had just died. I missed her by a matter of minutes. Hers was not breast cancer, but cancer none the less. Her name is Maria. She lost her battle. She fought bravely and with dignity.

I know we all try to be up beat and positive on the boards. I am sorry to put in this posting but it reminds me of the serious nature of the disease, and how strong we ALL are in the battle.

Keep strong, ladies. I am in awe of all of us.