2005 ROCK-TOBER CHEMO GIRLS

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  • debbie444
    debbie444 Member Posts: 847
    edited February 2006
    Uncle Fester or Gollum! Actually i caught sight of myself after a bath last night, wrapped in a towel and i thought i looked familiar ( if you see what i mean!) and then i realised. Ilooked like one of those Tibetan monks with bald heads and robes on!!
    Have 8 o clock shadow all over my hair but close up my hair appears fair - maybe its a sign i need to wash my head more!!

    Debbie
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  • ake
    ake Member Posts: 684
    edited February 2006
    ok, i woke up this morning and finally have 5 o'clock stubble on my noggin it's the coolest thing ever and my husband and i freaked out
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2006
    tda866, good for you, congratulations!!

    Well, I think we all look like Uncle Fester but pretty soon we will all be showing off new hair and claiming to look like Cousin It.
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2006
    That's great! I hope this means all of us will be waking up soon to find the same surprise - real soon.
    Laura
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  • Graycie
    Graycie Member Posts: 839
    edited February 2006
    That's great news Amy.....I can't wait!
    Graycie
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  • ravdeb
    ravdeb Member Posts: 3,116
    edited February 2006
    marymelodi..glad to hear the good news.
    maryannecb..enjoy your reunion with your husband. I'm so glad that your temp is down and all seems to be well! What a relief!

    Okay...guys...I had Taxol #8 today out of 12 :-) The last Taxol sent me into an itching episode. Today I went to the onc on call before my chemo as my chemo nurse requested. She suspected either drug eruption OR Scabies!!! I did my chemo and then got sent to a dermatologist in the hospital who decided it was Scabies. I wasn't so sure about that. My regular onc, who I saw today, wasn't sure about it but thought it was from the Taxol. At any rate, that dermatologist gave me all kinds of stuff to take but I decided to find my regular dermatologist in our clinc near our house. Good I did. She is a great doctor and she said it doesn't look like scabies at all and the drugs that doctor had given me would make me sleep morning noon and night. She looked at my entire body with a magnifying glass! So, she gave me an antihistamine for the morning and tranquilizer to relax for the night (cuz the itching was keeping me awake) and some cream and a special soap to use. Hopefully this will help.
    She described allergic reactions like this... it's kind of like a husband... you marry him and he's one way...no real reaction but slowly, slowly, things begin to develop!!!!
    ravdeb
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  • ravdeb
    ravdeb Member Posts: 3,116
    edited February 2006
    Amy..congrats on that shadow..may it become one of those looooooooooooooooooooong shadows soon!!!
    ravdeb
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  • debbie444
    debbie444 Member Posts: 847
    edited February 2006
    Well have been at work for two days now - thank goodness its half term tomorrow - this thinking is tiring stuff!
    Took my first tamoxifen today. so far havent had the urge to stab the hubby or push children in front of a bus - we'll wait and see.
    I have delicate stubble about 4mm long all over my head now - could swear you can see it growing as it is longer each morning - long may it last!!
    Debbie
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2006
    tda866 -
    Congratulations!
    Laura
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  • TracyNY
    TracyNY Member Posts: 434
    edited February 2006
    I'm finished! I'm finished!! Thanks for all the support ladies.

    I'm getting my cyber celebration started so anyone who cares to join me, I'm dragging my lounge chair out to the back yard as cold as it is and the cooler full of O'Douls to get my fake drink on!!
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2006
    tda866 -
    C h e e r s !
    Laura
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  • Graycie
    Graycie Member Posts: 839
    edited February 2006
    tda866, Congratulations!
    Graycie
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  • ravdeb
    ravdeb Member Posts: 3,116
    edited February 2006
    CONGRATULATIONS AND ENJOY THE CELEBRATION!!!
    ravdeb
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  • marymelodi
    marymelodi Member Posts: 515
    edited February 2006
    Back to work today after the removal of my access port yesterday. It went somoothly, although I did not like it when the resident who was getting me to sign the consent forms described the possibility of having to "dig" it out. I told him he needed to find a better way to describe the procedure, even if it was a matter of "digging" it out. I work around residents all the time and they have been too long in school and not long enough around sick patients. I have no fear of telling them what's what. But, the doctor who actually did the procedure was great, talked to me through the whole thing, and was amazingly fast at getting it out. The longest part was getting stitches to close up the incision. This time I actually enjoyed the spacey feeling brought on by the anti-anxiety meds they gave me to help me be relaxed. The only real pain was the lidocaine injections, but they were much less painful than the injections you get in the mouth for dental work.

    So, today I am sore at the incision site. I'm sure it will heal fast. Still have lingering pain in feet, legs, back, etc. from the Taxol. I suspect it will gradually subside.

    I too have soft stubble. It feels a bit like that fancy fur yarn that is so popular right now. I'm a knitter so tactile sensations for me are often described in terms of yarns and fibers. I like the softness and hope that it is also curly, for the first time in my 53 years. Never could get a curl, even with as perm, so I hope, hope for at least a little period of naturally curly hair. I have heard that the first hair sometimes comes in with a different texture. I even read an article somewhere that there is a theory that the chemo alters the physical structure of the hair follicle temporarily and that is the reason for the changes. Apparently, eventually the hair follicle resumes it's original shape.

    I hope that by the 4th of July I can say farewell to head coverings, except for protection in the sun.

    Hope you all have a very nice weekend. I hope to go out to dinner and a movie with my hubby. We are still spending the gift cards and discount movie tickets we got as Christmas gifts.
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  • RoseMarie
    RoseMarie Member Posts: 502
    edited February 2006
    Congratulations tda!!
    ENJOY your weekend!
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  • debbie444
    debbie444 Member Posts: 847
    edited February 2006
    Yahoo tda!
    Will raise a glass of wine in your direction this evening!
    Debbie
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  • RoseMarie
    RoseMarie Member Posts: 502
    edited February 2006
    Marymelodi,
    You are a brave woman! I was "out" when they put my port in and I intend to be out when they take it out!! I am such a chicken! I am really happy for you! Enjoy your weekend too!
    I'm constantly checking my stubble too. Eyelashes and eyebrows are totally in and have soft stubble all over - even touching the tops of my ears! So far hair color is unchanged - let's see if I can get some curls too...
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  • debbie444
    debbie444 Member Posts: 847
    edited February 2006
    I completely know where the woman who described her hair as a tennis ball cut is coming from!
    have a good weekend everyone
    Debbie
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  • maryannecb
    maryannecb Member Posts: 1,453
    edited February 2006
    Congrats TDA, have a real drink fo goodness sake! LOng as you don't have 20....

    Mary must be good to have another step done.

    Ravdeb, scabies, what a horror. Almost impossible to catch with all the home time you have had. But it is making me itchy thinking about it.

    Had two feel good days in a row, yeah. Am only getting Herceptin next week. Was due for Taxotere again, but due to trip have put it off for 2 weeks. My first break since all this started, I might begin to feel human again.

    Fists up!

    Mary-Anne
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  • ravdeb
    ravdeb Member Posts: 3,116
    edited February 2006
    Mary-Anne... I think my own skin doctor was right. The itching is going away with the antihistamines and cream she gave me. Doesn't look like scabies. She also said it's been too long a time since I was in the hospital to have gotten scabies from that. I still have a bit of a rash but it's so much better now and I actually slept all night and have stopped scratching!!!!! So, you can stop itching, too :-)

    marymelodi...great to hear the port is out. You are moving right along! I too, hope for a nice head of hair by 4th of July weekend. Have a big wedding in the States then...in N. Carolina and it will be hot there. Really don't want to wear my wig!!!
    My hair is coming in slowly.
    I hope I have feeling in my fingers and toes by then, too. I'd really like to walk a bit faster and lose the extra kilo or 2 I'm gaining on Taxol. I finish Taxol on March 16th if all goes well. Anyone think I'll feel my toes by the summer???? and my fingers!!! I want to be able to play my guitar again!!!!

    ravdeb
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  • maryannecb
    maryannecb Member Posts: 1,453
    edited February 2006
    Ravdeb, I am less itchy already. I can't imagine you had it either. I hope you get feeling back, that must be irritating. So far no neuropathy for me. Have you convinced your husband to go to US with you? Did you get something to wear yet?

    My brother visited for the weekend. He lives 5 hours away so it was nice to see him. We managed several hours of bridge. His wife and I beat him and my Mom so we were pretty happy. They are better players but we had the card Gods with us, that counts!

    Just 4 more days til I see DH after nearly 4 months. I can't wait.It has been the longest winter for me.

    Not much action on the board this weekend, that is good ,it is a sign we are starting to rejoin the world.

    Fists up!
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  • Paula15089
    Paula15089 Member Posts: 373
    edited February 2006
    Ladies,

    i just want to share some great news.

    Yesterday, I got my period back!!! This is the first one since september (!!), which is when i was diagnosed and stopped the pill.

    My last chemo was 12 jan, I really didnt expect is so soon, but i am just so happy to know chemo didnt destroy my fertility.

    Of course, now i will start Tamoxifen and Zoladex, but thats another story.



    Also will have my first rads session today.



    Hope everyone is well,

    Take care

    Paula
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  • ake
    ake Member Posts: 684
    edited February 2006
    Paula...congrats on the period returning! One more step towards normalcy When do you start Tamoxifen? I have 15 more rads left and then I start Tamoxifen. Rads is really not as bad as I thought...I get tired in the afternoon, but it goes away. My arm and ribcage on the radiated side feel tight, but my doctor said that is normal. It's really not that bad...so far so good

    I woke up on Thursday, which was a month exactly since my last chemo, and I had my 5 o'clock shadow. My husband freaked out. All of a sudden, I have hair

    Hope everyone had a good long weekend!
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  • Paula15089
    Paula15089 Member Posts: 373
    edited February 2006
    Amy,
    my rads start today, and i will start Tamoxifen once i am done with them. I am not too concerned about side effects... hope i wont regret this statement!
    Congrats on your shadow! My hair is still the same - too much stubble to be called bald... but not enough yet to classify it as 'hair'!
    We are just too damn impatient, arent we!
    I better stop checking it every 5 minutes...
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2006
    Congrats to you Paula!! Should we start calling you Artemis? The goddess of fertility? Look how many boobies she has!!Have you talked to the doctor about a desire to have kids?
    image

    Just a caution: tonight my friend came over and he told me that he is so mad at a friend and his wife. The wife is 35 and she had breast cancer. She was still on Tamoxifen and they decided to stop treatment and have children. They had twins. They are not even one year yet and the cancer is back and in her hip. She is a nurse and hubby is a doctor!! Gosh! Why the hel* didn't they adopt????

    So, if you plan on doing this, make sure you are 5 years on Tamoxifin.
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  • debbie444
    debbie444 Member Posts: 847
    edited February 2006
    Congrats Paula - mine never went away - the one side effect i could have happily dealt with!!
    I had a trial run today - a drive into the city where i will be having my radiotherapy starting Wednesday. I had heard horror stories about no parking ( well 20 spaces for a major cancer hospital??!!) so set off early, retracing a route that my husband had driven me a few times over the weekend to avoid the city centre. I was sat in the car park with 2 rather bemused children at 7.40 this morning!! Because of the parking and city traffic i think i will still set off early, my appointments are all either 9.30 or 9.10 - i would rather be sat reading for an hour in the car or reception than sat worrying about being late in traffic or fighting students for a parking space in a strange city - then finding my car again afterwards!!

    I am wondering why i am already on tamoxifen and will be through rads - i started last thurs - exactly 3 weeks from last chemo, when some of you arent starting till after you have finished. Anyone know??

    Take care all
    Debbie
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  • debbie444
    debbie444 Member Posts: 847
    edited February 2006
    P.S
    If i stand at one end of the hall and look at my reflection in the mirror at the other end
    I HAVE A DEFINITE HAIRLINE!!!!!
    O.K - not a lot of hair, but a definite dark hairline!!!
    Debbie
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  • Graycie
    Graycie Member Posts: 839
    edited February 2006

    I'm jealous, no hair for me yet and it will be a month tomorrow since my last chemo. I just started radiation today...other then being a pain in the neck going there everyday I don't think it will be too bad. I am just praying I don't get the burn's, etc......Graycie

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  • marymelodi
    marymelodi Member Posts: 515
    edited February 2006

    Good luck, Graycie!! I hope your radiation will not be too bad for you. How was the windstorm over your way in the last few days? Here in Rochester the wind chill on Friday was brutal, especially for me walking into the U of R Med Center from the employee parking lots. It was much better today. A friend of mine over by Saratoga Springs was out of electricity for 64 hours over the weekend. How did you fare over by Buffalo?

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  • debbie444
    debbie444 Member Posts: 847
    edited February 2006
    Just reading your post marym - we took the kids to Rochester zoo when we were touring around there in 2004 - small world. They let us in for nothing as we had British passports - nice people!
    Debbie
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