For those starting chemo in June

rlswkndr

Mary should be in PHoenix now. Good for her.Sounds like she needs the break. Enjoy that sun and warmth Mary... bring some back too!
Janie- you sound like you've been working lots again. Hope you have some time to relax and have fun... when do you leave?
Paula, it has been unseasonably warm so far- I love it. I like to go for walks in the fall but not winter so this is nice. It's good weather for your mom's golfing too.
I have to get my office cleaned up today.... to much junk laying around! gotta find the bills in this pile.
Renee

janie44

Hi Renee,

Mary will enjoy herself and keep her daughter entertained and laughing.

Yes, we stay swamped. It's the nature of the job -- trying to climb out of the pile of folders.

It broke a record in Atlanta and tied one here yesterday with a high of 82! It is cool at night.

I leave Saturday the 19th and stay through Thanksgiving. My daughter said it is pretty cold there. I know it will be beautiful in Oregon. Never been there. We get off a week for Thanksgiving and I plan to leave the office at the office.

Yep, I had my bills all organized, and don't know where I put them! Maybe if we don't find them they won't.....nah!!

Fuzzies girls,

Janie

janie44

PJ.

Feeling any better today?

PJB

A little. I'm at work at least. My hubby drove me up (he's working up here, too) and I'll probably just stay a few hours. But, it's better than yesterday. This combo is just a tough one. I hope that means it's doing what it's supposed to be doing. I think I'm gonna have to go buy some pull-on pants. THAT'll be a fashion statement. My fingers just scream when I have to do little things like button buttons and stuff.

Hope you guys are good and that Mary's having a great time in Arizona.

Paula

NancyLee13

Hi Janie--I'm kinda okay. I think that I'm going to have to get myself into the hospital this evening and get some fluids. I haven't been able to keep much inside me today despite the Zofran. On the positive side, I only have ONE MORE Herceptin. Monday, November 14th is my graduation day. I'm thinking of baking cookies and frosting them with pink ribbons!! It remains to be seen if I can muster the energy to get that done. I see my Onc on Friday for my monthly pokeNprod. I got my 1st haircut this morning. It's really short. She cut 4 inches of curls off!! She kept saying "I just gave 2 perms to ladies who would kill for this curly hair and you're making me cut it off!!!!!" It's still wavy, but the major big Pollyanna curls are gone. It feels great and looks way darker now cuz she whacked off the grey for the most part. BONUS!! Well, gotta go yack up again and call the ER. Ah, day 3 of Herceptin--I won't miss this AT ALL. I can see half of a moon shining right outside my office window. Life is Good---Smiles--NancyLee

PJB

Nancy, Boy, what you've been through! Glad you have just one left. But I hate to hear that you keep having to visit the hospital. The cookies sound great. But I think you deserve to have someone ELSE make them for YOU.

Janie, Renee, and Mary if you're out there, hope you're having a great evening. I'm feeling much more energized. So, life IS good.

Paula

mary1220

Greetings little ladies. It is beautiful here and 3/4 of my achey bone pain is gone. Nancy, you hang in there kid. Really glad your so close to done. P.J. I am so sorry you are having a rough go of it. You just remember we are right beside in in spirit.Janie, I am so happy you are getting away. Even if it is cold the scenery will be beautiful. It may not feel as cold because we in the easterly put up with the humidity and that makes a big difference in how the cold and warm weather feels. oops gotta go back in a few. Hugs, Mary

janie44

Hi All,

Nancy, You have had it rougher than anyone I know on the "no side effects" drug. My oncologist was so surprised when I said the nausea came on Friday night and Saturday morning like clockwork. I have not had to go in for fluids though. I like Kytil and Phenagrin. Zofran constipates me. One more! Do you have a port? I was thinking of keeping mine but the onc made some good points for getting it out. I guess I will.

PJ - good to hear that you are re-energized. You will soon be like that Energizer bunny rabbit and just keep going and going and.....

Mary - Glad you are enjoying AZ. I will land there briefly where it is hot and then go to where it is cold. Maybe my bones will get warmed up on the walk from one gate to another.

Hi Renee

Have a good evening ladies.

Hugs,

Janie

p.s. I think I will change the spelling of my name to Janei -- When I get in a hurry, I always make that same typo.

PJB

Janie, How about just shortening it to J?

Glad to say the glutamine/B6 thing might actually be helping the stupid neuropathy in my fingers. Each day, it seems like something new presents itself as a problem. They're gonna give me more steroids next time (on Taxol, i did day before, day of and day after; this round, they just give me some in the IV) to see if it reduces some of the crap side effects after. So, progress...

I really feel for you Hercpetin girls. Seems like it really takes it out of you. But, boy, that Phenergin (or however it's spelled) is some POWERFUL stuff. I take it, I sleep for HOURS. Glad to know you guys, Janie and Nancy Lee, are just about through with it!

Renee, I hope you guys can hang onto the nice weather for awhile longer. I don't want it to be too cold when we'er up there.

Paula

janie44

Pj,

How much longer do you have to do chemo? I guess a while yet, huh? The weather here cannot decide what it wants to do. I guess that is why I have a cold.

Nancy & Renee, I bet it is getting really cold up that way....and Mary is like in a sauna right now in the Arizona desert.

Have a good one ladies.

J

NancyLee13

Actually it was 75 degrees here today. People were wearing shorts. I wore a "Life is Good" T-shirt to my onc. appt. I got there with a fever of 101 degrees!! I told them that I'm allergic to the hospital. I don't think they believed me!! Concern centers on the fact that I only weigh 137 little ole pounds dripping wet. I'm tall by the way--5'10'' so they're having fits and I just smile. My Onc. believes that after the last Herceptin on Monday I'll magically regain my appetite and get my sleep pattern back to normal. I can't even remember what it was like to sleep so I laughed at him. The eating thing is just fine with me as long as I don't disappear entirely. I had to go thru a bunch of tests on my spine today--And we are looking for????? HE says that the chances of the pain in my back being related in any way to my breast cancer are slim to none, but he is checking into it anyway. So now I'm again waiting for test results. I'll get them on Monday and also get a date for my MUGA and follow-up bone scans. After that all gets done, I get my port out!!! Yay!!!! I'm SO READY to be done. 18 months of going 160 miles to the infusion center every Monday plus the 2nd Friday of every month and every third Tuesday for the Neulasta shots. I have kept the gas stations in business on just my trips back and forth--But I'm ALMOST done. November took SO LONG to come around this year, but this really is going to be a Thanksgiving to remember. Hope you all had a great Friday and also have blessed weekends. Life is Good--Smiles--NancyLee

PJB

Janie, Well, I'm a third of the way through the Taxotere. Won't be done with it til late January. But, that's not THAT far away. Xeloda will continue for the forseeable future, I'm told, because of the possible (onc says probably) stuff that showed up in my lymph nodes in chest.

Nancy, wow, all that traveling on top of the chemo junk. I'm impressed you've gotten through all that. Hope the last one is clear sailing.

Not much up for the weekend. Hoping the taste comes back. Getting my head shaved tomorrow. It's just getting ridiculous, the way I'm shedding. Watch, we'll get a cold front....

You all have a great weekend! Hope Mary's having a wonderful break.

Paula

janie44

Good Morning!

Paula, January will be here before you know it.

Nancy, I KNOW you will be glad to stop traveling. I used to drive back and forth for 2.5 hours. Now, it is one hour.
After doing one thing or another at least weekly, it is going to feel really strange to only have periodic checks -- but good. I guess I may have my port out and maybe follow-up surgery December.

Have a great weekend everyone!

mary1220

Hi Girls, well found some charms at the mall and picked one up. I don't know if anyone added a pink ribbon yet but I have a pink ribbon charm. If we have one on it already I will give this one to my grandaughter.My sister thats getting the divore came out yesterday so we have been all over. We are going to a show, Late night cacticism or however it is spelled here in an hour so I have to get ready.I remember getting kicked out once for disturbing the Nun by talking. Hey, I had something to say apparently. I just wanted to say have a great wk. end all and glad everyones doing o.k. Glad Nancy and J. are o.k. and done. What an accomplishment. You girls be good and have a great Sunday, Hugs, Mary

janie44

Hi Mary, Sounds like you are busily have a really good time. Nancy and I each have one more to go!!!! She finishes tomorrow and I finish Wednesday. I have a follow-up Mammogram Friday because it was postponed the last time due to not having my other film on-hand. Then, I think I do not have another appointment for about 3 months! Wow! Hard to believe! Of course, after my plane trip, I expect to have to see a lymphedema person. I think I am going to wrap it instead of depending on the sleeve. It will be about seven hours in the air altogether. I will need to get up and stretch a lot or I will be like a balloon by the time I get there.

Hi to all.

Fuzzies,

PJB

Hi guys. Mary, yes, we have a pink ribbon. Janie's addition. I haven't made it out to look for charms yet. I'm thinking of doing it during lunch this week sometime. It's such a cool bracelet. Makes me feel like I'm among good company. Glad to hear you're having a great time.

Janie, wow. 3 months without a doc visit. I remember those days... I'll be there again in 2006... Hope you and Nancy Lee fly through the last treatments.

Take care, you guys

janie44

Now that I've thought about it -- follow-up surgery, follow-up appointments, lymphedema clinic, dentist, neurologist -- I don't foresee an end to the appointments any time soon.

Hope everyone is winding down a good weekend.

mary1220

Good Evening Girls, I leave tomorrow about noon and it is back to the old grind. My hubby sounds really bad on the phone. He just doesn't think theres a problem with him. I don't know what to do but he said maybe we should sell the house and split the money and go our seperate ways. That is kinda outta left field. I almost hate to go home and into that mess. Guess we can sell and split. Kinda sad it all changed so quickly. I will deal with it when I get home. Glad everyone is doing good. I have been having some chest pain lately a couple days after treatment so I guess I will see about getting it checked. It may be from the rads. I don't know. I bought a back up charm, a cactus for my favorite place.Better go, goodnight girls. Hugs, mary

janie44

Whoa! Mary! That IS out of left field.

Had my flu shot today -- been itching -- hope it doesn't turn into a reaction. I've had them before but not in combo with all this other "stuff." My port has been bothering me for days. Never did before == not until the onc said I needed it out. It is soooo sore.

Mary, when do you have your heart checked again? For some reason, mine is not until February. They were checking it like every 5 minutes (exaggeration), and now it has been several months and will be several more.

I got several charms while I was at it. Sorry I blocked your ribbon. That was such a neat idea you had about the bracelet.

Hope all of you are well.

PJB

Mary, man, you just have to have everything going on..... I hate that you have to go home to the whole hubby thing. Sounds like he's in pretty dire straits. And get that heart thing checked out pronto!

Janie, glad you're gonna get that port out soon. Sounds like a real drag.

Supposed to get really cold here tomorrow. Like, lows in the 30s. Brrr.... It was 92 yesterday...

mary1220

Burrrr!!!!!it is cold and raining. Lows in the 30 and 20's. Crap....Hey Janie don't worry about the charm, I bought a back up and my grandaughter loves the B.C. stuff. She feels she is helping grandma when she buys the stuff and wears it so she will love it for her bracelet. Hubby is in bad shape. He just worries 24/7 and it is making him crazy. Janie, you should get rid of all that crappy stuff now and feel better soon. You are leaving in a few days and you will have a ball. P.J. you hang in there, I have to go to the plastics guy today. Later little gators. Hugs, Mary

rlswkndr

Mary, we will all be after you till you get the heart thing checked out. I know you'll keep us posted. The hubby- is he willing to see a Dr.... they have drugs for depression( as we all know about those on this board)My prayers are with you as you deal with it. Back to this lovely cold weather- we are supposed to have snow tonight, but don't know if it will get you also- hopefully not!
Janie- wrap up tight and walk as much as you need to an the plane. The flight attendents are quite understanding when I stand in the back and move my arms everywhich way. Did you get that set of exercises you can use on a plane from your L expert?
Paula- Glad you enjoy the bracelet- it's our small contribution to show you are not alone and a great conversation piece. 92- to 30's ugh! That's not ok. Your mom probably had her last golf game. I think the cold and rain/snow is here to stay! Good thing I'm hitting the road south soon.
Nancy- You'll have so much free time soon, you won't know what to do.
Went shopping at the "woman's touch' store this weekend. Needed to with no estrogen- it's another life! We did have quite a few laughs in there, but the owner was very helpful as she has dealt with lots of cancer patients. I keep learning!
Renee
Renee

mary1220

Hey Renee, Hows it going? Hope your staying warm. Good to hear from you and yes we could see some snow. With the temp. dropping like a concrete brick in water and all the rain it will be slick tomorrow morning for the work commute to Springfield. Gee, wheres the global warming???? My hubby saw the Dr. but the Dr. payed attention to his back pain and didn't do anything for his depression. Now hubby thinks he is normal and I am nuts not to just sit and become consumed by worry. He can't see why I go anywhere or see anyone. What the hey?????he is off the really deep end. He can't not argue about it every half hour. Why am I so happy????well its gonna be cause I leave his butt pretty soon because he refuses to go back to the Dr. and I can't live stressed out and sad all the time. He now wants to run head on into a truck and get it over. Yea, I can't get him to see his Dr. I would like to slap his Dr. for not doing anything for him a few wks. ago and now its outta hand and he can't see it. I have never been depressed really I mean maybe a few days when someone dies like my mom but its normal depressed not mind consuming depressed. Thanks for your prayers. I can't mention Dr. or he gets upset. It's his problem and I can't do a thing for him so I guess we will sell and go our seperate ways. He use to know I was concerened for his health and would listen to me but now he thinks I am nutty and trying to make him that way too. Ya know, I think he can't deal with my B.C. and it coming back and all. He said today he worries about my cancer all the time. He is affraid of losing me and he is going to lose me sooner than he thinks. Its sad to see someone who enjoyed their grandkids and having fun turn into a mean grouchy butt. I have read where people get a divorce over life changing things like serious illness etc. but I would have never dreamed this could happen to us. Well, I don't know what to do but I just avoid him. Hope Janie and P.J. are fine. Tomorrows the last isn't it Janie? I am going to call tomorrow about the chest pain and see about an echo. I hope the treatments aren't too much for you P.J. Well better get some laundry done. Take care girls. Hugs, Mary

janie44

Looks like we are all going to experience the same cold front -- just different days. It will turn 30 Thursday night here.

I have exercise guides and massage guides,but nothing specific for planes.

Tomorrow is Herceptin graduation day!.

PJB

Yippee, Janie, you'll hopefully be done when you read this! What are you gonna do with yourself without that weekly fun?

Mary, gosh, I wish I could think of anything that would help with your husband. I'm currently drafted as "helper" for a woman who I work with who's having big problems with depression, insomnia, etc. In fact, that's why I'm home, waiting to see if she needs to go to the hospital. She hasn't slept in days. This has been tough enough. But if your husband doesn't even acknowledge the problem, I can't imagine how frustrating that must be. Praying for you...

Feeling fine today. Got the itchy wig on, and thankful for it since the temps in the high 30s.

Renee, thanks for the link to the site with the cool clothes. I think I'm good for now (my sister sent me some pants), but those look like really nice,quality garments. Oh, and try to keep it warmer up there, please. I'll be up your way in just over a month....

Paula

mary1220

Hey! CONGRADS Janie!!!! What a year it has been. You only have 3 more days and you are on your way. It seems going away always makes a person feel good. Then it feels good to be back home too. It was 19 with the wind chill today. Yea!!!thats darn cold. Paula thats wonderful you are helping the gal with depression and doing such a wonderful deed. I can't talk to my hubby about it because he gets upset. He just thinks he is normal. He rarely leaves the house or talks. He is in bed or sitting in the recliner sleeping and if he wakes up he goes to bed. I hate to say this but it is really getting on my nerves and I just feel bad after all we have been through because of me but I just can't live like this. I tried to tell him he needs help tonight but he didn't respond. I can't do anything else for him. He use to be a lot of fun and jokes. Now he just exists. He isn't even him anymore.I am really happy for you Janie. I get treatment tomorrow. I will check on the chest pain. It happened today and it feels like muscle pain maybe from the rads. I don't know. Renee, you stay warm. P.J. we will be done in a few months too. I get done in April I think. Hope Nancy is o.k. Gotta pick up a grandson at basketball. I have to watch Lost tonight. Later girls,

janie44

I'm done with treatment and pray it is forever. Will write more when I am awake -- in a semiconscious state from meds right now. Take care you all!

PJB

Janie, when you feel better. Celebrate. Or shop. Or something fun.

Mary, will your kids help talk to their dad about the depression? Please let us know what they say about your chest pains. Probably indigestion from dealing with hubby....

It's 7:30, and I can't wait to go to bed. To think I used to stay up til all hours. How things change... Take care guys

Paula

mary1220

Hi Girls, Well I am getting an echo sometime soon. I had the flu I guess lastnight. I was really sick at my stomach and even had some cramping around my sides. It is better today but onkie gave me some meds. for it but it seems gone. I just feel achey and tired and the benadryl is still working. Gosh, that made me remember what A/C was like. Good for you Janie, I am glad your done. Hope Nancy is o.k. and P.J. keep going girl. My daughter that studied phsyc. may be able to talk to him. He doesn't want me telling the kids he "don't feel good". We shall see. P.J. I sure run outta steam early these days. I use to stay up until 11 or so, now I am lucky to be up at 9:30. Really tired so better get back to bed. Hugs, Mary

mary1220

Hi girls, Wishing everyone a great wk. end. Janie you have a safe trip and I know it will be great. It was in the 50's in Or. yesterday or wed. I get mixed up but it wasn't real cold. I am feeling good today so musta been the flu. Dr. is getting a cat scan of lungs to make sure theres no mets. there causing the chest pain. Hubby was actually better today. He got out and did some yard work and was in a pretty good mood. Who knows what tomorrow will be. Everyone have a great wk. end. Hugs, Mary