For those starting chemo in June

janie44

Hi All,

Renee, I hope Ry's surgery went well. Mary keep us posted on your MIL. Paula, good luck with the scans...sending positive vibes your way.

We were all dreading a meeting today. It ended up going really well so the dept. decided to go out to eat to celebrate. It turned out to be a surprise 60th birthday party for me. People came from central office and several of the various schools. The teacher who planned it got mixed up as to when my birthday is -- more than a month away...so I was REALLY surprised. We all had a great time.

NancyLee13

Hi Ladies--Went up to Billings 335 miles away for what I hope is my last MUGA scan yesterday. Yesterday evening picked up my sister from the airport. She's staying with me on the ranch for about a week. It was @60 degrees outside yesterday--Tropical warm spell and then today it was BRRRRRR cold again. Gotta love Montana weather. I go to Glendive on Friday to see my Onc. who flies in from Billings the second Fri. of each month. I'll find out the results of my MUGA then and maybe, maybe he will tell me that I can get the port out next week. Jayni--You're getting yours removed soon too?? YAY!! PJ--AmbienCR has possibly saved my life. I'm not sure how I could have survived without help in the sleeping department. I'm the one that Benedryl energizes and we won't even go into how manic Nyquil makes me. I think sometimes my body is built backwards in some way?? There was this all puffed up self important guy in the waiting room while I was waiting in that in between time after they take your blood and leave that little needle stuck in your arm while they mix the radioactive juice with your blood before putting it back in----Anyway, I'm sitting there with my friend who drove me up and listening to him show this other guy the needle in his arm and listening to how brave he was to have this nuclear stuff put in his body so he could have a CT scan and we just sat there chuckling because it was my 7th time for a MUGA and I had the same thing stuck in my arm, but it was under my sweater sleeve and I was just sitting there like probably some other women in the room----So he goes and gets the dye put in him and has the scan and comes back to the room about 10 minutes later and has HIVES ALL over his face and neck and further south. He totally panicked and that made it worse and everyone in the waiting room who had been listening to him before that was silently laughing because he was such a jerk beforehand and it couldn't have happened to a better candidate!! Am I mean--No, you should have heard him. He was begging everyone for a benedryl and my friend and I both carry packets of it, but there was NO way we were going to be liable for him keeling over. He wasn't having trouble breathing or anything so it wasn't an epi emergency or anything--It was just HIVES for gosh sakes. Anyway, I got called to my MUGA and missed the end, but they finally got a dr. to write a script for some benedryl for him and sent him home. He was gone when I got back. Thanks. Well, big day at the daycare. I had to work to fill in for one of my missing employees and my sister went with and washed dishes!! Tired tonight. Hope everyone had a Great Wednesday--Oh, I was in the grocery store tonight and they read my cart number over the loud speaker and we won a free bag of groceries and it was ALL stuff that I buy-Especially the two boxes of Kettle Corn popcorn. I Love that stuff. So SEE it is the week for Good Luck for our little group. Right?? Yes. Bye for now--Life is Good--Smiles--NancyLee

PJB

Nancy, men are such babies.....

Janie, what a fantastic surprise for you. Happy Birthday and have a great appt.!

MY SCAN WAS CLEAN! Spots are gone. So, one more low-dose round of Xeloda, then next month ovaries out and moving to an AI. WHEW!

Mary, how's the cleaning? Renee, hope your son is doing well....


Paula

rlswkndr

Ryan is doing pretty good so far..hates that he has to slow down. Yesterday I had a booth at the busines women's expo so I am very tired today, but it went good. At least I got the Spring collection in time to show that instead of the unavailable winter collection. I had an interesting conversation with a Dr. that does blood morphology?
She gets a drop of blood and we look at it under the microscope. Well,she (and me) didn't like want we saw. I;ve seen blood under scopes before and know what looks normal.. mine are all clumped together. Of course I panic. She looks at me and says "NO MORE SUGAR" you're body is not processing it right. "I've been trying to cut back... she says "NO MORE SUGAR" Long story, but she had cancer went back to school for DR. and works on a more holistic approach. Freaked me out... but today I go cold turkey on sugar and back to my South Beach cookbook.
Today I have to go to a funeral for a baby that passed away about 1 hour after she was born. We knew it was going to happen, but it doesn't make it any easier.
Ok , that was 2 depressing stories.

LET'S CELEBRATE !
YEAH PAULA!! You can celebrate twice.. once for you and once for Janie's birthday. That's 2 treats instead of one.
A month isn't too early to celebrate your birthday. any closer and you would have figured out the surprise party.
Mary, must be cleaning too much.
Later, Renee

mary1220

Good Morning Girls, Glad about the GREAT NEWS P.J. I told you we are too strong together.Rene, Glad Ryan is doing good and hope he will be up and around soon. Sounds like you are no doubt busy as heck. Happy almost Birthday Janie. Do you go up two numbers when you have 2 birthdays? Just kidding kiddo. That was really nice and they must appreciate you. I have been really busy. They came and took pics. for the internet of the inside of my house. They are having an open house a wk. from Sunday. I hope it sells soon but a lot of houses here have been sitting for a few months and lowering prices. Real estate seems to have slowed down a lot. There are 4 houses on 2 blocks here for sale. Hubby is depressed because he can't get a job. They want a year or 2 experience and his alcohol back ground doesn't help. He has put in a few apps. on the internet in Phx. so maybe that will help. He is such a dedicated worker. He better not get all squirrely on me again or I will ring his neck. He is getting awfully quiet and cranky so I have just ignored him. With his back and neck there isn't much he can do but we will find something. Glad everyone is doing good and getting good reports. I had treatment yesterday and was up throwing up lastnight. Still quezzy today. I have 6 more to go. The weather is cold and cloudy as usual. Nancy, I don't know how you put up with that weather. You are really brave. Later girls, I am just sooo happy everyones doing good. Hugs, Mary

PJB

mary, 6 more to go! yea! sorry to hear about the upchucks tho. i know you'll be glad to get past that. then you and hubby and little frito (or whatever the lovely dog's name is) can head for warmer climates!

renee, drag about that sugar thing. you're a stronger woman than i..... south beach looked really daunting.

hope janie's faring well. hi, nancy....

janie44

Hurray Paula! I just knew the scans would be clean. I also have good news. Everything turned out good for me as well. My EF number had dropped from 67 to 59 on my ECHO (Mary remind me, what does EF stand for?), but that was to be expected with all the high dose Herceptin -- as long as it doesn't go below 50. My stenosis was actually somewhat better. Don't know how that happened. My counts were great. My onc was a little aggravated because the locals had not kept up with my CT scans. He wanted them done every 6 months because of the lung nodules. He said he would get with them on that and a few minor things. He asked me several times about mammo I had because of the way my breast feels....the scar tissue makes it difficult to tell what it is. They studied and compared recent mammograms several times and were pretty sure it is ok.
Mary, I was asking my onc about the trials and how it is going there (where it originated). The results are phenomenal. "Who would of thunk it?" a year ago.

Nancy, You lead an interesting life. Mary, I hope all goes well with all your many concerns. Renee, Hope your son does well, Paula, "You've come a long way baby!"

PJB

I've been waiting for news from you, Janie. So glad it looks great. Now I can enjoy my weekend without worry.

I'm actually going to do some chores!

mary1220

Hey thats GREAT news Janie. I am so happy for you and P.J. Janie, thats Ejection Fraction and thats how well your heart pumps the blood out and 50 isn't bad but below 50 is getting a little too low. I came up from 50 to 60 or 70% I can't remember, after ending the A/c and Taxol. I am probably even better now. The gal that did mine last time said mine was great for my age. We had someone look at the house today. It just went in the paper Fri. I expect it will take a few months to sell. Our town has no business really so everyone works in Springfield or Decatur and both cities are 28 miles away. People hate to drive round trip a little better than 60 miles a day. Oh well, it will sell. Hubby is doing good, I was scared he was going squirrelly again(depressed) but he is fine. He has a lead he is going to check out Mon. I have spent more time running behind him picking up and finishing up his task I could drown him in the pool and pull the cover over and act surprised when I open it up in the spring. We have had snow but just a dusting. It snowed today too but it isn't really sticking. It is cold and I hurt something awful. Well I better get going and get some stuff done. I am so happy you girls got the clean slate. We can now start the clean and clear club. Later my little healthy friends, Mary

rlswkndr

Yes, the Clean and Clear Club- kind of like the Clean Plate club you may have had to be in while growing up.
Mary, that cold sure makes the joint aches. No snow here right now, because the 2" we had a few days ago melted. At least it is still sunny. VERY COLD coming in this, but weekend but I will be in Denver starting Wednesday. I get to celebrate another birthday at the company big bash. I tell them it is nice to celebrate with a 4 course meal,awesome desserts and wine. Dancing too.. but it is mostly women so it is crazy on the dance floor.
Have a HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY tomorrow!

janie44

Together we stand! Onward and upward ladies! We will survive!

PJB

Hi guys,

Well, off to the gyno on Thursday to do the dreaded annual exam and talk about the ooooooooooooopherectomy. Boy, do I look different than last time I saw him!

Mary, did you sell that house yet? You know, they say you should bake something right before people come over to make it seem homey. Perhaps you should just make yourself chocolate chip cookies 24/7. Granted, there wouldn't be enough time to eat them in between batches, but I'm sure the grandkids would love them...

Janie, so are you appointmentless for awhile?

Renee, I hear things are back to the normal frigid up your way again. I'm SOOO glad I didn't go up there for christmas. I mean, Nathan and I were too cold yesterday and I think it was in the low 60s. We're a pathetic pair.

Speaking of cold, Nancy Lee, hope things are going well with you, too.

Paula

janie44

PJ, Actually I have a consult in the morning to talk about removing my port. My local onc insists it needs to go. My Mayo onc says it is up to me. I have mixed feelings about it.

They did an IV procedure during the echo and did not have a heparin needle and did it the old way. It was not fun. My veins blew and all that crap...just like in the good old days. The tech apologized profusely saying that he had 24 years experience and "every once in while someone gets him." I told him not to worry about. I have gotten a lot of people. The port does sort of get in my way sometimes, especially when I have mammograms and I have to go have it flushed once a month.....I know I am waffling.

It was in the 20's here last night and I was freezing.

Have a good one ladies.

mary1220

A toasty Hello little snow bunnies, It is getting up to 55 today?????Whats up? I like it buttttt it is to drop like my big butt in a swimming pool Thursday down to mid 20's. That will feel cold. Well the people that looked at the house Sunday said they want it but are trying to get a loan. They didn't counter because they thought the price was good. We shall see. It is hard to keep the house spottless....We are clutter people. Well hubby is bad about that and I have been on him but I don't think he retains authoritive request. He is on a quest to get a trucker job and frankly I would give up and chalk it off to a lesson learned....NOOOO, not him. He will drive himself nuts and eventually buy a truck just to prove he can be a truck driver if only to himself. Oh Lord, senility, I have so much to look forward to. Soooo, it is a matter of time now until we look at trucks. I ain't saying a word to start that crap, we will see how long it takes him to give up and want a truck. Holy Cow, every day is a new adventure around here. Well I am glad everyone is fine for a while. Good luck at the Gynie P.J., that sounds like fun.....Janie, hope all is well at the consult. My onkie nurse is getting to be quite crafty at finding new places to stick the I.V. The nuckle between the fingers and hand on the pointer finger really hurts. That would be a hard choice to keep or not to keep. Well guess I better go I have a grandkid to pick up from preschool at 11:00 and I have work to do. Hi to Nancy and Rene too and hope Ry is doing better. Hugs, Mary

janie44

Yes Mary, and the underside of the wrist, especially when they go digging around and then the freakin' vein blows anyway!

Good luck on selling your house.

Paula, let us know what happens with the surgery plans.

Hey to Renee and Nancy up North.

Janie

PJB

I have a question for you guys. The Taxotere/Xeloda combination has caused some rather inconvenient water retention, particularly in my right arm and leg. It's a known side effect, and doc says it'll pretty much just have to go down on its own. You guys have any words of advice on what I can do to hasten that process along?

Thanks,
Paula

mary1220

Hi girls, P.J. you need something that gets rid of fluid. Maybe something like midol that gets rid of fluid retention or a simular over the counter drug. I don't know whats out there because I haven't had a period for 27 years, thank the lord. Your Dr. must have a reason not to give you a light water pill. Walking may help too. You poor thing. Good Luck gotta get, slushy hugs, Mary

mary1220

If you see a Fox News Alert that a ladie in a small sleepy town hacked her husband to death with a wooden spoon just to watch him die. That will be me. Mary

PJB

Death by wooden spoon. That's painful. And long....

what'd he do?

Paula

kimmie11

Oh my gosh!! Whatever it was Paula he won't do it again!
I am from the August group but I have dropped in and read your thread for a long time, you girls are a lot of fun to keep up with and gave me an idea of what was to come each step of the way.
Okay now to tell you a funny story related to the spoon. I was cooking cream of wheat for breakfast one morning years ago, I love cream of wheat and I had us on a diet. DH was not nearly as excited about the breakfast as I was, and as I was stirring it slowly he kept nagging about eggs and bacon, girls you know no woman can nag like a man can. Finally I said that's it shut up and took the spoon and I don't know why I did it but I slapped him across the forehead. DH is a big guy and had to walk around for the rest of the day with a red spoon mark on his forehead. I tried to apologize for days but I couldn't stop laughing.

Kimmie

PJB

Kimmie, That's hilarious! At least you're not passive agressive! My husband's mom used to bonk them with wooden spoons, too, so apparently it's a time-honored weapon of choice of fed-up women. And to think I never thought of it!

Glad to have you drop in. I imagine you're pretty much done with treatment?

We do have a special group here. Now if Mary and Renee would quit sending their stinking cold weather down here (it was 80 today, expecting freezing rain tomorrow), I'd be really happy with them. Janie, I suppose it's coming your way, too. Be warm, guys. Where are the hot flashes when I need them?

Paula

P.S. - those troublesome ovaries come out March 21.

janie44

PJ, What a way to welcome Spring! I know you are ready for them to come out though. Mary and I were initially told that ER/PR- was a bad thing because it limits options (no hormone therapy), but now that we have Herceptin, I am thinking it is probably a good thing.

Welcome Kimmie, I've seen some guys I would like to whop with a spoon.

Mary, I see it now....10 most wanted....this lady blatantly bludgeoned her husband to death with a wooden spoon, hitting him not once, but 12 times...she likes the desert..and may be traveling with her little Mexican dog...do not confront her...she may have spoons on her...call one of the numbers on the screen...

It is warm today, but the cold weather is due here this weekend.

PJB

oy, now i have to go to the cardiologist after my stupid ekg yesterday. gyno says he thinks things'll be fine to go ahead with the surgery, but they just want to be sure. blech....

janie44

PJ,

I am sorry to hear about this latest bump in the road. Did they tell you what it showed that concerned them?

mary1220

Thats funny Janie, I am laughing my a%$ off on a lap top at a truck stop on my way to Az. with the little tramp. She is in heat and what a little tramp she is. Hubby is on his way tomorrow morn. for Blenker WI. another truck co. and I hope this one takes him. They are having open house tomorrow and they are showing our house twice in a row today so we have to get going. They will be here in 15 mins. Later, Mary

PJB

Janie, The gyno did tell me, but I didn't know what he was talking about. Something about the right something being more something than the last ekg in sept.

He says he still thinks things are fine and the surgery will be a go, they just want to check it out. Heard that before.... I guess I'll find out Monday when my appt with the cardio will be. Then labs Tuesday, and bone density test and start last round of Xeloda on Thursday. What a week.

Mary, got that house sold?

Cold here, but no ice, so I'm thankful for that. However, having to work on a Saturday, which I'm not so thankful for. Bundle up everyone...

NancyLee13

Hi from the FROZEN and I do mean frozen north. It was -22 degrees when I woke up yesterday with a wind of 15 MPH making the windchill temp -58 degrees. Nice, Huh? Needless to say, I didn't poke my nose out the door except to let the dog in and out. He actually spent the day for the most part in the house and he Never does that. He likes winter, but it never went above -15 all day and was just "take your breath away" cold. It got up to -4 today so we think it's tropically warm. There were actually people walking around with just sweatshirts on in town today. I went to the daycare because we hosted a workshop for area providers on behavioral issues with preschoolers. It was interesting and the presenter did a good job. She drove down from the DEAP office in Miles City and was glad that it was "so much warmer" today. Where I've been since I last checked in: On the 10th--best Onc. visit of all--He said I'm still NED--he said I look great--BEST OF ALL--he said I could get my port out & he shook my hand and told me he would see me in 3 months!!!!! I'm psyched!!! So I went out and asked the nurse how soon my PCP who is also my surgeon could take out my port and she looked into it and said--How does Monday the 13th sound? I said it sounded great to me!! 13 is my lucky number. So on Monday, Linda drove me to Glendive and my port is history!! Yay Yay Yay!!! I couldn't believe it was that big when I actually saw it. I actually HAVE it. The nurses cleaned it all up and autoclaved it to make it shine and presented it to me. I took it to the daycare for show and tell that evening. I'm thinking of having it put on my charm bracelet. Joke. It's too big. I have stitches and it's kinda sore and bruised, but the sense of freedom is wonderful. Enough--On Valentine's Day, my sister and I left for Plentywood to see Mom and my brother & family. We drove in and out of blizzards and fog most of the way up. It was cold when we got there but you expect that on the highline in Montana. We sorta celebrated my brother's birthday and my birthday together because his was February 11th and mine was January 13th--Friday the 13th!! and we decided we'd celebrate together this year. It was nice to have Linda there with us. Then on the 15th we went to the hospital and attended the monthly birthday celebration that they have for residents. They have a party for everyone who has a Feb birthday and my mom's is actually the 25th. She'll be 81. That was really nice. They had a live 3 piece Polka group playing Lawrence Welk type music. I actually expected Myron Floren to walk out there and the little words to the songs to run across in front of them or maybe I'm the only one old enough to remember watching LW on TV. After the party for Mom, Linda and I drove from Plentywood to Miles City @2 hours away and stayed in a motel because that put us closer to Billings so we didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn on Thursday. My friend Cindy had her husband drive her to Miles from Baker the next morning--He checked the fluids in my jeep and then the 3 of us--Linda, Cindy and I took off for Billings in 15 below zero weather much to the dismay of Cindy's husband!! We ate lunch in Billings and then we took Linda to the airport to catch a flight back to Oregon. That was hard. It was so nice to have her here. The flight didn't take off right away because they had to de-ice the plane, but she made it all the way back to Oregon with a layover in Portland before Cindy and I were even half way back to Baker driving. We ended up in blizzards for about half the drive home so we got slowed down and we did stop for a few minutes in Miles for gas. So after all that--I didn't have the energy to poke my nose out the door yesterday even if it hadn't been so cold. But I haven't stopped breaking into spontaneous smiles ever since Monday at 10:13 am which was when I stood up Port Free--I'm sure people think I'm crazy, but I don't care. Yes--Life is GOOD--Smiles--NancyLee

mary1220

Hi Girls, P.J. hope all goes smoothly with the heart and gyno. I had a tweek in my heart before something and I had to wait for a heart guy to check it and it was o.k.I hope yours is too. Most the time its a normal thing as everyone has tweeks but they like to check to be safe. I hope yours is nothing. I am thinking about ya. Nancy Lee you blow mind mind. I hate driving in ice and snow. I have done it a lot in my days but I get so uptight I find myself leaning over the stearing wheel all hunched and shaking. I really hate fog. You get my vote for bravery. Hey to Rene and Janie, hope everyone is haveing a great wk. end and Holliday tomorrow. I have to get hubby to bus station, they pay for bus ticket and it takes 12 hours go to a place 4 hours away. Open house today on my house so maybe we will sell. Gotta go later, Mary

janie44

PJ, Thinking about you. Hoping surgery will be a go.

Nancy, 13 is my lucky number too! Let me ask you something. I have the bump which is obviously the port, and a little above it is a string-like thingee that also sticks up. I take they remove the whole thing. Do they do two incisions or just pull it out somehow. I could have had mine done this coming Tuesday, the 21st, but my calendar was already full at work for that day and it is a pain to change everything so I asked for the 28th since I had to choose a Tuesday.

Mary, Good luck with your house.

I woke up with the flu or something yesterday. I have done very little this long weekend.

NancyLee13

Janie--It was better getting it out than in--I had to go to surgery and it didn't happen in the doctor's office like I've seen that some people had done but...I checked in at the desk and got my bracelets like I was going to the hospital--a regular one and a red allergy one and then I got put in a room and had to do the strip thing down to panties and socks and put on a gown and a robe and have my BP and temp and heart rate taken. Then I got a mini talk about surgical procedures, but since it was a local and not a general I didn't get the "you may not wake up so sign this so we can cover our butts" talk. Then I was taken to an operating room and hooked to monitors for BP and Heart rate and my Doc came in and asked if this was the best day of my life and I said that it ranked way up there. Then he told me that the only thing that was going to hurt was the first sting of the shot he was going to do to deaden the area. He told me that he was going to tell me everything he was doing as he was doing it. He was going to cut on the place where he put the port in so that I'd only have that one scar from both surgeries. As it turns out, he only used about 3 quarters of it. Anyhow, I talked with him and one of my chemo nurses who was the only other one in the room. She handed him all the stuff. He had a little trouble getting it out because he had only tacked down thru 3 of the 4 corners and in that 4th corner my body had built up a little scar tissue and tacked it in there really tight. That's kinda creepy. It was becoming a part of me?? But, I felt that little string like thingy and it turns out that this port is like a little square aluminum base probably 3/4ths" by 3/4ths", very thin, with a tiny hole in each corner to tack it on. Then sitting on top of this square is a round part that looks like a dog dish turned upside down. It sticks up about another 3/4". Unbelievable that it's so big--at least to me. Then on top of this round thing is the membrane that they stick the needles into. You can see where they hit it in different places and there are several places around the sides especially where a needle has never ventured. It's really not a very big area--just like 1/2" diameter so I can see why some people had a few problems hitting it at first if they weren't used to ports. Okay, the String-like thingy is about 1/2 to 3/4 the way down on one side and it's a skinny pipe with a thing like the end of a very small ink pen on the end of it. It has a hole about the size of a fine point pen in the end and that had the tube hooked to it that is threaded into our veins and then goes into our hearts. When he pulled all that out--I watched and he asked if I wanted the tubing too and I said--Not so much. I just wanted the port itself. I put that medical card that I've had to carry ever since I had it inserted in the little baggie thing. It's like it was a source of comfort in a way because I knew that I didn't have to have them poke me in the arm when they do blood tests BUT it's also like that was my last link to chemo and having to go back there to that infusion room monthly to have it flushed. And it's a sense of freedom. He said it'll take a while for my body to fill in the cavity left by the port and it might feel a little weird for awhile, but it's GONE. Yay, I can pick things up without worrying about damaging the port or rupturing the port or any of the other little things they kept warning me about. Even with all the scar tissue and all that it only took about 45 minutes and I walked out of the hospital about an hour to the second after I'd walked in. Then we went out to eat a big breakfast cuz I couldn't eat beforehand. Then we went to K-Mart and did some shopping and to the grocery store and to Pizza Hut and got a pizza to take home for Supper and headed back to Baker. We stopped at the daycare so I could show them my port for show and tell and then we drove to the ranch. I took some Tylenol ER that night and then a couple the next day, but the pain was minimal. Right now it itches cuz those stitches are healing. It bled the first 24 hours and then it even stopped that. It's starting to look good. I'm still smiling. Mary--Good luck from me too with your house. My brother fired his realtor yesterday and got a different one. She was an idiot. Hope the new one does a better job for him. The house drama continues.....Oh, and when I was growing up we had this neighbor that used to bonk her kids on the head with a wooden spoon and when her daughter grew up----she has NO wooden spoons in her house. I've made that observation on my own!!!! Hi to Renee and PJ. Hope everyone had a blessed Sabbath. Life is Good--Smiles--NancyLee