Starting Chemo in JAN 2007

meliaanne

Yep, Viddie, and I thank God for all of you every day!

jonimb

Hello Mel:

Just a note to let you know I'm thinking of you, and wishing you all the best, and a speedy recovery.

Hugs...Joni

NOLONGERREADINGORPOSTING

Mel,

I know you are probably having a very anxious and nervous morning, but all will be well.

Let the meds do their work, you'll feel fine. We are praying for you.

{{{{{Mel}}}}}

xxxooo Mizissy

tlc60

Mel:
Wishing you the best today, you are in my prayers and thoughts..

hugs,

tlc

tlc60

Mizsissy,
I wanna know what you had before you went to bed to give you such a bizarre/scary deam!! 8-)

tlc

dkmaustx

Mel,

Good luck with your surgery today. I'm sorry that your day yesterday was so horrendous; may we all not have many like that one.

I also want to thank you for taking the time to answer my question on another thread while you had all this going on in your life.

Hope to see you back here soon.

NOLONGERREADINGORPOSTING

Cindy,

You shouldn't feel at all guilty about the fatigue you feel on radiation because not *all* of us react the same. The effect is cumulative. I felt nothing for the first few weeks except extra sleepiness, but after I while I got very, very tired. SCARY tired, because I wasn't that tired on chemo.

Rads can be worse than chemo because you get zapped every day, week in and week out without a break. The best advice I can give is sleep as much as you can. Take short walks; they will energize you. Don't overdo...with exercise, activity, or anything. Just take it easy.

If you rest enough, you may start recovering even before the radiation treatments are finished. The tech ladies at the rad clinic suggested that I start taking naps during the day...maybe you should.

It will be over very soon and your energy will return as quickly as it left!!!

xxxooo Mizsisy

NOLONGERREADINGORPOSTING

Hey Viddie, I just want you to know that I took your advice yesterday and the scale already registers 1 pound less!!! And today I am not even hungry..

My husband and I have a bet that whoever loses 5% of their body weight in June can spend $100 on something totally frivolous for themselves. That seven pounds for me. One down and six to go. I'm going to get myself a pair of red high-heeled sandals!!!

xxxooo

Mizsissy

Nancyab

Hi ladies,
First of all Mel, prayers and support to you on this day of surgery. (:
I have not been up to par here, My final chemo I guess had to knock the socks off me just for good measure! I am so fatigued I actually feel as if I am under an anesthisic- (I know spelling) I have slept nearly 40 some hours in the last 3 days. It is scaring me.
With every ounce of weakness I went to the rads dr. this morning. I will get mapping done next week on Thursday and start rads the following week. Egad that seems too soon, I am tired I need a break! He eplained to me also about weight gain and how hard it is to lose the weight after BC treatment. Yeah... I needed to hear this. Oh boy I am in big trouble. Because the mere thought of exercising adds to my exhaustion. The numbness in my hands and feet are so bad right now. I drop everything I pick up. It has taken me 20 mins to type this! Why did taxol # 12 have to be the worse? Getting sleepy again, This grey misty fog like state I am in is frightening.

NOLONGERREADINGORPOSTING

Nancy,

Maybe you need to take a longer break between chemo & rads. Chemo really did a number on me, I had multo-infections, I waited six weeks!!!

Get as much as sleep as you can but also go for short walks, because lying around in itself can make you tired. The short walks get your blood circulating.

Mizsissy

meliaanne

Nancy, have you told your doctor how you feel? You need to find out if this is "normal" (whatever the hell that means). And sleep as much as you need to, you poor baby. Is someone feeding you and keeping the household going? Don't neglect your nutrition. I wish I could cook something for you.

My wbc counts were ok, so tomorrow is taxol 8. I will be done a month from today. What a long road this has been for all of us, and it goes on and on.

Nancy, drink lots of fluids. You are surrounded by love.

Melia

Anonymous

Mel – the hospital is going to be a vacation after the Monday you had. The breast shop here does the locked door thing too. I’ve always wondered why. I hope the surgery went smoothly and that you are feeling better soon.

Melia – if you stopped that pet food woman from making that insane statement to anyone else then it was well worth it. Don’t feel bad. Hope the blood work is OK.

Nancy – I am so sorry you are feeling so terrible! What does your doc say about so much fatigue? I hope your body is just getting the rest that you need and that you will start to feel better soon.

viddie

Mel,
I hope you are out of surgery and recovering nicely. It was me who suggested low fat key lime yogurt mixed with low fat cool whip. It is indeed yummy. My thoughts are with you.
Mizsissy,
That was quite a dream!
Nancy,
I am sorry you are feeling so yucky. I feel the worst on days 4 and 5 after taxol. By the time I start to feel better, it is time to go again. This time you do not have to go back. You’re finished with taxol!!! I also know that for me sleeping is the best medicine, even if I have to take an ativan. My oncologist told me that if my hands and feet become unmanageable, she will put me on Neurontin. You might want to ask your onc about that. Hang in there- It will get better. We are here for you.
Jan,
I will be there tonight at 8:30. See you all then. Maybe by that time we will hear from Larry.
Viddie

Rebecca

Grrrr not sure I will make it tonight....at 8:30 I will be in transit home from getting Frances from gymnastics. Ah well....next time!

Went to the Plastic Surgeon today for what I thought was just a check, but he stuck me with another 40cc of saline in my expander. YOWCH! I expressed my feelings about big boobs (again) and he just said "Do not worry, i will not make you into Dolly Parton". UGH....I just hope he knows what he is doing. On the other hand we started talking surgery dates (YAY!) I think that it is going to be on or around Aug 9, which will give me plenty of time to recover before the fall semester starts. I can not wait to have this done and put behind me.......

Nancy, sorry you are feeling so yuck...hang in there, the finish line is under your nose! You will enjoy the roses when the fog lifts (and it surely will!)

Viddie, I am going to have to try that yogurt/coolwhip trick! That sounds awesome. So many of the yogurts out there are so sweet that they are like a dessert all alone...I rather like dannon LaCreme. It was one of the things I was able to eat on Chemo. The whipped mousse-like yogurts are pretty luscious as well.

Thinking about you Mel!

skyedivine

Hi Ladies,
I'm in for the chat tonight.

Mel, waiting to hear from your husband, what a day you had yesterday! Hope today was much much better, and no more of that passing out, you hear? Little old ladies locking themselves in boob accessory stores? It does sound like a Coen brothers comedy or something. The poor things don't sound too organized.

I had my mapping or "planning" session today in Waukesha with Dr. Clapper. It was very uncomfortable lying there so long with my arms over my head on that beanbag body mold thingey, and I thought it hurt quite a bit to get the tattoos but otherwise got thru it ok. I asked about that new study on the shorter time span with bigger doses but he said I wasn't a candidate because I no longer had a cavity to aim at, the place where the tumor used to be is all filled in. So anyway my simulation is Friday, then the real thing starts Monday. Here we go...

Also the roofing crew showed up just before I left, worked until 3:15 and then split. It will take the rest of the week, I'm sure. I know just enough Spanish to know they were commenting on me as I walked to my car in my scarf. I turned and gave them a dirty look and they shut right up.

Tina and Viddie, the dh really is a character, that is true. He has a story about something on the farm for everything that comes up in life, although he hasn't lived on one since he was 18. This summer will be our 35th anniversary, hard to believe!

Nancy hope you feel better soon. I've been not well for 3 days now, still not sure why but it's probably some summer virus. I almost feel asleep lying on the scanner table this morning, even with my arms hurting. Cold, wet weather doesn't help.

Anyway, hope to "talk" to whomever can make it to chat tonight! - Skye

jonimb

Hello all:

Mel, hoping all is well!!

Rebecca, I LOVE those glasses!! And the leopard scarf…you made me chuckle when you said you had a matching brolly to go with it….now that is something we need a pic of!!

Tami, sorry to hear that you haven’t felt well, hope that turns around quickly.

Cindy….some of your saying’s I’m going to steal. “Frosts your cookies” is so cute!1

I had Zap#6, and yes, I get 4 Zaps each day, from 4 different directions. I only have 20 sessions, but they give you the loaded version in Canada. Rebecca you are right about the bolus. My RT tech said that that area will probably be the first to turn pink, as the bolus makes it hit the skin quicker.

I was down for the count yesterday. I slept 15 hours after I got home from radiation, from 5;00 last nite until 8:00 this morning. Poor Dan, he was really worried. I had a terrible headache and stomach ache, so I think I had a touch of the flu. I told my RT girls today, and they said there was a flu going around, so maybe I got a small dose of it. As I wasn’t feeling 100% this morning, my sister came and took me to radiation, and then we went out for a nice lunch at the Olive Garden.

I’m kitty-sitting my girlfriend’s cat, so today after lunch my sister & I went over there. It is the prettiest little cat, with the bluest eyes.

I’m having a hard time with wearing things to rads. I can’t wear my prothesis, and I just feel so lopsided, and those tank tops with the bras cups inside look weird. I kind of have a divot towards my sternum, as my tumour was close to my chest wall. Also it has been really hot here…although, there are thunder-storms moving in. Any advice on what to wear would be appreciated.

See you at the CHAT tonite.

Hugs to all...Joni

TPPJ

Post deleted by TPPJ

TPPJ

Jan, had to laugh at your comment to Mel that the hospital was going to be like a vacation after her day.

I distinctly recall feeling such huge relief that I was in the hospital and didn't have to do a single thing for anyone. It was so nice. We never, ever get that chance. Even on vacations, it's chopping up kids food into miniscule bites, mopping up spilled drinks, getting more of this/that, etc... I swear, being in the hospital is the only true relaxation. Pathetic...

TPPJ

So, Viddie, mixing the key lime yogurt w/the cool whip must make it like kind of a light mousse.

Anonymous

TPPJ - oh my gosh, me too!!!!! I remember thinking "oh, I'll be able to sleep as much as I want and not have to do anything!"

Lynn12

Hi Ladies,

Mel, thinking about you!

Joni, are you not allowed to wear a bra? My rad onc told me it's ok, at least until I start getting pink. So I am still wearing my prothesis every day. I have no idea what I will do when I can't wear it. I'm thinking about wearing some of George's tank undershirts with a larger than I need sports bra over it with the prothesis (or some other sort of stuffing) inside the sports bra. What a pain!

My hair is STILL coming out. I can't believe it! I have to change the pillowcase every day. I can now see my scalp. I really hope it stops soon.

I started taking tamoxifen on Sunday and my left ankle has been painful since. I hope it's not the tamoxifen and perhaps I moved wrong when I was gardening this weekend. Argh!

Robbin update: All the babies are gone and dh cleaned up the nest this weekend. It was on top of our outside speaker and we'd like to play music again when on the deck. Well, they are back building another nest! lol. Guess we need to think of something to put on top of the speaker that deters them from making a nest.

I've been working from home much of the time for the past 8 years. The last time I had a full time job where I had to be in the office 40 hours was in 1998. Today I realized that this is the first time that I actually have to get dressed and out of the house every day. Glad my rad appt. is at 3 each day, not sure if I'd even be able to get out of the house every day early morning.

One last thing, when I walked into the rad room today, I happen to notice the door, it was about 3 feet thick! OMG! I said to the techs 'that's the door and I'm on THIS side of it??' haha! they said it was because this particular room doesn't have a cooridor to get to it..not really sure what that means but wow, that is one humungous door!

See y'all in chat!

Amera

Lynn, I wore my regular bras throughout rads. I had camisols and non-underwire bras all ready to go but didn't need them. I only felt really sunburned and irritated a few days after I finished my boosts. I am fine now though after using the burn cream they gave me. My first 30 treatments were 4 zaps but no bolus. The boosts were 8 days of 1 zap using the bolus.

IowaCindy

Mel,
I thought of you throughout the day. I'm with the other ladies, waiting for your husband to let us know you're resting comfortably.

Sending more love from Iowa....
Cindy

mer1957

Sorry I missed the chat. I was out with my girlfriend but it was good catching up with her.

I am frustrated as they have not called me yet for my start of rads. They said if we do not call you in two weeks call us. Two weeks! So I called Mon and today. They said they are still doing their "caclulations." What could be taking so long? I think they are too busy over there, but now that I have had the sim it's too late to change. I called the surgeon and told her what is going on. Supposedly I am still in the "acceptable" range of within 8 weeks of surgery but I'm pushing it. They are supposed to call next week. They will probably give me one day's notice of when to start. I feel like this is just the beginning of a frustrating 6-1/2 weeks of rads. I really would like to get this over with so I can get a bra that actually fits.

Lynn, so sorry about your hair again. Rest assured, it will come back but it sure takes a long time. I would never have thought I'd be wearing a wig for six months.

mer1957

Mel, thinking of you. Hope it went well.

IowaCindy

I quit wearing a bra after my second tx. I just decided I'm small enough I could do a fair job of layering tank shirts and bigger shirts over the top to hide my unevenness. It's not perfect but it's alright. My saggy middle-aged b cup left side isn't quite as perky after all these years and nursing both daughters. The loose shirts over the top of the tanks work okay.

My mastectomy bras fit snug, the prosthesis gets hot and I knew it would be getting hot outside too. The whole bra/prosthesis unit would rub and irritate the skin. So I just decided for these weeks, I'm going au natural.

Cindy.....dreaming of my young days when going braless was a pleasure

luckymel

Hello Everyone.

This is "Mr. Mel"

Melinda is doing well, some pain on the left side from the axillary node removal. Otherwise OK. She is staying at least tonight in the hospital; she should come home either tomorrow or at least by Thursday. She wanted me to let you all know. Best Regards,
Larry

Rebecca

yay Mel!

I am so glad...thanks Mr. Mel...it was a tense day waiting for all of us. We appreciate you taking the time to write us...relax, take care of yourself (this is/has been hard on you too!) and give Mel a kiss from me.

NOLONGERREADINGORPOSTING

Mr. Mel, thank you so much for updating us on Melinda. We have all been concerned about her. Let her know that even though we cannot communicate with her on line right now, we are thinking about her in her hospital bed and sending positive thoughts.

I just now read about her miserable time being held captive by those elderly bra ladies!!! What a story!!!! Geez! Surgery must have been a breeze after the craziest pre-surgery day ever!!!

Lynn..egads, you are still losing your hair!!! I remember being told that how much hair you lose and when all depends on your hair growing cycle. The reason you are probably losing it now is that it is trying to grow, but there are damaged cells. Never fear, hair will come back!

Joni, what a delight it must be to take care of a new kitty, blue eyes indeed! Lynn & Joni, don't worry about what you're wearing to rads; they don't care how you look. I got so I would just roll into the car any old way, old shirt, paint on it, no makeup, no bra. By the time anyone sees you, you are in your robe anyway. The only thing I just couldn't do was go topless!!!!

Sorry I missed chat last night. What did you chat about?!!!!

A netflix movie arrived and DH & I watched it. Age of Innocence...terribly flawed by over direction; I think Merchant & Ivory could have done a lot better with this wonderful novel, even tho they're British.

Heard from RobbinJaye!!! She got two nice surprises in her mailbox yesterday and is *very* grateful!!!!

xxxooo Mizsissy

viddie

Hi,
Larry,
Thanks for letting us know.
I am so glad Mel is okay. Now she can recuperate. Please give her a hug for me and tell her I am thinking of her.
Viddie