Starting Chemo in JAN 2007

Rebecca

Have a great time Amera! We will miss you

skyedivine

Amera we will miss you but have a wonderful time and do check in as promised. We will hold you to that!
Jan the styling did wonderful things for your wigs. They are both great on you but I LOVE the shorter one the most. Tres chic!
Nancy I'm glad I'm not the only one uncomfortable about the male rads tech. I keep telling myself it's no different than the male surgeon or oncologist, neither of which bother me at all, but somehow it IS different. This guy doesn't stay behind the lead door and often is the one positioning me. He also has a way of snapping my little cover (a pillowcase!) off me that I don't like and always puts his hand on my bare back when I'm getting off the table. Just seems icky to me. How many years does one have to go to school to do this job I wonder?
Cindy that is funny about your girls now talking about how young girls dress.
Shows you did something very right.

Another hot sticky day here but it still beats winter. Was GREAT chatting last night, I'll have to go read the archive to see what I missed after I jumped off. I actually slept 5 hours straight last night and only woke up once so I conclude that chats with you guys are good for my health. -- Skye

Rebecca

Tina just sent me these lovely pics...ENJOY! (I did )

TPPJ

Thanks for posting, Rebecca. Skye, the one of me w/the "arms" that look like sausages has spurred me into action. In the bottom one, you can see my Kramer-do.

Amera, lucky you, going to the beach for the summer. Brave woman, going PC-less! Have fun!

Anonymous

Amera – I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing summer. It sounds like the perfect transition opportunity.

Skye – Is there another tech there that you could request? If there is I don’t think they would find it odd at all if you asked to have someone else. You asked about how many years of school…. I’m not sure exactly, but I do know that they have to be certified by ARRT and that certification requires a certain level of education and passing an exam. They have ethics standards too – their web site is www.arrt.org.

Tina – I love the pics. Your hair looks great – much better than your description of it. Your kids are adorable. I love the pic of them posing at the pool – very cute.

Well I wore the short wig yesterday home from the salon. I went to Cosco on the way home. It was the first time since January I’ve gone out without being stared at and/or getting turtle faces. I felt completely anonymous and it was really fun. It wasn’t any fun outside in 90+ weather, but being invisible for awhile was nice.

We are going camping at my in-laws campground in the NC mountains this weekend. They are having a fireworks show and big cookout for all of their campers Saturday night. My in-laws are very kind people – but also the biggest turtle faces that I know. I am not looking forward to it. The campground is gorgeous – but the bugs are always vicious. We usually take the dogs, but last year the fireworks really terrified them, so we boarded them for the weekend.

viddie

Hi,
It was great chatting last night, even though I was late. We plan to move into our cottage for the summer as soon as the septic system is completed. It was supposed to be done last week, but the contractors always underestimate the time. I hope it will be done by the 4th.
As these taxol treatments progress, the more tired I get- moving at this point seems too hard. Hopefully I can recruit my daughter to help. Her motivation is she gets our house to herself. They are only 20 minutes away from each other.
Meeting a friend for lunch today. Another hot day today, but it does beat the summer.
Jan, They both look great, but I also agree that the first one looks even better.
Tina, your children are adorable. You and your dh look perfect together. I love your dress and hat. Wow, you have lots of hair and it looks great! Thanks for sharing.
Amera,
Sound like a great vacation. Do you have a cottage on the Cape?
Jan,
Your weekend sounds like a lot of fun. Enjoy!
Have a great summer.
Viddie

Lynn12

Amera, have a wonderful summer, you deserve the summer at the beach...I'm wicked jealous!

I love all the pics everyone is posting. I'm going to get on the ball and figure out the online photo bucket thingy. Our town has their annual fireworks on the Sat. before the 4th every year. They are only 1/2 mile from our house, which prompts us to have a party! We have a hill next to our garage that everyone views the firework son blanket or chairs..it's a great view! We have about 75 people. It's a lot of work, but I'm getting extra help from mom and sis this year. The weather forcast for Sat. is 80 degress and sunny!

Speaking of rad techs. All three of mine are women, but every once in a while Ed is there, evidently he's a floater between the 4 machines. It's kind of funny because I don't feel any weirdness at all. Perhaps because there is no boob there for me to feel weird about? Don't know.

Saw the surgeon about my infection. He said the culture came back that it is sensitive to the antibiotic I'm on. So I just need to be patient and keep taking it. He said the hardness where the tunnel was is scar tissue and will go away. He said it's not a staph infection, I'd be real sick if it were that. I asked why I got it and he said a small percent of port removal patients get infections. Mostly people who have chemo as opposed to those that just have the port for blood draws.

My sister is a nurse in the radiology dept. that does procedures like port insertion/removal (at a different hospital). She said they give a prophylactic shot of anti biotic for both insertion and removal. I did not get that..something for y'all to think about when you get yours removed...ask for the shot!

meliaanne

Hi all,
Amera, have fun! You are right, it's a good transitional time, but do stay in touch. We have a cottage that we own with extended family. It's up the coast six hours so we only get there a couple of times a year, but it is the most calming place I have ever been. I love it there.

Tina, you and your fam are lovely. Your hair is wonderful! I can't believe I will have hair someday.

Lynn, I am sorry you are still fighting the infection. Seems like a long road to me.

Viddie, I hear you on the fatigue. I am completely without any resources now. It nearly makes me weep to think about walking to the mailbox. I will be so grateful to have this end.

melia

Caya

Tina - the pix are great. Your kids are so cute, and you and DH aren't too bad yourselves!! I love that black dress you're wearing - also love your short hair - I am jealous of so much hair - how long are you out from chemo? I'm 7 weeks out tomorrow.
Amera - have fun at the beach. Try to check in, as Skye says, we will hold you to that!
Jan - glad you ventured out with the short wig. It is so nice to get out incognito. I hope the inlaws aren't too turtelfacey (grammar?) this weekend. They mean well, as we all know.

skyedivine

Hey Jan maybe the wig will work on inlaw turtle faces as well! It really is nice to be invisible.
Tina, great photos. Kids are adorable, you and your dh make a striking couple. You look very glam. And SO much hair! My rads nurse wears hers that same length on purpose.
Lynn very interesting info on the port, thanks! I'm so glad it's not staph. Whew!
Viddie and Melia, keep hanging. I remember feeling that way from the Taxol, SUCH A long way to the mailbox. It feels like you'll always be that way but I promise the energy comes back. I did my whole workout tape this a.m. With rads!
Jan I wish there was another tech I could request but they only have two available on any given day. The first week was only women. It isn't so much that he's male, it's him, himself. Whenever I walk in he's always lounging at the front desk flirting with the rads nurse. I just don't trust him. Makes me dread going there but I don't see any alternative. Oh well. I decided today I'm going to ask him not to touch my back. Must get-a-going. - Skye

Nancyab

I woke up in the OR because of a twilight anesthesa.
I had my port out and it was a breeze. They prep you for surgery just like always, then in the OR they put you in a deep sleep for about 3-4 minutes then lift you out to a twilight. I awoke very easy and was ready to go before they were ready to let me. HA! I don't even have any pain, It was a good kind of surgery, the port did its job during chemo and I appreciated it for that, but sooo glad to have it out of me.
When they came in to put an iv in, I told them I had a port they could use. They didn't find the humor in it. Grumpys!!! Ya know those surgical bonnets they make you wear, my husband said without it holding any hair I looked like Chef Boyrdee. I just love his complements. No really a day never goes by that he doesn't make me laugh.
All is well, now lets just hope I don't get a nasty infection like Lynn. Poor thing

skyedivine

Ok, I feel better now. Today it was ONLY him, no other tech to be seen. So I gritted my teeth and got through the radiation, and then when he went to put his hand on my bare back I just said, "I don't need help, thank you." I wanted to say, "Get your meaty paw off me NOW!" but no sense being rude. He seemed to get the hint and acted rather abashed. There was absolutely no reason for him to do that and besides, the proper thing, had he just intended to assist me off the table, would have been to ask if I'd like some help and then walk around and take my arm if I said yes. Hand on back is no help at all, clothed or not.

I hope I don't sound like I'm making too much of this but something I've learned from this whole C experience is that I am not assertive enough and need to pay more attention to my gut instincts on things. And I feel much better having taken control of the situation at the only point where I can do so. I figure with four and a half more weeks to go on this it's better to settle things now.
How was everyone else's day? - Skye

skyedivine

Quote:

---

I woke up in the OR because of a twilight anesthesa.
I had my port out and it was a breeze.
When they came in to put an iv in, I told them I had a port they could use. They didn't find the humor in it. Grumpys!!! Ya know those surgical bonnets they make you wear, my husband said without it holding any hair I looked like Chef Boyrdee. I just love his complements. No really a day never goes by that he doesn't make me laugh.

---

Nancy, that's hysterical, your dh sounds a lot like mine. I also thought your offer of the port to use for the IV for port removal was extremely clever. And I'm glad your removal went so well and you are feeling good. Here's to a quick recovery! - Skye

Anonymous

nancy - congrats on getting the port out and thanks for sharing your great joke. Too bad for them that they didn't find it funny!

Skye - good for you. We all know life is too short to put up with unnecessary crap. I'm glad you said something to him.

mer1957

Tina you look so glamorous in that black dress. I too am jealous of your hair. My DH keeps telling me every day how much more I have but it doesn't feel like it because it is so short. I am SOOOO tired of this. I am jealous of you Amera and all others getting away for the summer. I could use a break. I think I will send away for my travel coupon and then at least I will have something to look forward to. 12 rads down, 21 to go. No s/e yet - yeah! Lynn, I hope you feel better soon. Nancy, so glad the port removal went well. Skye - glad you got a good night's sleep. Our chat hyped me up and I didn't sleep very soundly. My DS is leaving tom for Houston to see his brother. Pray for a safe trip and that Northwest actually keeps his flight! So it will just be DH and I for 10 days. I think I will eat salads every day and not cook!

It is still hot here but we got some rain that we badly needed. Tomorrow it is suppose to cool off. I am really enjoying the nice weather though. I biked this morning to the nature park and back before work. Luckily there were no wild animals out there, just a bunny or two. My DH said he saw a fox there last week.

mer1957

Jan, I wouldn't wear the wig around the campfire! Next time the inlaws stare, ask them what's wrong! Maybe a drink or two would lighten them up?

Anonymous

LOL Mary - the wig will not be traveling to the campground. Not a good choice for roasting marshmallows. No luck on the drink front - they are serious southern baptists and do not drink at all. That's too bad b/c it means we don't drink when we are there either. Guess I'll just have to comfort myself with s'mores.

viddie

Hi,
I need some advice. There is a new nurse for the past two weeks and somehow she became my nurse. She had made a few mistakes on me and I am not comfortable with her anymore. I might have already told you half the story, but now I am getting anxious about it.
The first time I had her, she starting giving me my pre-meds before the herceptin and before taking my blood to see if I get the taxol. I only need the premeds if I am going to get the taxol. They do not know this until they take my blood to see if my counts are okay. If not, I would skip the taxol and only get the herceptin. I would be a zombie all day for nothing if I got my pre-meds prematurely. I stopped her before she proceeded.

Also, when it was time for my pre-meds, gave me the allocated 3 zofran pills. Fifteen minutes later, she brought 3 more zofran pills. When I told her she already gave them to me, she apologized to me and asked me to not tell anyone.
Finally, she gave me the herceptin for one hour instead of half an hour. I did check with the head nurse the next day to make sure I got the right dose. Apparently, she just let it run for longer, but gave me the correct dose. But still, that was not the correct procedure.

This past week, the first thing I discussed with her was that I do not get the premeds until after I get the herceptin and until after she takes my blood. She acknowledged my words. Just as she was hooking my port up to the meds, I asked her what I was getting and she told me she was giving me benedryl and ativan----------mind you- this was 5 minutes after I spoke to her about my premeds. I asked her to stop and another nurse overheard this and rescued me. She told her I do not get my premeds until after the herceptin and only before the taxol.
Also, when she gave me the herceptin, I confirmed with her that it should only be for half an hour. Guess what--- she started running it for an hour- the bells starting ringing and once again the other nurse had to come over to see what was wrong. She told her that she was running the herceptin for an hour instead of half an hour, and corrected the machine.

I do not want her again and, like Skye, I am a little uncomfortable speaking up. I do not want to make a scene and appear to be a b-tch. Is there any diplomatic way to handle this? Skye, You handled it perfectly.
Nancy,
Congratulations on getting your port out. Another milestone!
Skye,
Good for you for speaking up! I admire you. You didn’t complain to anyone, but diplomatically you managed to let him know to “lay off.”
Jan,
I love s’mores! I hope you enjoy the weekend despite the “in-law” turtle looks. The fireworks should be fun to watch.

Viddie

TPPJ

Hi all... I'm beat from day 2 in the basement, de-junking. Thx. for all the nice comments re: my pix.

Viddie, OMG, that woman needs to be fired. I'd swear she was a psycho nurse, w/all those errors. Not every patient is as on the ball as you and catches them. By week 10 I was so out of it, I don't think I would have caught it. Don't even think about how you might come across. This has crossed the line of ridiculous.

Chef Boyardee (LOL!), congrats on the port removal!

Skye, I agree...no reason for pawing. When your dander goes up like that, it's usually for a reason...trust your instinct.

Mary, get that travel coupon...anticipation of travel is as good as the actual travel. Does wonders for you during this period. Be good to yourself! My new motto.

TPPJ

Oh, and Lynn! Roared at "wicked" jealous. Haven't heard that one in soooooooo long. I had to re-train myself when I left Boston because no one knew what I was talking about.

TPPJ

Yep, Jan, campfires and wigs...not a good mix! LOL! As far as the inlaws go...perhaps a flask for your tent?

I feel for you...mine weren't such a barrel of fun either. Now, my parents...totally diff. story.

TPPJ

Rebecca, you back on the rads tomorrow? Or was it today? I do Herceptin in the am...will be a long day because I've got the onco. first.

Caya

Viddie - Is there a head nurse or co-ordinator nurse there that you can speak to about the error prone nurse? I think Tina is right - you have to speak up- I hate to think of some of the other patients (especially the elderly) who do not notice these things. I hate to think of her losing her job, but you this is your life and treatments. Maybe you could suggest to the head nurse/supervisor that this nurse probably could use some more supervision - Is she friendly, nice etc. You could start off by saying her personality is very good, caring etc. - BUT ... at least you are saying something positive first.
Nancy - love the port jokes. Mine will be in for at least another year, I can just imagine how embedded it will be when it gets yanked out.
I have Herceptin # 2 tomorrow, and I hope I will not have another 3 weeks of nausea. I am going to bring all the various anti-nausea meds I have and discuss with the onc. what to do. However most of the literature says it is mostly just after the first infusion these flu-like (including nausea) symptoms occur. I hope so.
Lynn, I hope your infection is better.
Skye, congrats on handling the groping tech. You sure put him in his place.
It's very hot here tonight, we did not get the promised thunderstorms to cool things down.
good luck to all who are haivng treatments of any kind tomorrow.
caya

skyedivine

Oh Viddie, you can't let that go on. MUCH worse situation than I've been dealing with since your health and life are involved. I think Caya's suggestion is perfect, a nicely phrased word-to-the-wise to her superior, but no way should you allow her to treat you again without her supervisor standing there. Sheesh, who would have thought we'd have this kind of stuff to be managing in the midst of our treatment but there it is. Incompetence and inappropriateness happen.

Caya here's hoping your infusion goes well and no nausea this time. I did have it the first several times but it's gone now, and good riddance. Tina hope yours goes well too. I don't have another til the 11th.

I spent an hour on the phone tonight with my neighbor's sister w ho was just diagnosed with dcis, stage zero, so she's in that shell-shocked, million question stage. Her situation is better than most so it was easy to be encouraging but I told her the best thing I did was find my support group here and recommended she join a bc.org group with timing similar to hers. I hope all the threads are as good as this one and she finds the right one. I'm sure we will be talking again, too. So many sisters out there!

Tina I can't believe what you accomplished in your basement. More proof that energy does return! - Skye

wayover20

Viddie I am a long time nurse and I'm here to tell you please do not let this nurse go unchecked. Just think what other harm she may be doing to other patients. Oncology nursing is a very specialized field and I just wonder if this nurse is certified to be doing this work. Let me tell you my experience during my chemo journey:
One day a new nurse was assigned to handle my taxol infusion even though the other 2 regular nurses were there as well. She didn't even introduce herself to me which said alot right there, she just brought the tray of meds to the table and proceeded to hang bags, "push" syringes of meds into my lines. Well I wouldn't have it so I stopped her at each act and asked "so what's that you're hanging,,,what's that your pushing in??" etc. She coldy answered decadron, benadryl, tagamet and that was that. Well I started to have to go pee ALOT, much more than usual, I mean about every 15 minutes and as soon as I sat down again I could feel my bladder getting full again. Weird. I commented about this and a gentleman patient sitting next to me said "that's strange, I haven't had to go pee once and she (same nurse) says she gave me the lasix like usual, even though I didn't see her push anything in my line." I said well I think I got your lasix and you got none.

Long story short, I complained the to charge nurse (so did the male pt) and said I was 99% sure I was given HIS lasix and I refused to have her take care of me again. I also questioned if he got his lasix and when they asked the nurse she said she put it in his bag of fluid, not in the line directly. So why wasn't it making him pee?
Anyway viddie, if I hadn't gotten satisfation from speaking to the charge nurse, I would have moved up to the oncologist. I'm sure she would like to know what her patients think of this nurse. It's about patient safety above all.
Good luck whatever you decide. Oh yea, the end of my story, I had to stop TWICE on the way home to pee.....dang what was his dose 100mg???

pat

wayover20

Hi ladies...I just had #11 taxol yesterday and feeling pretty good so far. I did need aranesp for 11.6 count but that's ok cuz it seems to pep me up for a few days (I did the entire yard today). Anyway, I did have to report to my dr. that for about 3 days this past weekend, my hands and feet were swelling, not awful, but enough that I could feel tightness when I walked and couldn't wear any rings on my finger and couldn't make a tight fist. So I was concerned enough to tell my dr. and she gave me a Rx for lasix 20mg, also lowered my taxol dose from 75 to 70 for these last 2. She also said she wants to see me before they start my last dose next week and if my symptoms have not gotten really better with the lasix then we have to decide whether to go ahead or forego the last dose. She mentioned that in 26 years of doing this, she's had one lady that breezed thru AC and taxol with NO problems, then 3 weeks after last taxol, she comes back with swelling to face,abdomen,legs, arms,,everything! She needed aggressive treatment to get rid of it.

I want to get all the doses we planned on, came too far now to stop. I haven't picked up the lasix yet and right now at midnight I have no swelling to hands/fingers and only very slight to feet (probably due to sitting at this puter too long). But I'm going to take it tomorrow like I'm supposed to.

Hope my friends pulling up the end with me are doing ok.
Pat

Rebecca

I took baby Bella to the vet yesterday for her kitten checkup (free from the shelter). Well, I KNEW that nothing is ever free, and I told DH when he was pressing me to adopt the kitten that it was NOT going to be free….well, was I ever correct. Turns out that Bella injured her paw at some time before they got her at the shelter, and in the intervening time it got terribly infected, and she had an abscess. Long story short she wound up in surgery yesterday, and still is probably going to lose one of her nails, perhaps the whole toe and potentially (but less likely) her leg. So, my penance for going against my better judgment is that I get to nurse this baby back to health…paw must be soaked 4X per day, give antibiotics, special kitty litter and since she is wearing one of those cones now she needs to be spoon fed..particularly since she is also drastically underweight.

AAARRRGGGGHHHH.

On the plus side, she is a remarkable baby. She does NOTHING but purr, and now that she has a few meals in her she is perking up and showing some spunk. It was a low blow….I did not need this now, and this was not why we got a kitten—she was supposed to be the light at the end of this tunnel, but instead she has become part of the tunnel. On the other hand I am totally head over heels for this little beauty, and I think she is going to be a great cat.

Rebecca

Yay Nancy on getting your port out…LOL about using the port for the IV!!!

Mary I hear you about the hair…my DH inspects my head every night now that I walk around the house topless. He likes it…he calls it the GI Jane look.

Viddie, I am uncomfortable with the fact that this nurse asked you to stay silent about her error. I am not sure about diplomacy, but I do know that you MUST speak up, for your own sake as well as the sake of others who may not be as aware of their protocols as you are. Sounds like this nurse needs to either be supervised more closely as she trains, or needs to be put on a desk job. Tell the head nurse and/or the doctor immediately. I like Caya’s advice to mention a few positive attributes first to mitigate the blow. I think that is what you should do.

Skye, I am glad you let that tech know how you feel. You should be comfortable…or at least as comfortable as possible in this uncomfortable situation.

Jan-wow camping! I am jealous. As far as the in-laws, maybe you should make some “nuclear” jello. That might relax them

Caya I hope your infusion goes well today and no nausea.

I am heading up to the Rads Onc this morning, and hopefully I will get the go-ahead for the rest of my zaps. I am still pretty sore and discolored so I am nervous about it. I was very vigilant about putting on my cream these last two days, and I spent a lot of time bra-less (but not in the buff) around the house hoping to air it out a bit. The worst bit is under my arm…the redness goes all the way up into my armpit. I can not feel any pain, but I can feel that it is “sticky” and it is uncomfortable against the inside of my upper arm (which miraculously HAS sensation) if that makes sense. Anyway, wish me luck this morning! I will check back in later and let you all know how I did.

Baby Bella is snoozing in my lap now. She was supposed to belong to Frances, I am not sure how that is going to go after I have to invest so much care in her…tends to make me bond

Rebecca

Pat- that is a scary story, and it is a perfect illustration of why Viddie needs to speak up.

Anonymous

Viddie – do you see your doctor or anyone else when you go in before you go to the infusion room? If so, that’s the point where I would request another nurse. During chemo I had a favorite nurse and told my onc that I wanted her every time. He wrote it in my chart and I always got her if she was there. So – if you can do that ask. Otherwise, I think you just have to suck it up and tell them you want someone else. Her behavior is really disturbing. The worst part I think is that when she made an error she asked you not to tell anyone – that’s a huge red flag IMO. If you are really uncomfortable asking perhaps you could put a positive spin on it and ask for another nurse that you like instead of asking not to have this one. But frankly if it were me I would refuse to have her at all – even if you can’t be nice about it.

I had some problems with the nurses in the lab doing blood draws. The new ones just aren't good at it, but I know they need to learn. So my policy - I would let a new nurse try once. If she couldn't get it I would politely ask for someone more experienced. Worked every time.

Good luck to you today!