Starting Chemo in JAN 2007

tlc60

Good evening ladies:
Another milestone, I'm getting eyelashes back!! I managed to keep them until I started the Taxotere, but then lost them all(as well as lots more head hair). I have one more T treatment, then on to rads 8-)
Mizsissy: how's things today? You need to know you really are loved, and are special. I think lots of us have worried, and prayed, for you the last few days. It sounds like you are feeling a little more "up". I hope you know what you have meant to all of us here and never feel alone in your struggles. What ever life is giving you to deal with right now we are here.

tlc

Rebecca

Good morning all.

Last night was indeed much better than Monday, as I spent almost all of it on the couch. My mind was so clear and I felt so (relatively) good that I almost felt silly for calling in the reinforcements...until I realized that I felt so good because I had not budged off the couch in about 3 hours. I have lined up help for the rest of the week, and hopefully the extra rest will allow me to resume activities as usual by next week. I will still be on my own for the early part of each day, but that is ok, because that is not usually when I get exhausted.

Congrats TLC on your eyelashes! That is awesome. I miss my nose hairs more than any other hairs that I have lost, I think...I hope they bounce back as fast as your eyelashes have!

Caya-dinner sounds great! can I come?

Mary, if you do not like your PC ditch him. Cosmetic surgery is so popular that there has to be some competition out there.

Mizsissy you sounded much better the last few posts. Find your bliss! Have you painted anything lately?

I have to head back to the couch and grade papers...check in later!

Rebecca

OH and I almost forgot! Anyone who needs a mastectomy bathing suit should check out lands end overstocks:

Lands end Bathing suits

they have some nice ones on sale. I know it is hard to think of summer now (particluarly for me...rainy and 45 yeck) but now is the time to get one! I got the black tankini...I have a "regular" one like that in purple and it is my favorite. I hope I can continue to wear the black one after I have boobs again!

ok, signing off for real now.

jonimb

Hello all:

Day 2 after last chemo, feeling pretty good, but no sleep last nite. It' is about 5:22 am here, so thought I would come and check the boards.

Glad to here you are feeling better Rebecca...I can't even imagine coping with 3 kids and going through all this. You are the one that should have the "Turtle Face" on. I love your spirit!!

Jan, so sorry for all your family troubles. My prayers are going out to you in this trying time.

Shorti, we had great weather until last night, and now the snow and rain are suppose to be here for the next 3 or 4 days. Yikes I want springtime.

Melia, good luck with your #1 Taxol, Mel, good luck with your last.

T4T, glad to hear you are switching to an easier Toxic Koolaid. Hopefully the side effects will be far less.

Nancy, check with your onc about those nose bleeds, he can give you something for it. I too am having trouble with my stove and which knobs turn on which burner...I think the goblins come in at night and change them. Also, they put my milk in the microwave...hahaha.

Mizsissy, you sound like you are handling the radiation very well. A few of my chemo nurses gave me a few tips:

- No anitoxidants
- Lots of rest
- No Bras
- Light cotton shirts
- If the doctor gives you cream, use it several times a day, but NOT before your treatment

Lynn, I sure hope you are feeling better soon.

Robbin Jaye, I can so relate on the hot flashes, but I do NOT want my periods back. Then again I'm 11 years older than you.

I start Tamoxifen in May, so we'll see how that goes.

Viddie good luck with the #1 herceptin. If everyone at the hospital likes the one guy, there is usually a pretty valid reason.

Anyone heard from Vicki or Rita Jean lately...they have been missing from our boards lately.

Mary...how'd you like the game last nite.....looks like the Flames still have a bit of kick in them.

Caya, when do you start your herceptin?

Tina, will you be doing radiation also?

Tami, hope all is well with you.

Love to all...have a Wonderful Day!!!

Joni

Rebecca

Good morning to you Joni! Glad I am not the only maniac up at the crack of dawn.

I have been meaning to post some pictures from our trip to the farm a few weeks back, and I finally got around to downloading the pics from my camera. Check them out!

Pictures from the Farm

jonimb

Hey Rebecca, that place looks fantastic. What a great thing to look forward to. Loved the pics!!

I love the outdoors, so this would be right up my alley.

Joni

Rebecca

AAAAARRRGGGHHHH Just when I needed this the most, my fridge died during the night, and I have to get my stuff out, take it cross town and then go out to buy a new one. Just had to let it out. Healing scream....deep breath....off I go.

TPPJ

Nope, no rads for me, Joni. I did what I call the "overkill mastectomy". My tumor was only 1 cm w/no positive nodes but I was more comfortable doing the mastectomy...bonus of it is no rads.

Amera...saw this in todays Boston Globe online:

During today's Sox-Angels game, a fan in the left field seats made an awkward grab for a foul ball, causing Anaheim's Garret Anderson to come crashing into him, spilling beer everywhere. Routine stuff for sure. But watch the video closely: after he gets showered with brewski, the fan gets nailed with a slice of pizza thrown at him by some lunkhead in a Patriots jacket sitting a couple seats away.

TPPJ

my fridge died during the night, and I have to get my stuff out, take it cross town and then go out to buy a new one. Just had to let it out.

OMG!!!!!!!! I'M GONNA SCREAM FOR YOU!!! I'M GLAD YOU HAD THAT REST ON THE COUCH...

TPPJ

I was there to visit my son. Although we had a good time with him and my DH and I got to spend quality time together, it was a mixed bag.

IT'S SEEMS TO BE THAT WAY A LOT. MY BROTHER, HIS WIFE AND HER TWO GIRLS ARE COMING FOR THE WEEKEND. I HOPE IT GOES SMOOTH, I.E. THE KIDS AREN'T BATTLING BY DAY 3...

TPPJ

Love your farm pics, Rebecca...and the kids are adorable!

TPPJ

Caya,

Are the people on the HER2 site long timers w/mets? I'd have to imagine as we discussed a few weeks ago that we will be the group of early stagers on Herceptin.

I feel so free of chemo right now...it's so great. I bet I'll dread having another IV put in next week for Herceptin. I hope my veins have recovered somewhat. They had really gotten bad by the end.

RE: Taxol, Mel, I seem to have had tolerated it exactly as you did...some very mild numbness beginning around #7. I had zero s/e's prior to that.

Dar1

Mizsissy, thanks for the encouraging words re menopause. I didn't have any permenopausal symptoms until last summer (before diagnosis) and felt quite mournful about it. Silly, since I had my tubes tied 25 years ago, but there you go. Now, I had a period between #2 and #3, but expect to not have any more, and I don't really care! I felt totally indifferent about sex during treatment, but...it may be different with no eggs, but I can see possibilities!

I am off to Calgary today. A friend bought her and I tickets to see Il Divo right after I was diagnosed. Her kindness still makes me cry! I've had the day marked on my calendar since November, and now it's here - during chemo, when the days seemed very dark, I knew there was one fun date on there, other than dr. appts. etc. I just hope I can stay awake! DH is driving, so I should be OK.

Anonymous

Chemo brain hit hard last night. I went to a play with some friends. Parked downtown in the garage for my husband's office since I could use his parking pass and park for free. Had dinner and then went to theater. Just my luck - we had great seats but in the middle of a row. Just moments after the play starts I get a serious hot flash and then start coughing and cannot stop. You know it's bad when strangers start handing over cough drops!!! So I walk in front of 20 people to get out to the aisle. Of course once I get into the lobby and the cough is gone. So I found an empty seat a few rows back on the aisle in case another quick exit was needed. Cough stayed away thanks to an entire package of tic tacs. When the play is over I head back to the parking garage.

Here's the chemo brain part. I walk up to floor 3 where I was parked and can't find my car. The whole level is empty - no cars!!!! Turns out there are two 'sides' to the garage and you have to enter on the correct side - they aren't connected on every level. I was so turned around and confused! I ended up calling my husband on my cell and he had to talk me though finding my way to the other side of the garage. It was hysterical. I can't believe I couldn't figure it out on my own. I would have been lost all night if I hadn't called him!

Oh - another one - I spent two days this week trying to remember the name of a city I went to a few years ago in New Mexico. It's been driving me nuts that I couldn't remember the name (I spent a week there). So, if finally hits me Tucson! Yup, that's in AZ not NM. Confusion on many levels here. I'm starting to think I should just lock myself in my house until chemo is over.

Caya

Tina,
Yes, there are some on the HER2support site that are long term survivors w/mets - and it can sometimes get depressing. But there are many early stagers there too, women who have had the benefit of early Herceptin. So I check into that site because there is alot of HER2 related information there - and the women are very informed and happy to share ideas, information etc.
Don't you have a port? - My onc. deemed a portacath a necessity for me because I'll be on Herceptin for a year - I had it inserted right after my first chemo, and I couldn't do without it. They do all my blood work at the hospital and my infusions via the port - before I go down to the hosital I put EMLA cream ( in the States I think it is called Lidocaine, and you might need a script for it) on the skin where my port is, cover it with some plastic wrap secured by tape, and this numbs the area for the pricking.
It was a minor surgery to have the port installed - I was in a twilight sleep, the procedure itself was maybe about an hour, then a couple of hours in recovery - had to be careful not to get it wet for a couple of days, really not a big deal.
Caya

sharon56

good morning gals
here i am on my laptop waiting for he sun to peek through the clouds ..... so i can get outside i need some warm rays on my back man . Rebecca oh my you are having your problems hope you get everything worked out . Sometimes it seems everything hits at once. is a WTF in order for U ?
Can I swear and scream for U .... HANG IN THERE GIRL !!!
And this dang taxotere makes my eyes water all the time so I am crying too PS I have no problems swearing for anyone if you need me too ......
I am right now just thanking god that i am as well as i am . I have 2 friends with husbands that are fighting cancer , one his colon cancer ha come back in his liver the other one has leukemia and his fighting the battle of his life . Makes chemo look like a walk in the park as they say .
It also makes me want to go bald everywhere and take the stares and turtle faces . What the heck when the warmer weather gets here why not , why hide it . There are too many people out there fighting it. My wig may just stay on its white Styrofoam base for a bit
Joni : GO FLAMES GO !!!! I am not a Leaf fan ..... and for all you baseball fans JAYS rule .....
Today I am redoing our stairs gotta sand them , we bought a fixer upper and now I can do all the little that gotta get done . BIG to do list .......... add on baseboards, paint trim , make curtains . DH gets to paint and put in a new living rooom floor .Teenage girls .... now time to get a part time job . They are opening a new Home Depot here and they are both going to a job fair next weekend at the local school . Thats going to be a fun thing to see , we live in a small town me thinks all the kids will be there !
Anyones hair coming in yet ????? how long after your last chemo did you see anything 3 weeks ? 4 ?

robertin

Good morning all. The spring is finally here to stay (I think) and I just love to feel the warm breeze on my bald head. Yesterday I had my bloodtest. I asked the nurse if your hair could come back during Taxol, and she didn't think so. She asked another chemo nurse, and she didn't think either. So why are there all these 1/2 inch hairs on my head? Every day there are some more. They're white and thin and stay straight up, but I can feel them now. Isn't that weird. However, I'm still losing eyelashes. Did anybody else have that?
I have the dense dose Taxol, and I've had 2 so far. The second was easier than the first, because I knew what to expect and how to prepare for it. However, the side effects are interesting. Lately my ankles feel like I'm retaining water, and the nurse said there was a slight case of retention. I now have to keep track of every bite I eat, because of my diabetes, and I don't eat more than 1000 calories a day. I'm supposed to eat 1800. So why am I slowly gaining? I must admit that during AC I probably didn't even hit the 1000 calories. So, I'm eating more than I used to. The one side effect of Taxol that I have not experienced is extreme fatigue. I can work all day, and actually I don't even have to miss days for down days anymore. Maybe that's related to the "healthy" eating I've adopted after I discovered I had diabetes.
Anyway, next Tuesday is Taxol #3, and then one more to go. I'll be glad when this is over.

NOLONGERREADINGORPOSTING

Good Morning gals...so many posts. First off, Rebecca, I CANNOT believe what happened to you with your refrigerator on your "Night Off." Jeez....

Chemo Brain...it's no joke. We're dangerous when we leave home without our brains. I'm absent minded to begin with. The worst thing I did was go to the post office and leave my wallet on the counter. Well, it's not actually a wallet, but a little metal cigarette-case looking thing that holds all my IDs and credit cards. It showed up in my mailbox the next day with a sweet message from one of the postal clerks everything safe & sound, and she didn't even know I had chemo. That's how honest people are around here!!! I was so ashamed I couldn't even tell DH.

The first weekend after Labor Day is the the Big Winner on dates, so ladies, hold onto your Hats and circle Sept 7-9 in red on your calendars, because we're gonna have a *shindig*!!! Where, how to be determined. I am back to thinking that my house in Pinckney would be ideal; it's centrally located, close to airports; got lots of guestrooms, a kitchen, a dining room. And yall can help me out with the cleaning & cooking, and it would be so much fun!!! So Mary, you don't have to worry about money, because I'm just 45 minutes away from you. I think I have enough bedrooms for everybody, but camping and campers are also close by and available. We'll do another location poll later after we've had a chance to look around and do some research.

Effexor. Whew, I don't know about this one. Just got the instructions from PCP's nurse. First cut down Prozac to half one week, then take 75 mgs Effexor with the half Prozac the next week, then take 75 mgs Effexor alone, then go to 150 Effexor and see how I tolerate it. Sounds awful!!! I love, love Prozac and I don't want to take something that sounds so dangerous!!!! But tamoxifen and Prozac use the same receptors and can't be taken together. Maybe I love Prozac more than my bones? Anybody here know *ANYTHING AT ALL about EFFEXOR*? Maybe I'll just stop the antidepressants altogether.

Joni..thanx for the info on rads. No one told me not to have antioxidants. So I'll stop the chocolate and red wine? Anything else I need to avoid???

Menopause..don't worry about it. I thought of it as liberating, nearly everything improved and there are solutions for the physical things that change.

Girls, you don't have to worry about me being depressed because I'm not. And my ego got a big lift recently. An old boyfriend (the last one before I got married) showed up a few weeks ago out of the blue, gave me a big hug...I'm very happy with my marriage but these things do marvelous things for your ego. It's nice to feel desirable, even though you're bald and middle aged!!!

My hair just doesn't seem to be growing very much. It seems to be permanently 1/4 inch long and totally transparent. I think hair grows in spurts. It also helps to have your head exposed to sun & wind, but I'm too chicken to go topless.

Mizsissy

skyedivine

TPPJ, I'm sorry I forgot you were also starting the Herceptin (can I plead chemo-brain?) I second Caya's port recommendation if you don't have one. For such long term use, it sure beats finding poor veins each time. And Caya, my prescription is also called Emla cream. Although, I don't seem to need it anymore. Lately they just spray with some cold stuff and I don't feel a thing.
And yes, there is a ton of detailed info on the HER2 site, just what I was looking for. And plenty of early-stagers. Well worth registration.

Shorti good luck sanding those stairs. I have walls that need painting, am hoping perhaps in May I'll be up to it. As for hair, mine is not much longer but definitely thicker. Yesterday the dh rubbed the top of my head and declared I have passed baby rabbit fur stage and gone on to possum fuzz. My expectations have lowered, however, since reading the Herceptin boards I've learned some of the women feel the Herceptin has slowed their hair growth. Just what I didn't want to hear! - Skye

NOLONGERREADINGORPOSTING

Good Morning Robertin, Skye...this happens often, I post and then your posts show up before I'm done!!1

Robertin, I think adding exercise, even a 20-30 minute walk around the block everyday would help with weight and diabetes. Skye, I don't think herceptin is at all bad...not from what I've seen of women on it and heard from them.

Mizsissy

skyedivine

Mizsissy, it's good to hear you are feeling chipper, and what a nice experience with the old flame! So glad you got your ID and cards back, too. Don't feel ashamed, we can't help it. Here's my big bad...I keep leaving the stove burner on! I totally melted my red enamel teakettle, at least the plastic handle and lid knob, and ruined one stove burner element. The dh got me a new red kettle for my birthday, and paid a premium for one that's almost indestructible. I did it again the other day but luckily nothing on the burner. It scares me! Oh, I also got lost in Wal-Mart, couldn't figure out if I was in the back or front of the store. Chemo brain is all too real. All the docs who write the books say so. - Skye

skyedivine

LOL, Mizsissy, your second post showed up after I posted this last one. I'm hoping you are right and the Big H is not as bad as many of the women on the board say. So far for me it has just caused the chest pains and rash and flu symptoms, all of which are better. I guess time will tell. - Skye

jonimb

Mizsissy:

How far is it from Toronto to Pinckney? Also, what would be the closest airport to you to fly into? Sept 7-9th weekend is great for me.

Shorti, are you still game to drive it from TO? Let me know.

Rebecca, good luck with your fridge, that happened to me about 6 months ago, first my stove and then my fridge, had to buy new ones, because nowadays to repair something, it's almost the same cost as buying a new one.

Robertin, did they put you back on a diabetes drug?

The other thing is I didn't know chocolate was an antioxidant! Yikes, just bought a jug of Mint Patties & Cows from Costco....have to eat em up before May 8 I guess.

Amera, are you feeling better since your first Rad treatment?

They are now saying we are expecting up to 35 cm of snow, so we now have a snowfall warning out.

Keep smiling.....Joni

jonimb

Map Quest says approximately 300 miles:

http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main....amp;2z=&r=f

Lynn12

Good Morning Ladies,

Well, the fog if finally starting to lift. I was actually contemplating not doing #6 because of how awful I felt, but now I'm feeling better, I know I have to put on my big girl panties and finish my tx.

Went to the radiation oncologist for first appt. this morning. I will have 30 tx starting around 3 - 4 weeks after my last chemo, so end of May. I have read on the radiation boards how women have to lay there for 2 hours while they do the planning. Evidentally, my cancer center has a machine where they take all sorts of pictures, mark me up and then do the planning from the pics, so I won't have to lay there for 2 hours with my arm over my head. Sounds good to me.

Joni, hope you keep feeling good!

Mel, congrats on your last taxol.

Melia, wishing you well for your first taxol.

Rebecca, thanks for the link on the bathing suits and your farm looks awsum!

Mary, welcome back from Houston. I think generally you do PS after radiation (which is what I'm doing), although I've heard of a few doing it before. Calling your surgeon is a good idea.

Joni, no bras with radiation? I forgot to ask my radiation onc about that this morning. How am I going to go for 6 weeks without a bra? I only have 1 boob! That won't be a pretty site.

Well, I guess I'll log into work and get something done. I'll check in later, have a nice day!

NOLONGERREADINGORPOSTING

Joni, there are also two very closeby airports, Detroit (DTW) (45 minutes away) and Windsor, Canada (across the river from DTW, an hour, not counting customs).

DTW is a hub for Northwest.

ALSO...for you Westerner Midwesterners, a comfortable train with a snack & drink car runs three times daily from Chicago and with connections from points further N,S,W takes about 5-6 hours and stops in Ann Arbor, just about 25 miles from my house. We could easily pick you up at the airport or train.

Reminder for those who missed last post: The weekend that was available was Sept 7-9, so circle it in RED!!!!

NOLONGERREADINGORPOSTING

BTW, I am still looking for ANY and ALL information you have on EFFEXOR. I am supposed to start *transitioning* next week and I AM NOT READY. Are there other possibilities for SRIs on tamoxifen? Effexor is good for hot flashes, but I want something this is as much like Prozac as possible, I don't care if I flash!!!!

Amera

Joni, yes, I am feeling better since my first rads appt. I have had 2 official zaps and it's okay so far. They said I wouldn't notice any skin reactions until about day 10. I do notice a tightening in my chest after but it doesn't last too long.

Weird thing happened to me today. I have been noticing that since I started rads (2 whole days so this could be my imaginiation) that my surgical scar area has been really tender. Today I was getting out of the shower and went to put lotion on. I turned in an awkward way and felt a sort of ripping right near the scar. It hurt a lot! Now, it's not sensitive at all. In fact, I am jumping and bouncing and cannot feel a thing. I am wondering if maybe I loosened some scar tissue or something.

I will ask the rad nurse today but they never seem to have answers for my weird questions. I swear, sometimes I just think to hard about these things. It *was* strange though.

TPPJ

Robertin,

My hair grew in on Taxol. I have a short, white/transparent, unwearable covering about 1/4 to 1/2" long. It's horrible looking. Totally ages. me.

Shorti, LOL'd at "WTF". I thought my girlfriends in Boston and I made that one up for email when we're realllllllllly mad. I guess not!

Skye, don't apologize about forgetting my HER2 status. Please! There are so many of us on these boards, it's very hard to keep it all straight. Thank God for Mizsissy's lists.

Speaking of chemobrain, did you guys see on the main screen the interview opportunity w/a "major" newspaper columnist who wants to write about chemobrain? All you have to do is email her... I bet she's reading our posts.

TPPJ

Caya and Skye,

I know.... I probably should have had a port, but... I don't want to do it now that I've finished the chemo. I wonder why my dr. didn't order a port to begin with seeing as though I'm in this for the long haul...