Starting Chemo February 2009?

apple

could be many things (mine wasn;t) and i'm glad for the surgeon who spotted it.

praying it's just a cold thing.

Jaimieh

Michele~ We all pick the simple infection option.  When do you go to the oral surgeon ??  ((bighugs))

Cheryl~ I hope you called someone.

Well I called the nurse at my PCP offic this AM to only be told by the nurse that my counts are all low.  When she gave me the results they where all higher than last weeks numbers SO then I asked her to have the doctor call me.  About 10 min. later the PCP called me and told me the number's again and asked me what they where last week and just kept saying good, good.  So then she said I am fine with you having the surgery as long as your PS is AND they have blood available where you are having your surgery.  So I was thrilled after a brief disappointment after talking to the nurse.  My PCP then told me that I need to call the PS and see what she thought of my numbers and that she would have the paperwork faxed to my PS.  Well my PS said it was fine with her so I think I am a go for Wednesday.  If you read all of that bless you I know it's boring but it's on my mind. 

NOW I am nervous.  I have spent all of this time hoping, wishing and praying for June 17 to get here and NOW I am nervous.  I'm not sure what is scaring me the anesthesia, pain, or just wanting the expander discomfort to go away and scared I will wake up and it's still there. 

So today I spent going to the zoo with my kids and a friend and I had a blast.  The walking got to me but it felt awesome to be out walking and having a good time with my kids.  Now if I could just have hair it would have been fabulous. 

Speaking of hair I cheated and looked at my lack of hair growth today.  What a disapointment   I am only 4 week out of chemo today but I want some hair.  BTW, it is growing back in all the places that you do not want hair. 

KerryMac

Michelle - oh, dear, I am so sorry you have this extra worry. I think the "mets" option is just what will be thrown at us forever now, anytime there is anything wrong with us. I had a mets scare with my Ovaries, turns out she was feeling my poo. Go Figure. I would think the most obvious thing is an infected tooth. I also had a sore mouth the whole way through with the Taxatore, couldn't it just be the chemo...??? Still, that doesn't stop the worry. hang tight, let us know as soon as you hear anything. Big hugs.

Cheryl - more big hugs to you too. Call someone, don't worry about "bugging" them, that is their job. It sounds like just a reaction to the surgery. But good to get it checked out.

apple

sending sympathy, encouragement, hugs and general good vibes from KS.  I am going to totally clean the basement.. organize it.  My DH (i should call him my MH for messy) has his office down therer.... our house is sooo full.. my husband is such a packrat..  it is a disease.  organizing all the stuff seems to take forever.  he grew up so poor, .. anything of value, be it imagined or real is bought by him if the price is right (less that 10 cents on the dollar).. we have things like old art kits.. leather bags you take into the country to paint with - and gosh.. i'm not even going to go there further.  i can't complain tho, can I?  i am getting a big ass organ.  What am i going to do with those twin bed mattresses?

ha ha. 

i don't have a chemo today.. this is my week off.  I have 3 more and then hopefully the dreaded Femara.

Here's a neat photo  i recently scanned that i'll share..  this was taken in Minnesota in about '35.  My father in law and his brothers and father were digging out the car  -   My father in law is on the left.. my son looks like him.

there were six boys and 2 girls in his family.. imagine.. 6 boys!  shudder.

Jaimieh

Whoooo most of my house is clean except for my bedroom (boooo, hissss) and the garage.  I can handle the garage but I can't stand that my bedroom is a mess.  The Red Devils came in and cleaned and they had an extra person so I got more cleaned.  Gotta love the smell of a clean house.  I sure wish we could afford to keep them.  I am going to work on my bedroom this evening and hopefully I can at least make a good dent in it.  Does anyone have a solution for paperwork ??  My idea of burning it in the yard isn't going to work.  I can't ever seem to keep up with it

So I am join a trail for biosulphates (sp) and I begin next week.  They called today and scheduled me for an infusion even though they do not know which arm I will be in.  I know zometa is really good but I almost hope that I am in one of the pill arms.  I am just glad that I am eligible for the trail and I hope it helps    

Apple~ Cool picture I hope you got a lot done  

KerryMac

Oh, can you come to my house and clean a bit...? AND send a cleaning service??

I have been trying to get Zometa. My Onc won't give it to me, and didn't offer me the trial. I hope that is the one you get, it sounds really promising.  If you are getting an infusion, does that mean you are getting Zometa?

Bethie1

I'd defnitely make a call- 2 1/2 weeks post surgery isn't long.  Sending hugs!!!!! Once you find out your conscience will be at ease.  I had my radiation simulation verified today and start treatment tomorrow!!

Grace4me

Jaimieh: I can tell you that I spent the entire week before my exchange surgery crying and dreading.  I think it has a lot to do with all that we have been through these past months.  All that worry and tears were for nothing.  I felt great after surgery, went home same day and traveled the next day, shopped and ate out. I was back to work full time the next week. It is nothing like chemo and it is nothing like the mastectomy, of course I was sore and took the pain medicine, but it is NOTHING to dread......I will be praying that you get a good nights sleep tonight with dreams of soft new foobs for your tomorrows.

Artemis

Jamieh ~ I'm glad you're go for tomorrow; I'll be thinking of you and looking forward to your coming to tell us about "the new you"!  Being nervous is understandable; it can be a scary thing to think about being put to sleep and having pain.  *hugs*

apple ~ Good luck with getting your basement organized.  That's an awesome photo!

Furies ~ I'm starting Tamoxifen tonight.  It's still undecided whether or not I'll have Herceptin because I'm neither positive nor negative for HER2.

I'm two weeks out of surgery, and none of my steri strips have come off.  I hate seeing my chest...bleh!  I still haven't looked in a mirror; it's bad enough just looking down.  So depressing.  The pain and tightness are pretty much gone, though, so that's good.

I love you guys!!
Artemis

Bethie1

Artemis--((((HUGS))) Hope you're doing OK, overall.  I start rads tomorrow!!! I'll be on Tamoxifen after rads, let us know how you make out on them!!

Jaimieh

Oh Kerry I can barely move tonight BUT my house looks good and I will not trip over things now.  The trial that I am going on is SWOG trial and I will either get Zometa (which when you sign up for the trial they make an appt. for zometa even though they do not know which arm) or the other 2 arms consist of a pill (blanking on their names).  Whatever you are on you have to start 3 days after your pregnancy test (if I am pregnant, call me Mary) and after your blood work.   

Artemis & Grace thank you for the good wishes.  Grace I am hoping I follow in your steps   BTW, Artemis I think I "helped" my strips come off once they where nasty looking. 

I got everything together for tomorrow so now I will just need to get some sleep tonight.  I am going to stay up late watching some trashy TV and eating like a pig .  I will be back as soon as I can.  Smooches to all of you.............:)

gcpommom

I"M DONE!! My chemo was cancelled again this morning, they wanted me to come in and talk to them first.  So I had an appt at 5pm.....my onc (I actually saw him today) has decided that since the numbness went up my arms and my legs, that I am done with Taxol.  He said that I have given him enough heart attacks, and that I have inherited some very bizarre genetics that makes my body not metabolize drugs very well!  He was half joking, but said that I had more unusual side effects than his other patients.  Anyway, I'm all done!  I feel ok about it, 9 out of 12 is 3/4 of the way, and I am glad I made it that far!

Kerry:  My docs didn't offer the trial to me either, but I asked the PA about the SWOG trial, and she gave me the paperwork.  However...I may not be eligible to join since my bc is Metaplastic.  She will find out tomorrow and let me know.

Jaimie:  You'll do great in surgery tomorrow.  Get lots of rest!  (((hugs))))

Michele:  Big ((((hugs)))) to you, too.  I'm sure everything will be ok.  Try not to worry too much (hard to do, I know)

Cheryl:  I hope you talked with someone and got some good answers by now. (((hugs))))

Apple:  your husband sounds just like mine, won't throw out a thing!!!!  Drives me nuts.  Love the picture, geez you can barely see that car in all that snow! 

Of course, it was no surprise that my onc does not do any scheduled scans after chemo....I told her that I wasn't really comfortable with that.  I didn't like her explanations....that anything 'bad' would 'present' itself.  I don't want to wait until I have symptoms, I want to find anything while it is early, not once it is so bad that I have symptoms.  She said that if, in a few months, I insist on a scan, they will of course comply, but it is not a scheduled thing.

Anyway, it feels weird to be done, maybe because my last chemo was actually June 2nd.  No radiation, either.  Feeling a bit 'lost' right now, like many of you, not sure how to get back into "normal" life.

Hugs to you all

Judy

Jaimieh

Judy~  Whoooo you are done   I hope that you get some feeling back.  I can't imagine having the neuropathy that high up I have little bit and it's annoying. 

Gramof3

Jaimieh, Good luck tomorrow!  Hope things go smoothly--you'll soon have passed another mile stone! "If I'm pregnant, call me, Mary" .. LOL!

Apple, Not only makes me shudder about the 6 boys, but also shuddering about all the washing, ironing and cooking those 2 poor girls had to do! 

I need to vent:  my 75 year old neighbor (I live in a condo) has tied up her little Bichon on the front porch again (a nightly event, since she doesn't want to walk "Lucy" any more) and the poor thing is barking to get back in.  This woman ties the dog up about 6:15 am, goes back to bed, then when she finally does get up, shuffles Lucy back and forth from the front porch to the back porch all day long--sometimes as late as 10:30 pm.  She has an indoor dog that she doesn't want indoors!  The barking is getting to me, let alone that I think it's abusive to the dog.  I end up calling over there to remind her that her dog is wanting in---how stupid is this??  Oh well.

Take care, Helen  

Artemis

Judy ~ Hurrah for being finished with chemo!!  Yay!!! 

My onc doesn't plan to do scans after I finish treatment either.  I don't like it.  Like you, I don't want to wait until I have symptoms before looking to see what's there!  Onc said that the scans don't show anymore than blood work does.  I'm not terribly comfortable with that.

Hugs to all,
Artemis

apple

judy.. i'm so happy for you..   done.  boy, i would love that.

gcpommom

Thanks, gals.  Now for these mouth sores to go away....that will be nice. 

Jaimie:  the numbness up the arms and legs didn't last long, about a day and a half, but it was scary, my tongue was numb as well.  Right now it is mostly my feet/toes that are numb, I have walked into doors a few times this week, stumbled on the deck steps, all signs that it is time to stop.

Helen:  I hate neighbors that do that with their dogs....my old neighbor had a pitbull he left outside all day, damn thing wanted to eat my son, seriously....left it tied up or in the garage.  Well, one day that dog actually bust his head through the garage siding, got stuck, then struggled for quite a while until he got his whole body out.  It was crazy.  We called animal control/police, but they said as long as the dog had food and water outside, there was nothing they could do.  I finally left the owner a note saying it would be a shame if I had to sue him when his dog actually got over the fence and bit my son.  He got rid of the dog shortly after that.

Artemis:  My PA actually said to me "scans don't prevent mets"....duh....what a stupid comment.  The bc I have (metaplastic) tends to recur in the lungs pretty quickly, so she told me to just get chest xrays whenever I wanted, which I was going to do anyway.  I can do that through my PCP. 

Apple:  hang in there, you will be done soon....be careful with your neuropathy...I know you want to finish all tx's, I did too, but it is tricky stuff.  My onc pretty much said that at this point, any one of the remaining tx's could cause the neuropathy to become permanent.  They just don't know any more than we do about when and where to draw that line and to stop tx before it happens.

I'm exhausted, and am going to bed now.  You ladies have a good night.

Judy

xpectmiracles

Jaimieh, I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. I know you'll do great!

Congrats on finishing chemo, Judy!

Apple, I made 2 rhubarb pies today and thought of you!

I have an appt with ps tomorrow and will point out the swollen glands. I am not as concerned about it now that I see that it's happening on both sides.

KerryMac

Jaimie - wishing you the best today!! Looking forward to hearing how it all went. You will do great.Good Luck!

Judy - yah for you!!! Sounds as though your Onc did the right thing - you don't want to have a permanent souvenir.  Being done Chemo actually didn't "kick in" for me mentally until I didn't have to go on schedule three weeks later. I now of course have Rads to keep me busy, and I am on tamoxifen, so feel like I am still doing something. But it is a scary feeling being all finished up. But you will start feeling healthy again really soon, which is such a good feeling.

Cheryl - glad you are being checked up. I think you are right and it will turn out to be nothing to worry about. 

Artemis - no scans for me either. Ever, unless I get a symptom. They just don't believe in routine scanning.  Stressful as they are, it is always a relief when they come back clear. I don't really understand their logic about no benefit in early intervention - I know it won't alter the "final outcome", but it certainly could delay things surely. Hope your wound continues to heal. You will get used to how you look, really.

 Well, off to Rads again this morning, I will be half way done tomorrow. It is sooo much easier than Chemo.

MicheleS

Jaimie ~  Praying  for you today!  Let us know how you are ASAP!  The other 2 arms are boniva and clondronate.  I'm getting clondronate.

Judy~ I think you are doing the right thing... However, I'm terrified at the thought of being done.  Let me know how you manage it...

Artemis~ Did you have recon??  Do you still have drains in?? THAT was the worst part of the mast for me...

So now my face is swollen.  I'm guessing jaw mets don't do that LOL.  It really, really hurts.  I'm going to BEG for the surgeon to pull the wisdom tooth next week (if it is that)... Hopefully my onc will talk him into it.  I see the oral surgeon this afternoon for the"pan" xray so we'll knw for sure what's going on then.

HUGS to everyone!!

apple

oh Michelle  a wisdom tooth?  ouch

Jamieh - i hear that anesthesia makes your hair  grow faster.  thinking about you today.

(if I'm pregnant call me Mary - too funny) 

KerryMac

Michele - bet you never thought you would be happy to have "only' an infection....best of luck today.

I bought the subject of Zometa up with my Onc last time I saw her. She doesn't think it is ready yet, so won't give it to me. All the BC Oncs at my Hospital decided that apparently. I do know others here have been given it, and not as part of the trial. I am going to keep on at her, she has just been to a conference, maybe she leaned more about it there.  There is some Austrian study citing a 35% reduction in bone mets with Zometa, but the women in the study didn't have chemo. Guess that is why they are doing the SWOG one. I have just had a Bone density test (before I switch to an AI), I am almost hoping I need a Biosphosphate to help me there!

Anyhow, hope you guys have a nice day. Supposed to rain here....

Terri42

Hi Furies!  I really need to figure out how to do the picture thing- my kids are home so I'll have them do it for me - I have a little hair - no more ostrich look and the funniest thing is my eyebrows look like they have a 5 o clock shadow!  I have really dark hair so it looks so funny.

Apple - your daughter is so cute!  And I love your "new" avatar too!

Living4today - nothing better than a baby!  You look great too!

Guys - I have my exchange on Friday - I'm getting nervous but I'm excited too!

Also - Taxol peeps - I'm 6-7 weeks from my last treatment and am still way sore and still taking Neurontin so just be prepared just in case this happens to you - I know I keep mentioning it but it can take a toll mentally if you're done with treatment and aren't prepared to feel like crap!

Hope everyone is feeling good today!!!!!!!!

gcpommom

Kerry:  that's funny, I was thinking the same thing...I have my bone density test scheduled for July, and am thinking I may end up on one of those drugs anyway!

Michele:  Good luck at the dentist today

Cheryl:  so glad to hear that you think the lump(s) are nothing to worry about

Terri:  I am so tired of not having eyebrows!  I had read other who say that they grow back fast, but mine are doing nothing at all!  The eyelashes are growing in, but are way short.  Then when I put mascara on them, I end up getting it on my upper eyelid!  It's great that your exchange surgery is this week, I would be excited too.  I really wish I could start my reconstruction sooner *sigh*.

There is a wonderful woman on the boards who sends silicone breast forms to those in need, and she had sent me some.  I put them in my bra today and what a difference from the foam ones I'd been using!!!!  She is truly a saint. 

I just spent the last hour trimming down the foam inserts to fit my bathing suit.  It was tricky, but it looks ok (they came out a bit small).  Luckily for me, the bathing suit top was reversible, so I could slip the insert between the two layers of material.  Viola!  I can just wear my old bikini (if I can lose the 10lbs I gained with taxol)!

Hugs to all recovering from and going into surgery this week, and to those of us still suffering those darned SE's.

Judy

apple

Judy  Wet and Wild _ the cheapest makeup line has an excellent eyebrow kit.  there are 2 color choices... the paler colors mix with the wax and stay on forever.

3.99! 

KerryMac

Once I am done Radiation, I can get a proper prothesis. Right now I can't wear a Bra (cos of rads) so I am flopping around all lopsided.I need to think about swimming too....

My eyebrows have all fallen out! I am getting really slow regrowth and I still I need eyelashes. My nether regions are sprouting too.....

Jaimieh

I am back .  I got to the hospital this morning and my surgeon was waiting for me to get ready.  I am in some pain but I just took a pain pill and I will hopefully feel bettter soon.  I can tell already that I am going to love breathing without the TE pressure anymore   I was not put in a surgical bra and I get to take my bandage off tomorrow and shower....whoooo.  The new implants seem much lower than my TE and my PS said I had a ton of scar tissue that she cleaned out.  I need to call tomorrow to see about whether I am supposed to be wearing a sports bra and schedule my F\up appt. 

BTW, my post-op. nurse said she like my hair regrowth   She was also so sweet and kind to me (what a change from my last surgery).

apple

so if you don't mind telling Jamieh,

what all was done?  (feel free to ignore this post if you think it is too nosey). 

Jaimieh

Apple~ I don't mind talking about it at all.  I love to rattle on .  They make about a 3 inches incision to the previous scar and they pop the saline expander that was inside expanding the tissue and then they suck it out and remove the empty expander.  Once the old expander is removed they look around to make sure everything looks good.  In my case she needed to break up some scar tissue and move my right pocket in some (not sure how she does this).  I just know that my right breast burns and hurts more than my left.  After all of this is done she insert the new expander sat me up to make sure I look good and then finished stitching me up and sent me to recovery.  So I am wrapped in a bandage and tomorrow I can remove it and get into the shower.  I am supposed to follow up in 2 weeks but I will have to go back sooner because of vacation.

Terri42

Wow JamieH - I'm glad you are doing so well - my PS said it was fairly easy but as we all know it's not always as easy as we would like for it to be!  I'm so glad you are done and doing well!

Thanks for the update!