Starting Chemo February 2009?

MicheleS

Jaimie~  You sound so good!  How long were your expanders in?  How many fills?  Did you get silicone or saline implants?  Inquiring minds want to know!!!

I saw the oral surgeon today.  I *just* have an infection of tooth, gums, and muscle... I am sooo happy 'bout that.  I need to have the tooth yanked.  The surgeon said  that he would do it after talking to my oncologist... even with the Avastin and clondronate. We'll see...

Jaimieh

Michele~ I had them implanted on Jan 8 and out today so a little over 6 months.  I had about 6 fills up until 550 and then I had them exchanged to 600 CC silicone implants today.  I already feel the difference and can see the difference.  I am interested in seeing what I look like under the bandages.  The saline implants are firmer than the silicone since we do not have breast tissue.

I hope you can get your tooth fixed soon.   

living4today

Michele--woo hoo for an infection, so sorry, but so glad its not mets

Jaimieh--glad your surgery went well, thanks so much for the details....I am a bit bummed as I will have my expanders in for about 14-15 months before I get my new girls...thanks to unexpected radiation to both sides...but if it kicks the cancer, I can wait (thinking the will make a really great valentine's gift:)  Can't wait to hear how they look!

living4today

Terri--thanks for the heads up on the lasting side effects...I getting Abraxene and have horrible bone pain and really hard to talk myself into going for my treatment today.  Good thing my last treatment is next Thursday....can hardly wait!  Hope you continue to regain your strength every day!

MicheleS

Terri and living4~  I'm sorry you are having pain.  not fair. 

My last taxol is tomorrow. Whoo hoo!!!!!!!!! I'll still be getting Avastin till next Feb so everyone has to stick around!! Jaimie, you are a 1 yr herceptin, right??

MicheleS

Here is a pic of the cupcakes I got for tomorrow.  I bought 2 dz!!

It's the dreaded pink ribbon!!! LOL!!!

living4today

Michele--I will be thinking of you and praying for you tomorrow....YiPEE!!!!  YOU DID IT!!!  I am one week behind you....good job on the cupcakes! 

xpectmiracles

HI Furies! I went to PS today and he said the lumps are swollen glands from surgery-nothing to worry about. I have fun at his office. We joke around a lot. He said today I should get $10,000 for all I 've been through. So, I stuck out my hand and said, "Where is it?" He pulled out his wallet and gave me his credit card! LOL I told the nurse that I was taking the girls in the office on a road trip. He said, "OK, but let me make a phone call first." Well, he was going to put a hold on the card. There goes our fun on the town! I gave him back his card grudgingly.

Jaimieh, I knew you would do great! I think you'll heal quickly. I was pain free in the mastectomy side after a few days.

Michelle, I hope you can get your tooth taken care of. I'm so excited that you are ending taxol tomorrow. Don't worry about my leaving the board, I care about you all too much to stay away!

KerryMac

Michelle - Whoohoooo! You are done. Sometimes it must have felt as though you were surviving on sheer will alone, but you made it. Don't worry, I will be sticking around too. No-one else understands like you guys. Hope the last crash is gentle, and you will not believe how amazing you will be feeling in a couple of weeks.Sorry about the tooth - can they clear it up with antibiotics?

Jaimie - so happy you are home safe and all went well.  I kept thinking of you all day, hoping it was going smoothly. Now you will have a cute bikini body, just in time for summer! Hope the pain doesn't last too long.....

Cheryl - good to hear from you too. Isn't it nice when you can joke with your Dr.! My BS was very regal, certainly not someone I would joke with. I like my Onc a whole lot more, she is very easy to talk to. And my Rad Onc always makes jokes about my accent! (he is from Hong Kong and has a worse accent than me!)

Anyway, I am rushing off again to Rads. halfway day today!! It is really rainy here, the weekend  looks drippy too. Hope everyone is feeling well.

MicheleS

Here's my hair!!!

 

I promise that I'll never, ever, never complain about having to shave my legs everyday.... never, ever, never...

Jaimieh

Michele~ I am on the H- train until February so you know I will be here.  Oh that and you gals are the best support EVER   Okay, can you see me turning green with envy....  I want that much hair I still look the same as last week.  I am going to have my DH take my picture today and then I will put it up.  WHHHOOOO for making it to the last TX !!!  I am so happy for you. 

I am feeling okay today a little sore as they had to do some scar revisions inside so I am sore from that.  I can tell that the most of the revision is on my right side as I really can feel it when I move my right arm.  I get to take my bandage off today so it should be interesting to see what they look like.  I can tell that they look smaller than the TE but that might not be a bad thing..hehehe.....

I feel like doing something today but my DH had to go to work so I am stuck in the house today   It's raining and my babies have been bouncing off of the walls already.  I guess we will be playing tons of games today . 

apple

Michele.. you have lots of hair.. it's really growing fast... and are ending treatement today?

happy for you sister.

makes me cry.  hope you guys don't go anywhere.. (there is always the poetry thread.. it's kind of neat.. all you have to do is rhyme a couple words at the ends of the lines.)

here is son #2 at my new instrument.

 

KerryMac

Michelle, you have soooo much hair. I will get my husband to snap a pic of mine tonight, I am not far off full coverage.....Mine is so darrk!

I too, need to shave my legs. And I will never have a "bad hair" day either, after 6 months of no-hair days.

MRSROCKYTOP55

All of the summer fun pictures are great.  Nice to see that life can get back to normal.  The children are just beautiful and so are all the furies!  God Bless, Kathy

MRSROCKYTOP55

Wow, great idea on the cupcakes for last treatment.  I think I will make some and take them for mine too.  Thanks for the great idea. Kathy

gcpommom

Apple: I have some poetry I wrote in my college class a few years back, I'll have to dig it out.....

Jaimie:  I am sooo glad you are ok after your surgery!  It sounds like everything went really well.  I hope your pain improves, feel better soon!

Terri:  good luck with your surgery tomorrow.  I'm sure it will go smoothly, and you'll be back home before you know it!

Michele:  Congratulations on finishing Taxol!  That is great!  And what is with your hair??? Seriously, what are you using to shampoo with???  It's been 2 weeks since my last Taxol, and I have nowhere near that much hair.   I'm glad your toothache was just that, and hope it stops hurting soon.

Cheryl:  so glad to hear the lumps were nothing, that is such a relief!  Your PS sounds really nice, I hope I like mine!

Kathy:  Nice to hear from you, how are you doing?  Are you almost done with tx's, too?

I have been doing a lot of baking lately, which will certainly not help me lose the 10 lbs I want to lose!  I made this awesome applesauce spice cake with raisins and apples, and a homemade caramel glaze....omg, it was awesome!!!!  I made banana bread the night before, blueberry pie and homemade blueberry-oatmeal bread last week.  I've always loved to bake!

So, 2 weeks out and the numbness is a little better, but the achiness seems to be getting a bit worse, especially in my legs and hands; my hands feel like they have arthritis.  I still stumble or miss my footing a couple of times a day, I feel like such a clutz. Otherwise, I am good, I just feel so exhausted all the time.

Hugs

Judy

MicheleS

Hey, but Jaimie, you have boobs!!!  So, *I'm* green with envy! LOL!

 Judy~ I almost didn'y get chemo today.  My neutrophils were 1.1.  I convinced my onc to do it anyway but he extended my antibiotics by another week.  I can't get the shots to boost WBC because it would screw up the PET I'm having tues... false pos and all that.  He told me to be OCD regarding infection.  And,to try to eat very healthy to boost my immune system. I'm washing with DD's *no tearing* shampoo.  I think it is Suave brand (~$1) and has an animal (frog??) on the bottle.  I come from hairy stock!  My dad has the most impressive unibrow. It is a sight to behold. LOL!

I hear ya, Kerry, about no more bad hair days.  I'll never complain about that again.

Artemis

KerryMac ~ Thanks for the encouragement, and congrats on being half finished with rads!

Michele ~ Nope, no recon, and my drains came out on the 9th.  I was so glad to get rid of those gross things!  I am so very sorry that your jaw/mouth/tooth isn't any better.  Poor girl, seems you just can't catch a break!  (However, I did do my part to take away your Vomit Queen crown, lol!)  I'm glad it's just an infection, and I hope you get some relief soon!

Jamieh ~ WooHoo!  I'm glad your exchange went well.

xpectmiracles ~ Yay for the lumps being nothing to worry about!  Boo about not getting to keep the doc's credit card!

Michele ~ You're finished with chemo!  I am soooooo happy for you!!  And don't worry; I'm never leaving this thread, ever!  Oh my gosh, you have HAIR!!!

apple ~ I love that you have that organ!

I, too, vow to never complain about my hair again...once I have it back.  Maybe I need to apologize to it.  I'm sorry, Hair, for griping about how thick and hard to handle you were!  Please come back!   

I saw the radiology onc today.  I'll probably start my zaps on the 29th.

Hugs to all,
Artemis

gcpommom

Michele:  What is the PET for?  My onc won't do scans after tx....they won't even do the MUGA on my heart to compare my before and after numbers.  Said that the heart scan may not show any changes until later, so I will check with my cardiologist on that.

Hmmm, maybe Suave knows something the other shampoo comanies don't....  My hair has always been thick and grew fast....so I will remain hopeful it will fill in soon.  I might have to go buy some of that shampoo though, just to see....

Artemis: LOL, maybe if we talk to our hair, it will respond...like plants...

I'm all for never complaining about my hair again...but have to wonder if we'll all feel this way when our new post-chemo hair starts curling tightly, as so many women say it does...I've never had curly hair in my life! (well, unless you count the spiral perms I got back in the early 90's).

Judy

Artemis

Judy ~ my hair was curly anyway, so I won't know anything different unless it comes back straight, lol!

Artemis

Jaimieh

Michele~ I have "buns" right now instead of boobs...hehehe...

I actually had to get a bra today.  Yup I had no choice because every single time I bent down I would yell because it hurt for them to hang.  I was very depressed when I am back to the same size pre- mastectomy.  I was going for a little bigger but I guess it wasn't meant to be.  I am here alive, and on my way to being much healthier than before.  Off to go take pain pills i haven't taken one all day so I did pretty good  

KerryMac

Jaimie - "buns" are better than the 1/2 boy chest I have! Sounds like you are recovering really well though. Yah for you!

Artemis - I'm going to try talking to my hair too! I am pretty handy in the garden, so maybe it will work with my hair too.... Mine was always really think, hairdressers would complain about how much hair I had. It was straight though, I wouldn't mind a little curl. You have to post a photo of yourself!! Hope rads goes well for you. It has so far been very easy on me. Have you started the tamoxifen yet? Any reaction? I am still going fine on it, a bit of achey legs and hot flashes, but nothing serious. I almost don't want to switch to Arimidex, I have heard horror stories about it.

Michelle - I am using mky kids shampoo too!  I am so happy for you that you are all done. Now take care over the weekend - the last thing you want is to end up in hospital with neutropenia at this late date. Good luck with the PET scan, I know it will be clean.

Judy - wow, your family must love coming home to all that baking! The blueberry oatmeal bread sounds too yummy. I love baking too, it gets really messy though as both kids always want to "help". It was my husbands birthday this week, so we baked him a green and red marble cake with pink icing!

Apple - your oragn is amazing. Where do you have it - in a special room? Is it really loud? I used to play the piano when I was a kid, I would love one now to mess around on. My MIL was a Piano teacher, so we may hopefully get hers "when she doesn't need it anymore".

So my daughter has her end of year school picnic today, and I can't go because of radiation. During the week I get the early appointment - my husband looks after the kids, and he can still get into work in good time. But Fridays are "review:" days with my Doctor, so my appointment has to be in the middle of the day. The silly thing is, I know he will come in, say "Is everything OK" I will say "yes" and he will say "see you next week". But I have to see him, and it means I will miss the picnic. My husband is going to go, but my Daughter had a big "everyone elses Mummy will be there". Talk about guilt.  Uggg. I will not be sorry once treatment is done with. 

Anyhow,  hope you all have a good day. Michelle, hope your crash is soft (the last one, whoohoo)

MicheleS

Kerry~ How many more rads do you have??  You are over 1/2 there, right?

Judy~ The PET and brain MRI are to look for mets.  I'll be getting scanned every 12 weeks for the next few yrs.  Then it'll go down to twice a yr for a few yrs... then annually till 10-15 yrs out.  I'm OCD about mets and my MD is willing to fight with insurance to help reassure me that all is well.  Plus, he says that with TN, it is better to find them as very small because they come in clusters and grow fast (and are hard to treat).  The ER+ ones tend to pop up as single mets and are slower to grow... they are also easier to treat.  (Plus the tamox and arim delay the onset too.)  Soooo... my onc wants to know and I want to know, so he has set it up.  I really, really like my onc.

Apple~ Love the organ!!! Where did you put it?? I would never have enough room for something so big.

So yesterday, I sent out a scathing email to my boss during my steriod/ativan/chemo haze.  I literally refused to do something because "life is too f***ing short" and what he was requested was a waste of time.  OMG!  I checked my email ALL NIGHT LONG waiting for his response... I am so screwed...

Hope everyone is doing well today!!  

susan13

Hey Ladies,

Just checking in.  Michele a big congrats for finishing, you must be so happy!  And yeah! you do have alot of hair and it's coming in so nicely!!!!!!

Jamie-glad to hear your surgery went well and you are feeling good.  I'm not even scheduled for my exchange yet and I am nervous about it.  How long did they say your recovery will be?

Have a good day ladies!

Jaimieh

Susan total recovery should be 6 weeks. 

 As of right now I can't lift more than 5lbs for 3 weeks so that is going to be difficult.  I am 2 days out and besides waking up with a fever of 100.1 and having a massive hang over like headache I'm not hurting too much from the surgery. 

This weekend we are going away IF I can get everyone packed.  As of right now with my headache and my kids being extra loud I'm not so sure it's going to happen. 

apple

The best thing about the organ is now I have my own room.  (no messy kid or husband things allowed).  It is a finished storage room deep in the bowels of the basement.  I can't hear a thing from the tvs or radios and they can't hear me.  (it is not too loud but could be).  I'll post a pic later.  It's really quite a nice space.  It was a 'weight' room, but no one ever used it.  Glad everyone is finishing up.  (3 more treatments for me and hopefully hopefully hopefully that should be it ).

gcpommom

Michele:  oh, I hate it when I do something like that, and then wish I had thought it over before doing it....I know the pit in the stomach feeling you must have had all night waiting for his response!  Just blame it on the steroids!   I totally agree with having regular scans, but I hate that my docs don't.  I will get my scans, no matter if I have to fight for them or not.  Not as often as you, but at least a couple a year.  I mentioned my concern being TN and metaplastic, but this didn't alter my onc's opinion on scans. 

Apple: Only 3 more to go!!!  That's great, I'm sure you're so ready to be done.  Enjoy your room and your organ and your music..... I have my own "space" (I use that word loosely, it's in the laundry room) in the basement for my mosaicing, and while it is nice to have somewhere to work, I do hate being down there (it's not a finished basement, dark, dingy, spiders, etc).  My dream is to have a workshop outside, I am so much more inspired to work out there with the sunshine, the trees, birds singing, etc.

Jaimie:  keep an eye on that fever....I'm jealous of your new foobs....I hate my "boy" chest too, as Kerry put it....I usually go braless in the summer due to the heat, but with most tank tops, I look too boyish, so I'm sweating it out in my bra.

Susan:  good to hear from you, how are you doing?  I've seen your hair pics on the other thread, you're really growing a thick head of hair!

I noticed a lump on my wrist about 1/2 hr ago...it's hard and bulging, so now I am wondering if I can get another blood clot while I am on blood thinners????  I emailed my onc, and am waiting to hear back.

Hugs

Judy

Jaimieh

My fever went down..whooo  I called my surgeon and she thinks I may have over done it yesterday.  I have to agree with her I went to Dick's, sport Authority, target, Walmart and finally the mall looking for a darn bra.  I finally found one at the mall after I got fitted for it.  So I bought 3 of them since they were on sale

Today I have been laying low and I even took a nap but my kids woke me up 3 x in an hour but it was a nap   Now I am using child labor for getting some of the laundry done...lol..  I thought I had a good amount of laundry done before my surgery but I quickly found out that most of the important clothes (ie.. underwear) have not been cleaned...ooopss. 

Alright I need to go find out what else needs to be washed   I hope everyone has a great weekend. 

MRSROCKYTOP55

Judy, I have just had my 4th Taxol and 2nd Herceptin.  I have 8 more Taxol weekly and Herceptin for a year.  Things are going pretty well, but it seems like I am having more SE from Taxol than I did from the AC.  I love to bake too.  Sounds like you have been really busy.  It is a good therapy don't you think?  I pray you continue to improve.  I have just a little bit of fuzz coming in and hope that it doesn't fall out again.   Kathy

gcpommom

Jaimie:  glad your fever is gone.  You sound like me, running around shopping too much when we should be resting!  Be sure to take it easy this weekend.

Kathy:  Baking is good therapy, but not as good as eating all of it, which is not so good for the waistline!  I just finished my Taxol....what side effects are you having?  I had trouble with mouth sores, achiness, numbness/tingling and of course, fatigue.

Well, being paranoid like I am, I went to the ER to have this lump on my wrist checked out.  It turned out that it wasn't a blood clot, but is a Ganglion Cyst.  In the old days they called them Bible Bumps, because they would whack it with a bible to break it up!  Anyway, I was only there for 3 hours, not too bad.  My coumadin level had dropped quite a bit though, so they had to give me a shot in the tummy until I can bring it back up. 

It's storming here tonight, love to lay here and listen to the rain and thunder....

Hugs

Judy