Starting Chemo February 2009?
Comments
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Judy, argh a ganglion wrist-cyst!
Mine was temporarily removed by a surgeon and then permanently removed by dropping a biochemistry book on it....I learned it doesn't disappear instantly (not good to keep whacking it)
Michelle, Congratulations! Loved the cupcakes! And your hair-- wow! What do you think, ladies, all that puking she had to endure must have stimulated her hair follicles!!
Apple, you are almost done!! yay!
Jaimieh, glad your exchange is done!
Kerry, we are half done with rads!
My skin is red but ok. They must have hit my heart or something on Wed though; I was fine going in, then had HBT (hit by truck) Fatigue 30 minutes after. Haven't been to work since but feel better now. Techs blame it on other stuff though, it's almost comical.
My hair is coming in steadily, mostly white; but not ready for public viewing. When my son stops commenting on the scalp veins bulging when I laugh, then I can go public.
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Sue: omg,did you really whack it with a book??? LOL! Didn't that hurt??? Mine hurts, I can't imagine doing that. Actually, they didn't even tell me what to do about it. They just sent me home, I hope it doesn't get bigger (do they get bigger???) It is on the arm that I have to be careful of (lymph-node side), should I be whacking anything on that arm???
Your hair sounds just like mine, it is mostly coming in white. Since my family gets white hair rather than grey, I am starting to think all this white hair is actually my hair, not that fluffy stuff. I got my first grey hairs by 23 y.o., so I know I have a lot of grey (white) hair.
I don't know why I am up tonight, not really that tired....but I am going to do a puzzle to make me sleepy. Night all!
Judy
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Judy~ I almost posted yesterday that I thought you had a ganglion cyst... but then I was afraid you'd ignore it and it would be something worse! I'm glad it is something minor.
Sue~ I have a veiny head too. Who knew??? I just love how medical people will say that these SE are something else... We are subjecting ourselves to some terrible stuff... wouldn't it follow that the SE would be bad??
Kathy~ Hang in there! You can do ths!! What SE are you having? I found the fatigue to be really, really bad on taxol.
Speaking of fatigue... Holy cow! I can barely put 1 foot in front of the other. It is really, really bad this time. And the joint pain... <sigh> Plus, the depression... I'm having those TERRIBLE thoughts again. (The ones where DD doesn't even remember me.) I'm hoping I perk up soon. I think that some of it is the up-coming scans. I'm really afraid.
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Judy - hope you are not still up doing your puzzle! I was awake last night too, but I had had coffee at about 4:00pm, which was silly. But I was feeling so tired, I needed something to get me through. I love doing puzzles, but really only do a big one at Xmas. They don't mix well with cats and kids.
Sue - yep, halfway done! I have had no skin reaction yet. Fingers crossed it lasts. My Nurse saw me yesterday as the Dr was away, so I spent 2 hours waiting only to have her say "Good, see you next week"! My Machine broke down yesterday, so I had to go on another machine, and I was at the jolly Hospital for hours. Usually I am just in and out.
Jaimie - hope you get away this weekend. I cannot wait to get a few little holidays in. We haven't booked anything, as we didn't know how I would be doing. We usually go camping, but have held off in case I got too sore from the Radiation. But I am thinking in August we may be good to go.
Apple - your organ room sounds so nice. I can't imagine my own little room, where I could shut out any kid noise...ahhh, bliss! You must be so looking forward to being all done!
Michele - hope you are feelin OK this weekend.
My hair is slowly covering my scalp. It is funny, I think I have so so much, then I get a grip and realise to other people I am still totally bald! If I was a guy, I would just look like I had a buzz cut. So, I find that if I spend too much time without a scarf my head gets really cold. Do you think bald men get really cold heads too, or do you think they just get used to it??
So, we are looking at bathroom tile and baths and toilets today. Well, for as long as the kids patience holds out. Hope you all have a lovely day.
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Michell - we posted together!
Sorry you are having a rough time. STOP THOSE THOUGHTS!!!! Go and distract yourself with something mindless, play a computer game or something. You are going to be around for a really really long time. My mother was playing golf the other day with a women who was complaining about her 91 year old mother, how they had just had to put her in a nursing home and she had to drive so far every day to see her. Then she said "she's a tough old bird, had Breast cancer when she was 30, and she is still going" (she didn't know about me) You are going to be around so long, your daughter will be complaining about you. Trust.
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thanks Kerry.
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MichelleS
my hair is grey too. It's pretty thick
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Michele,
My oncologists said the fatigue and pain are to be expected. You just completed a very, hard and challenging marathon...she asked me if I ever saw how marathon runners looked crossing the finishing line? I am getting so excited for my last tx next Thursday ( in between resting and pain meds). Interestingly enough I asked how long it would take before I had energy, etc...she told me to give myself a year...sure hope everyone stays with this post for that long. Also, my doc doesn't do scans or tumor markings unless symptoms....I am having a pet ct on the 16th for continued back pain, if there is no mets--than I start radiation to both breasts on the 20th.
Hope everyone has a great day!
ps...I am so envious of you all and your hair story's...I don't even look as I have barely any coming in????
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Apple--love the hair!
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Apple, I nearly peed my pants!
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Apple, you are so funny! I'll bet everyone will be asking who does your hairstyling. She must live in the Arctic Circle.
Michelle, I now have Hair Envy! LOVE your new 'do!
Well, I've missed the boards for the past week. I had to visit the Great White Castle (hospital) for 4 days. While trying to get through chemo crash #6, I was also getting over the flu and it developed into pneumonia. yuk. Had a couple blood transfusions during my visit. I'm sooooo glad to be home! And really happy to get back to the support and humor of this board.
Having spent the past 2 wks in bed, it's hard to imagine EVER feeling well again.
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Denali--((((hugs)))) So sorry about your trip to the Great White Castle...what a bummer! Hope you continue to heal. Do you have any more chemo's? or are you done? (I am sorry, but I can't keep up with who's done and who's not.) Keep resting, so this all will be a distant memory!
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I'm DONE! No more chemo! Last one did me in with the flu too.
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Yah for being done!!! (even if you went out with a bang...) How exciting that now every day will be a step to restored health!
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Oh Linda~ I was hoping you where out having fun. The hospital is not my idea of having fun
Just keep resting and know that there is plenty of time to get better. Michele~ Your bad thoughts are coming from Chemo. and how you feel right at this moment. Please come talk to us about them we understand the thoughts that you are having.
Kerry~ I hope to be the PITA mom in a nursing home
We didn't go away because of all the rain that we are getting this weekend.
boohoo hisss BUT I am hoping to get some help with laundry and try to get it as caught up as possible before we leave to go to FL -
Hi ladies! Checking in after 10 or so pages since I last posted....I swear I cannot keep up with you all!!
Michele...congrats on finishing, I know how hard it was for you. And LOVE the hair!! I'm green with envy!!
I want my exchange surgery!! Dangit, but I have to wait for about six months AFTER rads...boo! These TE's are so stiff & somewhat uncomfortable (though they don't actually hurt). Bummer.
I had a PET scan that came back totally CLEAR!!! YAY! Not that we thought they'd find something but it's nice to have the confirmation none the less. I meet with the Radiation Oncologist next Friday to get my Rads schedule set up. 30 txtments for me...M-F for six weeks basically. I'm worried about burning because I have fair, sensitive skin so I'm going to ask for Silvadine cream....has anyone used it? I have some (though it's expired) from a couple years ago when my youngest burned her hands on my Mother in Law's curling iron. That was awful but she's fine now. Anyway, the cream is supposed to be about the best there is & I don't want to wait until I NEED it to get it, if possible. What are you ladies finding is working for Rad burns & to prevent burning?
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Oh Jaimieh & Denali....are you two down to Herceptin only every three weeks?? Did the first dose of "big Herceptin" make you feel sick?? I had my first one yesterday & feel achy, tired & a little chilled today. I know my nurse said the dosage was 3-4 times more since it was only going to be every three weeks but she didn't say it might make me feel sick. Just wondering if it's because it was so much more concentrated or if, maybe, I'm just a little sick.
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Hi Kristine, I answered you in our TCH thread but I want to make sure you see this. I was nauseous almost as soon as it started dripping and the next day I was ache. I go back on the 29th of June and I am hoping that it doesn't do the same thing again. I thought I was going to pull a Michele (smoochie to you) on the nurse but I managed to stop before I did it. This time I have big plans to eat the entire drip away..lol....
Oh Kristine don't fret over your exchange surgery it is SOOOO much easier than the mastectomy.
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Michele: hope you are feeling better, ((((HUGS)))) I'd never heard of a ganglion cyst until yesterday!
Kerry: I can drink coffee right up til midnight, and still sleep!! I always do fill-in puzzles just before bed, they are relatively simple, and they make me sooo sleepy. sometimes I fall asleep with it on my lap! Now I sound old!!!
Apple: you look lovely! nice hat! lol
Livng4today: I"m not going anywhere, we all need each other to be here before, during and after chemo!
Linda: so sorry you had pneumonia....glad you are out of the hospital, you must be so glad to be home! Hopefully you will feel better soon.
Jaimie: If you guys are getting the same storm system that came through Michigan yesterday, you're in for a lot of rain! I've never seen it rain like that, for hours, pouring down. Get those kids working on that laundry, FL sounds great!
Kristine: good to hear from you, glad you are doing ok. WOO-HOO on the clear PET scan!!!! I used RadX when I had rads a few years ago, and my skin did well. I bought it online. It's weird, my son did the exact same thing when he was 2 y.o.--grabbed a hot curling iron my daughter had plugged in---screamed and screamed....I didn't know what happened, my DD didn't tell me about the curling iron right away, I thought he electricuted himself.....anyway, it was terrible, lots of blistering, and they gave us that Silvadine cream. It does work really well. He didn't even scar at all. *sigh* I hate it when one of my kids gets hurt
Well, I'm off to do some sort of work that is waiting for me....laundry, opening the pool, working on my mosaics....but would much rather take a nap!
Hugs
Judy
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Okay we got some sun right now and I had DH take some pictures of my lack of hair growth:
4weeks 5 days
of of chemo. My body hasn't gottent he memo yet the hair can grow now please 
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Judy, you are so right, eating the goodies is even better therapy but I sure don't need to pile on any more weight. I thought when I was told I had cancer, that at least maybe I would lose some weight, but no such luck so far. My main SE from Taxol and/or Herceptin is achiness and diarreah and I mean diarreah. I also have like a motion sickness feeling when I bend over. I am going to ask for something this week when I go in. It is rainy season here so it rains and thunderstorms every afternoon and we all have metal roofs here so it is a little hard to rest during the downpours, but I do love the clean smell after the rain. Sorry to hear you had so many SEs. I had a visit from the young people in our church and they brought me ice cream and I think I am off to have a little bowl. Have a great weekend. Hugs back to you too, Kathy
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Michele, thanks for the encouragement and you hang in there too. I know I have those days when I don't think I will ever get my life back. So I think we probably all have those bad thoughts that we don't want to admit we have. Big Hug, Kathy
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Hey gang!!! Just popping in to say hi. Feeling nauseous from rads, so hitting the hay. Gonna see if I can get more ant nausea drugs from doc on Monday
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Jamieh it took me about 6 weeks before myhair started even peeping in..
so dissappointing.. but it did come in
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Judy- yes, really whacked my cyst with a book because I was so mad when it grew back. At the time I was probably stressing my wrist with repetitive twisting/pushing with it (setting up lab apparatus). Course I was young, foolish and had 21 more lymph nodes back then...those were the days, eh?
Bummer that your cyst is on your Special Arm....I wouldn't dare to hit it. Better consult with a surgeon, don't you think?
Apple went all the way to Siberia just to make us laugh!
Denali, congratulations on being Done!!
Yeah, Kerry I know exactly what you mean that our perception of a normal looking hair is way off:
Mr.50: Wow, your hair is growing in fast!
Sue50: (excitedly) You think I can start leaving the scarf off at work?? I'm so sick of wearing them.
Mr.50: Um, er, you look really good in the scarf. You would be more, um, confident with it on.
My Conclusion: Yeah, I'm still essentially bald. Dang. At least I have Baby Eyebrows now....
and I have 2, count em, 2 original eyebrow hairs that hung on through the whole thing. I promised them they will never be plucked.
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Yay, Denali!!!! You are finished with chemo ~ WooHoo!!
apple ~ what gorgeous hair you have LOL!!
KerryMac ~ I'm looking for some decent pics to show my hair before and after. And so far so good on the Tamoxifen; no side effects that I've noticed.
Hugs to all,
Artemis -
Well, we took more photos yesterday of my hair, I'm not sure it has grown at all!! Sue, you made me laugh, we have that exact same conversation every eveing at dinner. I pull off my scarf or wig, I get a collective gasp from my husband and kids "wow, Mummy, you have so much hair" Then they all sort of laugh...! Anyway,here's the pic....
BUT, it is at least coming in dark. AND, I am really going to have to shave my legs, much as I am lothe to remove any hair from my body.
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Jaimie - we need a photo of your new boobies too - now that is something you really can show off!!
Linda - ohhh, i am so sorry you ended up in Hospital. I did the same trick on my second to last Chemo, and I know it is no fun. Did they lock you up in Isolation? Hope you are feeling better.
Artemis - happy to hear the tamoxifen isn't causing you any problems.
Well, a big Happy Fathers Day to all the daddies. Ours is still snoozing, we will make him breakfast in bed in a while. Then we are going for lunch, then to see "Up" in 3D, then a BBQ dinner. Enjoy!
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Kerry: wow, you're hair is dark, did you ever get that white fluffy hair before the dark grew in? I think it has grown since your last pic! In all honesty, I kind of like the white hair....now that my face has some color from being outside so much, the white hair really makes my green eyes pop! I've always been blonde, so white isn't too far off....better than grey (even though it is a form of grey hair)!
Sue50: lol, my 'special arm', I like that term. I won't whack it, don't worry. I'm hoping it will just go away. I am with you on the eyebrows...I think I have 2 or 3 on each side, and I have one big, long eyelash that stuck around and looks really weird next to all those short, stubby eyelashes that have since grown in!
Ok, this pic angle shows the white hair that is all over my head, but hard to show in pics, some of it sticks up, some of it lays flat like real hair:
And this pic shows the darker hairs that are mixed in:
Anyway, hope you all enjoy your day. I'm off to make breakfast.
Judy
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how cute.
i have my onc appt tomorrow and am worried cause my supraclavicular node is harder now, inspite of the months of taxol.. shudder
trying not to freak.. I suppose this is how things go.
maybe she'll advise to quit the taxol and go on to Femara.. that would let my hair grow. (little smile).
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