Starting Chemo February 2009?

Jaimieh

Well I am here is what is supposed to be the sunshine state but it started raining as soon as we hit the state line and has been raining all day.  My onc. and nephrologist gave me the go ahead BUT I am to schedule kidney surgery for the end of July beginning of August.  I am not happy at all about another surgery or hospital stay and I am being a baby about it.  Since it is a 3-4 hour surgery I told the office that I do not want the 12:30 appt. because I would not get out of recovery until 6-7 pm.  The office scheduler was not happy with me but she will have to deal with me I am going to continue to be a whiner about this BUT I do not want a prune in place of a working kidney.  I'm just not happy about all of this...grr..... 

When I went 3 mths ago they didn't take a sonogram of my kidney using their machine and now instead of watching it like the doctor said previously I need to have it fixed.  Now they took pictures with their machine and now it's urgent.....Okay off to whine like a baby again......

Update so no one worries...I have hydro-nephrosis which is fluid on the kidney due to an artery that is blocking the ureter.  If I do not have it my kidney will die off and if I do have it everything should be fixed and well.  I am just being a cry baby about another surgery. 

I honestly do not know what I would do without all of you ladies to whine to  

living4today

Jaimieh--yipee about being able to go on your trip, bummer about surgery--but lets hope this is all for a very, very long time!  These are all just steps to a healthy life!  (ps its okay to not be happy about this turn of events--I have to see an infectious disease MD next week and it p...me off as I was so hoping for one week without a medical visit--oh well.) 

Grace4me

Whine on.............I'm to the point when I am given a gown to put on I begin to tremble......so very much we are going through.  I just got out of my oncologist visit. He said I have osteopenia, and is sending me on to a ortho doc to mri my shoulder. The xray did not show anything, but he said that since I always seem to fall in the top 1% he will not rule out cancer. He also put me on Armedex, (169.00 for one month) with insurance...................I don't know just keeps on keeping on.

Bethie1

Don't worry guys, I'm here!!! I'm not dead yet!!! I finished my antibiotic, and things are moving along quite nicely --walking pneumonia and all!!! No fear Bethie's here !!!!

Talk about wacked, but I'm missing my ex-boyfriend Bob. He's the one I told you I had to kick out. So far we've gotten together twice this week. I need a good swift kick in the rear, please!! He's trying to be all nice and sweet, and part of me fell for it!! I should know better; he treated me like s***** the last couple of years we were together, but that what they do then they try to be sweet.  We're still friends, but tonight he thinks we're gonna get back together. I bet I gave him the wrong impression, and now that we're separated he's giving me the wrong impression too.  He's trying to act like someone he should've been but never will be. DAMN!!! Why are men such pains in the butt???

Gramof3--thanks for Elsie's playmate.  Too funny--I showed her for real, and she crawled all over my laptop.!! LOL

Artemis

*kicks Bethie in the rear*  Make a list of the reasons you kicked him out, and read it aloud to yourself.  Over and over again.  Seriously.

Artemis

P.S.  I'm glad your pneumonia is getting so much better!

Bethie1

Thanks Artemis!!  It may just bring me back to life--back to reality!!!  My brother wondered what the hell I was doing too!!!

Artemis

You're welcome!  We Furies must watch each others' backs!

KerryMac

Happy Canada Day to Everyone!!

 Bethie - Be careful! I had a boyfriend many moons ago who would treat me like s**t, then come back all sweet and lovely and be so charming that we would get back together. They don't change!! I know it is hard, especially now with all that has happened, but do not let this man back into your life. You deserve someone who thinks you are wonderful, who appreciates you and treats you well. Be strong!

Jaimie - Oh, dear, I am so sorry to hear you need more surgery. That is a bummer, and you have every right to complain! Good news though, eh - they can fix it!  I am already counting down with dread to my ooph Surgery, I know how you are feeling. But all you can do it get it done, and get on with your life. On a happier note, I am so glad you have managed to get a vacation in! Hope the rain stops...is it at least warm??

Grace - you know it isn't cancer! They will just throw that up at us now anytime anything needs checking.  The AI's can cause Osteroporosis, so they are probably just making sure you are OK in case you get more bone loss. You are right though, if it is not one thing, it is another.

Well, thank you all on the compliments about my hair. I had a lady stop me after Rads yesterday (she was wearing a scarf) saying how great I looked, and how much hair I had, and she couldn't wait until she had so much. Only amongst chemo patients wiould my head look hairy! I am getting very brave about being topless, I think my wig is history. I kinda forget now how bald I am!  

Anyway, hope everyone has a great day. It is a holiday here for Canada Day, so no Rads (I only have 5 left, yah!)  Hoping the rain holds off so we can be outside, it has been a soggy week. The bathroom guys came yesterday and tore down a wall and made a huge mess, but it will be lovely to have nice bathrooms.

apple

omg.. i certainly had chemo brain yesterday.. so many mixed up words.  It was almost scary.  I HOpe I'm smarter today.

Jaimieh

Apple we have all been there.  Hell I can spell after chemo......sighhhh.....

Happy Canadian Day to everyone up North!!!

Kerry~ Whooo 5 more to go and going topless

Artemis

Happy Canada Day, KerryMac!

apple ~ sorry about the chemo brain.  I surely do understand.  I was going to take Compazine the other night and could not think of the name of it.  (I have a notepad to write down what I take when.)  I had to ask my husband what it was; apparently, I'm too fried to even read the bottle, LOL!

Hope everyone's having a good day.  I was a bit weepy this morning, but I'm ok now.

Hugs to all,
Artemis

gcpommom

Kerry:  missed your post on last page....yes, the doc thinks my arm problem is from the Taxol...I have too many chemo "gifts"....very stiff, achy hands, achy legs, parts falling asleep, and oh so tired.  Happy Canada day to you    I am jealous that you are getting your bathrooms redone....actually, that you have more than one bathroom!  We share 1 bathroom with 5 people.  It gets interesting!

Jaimie:  Hope the weather is getting better there.  It sounds like the surgery, although it will be another PITA, is for the best, and at least it laparscopic...those are a bit easier to recover from (besides the gas they pump inside you).  But that doesn't last long.

Bethie:  No ex-boyfriend for you!!!  Find yourself a good man, you deserve that.  Just remember, he may be all nice now, but he will most certainly revert to his old ways.

Grace:  I actually refused to put on a gown the last 2 visits....said I was sick of undressing, they had just seen my 'chest' last week!  They were ok with it.  I was being difficult and moody, I guess.  I'm sure your doc is just covering his butt by ordering the MRI...when is it going to be done?  I have arm pain all the time, too, on my lymph side, so it is common.

apple:  my typing seems to be most affected by chemo brain....I have to retype alot....my DS was laughing at me as I was trying to fix his computer and was mistyping everything!  It's so frustrating, I used to type 70 wpm, am lucky to get out a sentence now without a mistake.

We are in the process of switching my DD's care to another doctor/hospital, which is very nerve-wracking....we like the hospital she is with, but not the doctor.  They are too clicky there, so we can't just switch docs.  But now we also have to switch all of her home care, too, but I have been very  happy with her old one, so that worries me.  They want to put a jpeg feeding tube in her now, and that makes me worry.  My other DD is showing signs of having endometriosis, too, and that worries me.  Plus our insurance still won't switch us from 'pre-existing condition', even though I have sent all the paperwork....right now, I owe over $60,000 for my cancer tx..... Maybe that's why I'm fatigued....to much stress right now.

Artemis

(((Judy)))  Poor girl, no wonder you're moody and all:  you're worn out!  I hope things ease up soon, sweetie!!

living4today

(((Judy)))) Sending prayers your way...

Chemo question??  Did anyone else get edema from their chemo.  I have never had an issue with this, but since my last treatment my ankles are about double in size??  I already had to call Onco about my "stinky" nails...so really don't want to have to bother her...

Artemis

I didn't, living4today, but if they are truly swollen that much, you might want to give you onc a call anyway.  That's what you pay him/her for:  to look after your health!

I'm going to put black polish on my nails again and see if it will help check this nail whitening.  I kept it on all during Taxol, but took it off about 3 weeks after the last tx.  Apparently that wasn't long enough (assuming it was helping anyway...).

Artemis

apple

might as well put pink polish on.. seems it would block out as much sun.

Bethie1

You furies are right!!! My ex can be my friend, but that's it!!!

Judy---(((HUGS))) We furies are here for you!!!

Apple--I know how you feel!! Thee are days still that I have chemo brain, and I'm halfway through rads!!!

living4today--I'd call doc.  It doesn't hurt just to be on safe side!!!

Artemis

apple ~ I'm not a pink kind of girl.  Magenta or purple would work for me, but black is all I have.  (I'm not a nail polish kind of girl, either.)

gcpommom

Kim:  elevate your feet above your heart, on pillows.  And call your onc tomorrow   I have read about edema occuring, but have not had it myself....onc always checked my ankles, though.

Bethie:  good for you!   

Thanks, all, for your kind words.....honestly, though, I feel bad for posting such depressing crap!  Really, all of us have our own personal problems to deal with, you don't need to add mine to it!  I apologize for being a downer, and am going to try to be "up" from now on.

So here are the good things in my life:  I have a lovely home, a wonderful family, 4 crazy dogs, all of you wonderful women to talk to, and am done with chemo, so YAY for me! 

Hugs

Judy

apple

Aetemis -  I was kind of joking about the pink  *you know, we're all supposed to be pink people".

Judy - yay for you.  done with chemo!

living4today

Thanks all for the great advice!  Much appreciated. 

On a side note, kept my toe nails covered with fushia nail polish the entire journey and doesn't appear that I am going to lose any toe nails..but looks like I could lose all my finger nails:(

Judy--I think I can speak for us all...we are here for the good and the BAD...that's the awesomeness thing about this wonderful group of wonderful women!!!  We are here for it all!!

living4today

Apple--I do believe pink is overrated!!  However my 13 yo dd wanted to know if we should convert our spare bedroom to the "pink" room--NOT!!

Bethie1

Thanks Judy---He treated me like s****, and I gave him the world as I mentioned!

living4today--YES!!! We are here for the good, bad and the UGLY!!! Our bodies have changed, we've lost toenails/fingernails, etc, but we are FIGHTERS right girls??? (Trying to bounce some of my stubborn positive attitude to Judy--I'm Irish and German, and I don't take any crap from this point on--took enough it from my ex unfortunately!! Let's get down to business ladies and kick this Big C where it belongs -to the curb!!! Let's here it for us furies WE ROCK!!!

Artemis

apple ~ Oh, how stupid am I?  *facepalm*  I should've known it was a joke.  Uhm, can I blame it on radiation brain after only 2 zaps? 

Kind of ironic that.  I was explaining to my son last night why we don't like pink.  I was all blah blah blah, not pretty, not pink, blah blah, blood, needles, baldness, pain...

Love you all, you wonderful Furies!

Artemis

xpectmiracles

Living4today, As chemo pregressed, I got edema, too. Dr said it was normal for TC. Is it uncomfortable? I was not uncomfortable, so we just left it alone. It did go away. Elevate you legs, that will help.

living4today

Cheryl,

Sorry to hear that you had the edema too. No, it's not painful--just ugly!  (on the other hand, the fingernails hurt like you know what...)  Sitting here with my feet up

Jaimieh

Bethie~ Keep your Ex as friends only (if that)

Judy~ you are not depressing us.  ((bighugs))

living4today~ Sorry to hear about your edema. 

I about blew a gasket today.  I had to call the scheduler today for my surgery and the wench didn't listen to me and scheduled my surgery for Aug. 10 which is a herceptin day for me.  When I told her this she got pissy with me and only offered me Aug. 5 at 12:30 so I had no choice even though I told her the day before I did not want that date.  I am upset that a. she didn't call when she said she would b. scheduled my surgery on a date that I clearly told her that I could not do c. would not offer me any additional dates.  However since I know that I have to deal with her I was kind and polite when I wanted to ask her who in the HELL she thought she was scheduling my surgery for a date that I clearly stated the day before that I could NOT do.  Okay bitch fest over.......

So we travel in the car for 16 hours and it has been raining for 2 days so far   So if you hear me singing rain, rain go away....  I am very proud of myself I stood up for myself and my values 2 x today to different people.  I think that I am going to continue to do so because I am sick of being nice and not saying anything. 

My left foob has been hurting me lately making me sad but I am impatient and want to be better in a blink of an eye.  The worst part is I will just be able to start picking things up again after my exchange surgery and then I will be back to not being able to pick up anything heavy. 

Not sure if I posted this here but I thought it was kinda funny.  I was washing my face the other day and was upset because I couldn't get my fake eyebrows off only to find out they are new eyebrows...whooo...  I appologized to my new babies and begged them to stay.  I have lost 1/2 an eyebrow so far and some of my opposite eyelashes. 

Okay I need to think of positive things: I have been able to start shooting pictures again, I have the best kids in the world (LOVE, LOVE them), my left foobie is nice and soft and finally I have a wonderful husband. 

KerryMac

Oh, I had a little pity party for myself this morning too, at 4:00am (hot flash woke me up) Sounds as though it is going around.....

So, things I am grateful for - two amazing, bright and healthy kids. A wonderful husband, who looks at me all bald and one-boobed and still says I am sexy, and, what more, means it!  Our two naughty kitties. A lovely home, which may be a bit shabby, but soon to have shiny new bathrooms! My garden. You guys.....

So, loads to be grateful for! And sometimes when I think of the whole "why me" thing, I try to remember that there are far worse things I could have got.

Anyhow, the builders have just arrived and i have to be at Rads at 8;00am. Will be continued...

xpectmiracles

Jaimieh, it's difficult to be patient with people who are rude to us. It sounds like you did good keeping your cool with her on the phone. You can bitch and whine all you want to us!

I can relate to the frustration about restrictions after exchange surgery. I went into my beloved garden and did some weeding yesterday. It was a bit more activity than I should have done. I got cramps in my chest muscles later in the day.

MRSROCKYTOP55

Bethie, glad you are feeling better.  You are just too funny.  You just need to do what is good for you!  How is that kitty doing?  God Bless, Kathy