**NEW** Starting Chemo March 2009

7timewinner

Francine...

I will be thinking of you on the 1st, as I receive my last chemo. Good vibes

Nadine

jdeking

Dayla - the onc said to wait 2 weeks after last chemo to have port out. I am going the 3rd week as it was the first opening my BS had. I don't know why he is doing it under general, but I fear he will put staples in again as he stapled it shut when he put it in. It hurt like crazy!

Congrats again Chris on finishing!

Here's a cocktail for you!

 Gina - woohoo, almost done! I also have the clothespin feeling, but only on my 2 big toes. I am waiting to see if they will hang in there. Good luck with your counts!

Anonymous

I am starting to count down the hours until my last chemo, Friday.

I talked my onco into a BRAC test so I can finally make a definitive decision about surgery.  I went to his office yesterday for the blood work. He didn't want to do any testing, said we could address that later.  Then, after going through a lumpectomy, we could always do a mastectomy at a later date if testing indicated.  I expressed to him , as politely as I could, that I would much rather just do it right the first time.  Sometimes getting these Drs to understand is like pushing a rope!!

I have the numbness in the big toe also, seems to get better about 14 days after chemo.  My fingernails haven't been numb at all, but  are all ridged like you got it pinched in something and then it is growing out.

Quote of the day:

" Be who you are and say what you think.  Because those who mind don't matter and those who matter dont' mind"       Dr Suess

ChrisC433

Jdking:   Thanks for the cocktail...it was delicious!!

Wendy, Taxol is much easier than AC.  It never upset my stomach so I could take pills to combat any bone pain.  I got Neulasta shot after each TX so that also added to the pain.  I would take 3-4 Motrin during the day if it got rough and then a Percocet at night...that took away pain and helped me sleep.  I would wake up paiin free and not start Motrin again until early afternoon.  I had TX on Monday's and the pain came Wed. evenings.  By Saturday I was getting back to normal...only a few days and doable!!!  I continued with the Claritin on day of shot and then 2 days after...that really helped even when on AC. You may get a tingling or numbness in feet and fingers.  It is not painful, just annoying (especially at nght).  I've taken a sleep aid (1/2 of one) for about 3 weeks now.  It gets my mind off my feet...if not, I tend to kick things to make sure they are still there!!

Hope this helps!

Hair, Hair, Hair,

I started biotin 5,000mcg a day.  It was listed to promote hair regrowth.  Only $6.50 for a bottle of 120 and you only take one a day....pretty cheap.  Now I am looking into Nioxin.  Those trying it, do you do Stage 1 or 2 kit, or just the hair follicle booster.  The kits cleans and folate the skin and then prepare for booster.  Not sure if the price difference is worth it???  Where is the cheapest place to purchase, any suggestions?

 Have a great day ladies.  It seems our train is starting to take some detours...surgery, radiation, and new TX's.  Our train offers direct communication to all no matter where we end up...that is so great!!

Hugs again to all...heading for neulasta shot and then lunch with my sons!

Chris

pickle

Good Morning Ladies:

Wow....it's amazing,....it seems like almost everyday someone is finishing chemo. I realize that there are are treatments ahead for some of us....surgery, rads, tamoxifen etc but it sure is heartwarming to see so many being done chemo. One BIG chapter behind us. When I started on this board, being done with chemo wasn't even in my sights....it seemed so far off. Now look how far everyone has come. For all you gals with some chemo left to do....hang in there. We are all right here with you.

NYDeb: Love the Dr Suess quote

gymmom8

I have been MIA for about 2 weeks and I am VERY behind on all the posts.  I will do my best to catch up but I wanted to share the story my 12 year old daughter wrote and read at the Relay For Life luminaria ceremony that was at the high school a couple weeks ago.  I was so proud of her! 

I was supposed to have my last Taxol today but my WBC is really low and now I have to wait until next week.  The kids last day of school is today so I was really hoping to have an end to my chemo by today.  Oh well, I guess we have all learned to roll with the punches.  I will post again once I am caught up.  I hope all is well with everyone! 

This is what my daughter wrote: 

 My mom came home one day and told me she had news to tell us. In 5th grade family life I learned about cancer and prayed for nobody to get it that I loved. My mom told my brother, sister, and I to sit on the couch. My dad started to tear up so I got scared. She told me she was diagnosed with breast cancer. I cried my heart out considering that my mom is one of the most important people in my life. I cried myself to sleep for about a week getting scared. The awesome friends I have helped me through this and thankfully they still are. Talking to them made me feel so much better. My mom is going through chemo and we are counting down the days! This is why I relay. I want to help and support my mom. I also want to help other people who have been diagnosed with cancer. It means so much to me that I know I am helping other people with cancer.  I know the scariest word you can hear is cancer because it's hard to go through. Please join and help fight against cancer.  Celebrate the survivors, remember the loved ones lost, and fight back against this ugly disease.

Take care everyone!

Cyndi

pickle

Cyndi: That is beautiful. It must have been  so emotional and yet ...a very proud moment for you. Bless your daughter for being so kind and caring.

Beth P

PattiB

Cyndi - Your daughter's sentiments are beautiful and well written!!!

Dawnmrn1

Cyndi!  Her words took my breathe away!  You must be so proud!  Dawn

didle20Diane

Cyndi, wow what a wonderful daughter you have raised.  That was a beautiful speach.  We AND our families are all survivors.  What our families endure is difficult too.  Especially our children.

hugs,

Diane

ChrisC433

Cyndi,

What a wonderful speech.  It takes a lot of courage to make a speech iin front of so many people...let alone an emotional one about your mom!  You have a very special daughter..

Take care,

Chris

crusader1

Hi Cyndi,

What a beautiful speech for your daughter to write.

Yes you must be so proud of her.

Hugs,

Francine

7timewinner

Cyndi, you are indeed blessed!!

Nadine

ann-idiot

I've been MIA for about a month (really can't remember, stupid chemo-brain I suppose) Love this thread. Love all the positive energy. Hate to be a downer... but I'm so f***ing sick of breast cancer, more specifically, all the malarkey that comes with it that I could just plotz! Now feel free to resume the wonderful postings, as I really do enjoy and feel the need to read them.

jdeking

Cyndi - that was very special! What a jewel your daughter is, I bet you are so proud!

Welcome back to you, and ann-idiot! Good to see you both, and hope you are feeling ok.

bethr

Hello All,

 Cyndi - That's a beautiful sentiment by your daughter.  You must be so proud of her.

NYDeb - Great Dr. Suess quote.  I love quotes like that because they're so simple and so true.

ann-idiot - I whole-heartedly echo your feelings about BC with all that comes with it...   I think we should all make a list...  Then maybe convert it to a song....  Something up-beat of course...  lol...

All -  Have any of you had issues with swelling?...  I've begun to get swollen feet and knees...  I had a hard time walking the other day.  It seemed to come from nowhere.  It's better now, as with all my side effects close to the end of the three weeks..  My next treatment is Friday so I can do it all again..   whoopee!   My onc tells me its all part of the chemo and to stay rested and elevate my feet....  

All - As usual...  My best to all of you...  My congrats  and happy thoughts to those of you done with chemo...  And my well wishes to those of you along with me still working through it.  2 to go for me...

Here's a joke I thought was funny...  Hope it brings a chuckle to you too.   Have a great day!

An attractive blonde from Dublin arrived at the casino and bet Twenty thousand dollars on a single roll of the dice. She said, 'I hope you don't mind, but I feel much luckier when I'm completely nude.'

With that, she stripped from the neck down, rolled the dice and yelled, 'Come on, baby, Mama needs new clothes!'

As the dice came to a stop, she jumped up and down and squealed 'YES, YES, I WON, I WON!'

She hugged each of the dealers and then picked up her winnings and her clothes and quickly departed.

The dealers stared at each other dumb founded.  Finally, one of them asked, 'What did she roll?'

The other answered, 'I don't know - I thought you were watching.'

MORAL OF THE STORY

Not all Irish are stupid; not all blondes are dumb; but all men are men.
  

ccbaby

Cyndi...Your daughter's speech made me cry, but in a good way. You should be very proud of her.

pickle

Ok...so what's the deal.....2 1/2 weeks past my final chemo and now my eyebrows are all coming out. I thought I was going to get away with a little thinning but not lose them all. The loss of pubes was welcome ( and I'd be okay with it being permamnent...TMI) but this....,,,darn it! One more thing to put on before I go out...jeesh it's taking me longer and longer to get out the door! Any more surprises I should know about?

Hope all are doing well today.

Beth P

didle20Diane

My eyebrows and lashes really thinned out after my 3rd treatment.  I am 5 weeks post final chemo and don't see new growth yet.  I think I have 2 eyelashes left on the bottom row....UGH.

Went to onco's today because I had a bulging lymph node in my groin area....of course I freak about everything now.....no temp, but my WBC's are only 2.5.  Friday I was at 4.5 so what the H?????  Onc says I am still recovering from chemo and I probably have a virus thanks to my kids.....yeah but I got my period today.  What's up with that?  I wouldn't have minded missing those for a while longer.  Really only missed a month or so since I had a period during chemo then went abrubtly to hot flashes and now back to a period.  At least I wasn't cranky before it came like I am  normally so I guess that is a good thing???

Congrats to those finishing this week!  Time sure does fly.

hugs,

Diane

pickle

Hi Diane,

I think we'll all freak out a bit over everything that crops up. I think we pay more attention to our bodies now....I'm feeling myself up all the time...lol

How big is the lymphnode in your groin and did it just pop up? I'd watch it for a couple of days and if it's still there or changes get it rechecked. Not to freak you out but go back to your onc or maybe even your family doctor.

No comment on the period...I haven't had one for 18 or 19 years and I haven't missed them at all but hubby thinks I still get cranky. Had a hysterctomy for cervical cancer....didn't need any other treatment and still have my ovaries. Not sure that's a good thing now that I am 90% ER+. Boy it's fun being a female eh! (said in a very sarcastice Canadian tone)

Janet0527

Yeah, I had #5 Taxol today following AC, and my eyebrows and eyelashes are thinning significantly right now.  I also am *not* yet seeing any hair on my head (or anywhere else) return yet, though I know some gals have had that happen post-AC during Taxol.  Oh well.  The eyelashes are the weirdest - eyebrows I can draw on, bare pubes and legs and underarms are nice, but the eyelashes I'm not sure what to do with.  At the moment I have enough, sortof, to use mascara, but there is a big bare spot on each top lid that looks pretty weird and the bottom is just too thin to bother.  Is anyone wearing false eyelashes?  I use them for dance events, but on a daily basis I just can't imagine making the effort. 

sakura73

 Bethr I like the joke!

Jdeking - STAPLES? Oh my god! I had dissolvable stitches on my port - I did not realise how fortunate I am. 

Gina hope the strawberries helped. If not, try them with melted dark chocolate next time!

Count me in as another whose eyebrows are jumping ship - in week 3 after final AC they are very much thinner. Eyelashes are thinner too.

I feel like chemo is over but in fact next Tuesday I start taxol - and from what you say, Janet, it sounds like what remains of the brows and lashes will be going the way of the dodo. I have no idea  how to apply false eyelashes so I doubt I'll be using them. But I feel very sad as I always loved my lashes. Best thing about my face, they were. 

But meanwhile my arm hair is undisturbed and my leg hair seems to be growing more too.There is no fairness in this life!

Janet0527

Yeah Rachel, I liked my nice thick long lashes, too.  Boo-hoo.  Yeah, I'm really not seriously considering falsh eyelashes.  Having opted for bandanas and hats most of the time on my head, with a scarf for anything requiring more formality, false eyelashes would be a bit strange coupled with that, lol.  I'm just curious what others are doing.  I do think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how good you feel with the Taxol as compared to AC.

jdeking

My eyebrows have thinned also, but so far lashes have held on. I hear that we can lose them even months after chemo, and can lose a few sets before they grow back permanently. Won't that be fun??

 Yay Diane on your period coming back! That may seem like a strange thing to congratulate you for, but I am praying mine comes back as I have not yet had children! Onc says I have a 50/50 chance of it coming back, and then a 50/50 chance that my eggs will not be damaged. So I will actually be glad to see it return! Cramps, PMS, and all! I know you are on the same boat Rachel, and will be happy to see it return!

Hope everyone is doing well this week with minimal (or no!) SE's!

sakura73

Yes indeed - can't wait for mine to come back. Though I must admit it is nice not having to worry about tampons and things. Still, I'll take the cramps and the PMS and everything if it means I can get pregnant.

I too heard we lose the lashes a few times over. Joy.

bethr

I've got two treatments (TAC) left...  I still have my eyebrows..  (thinning a tiny little bit) and most of my lashes...  peach fuzz hair on my head..  (It's been that way since I lost the rest of it long ago)...  some pub's....  some stubble on my legs... no underarms...    No period..  I'm almost 50 so at this point it can never come back as far as I care...    But I do hope from the bottom of my heart it comes back for those of you who still want children.  I always wanted them but things just never worked out for me and I didn't want to raise one by myself...

My 5th of 6 is tomorrow....  and I'll be keeping an eye on what hair I have left.... 

 Hey!  have any of you seen the posts for Pinkstock.  It looks really neat!

 I hope you all have a wonderful day!!!

Beth

pickle

I am so sorry. I hope my earlier post about not having periods didn't come off as being insensitive. I really didn't realize that periods and eggs could be affected in the long term. Duh....I feel really dumb right now.

I too hope and pray from the bottom of my heart that everything works out for all the gals that want children.

Hugs and best wishes to all who are having treatment today and tomorrow. I think it's Alyad"s last one today!

ccbaby

Hi everyone,

I made it through chemo #5 last Monday and am doing pretty good. Only one left! Then I will continue on with Herceptin til March. My onc wants me to talk with a rad-onc about having rads after chemo is finished. I had a mastectomy with 1 lymph node involved. The onc says I should only need rads in the arm pit area where the node was and in the superclavicular area also where other lymph nodes are at, but not on the breast because I had clear margins there. Is anyone in our group doing anything similar to mine with rads? I still haven't talked with the rad onc yet until I finish my last treatment to find out for sure.

Yes, It is Alyad's last day today. Good for her!

I still have my eyebrows, but they are very thin. My eyelashes are hanging on too. I still am shaving my legs every now and then, darn it.

ginagina

Hi everyone  - just popping in to say HI. Final days/week of school (actually last day is a week from today) and it seems that we have "something" every day...busy schedule. Anyway, I start last cycle of  CMF today. YEAH! So if all goes well, 14 days from today I will be done!

I met up with a bunch of Seattle gals from this board last night and it was soo much fun. I walked out of Red Robin with my pink wig under my arm (I actually took it off to show off my chemo stubble) and had a big grin on my face!

Hope everyones SEs are manageable

hugs

Gina

PattiB

I am 5 weeks PFC and lost most of my eyebrows 2-3 weeks after the last treatment.  Thought I was going to keep them too.  Oh well, still have my eyelashes!! I think I am seeing a little 5 o'clock shadow in some spots on my head, but have a lot of white fuzz on head and the sides of my face (weird).  Been reading the Hair board and seems lots get the white fuzz on the face too.  Just wish more was on the head. No period yet, but being 51, I won't be surprised if it doesn't come back even though I was regular before.

Diane - Hope you feel better soon.