MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

Meece

Eph, so sorry about your Ruby.  My virtual arm is around you in this time of sorrow for you.

Eli~ Congrats on the news about your son.  You have every  right to be one proud mama and share with us!

And speaking of sharing..

My newest little grandchild, and first granddaughter... 

She arrived four days early and we drove through the night(11 hours) to getthere.  We are here for six more days and enjoying every minute with the family, but we are exhausted.  Other than a minute here and a minute there, not much internet time.  It has been a nice break from the daily thoughts about myself and my health, but I have missed you ladies and have much to catch up on.

Thanks, Eli~  for bringing me back!

barsco1963

Meece - you must be bursting at the seams. How wonderful that you are able to be there with everyone. I can't see the picture but I bet she is beautiful!

MameMe

Hello Ladies, Its been a few weeks since I last checked in here, and now I am pretty out of date with the goings on. I read back a few pages, and want to send sympathy to Eph for the loss of Ruby. My 14 year old pom Jody is having similar troubles physically, and I can relate to how hard that is, but how important. Eli, having the DS enter doc program is a real pump! And seeing that little peanut of a GD, Meece, just blasted warmth into my heart.

I finished radiation last week, and am coming back from a three week virus as well. I have very little zip, which I dearly hope is a temporary thing. Not having had chemo, I am bewildered by the level of fatigue I am having. I vacuumed the floor and spot cleaned a little of it yesterday, and that wiped me out. Of course, I loathe vacuuming, so I am sure that factored in! I have a week to build up before going back to my job, so maybe by then I'll feel more like myself.

My best to everyone! I have so much respect for your positive attitudes in light of the stuff that STUPID cancer throws in the path.

Mame

raehyg

Meece she is beautiful!! Congratulations!!

raehyg

feel better mame

jocanuck1951

Meece! Beautiful grandbaby girl! Congrats!



Rest mame, xoxoxo. Jo

heartnsoul76

Eph - I'm so sorry about your Ruby. It's so hard, but what a loving way to say goodbye. And until you meet again. ((Eph))

Meece - How wonderful, a little girl for grandma to dote on - she's precious! Did you make the cute thing she's sleeping on? I love it, I want one... she looks so comfortable.

Mame - hope you get your energy back up soon. Rads will make you tired. I know what you mean about doing one thing and then you're worn out. It will get better, just rest. You need it for sure.

barsco1963

Meece - can now see the pic of your grand - she is adorable! She looks so peaceful napping away without a care in the world. How beautiful.

Mame - take it easy, be good to yourself and get lots of rest! All that housework can wait!

marlegal

I'm a few pages behind so answering as I read!



Allie thanks so much for that detailed answer, I really appreciate it. I often say that it's more important to make a choice you're comfortable with than a choice others think is right for you. I applaud you for doing just that. As for me hanging around here, I love these guys! This room in particular has a lightheartedness about it that is just plain old fun!



Eli, congrats to you and your son...that's so awesome.



Eph, I am so very sorry about Ruby I'm glad it was peaceful and I hope you are just a little less sad each day. Hugs hon.



Onto another page of reading and replying.....

maryah930

I had to shave my legs and underarms for the first time in 6 months and started bawling!  I never, in a million years, thought I would see the day when I would be ecstatic that I had to shave my legs and underarms!!!!!

jocanuck1951

Omg Maryah! Puberty flashback, lol! Xoxox Jo

marlegal

Meece, she is precious! What is her name? Give her extra kisses from all her cyber grandmoms!



MameMe, fatigue is a very real and common side effect of rads. I hope you aren't pushing to go back to work so soon. We all differ, but many of us felt the effects for weeks after the last radiation. It diminished over time, but definitely lasted more than a week in my case. Agree with letting the housework go and resting whenever you can.



Okay, I think I'm current for the moment! To anyone having tests this week, leave room (and crumbs) in your pocket and I'll tag along

heartnsoul76

Elimar - hope your 1st chemo infusion goes well today!

It's a good day to kill cancer!

jocanuck1951

Huh....what did I miss...I didn't know it was TODAY! It's a GREAT day to kill cancer!!!!!

Xoxoxo Jo

luvmygoats

Jo -  I missed that too.  Eli - go get'em girl.  Kick that shi**y CA to the curb.

elimar86861

Yes, it was today and I did it!  I did good (or well, for my grammar conscious sisters.)

I didn't recruit any Middies for the pockets because I knew it would be a long, long day and it was.  I already knew I was just going to regard it as a JOB.  (Whew!  Been a long time since I had one of those.  This was like the full eight hours (8-4) and I had to eat lunch "at my desk" too.) 

The first three hours passed like a dream because I spent most of the time gloating.  Gloating that I had persuaded (read: worn down) my MO into giving me a Ca/Mg infusion right before and right after my platinum drug(*) which is supposed to help with the short term neuropathy S/Es and possibly prevent long term or permanent ones.  This does not work for ALL, but it has worked for some.  Because I have fibromyalgia in hand and feet already, I am going into this with paranoia about the chemo worsening the peripheral neuropathy and it becoming permanent. 

(*) My platinum drug is oxaliplatin.  This is not a B/C drug.  Some B/C ladies do get other platinum drugs (cisplatin, carboplatin) and the Ca/Mg is supposed to have similar neuropathy blocking effects with those (in some people, doesn't work across the board for every person.)  Anyone interested can do their own online research.

I also get my old friend 5-FU (fluorouracil) again.  Part of that therapy is infusion and part is (can you guess?) the take-home pump AGAIN!   Yes, I am toting my old "boss in a bag" as I type this.  The good news is it stays on only two days.  If I could wear it for two and a half weeks straight, two days at a time will not break me.

SO FAR SO GOOD FOR ME.

Every day a new freakout...just as I move past my Chemo Newbie apprehension, I catch the online news about the bomb explosions at the Boston Marathon about an hour ago.  WTF!  Tho' I did not mention it previously, that is where my son will be headed to school, so I must avidly follow what all that is about.  I will be back soon because i wanted to comment on some other posts, but I have to follow this news.

Eph3_12

HNS I love the cartoon!  It should definitely be sent to anyone beginning treatment!

Elimar-I am certain that Hitler is going to be very sorry he had to make a reappearance in your life!  I have no doubt that you can twirl him by the short hairs & make him say uncle!

LindaJD

Eph3, 

I can sympathise with you on losing your beloved Ruby.  I had to do the same w/ my sweet Golden Retriever, Casey, who was 14 yrs.  He was my "3rd" child & best buddy!  What helped me the most in dealing w/ my grief, was I read several books on Pet Loss.  It seemed to ease my pain.  "The Loss of a Pet" by Wallace Sife & "Goodbye Friend" by Gary Kowalski are good choices.  Also, a few websites like www.aplb.org & www.petlosssupport.lefora.com will connect you to others dealing with their grief.  Worth a try. 

My heart goes out to you.

Linda

Eph3_12

Thank you Linda.

barsco1963

Eli - I had a feeling when I woke up that it was a great day to kill some cancer! What a long day for you though. I bet you are glad it's over! How unfortunate that you have a tag along with you again. But as you noted - two days will seem like a breeze after the last pairing up of two and a half weeks. I hope that the Ca/Mg helps with any unwanted SEs. Go get em Eli!

How horrible that the marathon was marred by such a tragic occurance. Thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected. I just don't understand why things like this have to happen.

barsco1963

I had a feeling that today was a good day to kill some cancer! What a long day for you though Eli. I bet you are more than happy to have it done with. Unfortunate that you have a tag along...but as you noted - two days vs two and a half weeks will be a breeze. I hope the Ca/Mg will take care of any unwanted SEs for you.

Sad that the marathon has been marred by such tragedy. I can never understand how and why these violent acts occur. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected.

barsco1963

Good grief - not sure if it's my laptop or BCO. When I am trying to post or navigate and often get a msg that "this page cannot be displayed" So I post again and lo and behold I have two posts. Sheesh.

elimar86861

LindaJD, welcome!  Over three years on this site, yet I never thought to look for a "pet loss" site.  Thanks for the info.

MameMe, From about week three to about two weeks after I finished, I tried to nap a little every day of rads treatment.  It made me sleepy tired.  (As compared to chemo "dead weight" tired.)  Like you, I would try to tackle chores and found I could do about ONE (let's say vacuuming) and then i was like, "O.K. that wore me out, that's enough for one day."  After a few weeks out, the energy does return a tiny bit at a time.  It is barely noticeable on a day to day basis, but week to week you will notice improvement.  Keep shoving in your nutrients and extra protien; and taking some Vit. B 12 gave me a little energy boost also.

maryah930, LOL about the shaving.  Yeah, it not at all about liking the activity of shaving...it's just that something has returned to NORMAL.  It is a sign of moving forward too, isn't it?

Non-B/C remark:  I had my first side effect (this is from oxaliplatin, so B/C ladies don't fear) and it is weird.  It is called "first bite" syndrome.  When you take a bite after not eating for a while, you get a little jaw spasm and a transient pain, but then you can go on to eat normally.  I have to avoid touching and eating cool and cold food and drinks (to the point of wearing gloves to get something out of the fridge...I'm serious!)  I drank some cool water and I got a feeling of "granules" in my throat.  I just had to tell myself that it wasn't really granules.

elimar86861

Barsco,  Not having that trouble with posting now, but it has happened to me before.  when in doubt, refresh your page and check your Recent Posts and see if it shows up there before you submit a second time.  BTW, I only silently said my mantra today.  I think i will get different chemo nurses as I go along, so it is not exactly like when my same rads tech and I chanted together on a daily basis.  ;-)

AllieM

Eph - So sorry to hear about your baby. Anytime I've lost a pet I've said I won't get another....and then I pass by one of those adoption things and they get me. My girl Angel is 12 and is getting close too. She wont sit anymore to get treats because its hard to get back up. I also noticed a lump on her chest a few days ago. I have put off a vet visit cause I just don't want to know but I'll have to deal with it eventually.

Antidepressants - I don't know a whole lot about them, but I did have a doctor give me Elavil and a muscle relaxer when he thought I had fibromyalgia. I didn't know where I was for three days!  When I called him and said I can't take that stuff (and work), he said that was all there is and there's nothing else to do. I later found out I had a herniated disc and no fibromyalgia. Who knows how long I would've been on that stuff before someone figured out I didn't have fibromyalgia, I was so out of it. I have noticed that when my reflux acts up, it's usually when I'm very stressed and also seems to correlate with my hot flashes, so maybe an antidepressant or antianxiety would work.

One thing I have noticed is that often the docs will try to give me an Rx with the max strength right off the bat and then when side effects are too bad they will decrease the strength or frequency. I would think it should happen the opposite, 'cause I always tell them up front that I am really wimpy when it comes to meds.

Loral

Elimar...Glad to hear things went well for you today. Sail on.......

NativeMainer

MameMe--fatigue during/after rads is very common.  Also, rads is cummulative, and the effects continue to build for at least 2 weeks after treatment.  For every week of rads you will need 2 weeks of recovery time before all your energy comes back IF you don't have any other treatment (chemo, surgery, anti hormonal therapy).  I was at least 6 weeks after rads was over before the burns started healing and I could do more than sit around.  Having a virus on top of it all is just adding insult to injury.  Hang in there, it will get better!

Meece--Gorgeous little girl!

Eph--so sorry about Ruby, that is such a hard part of sharing your life with a furbaby. 

Elimar--Hooray for the first day of chemo down!  Sounds like it was a really, really long one.  Glad you got your way about the Mag/Calcium infusion!   What a weird side effect!  Please tell me it doesn't last long. 

AllieM--next time a doc gives you a prescription ask what strength the pills come in.  He can easily look that up.  If he's ordered anything higher than the smallest dose the drug come in ask for the smaller dose.  sometimes we really have to advocate for ourselves. 

elimar86861

Native, I think it lasts for a few days, and longer as the chemo effects build.  However, I have never heard of it becoming permanent, even if the hand/foot neuropathy does.  It is weird.  I forgot and had tap water this morning and got the "granules" again.  My sense of touch does not seem as sensitive and I have handled a milk jug, briefly, no problem.

LorAll,  I will sail on.  Can I get some Captain Jack to go with that?

                                            

staynsane

Jo-  Look at you, rockin' your new hairstyle!  What a perfect choice!

EPH- My heart aches for you.  I honestly miss my pets more than some people when the time has come.  But I know that you gave Ruby a good life, and knowing that will help ease the pain.

Meece-  Your grandbaby is adorable.  I am eager to slather on that "another kind of love" on my own, if and when my girls produce.

Eli-  First (new) chemo down.  It's got to feel better knowing that you are actively obliterating cancer cells again. Executing the plan... hoping that you get through this with minimal side effects.

Eph3_12

It is page 800!!! That means (doesn't it?) PAR-TAY!!!