Chemo Starting Sep 09

DiDiT

OK girls THE HAIR - we talked about the hair...I'll let you know the outcome, but I just couldn't take the grey any longer...Going out of town this weekend to see old friends - I would be quite comfortable lounging around without the wig if it weren't for the grey - I know I'm weird, but somehow, feel like it would evoke sympathy - and I don't want that...

So, anyway...I currently have hair color and foiled low lights processing as we speak...My daughter did buy the hair color at the Aveda salon where she works, so it is all natural.  

Will let ya know how it goes... 

Scoobydoo

Hey ladies. Whew am I behind on posts! 

I do have a quick question.  I had my port removed on 1/26 and I am still having tenderness there.  Is anyone else having this issue a month after it was removed????

I am starting to worry.  DH thinks I am not healing as fast because of the rads.

Anita

chinablue

Scooby, I don't know about the healing, but I hope it gets better soon.

Now, that we are on the topic of hair.  I still don't have any (other than white fuzz on my head).  I am five weeks from my last Taxol treatment.  I would love to hear some encouraging words. 

Scoobydoo

China around my 7th week my hair started to really grow back.  I am now in my 8th week and it is seriously growing back.  Not yet long enough to stop wearing wigs, but by the end of March I should be able to say adios to wigs.

msmpatty

DiDi - How did the hair turn out?   Mine is getting longer but, like you, I just hate the color.  Thanks for being our "test case" with the color!

China - The white fuzzies are a good sign.  Next you'll notice a five-o'clock shadow and then...hair!

Scooby - I'm not sure what to think about your continued soreness from the port removal.  I haven't had mine out yet, but when it went in it was really tender (and un-usable) for at least a month.  Which seemed longer than other people reported.   As with everything, we are all different.  As long as it doesn't look infected, I'd give it a few more days.

10 rads down, 18 to go.   Can't think of one thing to complain about!

Patty

hbowser

Anita - I had my port removed on 2/2 and that area is still sore and where the three "dots" were, that area is bruised-looking.  My onc. saw it last week and she said it looked fine.  I think if they used the same incision site to take it out, it will take longer to heal.  As Patty said, as long as it isn't red, swollen or infected-looking, I'd give yourself some time.

On the topic of hair, is anyone getting hair where they didn't have before chemo? Honestly, I have hair everywhere on my face:  sideburns, beard, mustache, etc.  What can I do?

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Scoobydoo

Thanks Holly.  And no, so far no hair growing in strange places.

Anita

vickilynn

Re: soreness at port site.  Mine was sore for nearly 8 weeks - and I had a different site for removal than for insertion.  In fact, I hadn't noticed until you mentioned it, that it doesn't hurt this week!

Re:  Hair in strange places.  I always had a bit of hair on my face, but my goodness!  Very fuzzy face.  I did read elsewhere on this site that it is a common problem to have.  The fuzzy face will go away eventually (hopefully?) but you are not alone. 

Re:  Chemo brain.  We opened our cafe this week and it's going well.  But I had to learn to use a cash register AND a credit card machine this week and nearly went crazy.  I still have to stop and think each time I use it, and I feel like a dodo head... honestly.  And multi-tasking is out of the question.  If someone interrupts while I'm making muffins I have to dump things back and re-measure them all!!!  But there are really positive things about working again... including contact with people.  And when it's slow, I get to sit and have a cup of tea with the older widows in town.  It's been pleasant.  But wow am I tired.  We're only open 7:30 to 3:00 and that's almost too much.  AND my blueberry muffins are a big hit : )

chinablue

Vickilynn - How I wish CA was closer to NY.  I would love to have a cuppa with you on your off time.  Hang in there with the machines.

jadams1264

Hello SOSisters.... I hope this finds everyone well and enjoying your Saturday.  Today was my 7th day of working in a row, fortunately I only had to go in for a couple of hours.  Will continue on this lovely schedule until I get my team in place.  Hopefully by the middle of this week.  Went for Herceptin and radiation yesterday.  I sure am feeling better, energy level has defintely returned but I am still having chemo brain moments.

Holly - chemo brain is still bothering me somewhat.  I do some of the stupidest things and I can forget something very quickly - no short term memory for me.  I write everything down now, but all that I read says this goes away.  The sooner, the better!  As far as hair in strange places, not so far.  I know a lot of sisters have reported chin hair so I have really been watching.  None on my legs, under my arms. My last chemo was 12/30.

Patty - I'm not sure I want my sleep cap hanging with my socks!   Our cancer center has two radiation machines, one went down this week and I waited over an hour for my txt.  They usually have me in and out on schedule.  I can't complain about radiation either other than my arms ach afterwards for a little bit.

DiDi- glad you are doing okay.  I can appreciate not wanting to tackle that drive every day.  How long is your hair that you could get hair color and low lights?  I go to an Aveda salon so I am really interested in how you make out.  However I don't have enough hair yet to get anything done.

Barb0323 - hope you are feeling good and recovering quickly.  Know you will be glad to get your drains out on Tuesday.  Eyes doing better?

Anita - can't answer the port question.  Will have mine until September when I get through with Herceptin.  Make sure your dr keeps an eye on the area.

ChinaBlue - I have hair all over my head but it is by no means very long.  It took a good six weeks for it to start coming in - it is getting thicker but it is very short.  Hang in there, I think hair grows differently for each of us, just like everything else.

Vickilynn - even though you are so busy, aren't you having fun?  Aren't you glad the nasty BC is behind you and life is going in a new direction?  Glad you are feeling better.  I am also learning a lot of new things, different computer systems, programs and I'm having the best time.  Tired but it is a good tired!  I agree with ChinaBlue, would love to sit down and have a muffin and coffee with you!

For all I didn't post to - hope you are well and busy, busy.  Please post a short note and let us know how you are doing.  We miss you!  Take care.

Thoughts and prayers are with you!

Jane

Neece

hello everyone,

Tomorrow will be start of my second full week back at work in my new college. I have enjoyed it so far. It is very different in many ways to my 'old' college but I am enjoying being in a different environment; it feels like a fresh start somehow.

Anita I am so glad that your genetic test results were negative - as oyu say just one less thing to weigh on your mind and that of your daughters.

BarbT glad your surgery went well. I hope you heal well and quickly. Don't forget to be vigilant with the arm movement and shoulder exercises, so that you can regain your full range of movement as soon as possible.

Had a lovely lunch with dear women friends today, to celebrate my recovery from chemo and their support, and also of course to celebrate International Women's Day tomorrow March 8th. Happy International Women's Day everyone!

DiDiT

Girls, just a minute to post, just returned from a weekend away seeing high school friends, actually my bestie from 4th grade friend and HS friends!  Anyway, BEHIND!

The hair is still intact...as far as 'strange places' - all I can say is the hair fairy has a sick sense of humor ... my 'hair down there' is LONG and STRAIGHT and as previously mentioned, head hair poodle curly!!!!

But, the color is great!  Jane, the only thing with the Aveda color, is that as it is all natural, sometimes doesn't cover grey as well.  I only have one spot along my hairline that is still grey, but with the 'high lights' not noticeable.

Length  not long, in fact, dried before color finished processing.  My daughter put a brown all over color on with a brush and the foiled the lighter color - if I can figure out how to put a picture on here, I'll show you...

But, no damage...very soft - I had her trim the fuzzy parts that were growing faster than the rest around the temple and back of my neck...but too short to straighten... can't have everything, right?!

toodles for now! 

msmpatty

DiDi - The hair fairy is definitely twisted.   I've gotten some growth "down there" but only in the areas that require waxing for swimsuit season.  The hidden parts...nada.  Argggg.    How did your friends react to your hair?

Neece - Happy International Women's Day to you too!  

Jane - My sleep cap suddenly appeared in the laundry over the weekend.  Mystery solved.   I'll look for yours now.

 Vickilynn -I'm so glad your new cafe is going well.   I'd love to taste your blueberry muffins.  I've been slow in getting the best-ever brownie recipe to you.   Expect a PM with it....soon!

Anita - I've definitely got some hair on the sides of my face that wasn't there before.  It is colorless and very downy, so I'm hoping it falls out.   Otherwise I'm not sure what to do with it.

Have a good evening everyone!

Patty

Pamelajo

Hey Ladies,

Long time, no chat.  I apologize from the bottom of my heart.  Depression and anxiety, newish job, trying to save leave up for reconstruction next week,.........i've been a horrible sister.

I hope you all are doing wonderfully.  Hair coming in I see?  Mine is wavy and black.  Got my nose pierced LOL........gone sorta punkish.  I spike my 2 inch hair.  Hubby thinks it's swell

 I'm feeling alot better ......energy is coming back.  That's a blessing.

 Missing all of you.  I will definitely try to stop in more often.  I will be home approx. 4 weeks after surgery on the 19th..

Love to all of you!

vickilynn

PAMELAJO!!!!  So good to hear from you again.  Had me worried there, girl!

chinablue

Tonight, when I looked in my magnifying mirror, I saw the tiny tiny eyelashes!  Oh God...Thank You.

DomeGal

Good Evening SOS gals....

Pamelajo--SO GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU...keep us posted on the reconstruction.  I have over 6 months to wait for mine, so you will be back to normal by then!!  So glad to have you back.

Vickilynn: Glad to hear that the cafe is doing so well.  You will get the hang of the new machinery and how awesome to be able to chat with some women who most likely need the company.

Chinablue:  My eyelashes are coming in very tiny too and I am so HAPPY.  Today I actually put the powder without the wax over the hair where my eyebrows are coming in.  Life almost getting back to normal....almost.  I too have hair that I can't wait to color...coming in what I guess was my original color with a lot of gray.  Also facial hair coming in where it used to, but almost like more...hoping my head hair will be as thick as it was before I shaved it. 

Here's to a great week for all of us...I started "relaxation therapy" with the social worker at the cancer center because I have a hard time being still during radiation...my body has some involuntary movement thing going on and has for years, but cancer, chemo and everything has made it worse.  I am hoping that it helps.

I would like to share something with you ladies that my daughter wrote for me that she gave to me a couple of years ago for Christmas with a picture of Half Dome in the background.

The Climb

We all start at the beginning and tirelessly forge our way to the top.

Our minds will us onward when our bodies beg for us to stop.

Not everyone will make it.  Some will succumb to exhaustion and defeat.

But somewhere atop that mountain, one woman emerges, standing steady on her feet.

One long journey now behind her, she breathes a proud sigh

For she knows that she can conquer any mountain, no matter how high.

This is what got me through all of this...we are all conquerors and we can all be proud.  And we have traveled a path worn through and just like climbing Half Dome, we have all made it to the top and are now on our way down.

Bless all of you...

Kim

chinablue

Bravo!  Give your daughter a hug from me.

msmpatty

Kim - Thanks for sharing your daughter's inspiring poem.  It brought tears to my eyes.

Yesterday must have been a good "hair" day overall...my magnifying mirror revealed teeny tiny eyebrows sprouting.  They took a hike in December and I was fearful they'd left me permanently.  Hooray for eyebrows and eyelashes!

Patty

jadams1264

Hey SOSisters.... it has turned beautiful in NC.  Warm weather - 77 here today.  I love it!!

Patty - glad you found your cap.  I'm afraid my has run away for good.  Either that or I'll find it when I don't need it anymore!  I haven't started getting any facial hair (yet).  My eyebrows are filling back in and I can see signs of eyelashes so I figure all is well and I'm trying very hard to be patient.

PAMELAJO - I am so glad you posted.  Oh how we have missed you!  Glad to hear you are doing well and getting ready for your reconstruction.  No excuses not to post now that you are going to have four whole weeks to yourself.  I bet you look beautiful with your nose ring, you need to post a new picture (as do the rest of us).  Will be saying a prayer for you and a speedy recovery.

Kim - thanks for sharing your daughter's beautiful poem!  Are you enjoying the relaxation therapy, any great tips to share?  Isn't it amazing how the chemo has made so many of us gray (ha)?

Vickilynn & ChinaBlue - hope you are both doing well.  I know you are busy but glad you are checking in so we know you are okay.

Everyone take care.  Thoughts & prayers are with you.

Jane

DiDiT

Kim - thank you so much for sharing your very personal poem!! 

I'm not an outwardly emotional person...eyes filled with tears!  Beautifel sentiment and YES we are on our way down where we have the honorable opportunity to help those who are just on their way up!!    May I copy and paste your poem?  Would love to share with others with your permission, of course!

Love to you all!!

PamelaJo - glad you're back!  And glad your energy returning...You may have exhausted yourself entertaining all of us lol !!!    We're ready for your incredible humor, but pace yourself sista, we love you and want you anyway you feel like being:)

BarbAnne41

Hey ladies-

 I don't have much time today to post but wanted to say hello, and thank you for the poem, it was really lovely.

I got my port out Monday and it is a lot easier to heal for it going out that going in. The lidocane hurt like a you-know-what, and they told me the burning and stinging is worse in scar tissue so the scar tissue that had built up from the port placement made the procedure more painful-lovely..

 Hair it is a mixed bag up top, more on the sides than on top, very short and baby soft. But I have, as Patty said, hair growing in in all the areas that need the waxing-ugh...and not in the areas I want

Pamela-glad to hear form you..we missed you

DiDi-congrats on the first color and the reunion

Jane Welcome back! Hope that new job isn't too stressful

VickiLynn -congrats on the cafe-the machine stuff will be second nature before you know it.How is the rib?

Patty- gosh what is the rad countdown down to now? It is flying isn't it? Hope you are well!

Love  and hugs to you all

Barbara

msmpatty

Barbara - Good to hear from you!   How are the heels?  Unbelievably, tomorrow I will be 1/2 way done with rads (14 of 28).   It really flys by!

Patty

BarbAnne41

Hey Patty-

It is crazy how fast those rads fly by! Yea Patty! Then are you onto Tamox? I start my Tamox next Monday. My heels are about the same but it is weird, my right is worse than my left and if I push myself to do too much, walking and stuff, they feel worse, and I am post-chemo stiff to boot. I'll be glad when that stiffness wears off. Anyway there are some times during the day where the left feels almost normal, it is weird, I guess it is going away slowly.

Have a nice night.

Barbara

Neece

Whoo hooo! Pamelajo is back!!!! We missed you sister. We can be reconstruction sisters too as I am going in for mine on March 25th. Will be having both sides done - a matching set I hope. Will have to compare notes.

Hey Patty and the others with the 'hair down there' and facial hair stories - exactly right! How mean is mother nature sometimes? I even have tiny downy hairs on the tip of my nose!! I mean for goodness sake! I too hope this downy fur coat will leave me soon.

But my head hair can stay - see my new pic? I know the hair is still teeny and a bit hard to see but I am proud! And i also have baby tiny eyelashes. How funny are they?

My family had a huge blow up earlier this week, between my DH and my son and his girlfriend. Strange how, when you have gone through an awful time and hold it all together for so long, and then are coming out the other side, suddenly everything looks like it is falling apart. I have cried so much the past few days, more than my whole b.c journey put together. We are mending things a little now but everything is still raw and tender. I hope it heals up properly soon.

Anyway love and hugs to all and let's celebrate HAIR.

BarbAnne41

Oh Neece- I meant to mention your new photo it is really lovely.. And I know what you mean, we seem to be getting upset over the silliest of things, almost as if the tension of being nice for the last year has to go somewhere. My love and hugs to you across the ocean

Barbara

Pamelajo

those hairs you gals are finding on your lips and stuff.......  they were there before, it's just more noticeable now that it's all coming back in.  You'll get used to it.  I thought I was turning werewolf for awhile.

Can I say I miss the one long black hair that used to grow out of my right nipple?  I cursed that hair when I had nipples, for having to pluck it almost monthly, but now, I'd take two of those hairs to have my nipple back LOL  or a whole patch, ok.......maybe not, that'd just be gross.

Neece!  What sort of recon are you having?  Lattisumus dorsi flap for me.  Bigger initial surgery but less fuss and muss later.

Jane, Vicki......all the rest, thank you for the wonderful welcome and letting me know you missed me.  I missed you all too and thought of you many times daily.  Life gets in the way, ya know.  I will definitely post a new pic soon so you all can see where your hair will be 5 months after it starts growing.  BIOTIN!  take it.  helps thicken it up and makes it grow slightly faster.

Just got told supper is ready, and I must continue to feed the fat/boobs I'm growing on my back, so I better go.....

love and hugs to all!

msmpatty

Neece -  . You and your family have been through a lot.  I think a good dust up every once in a while clears the air, painful as it is.  Someday you'll all talk about this and wonder why everyone was so upset.  I haven't noticed any little hairs on my nose...but now that you've mentioned it they will probably appear. 

Pamelajo - Someone fixes dinner for you?   When can I move in?   Glad to have you back and can't wait to hear how the recon goes.  (You too, Neece)  Are they moving the fat/boobs you are feeding on your back or will you just have two sets...one coming, one going? 

Barbara - Well, at least the heels haven't gotten worse...right?   I was really stiff after finishing Taxol, but haven't been for the past couple of weeks.   Hope you loosen up soon, too!  Congrats on being de-ported.  

Have a great evening everyone!

Patty

Neece

Patty you are funny! Boobs coming and going! I loved the image.

pamela I am having exchange of tissue expander for the permanent silicone implant, and becuase I already had an older one on my R side from previous bc in 2002, the ps is exchanging that one too for a new one - as they do have a shelf life (or should I say boob life?) and it will save me another op in a few more years. Alos the implant shape is better now so I hope to have a matching (nicer) set - my old one looks a bit like a small half melon on my chest. The new ones are more natural shape I am told. here's hoping anyhow.

Your op will be much bigger but should result in a lovely natural boob look and feel. No melons for you! I do hope it goes beautifully. What is your surgery date?

Family things are a little better but my husband is still very sad and distant. I am seriously worried about him  I think he is depressed but refuses to take the meds suggested by his Dr. He sees it as a failure. He used to be a very good counsellor himself and so I guess feels he should not have to take medication to get better. But given the huge responsibilities and  stresses of the past 12 months I can understand why he may be very depressed and burnt out. We are coming up to the 12 month point since I had the car accident last year (2nd April) and our troubles all began. Interesting timing I think.

Love and happy weekend to you all.

vickilynn

Neece - our bc certainly takes a toll on our husbands.  I hope yours will get the help he needs.  We have gone through such a tough time - and you've done it twice! - it would be nice to have some positive life to move us forward.  Certainly doesn't seem to work that way.  Like I told me friend, I feel like I'm taking 2 steps forward and then 1 step back... still moving forward, but not at the rate I'd like.  And it's that way emotionally as well as physically.

Love your hair!  Mine is white with a black streak right down the middle!!!  And the stripe is getting more and more visible all the time!  I took my hat off to show 2 of our "regulars" at the cafe today... 2 brothers in their 60's who come in for my blueberry muffins and coffee nearly every day : )

Don't like the hairy face --- my sideburns are amazing.

All of you who started new jobs or new ventures --- I really think it's helped me to move forward to pursue something new.  But it's also exhausting and painful at times --- my rib is healing nicely but I forgot about it and lifted something too heavy... paying the price tonight.

Enjoy the weekend.  

Vickilynn