Starting Chemo October 2009

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  • micheleboots
    micheleboots Member Posts: 1,993
    edited December 2009

    Dee, good luck..Unlike you I do not wish for a penis shaped arm...that might give my DH ideas...who has the energy...

    Tx, you look hot, hot, hot...

    Princes Jojo, have a SE free day..

    Must go do some xmas shopping, or I would type more..

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  • JustmeAlicia
    JustmeAlicia Member Posts: 1,529
    edited December 2009

    TX  ~ you are looking good in that blonde wig ! woo HOO.

    Have a good SE free day girls ~

    :)
    Alicia

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  • Scoobydoo
    Scoobydoo Member Posts: 499
    edited December 2009

    Hello Ladies.

    1L - glad to hear you had a wonderful thanksgiving. 

    Michele- Love the pink wig.  That is funny and reminds me of the 80s punk rock.  My fav music era.  Guess I am dating myself.

    TX- I think pics taken with the baldness showing is an awesome idea.  Glad to hear you are going through with it.

    I am doing most of my christmas shopping via online.  Because my WBC count is low I am discouraged from going out in public places.  My leg and joint pain is finally subsiding and I am now taking motrin vs percocet.  Battline diarrhea today though...ugh.  My last treatment is on 12/23.so not eve but close enough.  So I guess my present for Christmas will be Done with Chemo!!!!  That is the best present right now. 

    I truly wish all you ladies a SE free rest of the week and weekend. 

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  • txstardust
    txstardust Member Posts: 599
    edited December 2009

    Ugh, starting to get that sick, achy feeling.  Took my temp, it's only 100.1, but I'm paranoid because of what happened before.  Called the onc and talked to his nurse, she said to keep an eye on it and just hydrate really well and get rest.  Of course, I got the Neulasta shot late this time because of the T-giving holiday, so she said it may not have fully kicked in yet.  

    Wish me luck! 

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  • micheleboots
    micheleboots Member Posts: 1,993
    edited December 2009

    Tx, take care of yourself...

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  • txstardust
    txstardust Member Posts: 599
    edited December 2009

    Heading in to the ER - temp is up to 101.9.  I'm hoping that they give me antibiotics and send me home!  Need WBC vibes...

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited December 2009

    Good luck TX.

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  • Sido
    Sido Member Posts: 234
    edited December 2009

    Sending WBC vibes TX!  Hopefully they won't keep you long.

    I'm still sick with this cold or flu or whatever it is.  I can keep it together enough to deal with the outside world for a few hours but then I just collapse and feel awful.  As of tomorrow I'll have been sick for a week.

    Scooby, no more chemo for christmas is pretty cool.  I get my last before the holidays too.

    Be well everyone, Sido

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  • Hopbird
    Hopbird Member Posts: 387
    edited December 2009

    Shelby, good luck.......hope your fever is easily controlled......

    Holly....the whole time I was on Abraxane.(Taxol) I had high liver enzymes.  I did read it can be a side effect of Taxol.  They did decrease my dose a time or two, but they didn't withhold chemo, and I still got a pretty strong dose.  My doctor did a liver sonogram when I finished the Abraxane just to be sure, and everything looked fine.  She said my liver probably was just clearing the drug more slowly.  (But it DID discourage me from the wine.)

    Anita, I can't imagine a better Christmas gift than being finished with chemo.......other than maybe waking up and learning this was all a nightmare! 

    Sido, Onty, glad the stats on triple negative were leaning your way.  I have decided the stats aren't THAT meaningful because they don't include the people who have been getting new and improved treatments and regimens who have yet to show up on the charts!

    Mary, thanks for putting my smilies in........it's good to see them there.....like an accomplishment!  I know, its the little things.

    This seem to have gotten really busy for me this week, AND the exhaustion seems to be kicking in, (not a good combination) but I think about you all.......
    Diagnosis: 8/13/2009, IDC, ER-/PR-, HER2+

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  • valeriekd
    valeriekd Member Posts: 287
    edited December 2009

    Hi ladies - happy tonite - feel like the chemo from 10 days ago (last round) is finally out of my body (the baddest part of it anyway) feel normal - gratitude for that.

    Frick- is that from frick and frack or what the frick? Just curious 

    TX serious wbc vibes.

    Onty and Sido glad the #s are clearer - fear is such a part of this mind f>)K we got going on.

    Love you all-Valerie 

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  • micheleboots
    micheleboots Member Posts: 1,993
    edited December 2009

    TX, good luck..

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  • MeredithK02
    MeredithK02 Member Posts: 86
    edited December 2009

    TX, hope all is going ok in the emergency room and that you feel better and get home soon!



    I just had my 4th tx...last AC! The nurse today said that people usually have fewer side effects from Taxol, so I hope that's the case with me! I will have big Decadron doses beforehand to minimize the possibility of an allergic reaction. Has anybody done the same and had a problem from it?



    Meredith

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  • one-L
    one-L Member Posts: 1,110
    edited December 2009

    scoobydoo, my last tx will be sometime around Christmas, could be the 24th, but not sure.  But I am ready any time they tell me.  It will be my last one also, wooo hooo, on to rads.

    Shelby, I hope they get the fever kicked.   You have to be well for that wedding.

    Michele, would you do my Christmas shopping? I haven't even bought the first present.  I think I am going to give money this year.  I will find something for my grandbabys but that is all.

    Sido, hope you get to feeling better.  It is the pits to be sick this time of year.  Don't we have enough to deal with, with out getting something else?

    Onty, Frick, Hopbird and Valerie, hope you are all having a good evening.  I am getting ready for TX #3 tomorrow.  So I am on my roids hi tonight.  Everyone knows what that is like.

    Juannelle

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  • joanneasiata
    joanneasiata Member Posts: 719
    edited December 2009

    SIDO AND TX Get better fast you Carnot have this .

    Well just home from # 3, it went well, my sister come with me and then we went and done a bit of shopping for myself and she paid for my grocery's that made me cry in wollies  how nice.

    GUESS WHAT ??? i went today to chemo and groceries  BALD ,yes how brave am i, Ive wanted to go around bald but didn't have the guts and my sister was encouraging me to do it  so with her support I DID IT  IT WAS THE BEST ,a few stares and sympathy smiles  which was all good  ,i felt good ,it was a bit of a I'm in control feeling which is good , i recommend it totally ,it kinda felt like when WE took of our hair before the chemo did  ,that power and control of not letting it put fear in me of facing the public with no hair and its not as bad as we think it will be , ill defiantly be doing it a lot more .

    JUANNELLE hope its smooth sailing for you to

    GUSTIE JOJO

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  • unklezwifeonty
    unklezwifeonty Member Posts: 1,710
    edited December 2009

    1L, Good luck.

    Jo, Awesome to hear of your BOLD BALD exploits!

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  • lainieo
    lainieo Member Posts: 53
    edited December 2009

    Hi Girls,

    It has been a busy week. This is the first full week I have worked in a long time. It is great to feel well enough to do that. It should be good until the next round  next week. Work sure keeps you busy. The kids in my class are great and it at least for 10 days I feel  normal.

    Sido and TX healthy vibes going your way. Feel better!

    One-L Good luck with # 3

    Joanna way to go!!! 

    Hoping everyone has a great day.

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  • JustmeAlicia
    JustmeAlicia Member Posts: 1,529
    edited December 2009

    Hi everyone.  So much going on here ~

    TX ~ I hope you are ok !  Thinking of you and sending good WBC wishes your way. 

    Juanelle ~ good luck with #3 today !  Then just 1 more to go ~ woo HOO.

    NO MORE CHEMO FOR CHRISTMAS that is a great gift.  I guess it will be my Valentine's Day present.  UGH !

    Sido ~ Feel Better.

    Round #3 is kicking my butt.  Neulasta pain is in full bloom today.  But this too shall pass.

    Have a good day girls.  Thinking of you all.

    :)

    Alicia

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  • MarieK
    MarieK Member Posts: 911
    edited December 2009

    Hi All!

    Michele - thanks for asking about me.  I'm out of town right now with the girls volleyball team. I've just got time for to check in for a quick hello!  Then it's back to the noisy gym for the rest of the day.

    Sorry to read that you are not feeling well (still) Sido!  Is it just a cold you've caught or is it the flu? If so, hydrate well and get lots of rest (I know easier said than done).

    TX - Please let us know how you are doing.  This is the second time for you for fever after treatment isn't it?  Wonder what's causing it?  Hope you are feeling better and home again soon.

    Princess JoJo - Wow - were you completely bald or were you wearing your invisible princess crown?  How brave of you to do that - yes it is about control and gaining confidence!  I'm not ready to do that and don't know if I'll ever be (at least out in public).

    Oh dear there goes the alarm - time to get ready and join the team for breakfast before we head out to our first game.

    Sending everyone lots of hugs and well wishes!

    Marie

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  • CAtharsis
    CAtharsis Member Posts: 52
    edited December 2009

    Tx #4 done. Yessss! first taxotere done.

    Today, day #2, no SE yet. Waiting for those to kick in... Weird feeling to feel nothing bad so close to receiving chemo... usually, with FEC, I was sick as hell for the first two days. Well, change of medication, change of SE and moment for them to manifest.

    As for the Christmas thing, I'm hanging to the fact that on Christmas Eve, I will have only one Tx to go. (5 down).

    Good luck to all of you managing those SE, fears, stress, hope you find strenght to smile and enjoy love and beautiness around you.

     Hugs,

     Isabelle

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  • txstardust
    txstardust Member Posts: 599
    edited December 2009

    Hi everyone from the hospital!  Thank you all for the positive vibes.  I could feel the love!  :)

    I made sure that my fiance brought my computer so I wouldn't feel so isolated in my isolation room.  WBC was 1.2 last night, but is up to 1.9 today, so I'm hopeful that I MIGHT go home today.  Still waiting to hear from the doctor.  Yes, Marie, this is the second time in the hospital with fever for me.  Waiting on blood culture results before they decide what to do with me.

    Sido, I hope you get to feeling better soon!  It's so hard to kick a cold in this condition.

    Meredith, so glad your AC tx are over.  Let's hope the Taxol is not so "taxing" (bad joke, I know!)

    1l, how much cleaning did you get done on your decadron high last night? Haha!

    Princess JoJo, I am so in awe of you!  I haven't been brave enough to go bald outside the house yet, but after hearing of your positive experience, I may just have to try it soon!  you are my hero!

    Alicia, I'm with you on that Neulasta pain.  It's starting to kick in for me this morning.  Ugh, there's just no way to get comfortable.

    Marie, good luck to your daughter's team!

    Isabelle, good for you on moving on to the next phase of chemo.  Hopefully, the lack of s/e's will continue for you!

    To all - here's to s/e free days, and calm minds.

    Peace... 

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited December 2009

    Great to hear that those of you who have moved on to Taxol/Taxotere are mostly finding it easier than your previous regimens.

    Thinking of all of you going through the Neulasta pain. Alicia, do you take Tylenol or Claritin for the pain? It can be tough for a few days, but I try to think of the benefits of the shot. Without that our immune systems would be so depressed that we would be susceptible to all kinds of bugs. I'm sure this is what also makes dose-dense chemo possible and otherwise our treatments would take much longer.

    Shelby, hoping you get better soon and out of the hospital. I had a reminder this week of how effective the Neulasta shot is, and hoping it does the same in your case ...

    At the urging of my onc, and reluctantly on my part, I agreed to have a colonoscopy this week. I made the mistake of mentioning to my onc that I had rectal bleeding, no doubt caused by the constipation I get every time with Tx. That, along with family history of colorectal cancer, set off her alarm bells. She told me to have a blood test prior to the colonoscopy to ensure my WBC was OK. This was the first time I had a blood test mid-treatment. On the days of my last two treatments my WBC was 9.6 and 10.3. My procedure was scheduled for yesterday (Thursday). On Tuesday my WBC was 2.2. Too low, so test was repeated on Wednesday and my WBC was 4.7. I think that shows how effective the Neulasta is in boosting the WBC.

    Oh, as for the colonoscopy, the doctor said I had a colon like a 20-year old ... no polyps but some hemorrhoids. Not sure how many 20-year olds have piles, but I was very happy to get a clean bill of health. It wasn't easy going through the prep in the middle of chemo, but at least it will keep the onc happy.

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited December 2009

    Joanne: I can't imagine being brave enough to go bald. Although I sometimes go out with a knit cap, I've never gone out with the tied-scarf look as I think it singles one out as being a chemo patient. Maybe one of these days. It's cold here at the moment so if it was warmer there would be more reason to go bald. I find it cold even going around the house bald but try to do so as I figure it's better for the scalp to be able to breathe.

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  • BrendaSharon
    BrendaSharon Member Posts: 506
    edited December 2009

    October Sisters, I popped in to say hello!!!! 

    Meridith,

    New Years Eve, me too. I just look at it his way, you and I are getting one of the biggest cocktails there is to ring in the New Year!  The Cocktail we will be served is so good, that it can & will KILL CANCER.

    Then maybe, just maybe the silver ling will be,

                   -2010-We Will Be-Cancer Free &  SomeDay,SomeWay-A-C-CURE

     October Sisters, please have a safe weekend and I hope all your s/e are minimal!!~~

    (((((PEACE & HUGS))))) Brenda

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  • Hollycan
    Hollycan Member Posts: 33
    edited December 2009

    Greetings all,

    Successfully completed round 3 of TC on Wednesday, MaryNY can you pretty please update my smiley faces?  All is well, just a little tired and sore.  Kids are still sick and my 5 year old has pink eye so unfortunately I have to stay away from their sweet little hugs and kisses.  :-(

    On a good note though, I went to the LGFB seminar the other night and JOJO, guess what?  They asked me to be their model too.  Everyone ws really sweet and it was fun getting fussed over a bit.  The makeup bag was great, how nice for all of these companies to donate all of their fabulous cosmetics.  So proud of you for rocking the bald look out in public!  I've been driving around without anything on my head but so far haven't been brave enough to really go out in "public".  Maybe I'll try it, it sounds kind of liberating.

    TX good luck with your fever, I'll be thinking positive thoughts for you.  MaryNY, glad your colonoscopy went well.  Isabel, glad you are still feeling good after your tx, hope it continues.  Alicia and Sido I hope you both feel better soon.  Juanelle, good luck with your tx today.  To anyone I missed, best wishes for minimal SE's, and hope you are enjoying the holiday season (as much as possible Smile).

    Holly 

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited December 2009

    Holly: I updated your smileys. I missed the last one and now see that you're halfway through. It's good to get to that point. Glad you enjoyed the LGFB workshop. Some places they also run an eyebrow workshop so check your local hospitals or cancer centers for news of those too. My local hospital had an "eyebrown workshop and spa night" which was great. We all got a free Anastasia eyebrow kit.

    Juanelle: Good luck today!

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  • micheleboots
    micheleboots Member Posts: 1,993
    edited December 2009

    Jojo is that Gusty Jojo, or Gutsy Jojo, I get the gutsy part, but was thinking perhaps you have gas....LOL..I was referring to you last sign off..Way to go on the bald thing...I know I liked rocking the bald look...It is like I am telling the world "hey, look at me. I have cancer and i am kicking cancers ass" I think it gives me power.  Now that it is colder I can't do it..Darn.

    Alicia, how is your DH?  I have a funny vasectomy story to tell whenI have more time to type.  Another day.

    Marie, welcome back...I was worried about you.  Glad to see you are plugging on with life.

    Isabelle, my next is Taxotere and I am a bit freaked.....Let me know how it goes.....pardon my spelling, must be the chemo brain.

    TX, get better soon...

    Mary, congrats on rocking the poop scope thing....sounds like, not  a lot of fun...my buttocks are clenched as I type....

    Holly, I have my LGFB next week.  It is on the same day as my husbands xmas party...perhaps i too will be a super model for a couple of hours..i think I will wear a tiera just in case...Jojo, can I borrow yours.

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  • MeredithK02
    MeredithK02 Member Posts: 86
    edited December 2009

    Hi Brenda, I love your cocktail idea for New Year's. You're right, it'll be more potent than most people's!

    Mary, congrats on the youthful colon! :D

    Marie, good to hear from you, sounds like you've been busy!

    JoJo, great job rocking the bald look.  I'm tempted, but it's been really cold here lately!  I don't want a frostbitten head!

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  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 1,584
    edited December 2009

    About the bald thing ... although I would describe myself as bald, I still have a few hairs and the funny thing is that they are usually standing bold upright on my head just as though I had gotten an electric shock. Do any of the rest of you notice this too?

    With my wig, I washed it for the first time over the weekend. I used Woolite instead of a special wig shampoo. First couple of days I wore it, there was so much static that a lot of the hair was standing up. Any of the rest of you have this problem and a solution for it? Maybe I need to buy wig shampoo and conditioner?

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  • ReneeJean
    ReneeJean Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2009

    Treatment #4 complete!

     Seems I only have time to jump in here and catch up when I am recovering from Chemo!  Working is great but it takes every bit of energy I have.  Fatigue is my very annoying SE!  All is well other than that...lower GI issues but they are managable.  We are trying a 5 day regime of Dex this time to try to keep me from feeling so yukky over the weekend...today I am feeling okay, just more fatigue.  I am hoping the Dex will keep my SE this weekend to just fatigue as I can manage that.  I rescheduled my 5th treatment to be the 30th instead of the 23rd...I just wasn't going to be feeling yukky for Christmas and my onc agreed!  Puts me one week later, but I can live with that.  I will still be done by the middle of January.   The calendar is what is making this work...I can see the light at the end of this tunnel.  Since Treatment #3, I attended a LGFB session and how blessed was I.  I learned to draw on my eyebrows which suddenly became much thinner overnight and feel much better about makeup.  I have always been a high maintance hair gal and low maintenance makeup gal...now I am the opposite<g>.  Need the makeup to look 'alive' and not so 'cancer striken'...LOL.

    I am happy to see so many of us hitting and passing our half way point.  We CAN do this.  And my prayers remain with all of you every night...for health, peace, rest and comfort.  May everyone have a safe and quiet weekend....holiday shop online, drive around and look at christmas lights, enjoy some beautiful holiday music....Hugs to you all!!

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  • joanneasiata
    joanneasiata Member Posts: 719
    edited December 2009

    HELLO BEAUTIES

    I'm feeling good to day not the usual horrid  feeling ,,but very sick ,i was dry reaching all night last night and feeling very sick to day ,managing to keep things down but sooo glad I'm not feeling like i usually do,  ill just make the most of it .Got a few questions for you ,i thought that i wasn't on steroids but found out that i am ,i wouldn't of kknown the way i was feeling , so cause of my constipation problems which caused a bit of painful tearing , they changed my pre meds , before it was 12mg zofron and 12mg Dex, now its 8 mg zofran and 12 mg Dex, is Dex a steroid ?  this combo seems to work with the fatigue so far, and ill see about constipation

    And also on my book that they wright everything in,  what does this mean HB was 113 ,WCC was 4.9 /2.9, and PLAT was 401, i know i can ask my onco but thats in 10 bays im to curiouse to wait that long so if any one can clear theses things for me it would be much appreciated

    MICHELE lol yeh some days it should be GUSTY JOJO with a warning in front of it, chemo farts are so bad they are really funny to see everyones reactions, I'm the only girl in around 4 males at home and im the best at that competition .And have fun at the LGFG class i think you will come away with a crown as well as lots of goodies .

    TX a big good luck to you hope your home today

    HOLLY  isn't it great to be singled out like that in such a nice way it puts you on such a high especially with all the goodies , you've got your own princess crown now.

    ONE L GOOD LUCK SISTER I'M THINKING OF YOU

    JOJO

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