Starting Chemo October 2009

unklezwifeonty

Dear Marmalade,

Welcome to the October thread. Most of us lost hair 15-20 days after the first infusion.

For constipation, try senna-s, milk of magnesia, nuts, high fiber diet, water, etc. whatever works for you. Water intake of 6-8 glasses daily is very important all through chemo. These nasty chemicals can do a number on your urinary, digestive and reproductive system if not flushed out.

Claire_in_Seattle

Hi Marmalade,

I think chemo is easier on bodies that are fit and strong which is why I did everything I could to regain my strength post surgery including cycling 35 miles the day prior to my first chemo.  It also took me longer to lose my hair than I thought it would, and in fact, I still have some.  (I think this will change when I get to Taxol.)

I am hoping for minimal SEs with Taxol, but will be coming to that post AC.

Good luck with everything.   Had the most amazing New Year's celebration last night with fireworks over the Space Needle and a midnight repast hosted by two friends.  I brought chicken liver pate which I made earlier in the day.  (Was really tired after my three mile walk in the rain, but I managed to nap and make the pate anyway.)  Then the clouds parted to reveal the Blue Moon.  The most amazing sight, and I think a wonderful start to a new chapter of my life.

After 2009, and the tumultuous "aughts" in which my life changed in every way imaginable, I am only too ready to celebrate and move on to my post treatment life.  But of course, I have to wait another six months for that to happen.

But during this time, I can dream about the post treatment "me", and what this new and exciting decade will ideally look like. - Claire

GML

Hi all, hope everyone is having a happy New Year!

Mary NY, I completed my 5th treatment on December 28th.  ONE more to go.  Yay.  This time the oncologist said she is a bit worried about my bone marrow.  Says it's not typical for my bone marrow to react in the manner in which it is reacting (supressed I think, but possibly overly so...I know, I never ask enough questions..everything seems to take me by surprise) with this chemo regime.  I have lupus and asked her if it was from the lupus, she said maybe but they'd be watching my counts for the next year.  Just want it over with but it's becoming more clear...it's never over.

I laughed at the hat posts.  Everyone I know has bought a hat for me.  I have tons of fleece hats but usually wear my favorite three in rotation.  I also wanted to share a cute moment at McDonalds.  During one of my periods in between treatments, I was craving McDonalds double cheeseburgers terribly.  So, there I was, sitting in a black bandana, eating at McDonalds.  A young boy, about the age of 5, said to his grandmother, "Wow, a PIRATE hat".  She shooshed him but I thought it was adorable.  I wished I had an extra bandana with me to make him his own "pirate hat".  He walked by me as they were leaving with the biggest smile on his face.  I got a kick out of that.

And animals....here too....two German Shepherds and a tortoise shell kitty. 

Stay well all....

GML

JustmeAlicia

Happy New Year girls... Wishing everyone a brighter, healthy 2010 !

Hugs ~

Alicia

micheleboots

Marmalade, welcome to the group...I too had little or no SEs with my FEC..enjoy it while you have it. 

micheleboots

Marmalade, just read my post and I sound so negative...Not me...everyone is so different through this..when I look back my bad days were not so many...only just a few.  Most days were great...having this post is a wonderful thing...so much great info and the support is amazing...it makes going through this a lot easier..

lieberman1

Mom had her 4th TCH Treatment on December 9th and her 5th TCH Treatment on December 30th.  Woo Hoo one more to go!  Happy New Year!

Sido

Happy New Year!  Here's to a healthy and peaceful 2010!

 Love, Sido

one-L

claire, you are amazing.  I wished I lived around you so you could  encourage me to do what is right about exercising.

Happy New Year to all you wonderful ladies.  May 2010 bring health and happiness.

Juannelle 

joanneasiata

HI MY BEAUTIFUL FRIENDS

Happy new year to everyone its Gunnar be a great one for all of us last year was pretty shitty ah

Well we to are planning a celebration trip away when all this is over with something to look forward to. one of my clients has a holiday house only a couple of years old up the coast on the beach she said that we can have it for as long as we want whenever we want for FREE yeh yeh how nice was that she is so sweet we, will take it for a week and take our2 boys with us  cannot wait . we are having our late Christmas here tomorrow with all my family and close friends ,Sam is roasting pork ,turkey ,and ham ,in the barbi and the weber yummy and everyone else is bringing the rest of the food to easy for me thats the way !!!!! well stay fighting all

love princess jojo

joanneasiata

HI MY BEAUTIFUL FRIENDS

Happy new year to everyone its Gunnar be a great one for all of us last year was pretty shitty ah

Well we to are planning a celebration trip away when all this is over with something to look forward to. one of my clients has a holiday house only a couple of years old up the coast on the beach she said that we can have it for as long as we want whenever we want for FREE yeh yeh how nice was that she is so sweet we, will take it for a week and take our2 boys with us  cannot wait . we are having our late Christmas here tomorrow with all my family and close friends ,Sam is roasting pork ,turkey ,and ham ,in the barbi and the weber yummy and everyone else is bringing the rest of the food to easy for me thats the way !!!!! well stay fighting all

love princess jojo

txstardust

Hi everyone!  I'm doing pretty well here on my pre-chemo week.  I've been able to get out for a nice long walk (45 min. to an hour) for the last several days.  And staying awake all day!  I was even able to stay awake until midnight on NYE.  That's a real accomplishment for me, as I am usually in bed before 9 p.m.  

Had my parents over for dinner last night - me and DH made a delicious almond-crusted chicken, mushroom risotto, and a tiramasu-like dessert.  All were first tries at those recipes, and thankfully, they all turned out very well.  Had a glass of wine with dinner (I rarely drink anymore).  It was nice to feel like cooking and eating!  

I hope everyone had a good New Year's.  We watched a few football games yesterday, but are anxiously awaiting the UT/Alabama game on the 7th.  DH went to UT, so you know who we are rooting for! Today will probably be more football.  Tomorrow will be the big house rivalry, Cowboys vs. Eagles.  Go Eagles!

Peace to all,

Shelby 

micheleboots

Shelby, your supper sounds great...makes me hungry. I too had drinks these last couple of days...I am not a big drinker, but they tasted so yummy.We are not big football fans, hockey is our thing.

JustmeAlicia

Princess JOJO ~ enjoy your Christmas celebration.  Your dinner sounds yummy.

Shelby~ your dinner sounds yummy as well.  I love mushroom risotto.  Glad you are feeling better !

Snowing in NY and I am on the couch watching Bridezilla's on WE. 

MarieK

Happy New Year!

We had a quiet night at home with a few friends stopping by later to ring in the new year with us.  I didn't think I'd be able to stay up past 11 and did close my eyes for a bit but then before I knew it midnight had passed and it was 2 am!

I had 1/2 glass of champagne and today (2 days later) I feel like I'm hungover.  I don't really think it was the champagne I think it's the Neupogen.  My shots started on NYE day and I feel like I've been hit by a truck!  All body-achey from knees to kneck and everywhere in between.

My shoulders have been bugging me since I hauled out all my tree decorating stuff 2 weeks ago and today they are so stiff and sore and my underarms feel swollen.  I'm trying to do some easy exercises to loosen up but I'll be happy when this PICC line comes out and I don't have to worry about it getting pinched by my clavicle!

I was told that at my last chemo on Jan 19 the IV nurse will pull out the PICC.  Michele are you getting yours out that fast too?

I can't tell you how excited that makes me feel and this alone will keep me going the next 2 weeks until my last TX.  Although the skin irritations and blisters are under control now the PICC line has been the worst (and conversely the best) thing about this whole chemo ordeal!

I hope that everyone is enjoying the first weekend of 2010 and getting ready for a better year ahead!

Hugs to All!

Marie

MarieK

Oh I forgot to ask you all something about HAIR - my optometrist friend tells me that Latisse will be available in Canada soon.  This is the drug advertised by Brooke Shields to promote eyelash growth.

Right now I have NONE - well none that I can see!

He told me that he could get me some free samples and monitor me.

Has anyone else looked into this?

valeriekd

hi Marie here are tons of commercials for it but the side effects sound weird (some permanent some not) so I did not think about it much.

Well, seems as if the holidays have come and gone and were bittersweet this year. Everyone was so kind and helpful and sweet and things that are important felt important this year. But of course......

Anyway, I loved what was given and now we move on. #4 on Thursday w/ some ses still hanging around since the last one!

Have a nice weekend everyone! Love to you all, Valerie 

micheleboots

Val, I am also on Thursday...yuck, not looking forward to that.  I am with you on the Latisse.  I think on of the dangers is blindness...I think I will stick to the sparse eyelashes...something to think about Marie..I am sick of putting things in my body or on my body that don't belong...

We are getting a little bit of snow..just enough to look nice and still melt on the streets...my kind of winter.

unklezwifeonty

A clinical trial is starting up for testing latisse in breast cancer patients. They have not yet started enrolling.  I am not sure I will sign up but it might be worth looking into.

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00999557

joanneasiata

HI THERE

Just had my Christmas with my family had a fab day

I mentioned before about the gland in my groin on my right side was up and sore i haven't been to the docs yet  i know naughty but now in the last few days Ive noticed a red rash on my good boob its just above my nipple and its about 1 inch and in a oval shape I'm now worried could this be IBC ???? there is no hardening of any of the tissue or swelling either.

PRINCESS JOJO

lainieo

Hi Girls,

Wishing everyone a very healthy and happy 2010. I am glad #4 is over. Only 2 more to go. My family is around for 2 more days and then the kids are off. It has been wonderful having us all together. I even went out to dinner last night and made it to Midnight on New Years Eve after a treatment that day.

Feeling tired today so I will just say to everyone who is not feeling great hang in there. For those finishing chemo CONGRATS! It seems like we are all hanging in there and doing what we have to survivive.

We all rock!!!

txstardust

JoJo, all i can say is be sure to talk to your doc about it.  He can either assuage your fears or look into it further.  It's so scary now, whenever anything is amiss, we are afraid - the best thing to do is confront the fear and talk to the doc.  

On another topic...we got the dog yesterday, and she is a real sweetheart.  She's sitting with me right now, and I'm getting ready to take her for a walk in a little bit.  maybe walking her will help me to lose those few chemo pounds I've gained.

Hope everyone has a great day"!

Peace,

Shelby 

JustmeAlicia

JOJO ~ i have a lump well in my nether area between my legs to the side.  My oncologist took a look at it and believes it to be a bartholemew cyst.  She said to see my gyno.  I of course have had no time for another dr visit in between feeling crappy from chemo.  Your rash is hopefully just that a rash.  Get to the doctor as soon as you can and have it looked at.  Prayers it is nothing.

Shelby ~ congrats on your new dog! I did look at the link you posted the other day she is a cutie.  Enjoy her company !

Laneio ~ hope you feel better, woo HOO only 2 more to go !

Alicia

feistybluegecko

hi there girls

warm wishes to you all from the other side of AC - 4th and final, on to TX next!  Feeling pretty rough but manageable so far.  I think I am probably feeling a lot better than the mosquito that bit my ankles not long after the treatment though!!  I imagine the unsuspecting mossie got way more than it bargained for. A double dose of chemotherapy and all its attendant side effects!!! I can see it groaning as it lurches around in its state of extreme nausea. And the horror when it experiences the pink urine effect!!!

Hugs and smiles to you all 

Philippa

micheleboots

Die mosquito, die.....

MaryNY

Hi Philippa:

You were originally scheduled to have eight doses of EC. Did they change that to AC at some point? and reduce the number of treatments? 

LOL at the mosquito. She got more than she bargained for.

Mary

unklezwifeonty

The mosquito must be ruing his bad day :-)

Sido

Love the mosquito story!  I hate the bloody things and when I lived in Minnesota (where the mosquito is the unofficial state bird) I used to cheer when the bats came out at sunset because they ate something like 3 times their weight in mosquitos.

I'm finding that I'm having a harder time emotionally now that I've finished chemo than I did during.  I resent having no hair.  I resent feeling tired all the time.  I resent being triple negative and terrified of recurrance and mets.  It's almost like now that I can see the end of tx (I start rads on Tuesday and finish Feb 19th), all this anger and depression is welling up.  I want to cry every time I look in the mirror and see this puffy, bald, ugly figure looking back.  I want my life back NOW.  I used to be pretty, even though I was (am) overweight.  I was 41 and healthy with a lump in August and now I'm 42 and sick with scars and radiation tattoos.  I feel like I want to roll on the floor and stomp my feet and throw a tantrum if it would do any good.  But it won't.  I just have to wait and I resent the hell out of it.

Thanks for letting me vent.  Be well,  Sido

MarieK

Sido I think that any one of us could have written your last post. 

You are not alone - we all feel like this from time to time. 

I think that we are so good at holding it together for the most part.  Whether it's for our families or ourselves we do it because we have no other choice.

Sometimes it's just too much to hold it all in and the feelings overwhelm us.

I'm still grieving for my life - pre BC - and I'm worried for what happens next. I want to say that these feelings are normal but it's not - not really - I want the normal where I don't have to worry about this crap not the normal that you get from having BC.

We're all in this together...

Those of us that are still undergoing chemo as well as those that have finished - what really is the difference?  Right now most of us feel like we are doing something.  We are fighting this cancer with chemo.  But when chemo is over do we stop fighting?

No!

Just put one foot in front of the other and keep going....keep on trucking!

joanneasiata

SIDO

I bet now, that you have just stomped away at the key board with your fingers and wrote down  all  of your emotions that your feeling a bit better now ??? i and many of us feel the same the frustration of this F@#$%INGcancer has done to us, and then the fear that  lurks in us for the rest of our lives for its return. BUT WE CARNT let it rip us of any more, we can control some things  like fear , emotions,and our will, and heaps more when you really think about, i think its about OWNERSHIP we have to take  back ownership of our bodies  from cancer and take control of OUR bodies and OUR mind and OUR family and friends  cancer will try not only to take our boobs and hair but also our bodies our minds  torture our family and friends and then after a slow and mean process he will try to take our lives. so i say DON'T let it get to much of a hold on you. SAM has a fantastic saying which  i have just remembered while giving me as well this little pep talk its called          THE THREE Gs        get a grip ,get over it ,and get on with it   . 

PRINCESS JOJO