November 2009-Starting Chemo

BrendaSharon

Thanks Sue,

WOW, talk about up CLOSE!!! Too funny!! I can even see the eyebrows coming back too.

Thanks for sure though~~ I still sweat I can see dark hairs underneath and wonder if the light fuzzie will fall off. The fuzz is super soft and super thick. Feels like a PLUSH carpet.

suzieq60

Brenda - I fixed it go and look now

Sue

MaryNY

Sue: I think the image is just sized too big and that's why it's cropped. You can edit it to reduce the size. Click on the edit button just below your message, then right-click on the image and choose Image Properties. Opposite dimensions replace the numbers. Unfortunately, you will have to do a bit of maths on it. You would think that if you changed the width, the height would automatically adjust so the photo would be scaled properly. But you will have to do it manually. Try halving both numbers and see how that looks.

MaryNY

Oops, you already corrected it.

Brenda, it's coming in nice and thick on top. I can still see my scalp on top.

suzieq60

Thanks Mary, I figured it out, I uploaded it to tinypic as a smaller image and pinched the sizes from that, then edited it. Now I know how to fix it - when I posted mine it was way too big.

Sue

Melinda41

Brenda Sharon: I am jealous of how thick your hair is!

doronet

Rats, Suepen, I can never see the pics you embed in a message.  I only get the box where it should be and the little "X" in the corner.  Not sure why it doesn't come through.  Pics from other people have.

Melinda, I don't always sign in when I read messages, but your message about to Michele, Alicia, BrendaShar and me about the sideways hugs and the "noogies" had me laughing, so I had to sign in and say thanks for the laugh!  Def. let us know the results of the heart scan.

Guess I'm going to have to break down and try to put a pic of my "new" hair on here because It appears I'm being out-done!  (Or would that be "out-grown?")

Subbed today in a 4th grade class.  I already knew 22 of the 28 kids and I had a blast.  They were great kids, so that makes it much easier and fun to work with.  I even wore a regular ol' bra, not the little soft cup type.  Wasn't too bad, though I was glad to take it off and go "au-naturale" when I got home.

Soft hugs to all!!  Nette

RedheadPam

So, Ladies, I've missed you all!  I stopped by just to send hugs to all and see how everyone is doing.  I saw all the hair photos - way to go!  I'm 16 weeks PFC, and here's what I have going on....It is taking on an odd light brown-ish color, but I'm afraid to color it.  I've heard too many stories of post-chemo hair turning purple with haircolor! The Chemo curlies are starting to arrive, too, although only in the back so far. I've had one little trim to get the wiry, white hair off, and that really helped. It is starting to feel less weird not having any doctor appointments, no one checking me out, just....life. Feels good, though. I hope you are all doing well and that you are feeling strong and loved. Hugs and hair to all!

BrendaSharon

Thanks Sue, That is great!!!~~~~

Thanks y'all too. My hair is very thick and I love the feel of it. It's kinda like rubbing your fingers through a nice plush carpet.

BUT, I'm scared I may loose some hair from the side effects of the Tamoxifen. I Sure hope not, but there is that possibility. If I loose it, I WILL loose it.Cause right now I'm lovin it.

Red, Hey Pam......I'VE MISSED YOU

But, I understand getting back to your life and the real world

I love your hair!!!!!!! It too is so thick. Gives me encouragement. You are just 5 more weeks ahead of me PFC. For sure that is something to look forward too!!!!!!! Curious though, the white wiry hairs, is that what I have? Will I loose what I already have and then get new? Mine feels soft, not wiry, hopefully it is for real!!~``

MaryNY

Pam, were you a redhead prior to this? I like your hair now and in the photo it almost looks as if you have highlights in there. I would be so happy if I had this much color. I'm 12 weeks post chemo, and I'm really white/grey.

RedheadPam

I was a redhead -- I was my color, I bought it myself! My natural color was more of a dark brown with a touch of auburn, but I had been all out red/auburn for years.  It is growing back in thick -- I used a kit from the drugstore called Regentresse...the package says it's like Nioxin, but it was cheaper. I can't say if it helped, but so far it hasn't hurt! 

The white wiry bits kind of stuck out all over randomly, plus I had little longer 'tufts' over each ear.  I did start out more gray, but it just seems to get darker by the day.   I have no idea where the little light brown patch on the crown of my head came from --that just showed up this morning. Every day it's something new.

I am on Tamoxifen, and I don't see any effect on my hair...I'm interested to hear whether anyone is feeling side effects form it.  So far I'm ok, but I keep waiting for those famous mood swings to hit!!!

Melinda41

Pam: Great looking hair! How have you been?

I did the echo today, I didn't get results, I was hoping they would call before the end of day to let me know whether I was having chemo or not.

The echo tech did tell me what the computer spit out as my ejection fraction and what is was last time, the numbers seem good so I don't think my heart is the problem. But, the official word hasn't come down since the heart guy interprets the numbers the computer comes up with.

JustmeAlicia

Melinda ~ Keeping my fingers crossed all is good with your heart !!

GIRLS ~ wow we have lots of hair growing in all different lengths and colors.  I am loving it ~ Nette woo HOO looking good.  PAM ~ wow you have a lot of hair.  BRENDA ~ yours is looking good.  I am now feeling like I got nothing on you girls, yet I am walking around topless and feeling free !

Hugs, noogies and such !

doronet

Let's see if I can insert  larger pic...

doronet

I did it!!!

I can't seem to keep my hands off my head either...is nice to feel something up there.

Keeping my fingers crossed, too, Melinda, that all is well with you!!!!!!!

Melinda41

Mabelle: did you have chemo 11 today?? Have we seen a hair pic of yours? I think there are only a few of us still doing chemo, do you have some fuzz?

Nette: looking good!

JustmeAlicia

Nice Nette !! You have enough to style !!

woo HOO ~

Hope everyone is feeling good.

suzieq60

Well, I went and visited my work. Some idiot moved the bloody bus stop due to some footpath renovation. Crap - my legs are killing me cos I had to walk further - not far, but when you're not used to it you really feel it.

We had a nice morning tea and I got lots of hugs. A couple of guys came from another building to see me which was nice. It really was great to see everyone after so long. I showed them all my hair. A couple of guys had shiny domes, so I was able to say I had more hair than them

Nette: Your hair looks great.

Melinda: Let us know as soon as you get the echo result.

Sue

Melinda41

Suepen: At least you get your cardio credit for the week, or month depending on your goals (I would call it good for the month of May, but that is why my ass is so big)

I am awaiting the phone call...drumming fingers.

And while I am drumming my fingers, I notice the arm hair is curlier than it used to be. It used to lay down flat and now it stands up all willy nilly. I am studying my arm hair and the little hair is actually kinked. I never lost my arm hair, but it looks like the chemo fairy came in the night and gave me an arm hair perm.

Checking pubes at desk... so my arm hair is kinky and my pubes are coming in straight.

And, my big toe hair finally fell out!

Oh, desk is at home, I am not in a cubicle checking my pubes, just for the record!

I hope they call soon before I discover additional weirdness.

suzieq60

Melinda,

Hope the result is good. I still wonder at how you can see your pubes - are you using a mirror

Hey, Steve reckons my hair has grown more since yesterday!!!

I actually revealed by new hair do to my work colleagues today after I felt more comfortable. It was so weird going there because we have moved since I left and I had never been to that building before. I wrote to my team leader when I got home and told him I'm not coming back until my bus stop is back right outside the building

I'd better go to bed as I've been up since 4am and have an 8am rad zap tomorrow. I stayed up to watch the new Amazing Race which just started here tonight. I am a huge fan.

Sue

micheleboots

Melinda, you made me laugh so much...your pube check....now I have to go to work...whaaaa

BrendaSharon

NETTE!!!!!!

AWESOME WOW!!!   Your hair is really long. I can't wait for mine to be as log. I understand the rubbing your fingers through it too, it feels to good, like I said kinda like running your toes through a plush carpet~~~ I'm lovin it also~~

Sue~

Sure glad some one is watching out for you! Getting you to do exercise when you don't want to, it's just not bloody right, but bloody good for ya!!~~ Enjoy the Amazing Race, I like Idol, but my all time favorite is So You Think You Can Dance, can't wait till it is back o~~

Melinda~~

You are a whoot ~~ I was wondering about checking the pube hairs at your desk, I was sitting at mine at the office where I work and even though I'm pretty much left alone, you never know ~~

Mechele,

Don't you be checking at your desk now!!!Someone might peek in on you~~

Alicia,

Isn't it wonderful to be free???~~!!!!!   And we are still beautiful, I look at all of us and realize the hair we had was nice, but this is so nice too, our hair coming back like a baby. It is kinda fun to watch. This has been the best experience so far, watching the hair~~

Melinda41

Yeah, I get to have chemo today!!!

Suepen: I can just look down and push my gut out of the way and there they are.

JustmeAlicia

Melinda ~ glad you got the all clear for chemo !  Hope all goes smoothly and you feel ok.

LOL at the how you see the pubes. 

suzieq60

Brenda: The exercise wasn't good - it hurts me to walk. I have really bad knees (osteo arthritis and no cartilage) and still lots of aches from the taxotere. It was worth the pain though.

Melinda: Great news!!! You'll have to make sure they figure out where the swelling is coming from.

Sue

Cafelovr

Hi everyone! Good grief it's taken me a while to catch up. My hair is almost transparent, it's so white. I have the straight pubes too. Don't know why!

 Mabelle, I wish I would have gotten on here earlier. I had the strange leg sensations. It was weird. Whenever I walked, it felt like string or cotton wrapped arround my legs. Creepy, but it's gone now. I just have a little numbness in my fingers.

My recovery is going well. I'm just tender. No pain. I just need to work on my range of movement. I start my chemo in a couple of weeks. Monday, I go to a Finding Your New Normal class. Not sure what to expect, but glad to be almost over

Love to all!

Melinda41

Linda; I may have major chemo brain, but you mean you start rads in a couple of weeks, correct? I hope you don't have to have more chemo.

Number #11 is down. They halved my steroids, gee...I wish they had done that weeks ago, saved me 10 or so pounds.

Last chemo is scheduled for May 6th, I won't get to do my cinco de mayo-done with chemo dance.

JustmeAlicia

Melinda ~ Congrats on Chemo #11 !!  1 more right?

And yes, I believe Linda is heading for more chemo she was shrinking the tumor and lymph node and it worked ! woo HOO    

Hi girls ~ just letting you know I will be gone for the weekend.  GOING to Miami with hubby and some friends.  Real spur of the moment.  Coming home Sunday night, then we leave for our cruise on Friday !  woo HOO ~  I will catch up with you all on Monday !

Be well..

Hugs ~

Alicia

micheleboots

Alicia, sounds like you will be having some fun in the sun...enjoy..

Melinda...woohoo

No pube checks for me...I am a sales gal,so I am in the public all the time...could get a bit embarrassed.

Melinda41

Slightly amusing, I have been crocheting a scarf during chemo. Now, I don't normally crochet, I know how to do the basics, I just don't do it but once every 5 years or so. But my mom crochets while I am doing chemo so I thought I would give it another try.

Do not operate heavy machinery or crochet hooks during Benedryl infusion. Luckily, I am using yarn that has several different colors in it, so the stitches are kinda camouflaged. But the edges are all catty-whompered, it gets skinny, than fat, then skinny again. My mom is going to teach my how to make a ruffle around the edge to try to mask it.

I will call it chemo charming, or chemo chic.