November 2009-Starting Chemo

Melinda41

Linda;  I am so happy for you, thank you for letting us know your great news!

I get my scan on the 2nd, they wanted the last chemo to have time to fully soak in. I hope to be dancing with NED soon also. If the lymph node still glows, I may pluck the damn thing out myself.

Mabelle: I won't meet my rads guy until after my scan. Hopefully you can get started soon, sorry they have to deflate you a bit.

Sue: glad the physio gave you some relief

Michelle: You gave me a scary visual of me out in the yard, all dressed expect for one saggy boob hanging out to get a tan. I am not sure my neighbors would appreciate me mowing in a one shouldered toga.

Alicia: Your post make me smile, you are all done with boobs and chemo and all that, aren't you? Do you have any cancer related crap to do? Is your recon done or do you have to have more finishing touches?

Melinda41

I just washed my face for the night and washed my eyebrows right off, I prolly have a dozen hairs left on each side. Scary looking...

suzieq60

Here's a close up of the hair. Still some areas not covered as well as others. I bought a baby brush and comb set on the way home from lunch - it feels great to brush with it. Linda, I drank a toast to you at lunch!!!

Melinda41

Suepen: Looking good, how does that color compare to what you used to have? My hair used to be reddish brown and I am still sporting the gray house mouse color.

Do ya'll remember the first Terminator movie, when Arnold is plucking out his eyeball? He had no eyebrwos in that scene, I think because of the face prosthesis for the eyeball plucking. With my face swollen and eyelashes and brows pretty much gone, that is what I look like. Sexy...let me tell you!!!

JustmeAlicia

Melinda ~ I am all done with chemo, didn't need radiation and have my implants in.  I still need to have nipples constructed and tattooed.  They build a nub for the nip and then tattoo on the areola.  I see my PS the end of June to schedule that hopefully.  I still have followups with my oncologist every 3 months to check my blood.  (those lovely tumor marker tests everyone talks of I guess)  I go next week for my first one.  And I am 2 months in on the swallowing of the tamoxifen daily.  I can completely related to the no eyebrows, lashes, swollen face.  If you look at my facebook picture of my last chemo I resemble Jerry Lewis when he was all bloated up from steroids.  BUT I can tell you-- you are beautiful no matter what ! 

Sue ~ Nice hair! woo HOO.

cat60

Hi girls,

   Love the hair photos you all posted. Mine looks the same, silvery gray...the other night out with friends, a guy says "Oh Cathy colored her hair Silver "  ...Not by choice John....oh well everyone made me feel good , going without that darn wig makes me feel better ...My eye lashes are very thin , I lost half my eyebrows , sure they will all drop off soon...uggg...

   Met with Radiologist last week, I really liked him. He spent alot of time with my husband and I ,going over my pathology report in a little more detail than my onco did..I learned a bit more, sometimes I think Drs tell you what you need to know for treatment and not all the details that wouldnt matter for their decisions on how they are treating you....I like to know as much as possible though. He said Im in the gray area, advised me to get a second opinion from a bigger C hospital in New York, Roswell in Buffalo or Sloan in NYC....I know I should do it ...he said 12% chance of local recurrance and with Radiation it cuts it in half...so many decisions ....

I also had my exchange surgery on Tuesday..so Im home resting , today I feel so much better . The anthesia really bothered me, made me feel nauseated yesterday but good now...chest sore , had a lift on good side, tomorrow I will meet for follow up with PS to see how it went....so glad this part is done also...other than tattoo  done sometime over the summer..

I will do my 1st naked herceptin next Friday.....

Hope everyone continues doing well .

Cathy

suzieq60

Melinda:  It's funny, in that photo it looks blonde, but in the bathroom mirror it looks salt and pepper. My hair was blonde before with a lot of help from streaks. The hairdresser will soon fix it up when it's long enough. Around the crown it's still not totally filled in but it's getting there. Taxotere certainly seems to be much harsher than the weekly taxol. The friend I had lunch with yesterday had way way more hair when I met her 1 week post radiation and she had weekly taxol. My hair won't even come close in a week. Only 2 boosts to go!!!!! I'm now officially 10 weeks PFC!!!

Sue

Cafelovr

I have to admit. I'm kinda diggin my grey hair and bought some shampoo expressly for grey hair. I actually went to work today topless. My wig is officially retired. It is getting darker in the crown and sideburns. Looking at everyones pics...you are all beautiful, and you are all my sisters. This board has gotten me through some rough times. (((Warrior Hugs)))

Had my first rads tx today. It takes about a half hour. They did something called a bolus and did the boost tx. Tomorrow they do something special with my scars. I get zapped from 5 different positions. They even zap me through the table!!

Thanks for the toasts! I actually had some wine with dinner. I drank a toast to my sisters!

Sherri_V

I went to the radiation oncologist yesterday and had a CT scan of my chest then they marked me up a bunch.  Some spots they put a clear sticky tape over and others are allowed to be washed off.  They say my treatment plan will be ready in about a week and then I'll start radiation.  My sister thought of asking if we could tour the radiation area so it will be familiar to me when I go back.  Just wondering, does it feel weird?

suzieq60

Sherri: I cried the first time - I guess because it was a whole new thing. But it's really ok and doesn't take long - less than 10 minutes including changing and getting dressed again. It certainly doesn't hurt. Just keep your eyes shut like I did. I'm finished after tomorrow!!!

Sherri_V

All along I have known that I had chemo, then surgery, then chemo again and then radiation...now that I'm getting to the radiation part, I'm kind of scared about not having something to do after radiation.  Sounds dumb, I'm sure but I guess my treatments have been my security blanket.

Oh, can anyone tell me about a PET scan?  Is it like a CT scan to the patient or is there more to it?

Thanks!

Melinda41

Sherri: I am having my third PET soon. I get there an hour early and drink two large cups of something that resembles rasberry Koolaid. There is another way to get the glucose in you, but this in how I have done it. Then, they put me in the "quiet room", give me an IV and inject radioactive stuff in there. You are supposed to be still and quiet for an hour. If you move around and talk, the stuff will go to the active parts of your body and mess up the results.

Then, they slide you into the donut shaped machine and it does its thing for awhile.

Nothing makes me feel bad, no funkiness at all. There is that thing that makes me feel like I am peeing on myself for a minute. The first time, it freaked me out, but now I believe that I really am dry. I have had several CTs for different things. I am not sure if that is  a CT thing or not. I get a combo PET/CT so I get all the goodies.

micheleboots

Linda, your rads sound like mine.  I had a bolus and a zap through the table...it took about 15 minutes from the time i entered the room until I left...it goes fast...Rock that gray hair...mine had a little gray and I don't mind...but I will have to color soon.  I am waiting til I have  a good amount to color..I don't want to drop $120 buck on the little hair I have.

Sue, I like your new picture...

Melinda, Hell who needs eyebrows...you are beautiful with out them.

Cathy, great to see you back...glad to hear you are enjoying the topless thing...I hated using the wig and quite liked being topless.   also good to hear your exchange went well....rest and take care of yourself..

Sherri rads are super easy...my first time I was so scared and cold that I was shivering. I thought I would have to stop and restart because I felt like I was moving so much...it was a lot easier after that... It didn't hurt a bit, but it is new and so it is scary...the rads techs are great at making you feel at ease.  Never had a PET scan...I guess they don't do it here...But I did have every other scan known to man.  I too was a bit freaked knowing that treatments were coming to an end and what was fighting the cancer....but then I thought that I had done everything I could and continue to as I take my Tamoxifen...after all what cancer could have survived after all that chemo, and rads.

Hope all my warrior sisters are doing well.

doronet

Michele, can you insert a larger pic of your hair?  It looks like you have quite a bit in your avatar.

I went to my hairdresser's today for him to cut my hair!  How funny is that??!!  Actually, my hair is growing kinda funky on my neck, with it coming in down the sides of my neck but higher in the middle, so I wanted him to even it out before I went "topless."  He not only trimmed around my neck, but he also trimmed up around my ears a little.  I think he was just cutting the weirdly-long hairs to be even with the rest.  It was the first time I had gone further than my driveway without my wig, so it was really weird, but my DD kept encouraging me that my hair really is longer than I think.  The hairdresser's 4 assistants kept telling me how good I looked in general, and how great my hair looked with the salt/pepper color.  I figured they were just being polite until one assistant came up and said, "The lady who was just getting her hair cut over there said your hair looks absolutely stunning."  hmmmm.  Guess I'll take the compliment, but I still feel awkward.  I think I'll be more comfortable when I get some more length; however, I am not complaining!!!!!  I'll post an updated pic soon.

Suepen:  one left????!!!!!

SherriV:  Trust me, you'll loooooove not having any treatments!!!!!  I cried, very randomly, during rads one session about half way through and I'm not sure why except that I HATED going to them and never got use to going.  For me, it was just the hospital, getting undressed, thing, I guess.   That and just wanting it all to be over.

RedheadPam

Ladies,  I just wanted to tell you all that your hair looks fab! It is so exciting to come back for a 'visit' and see so much hair going on!

 I was sooo happy to hear that we have heard from CC.  Yay!

 Well, i was planning on waiting until 6 months past-chemo to color my hair, but I just couldn't wait another minute.  I was tired of looking in the mirror and not seeing ME, So I went to the store, took a deep breath and grabbed whatever looked good. I decided to go with a semi-permanent color at first, kind of a dark brown auburn-ish color....and the "chemo curls" are starting to creep in.....so here I am, 5 months PFC....

micheleboots

Pam, your hair is super long....wow.

Nette, I suck at computer stuff...so I think that will be the one for a while..

mabelle

I was deflated today. 100cc from each side. I think I lost about 2 cup sizes - if I wore a bra. It was really weird watching them get smaller. They're much softer now and move a bit when I jump up and down. I'll have to get used to the new "me".

 

Cathy - did you have your exchange surgery before radiation? I didn't think that was a choice?! I'm confused. My PS told me today that I will have to wait 6 months after rads are over before I can have my exchange surgery! That'll be January 2011!! Argh!!!

 

Pam - your hair looks great!

 

take care all! 

suzieq60

I'M FINISHED!!!!! No more zapping - hooray!!!! Skin looks a bit better - it can only get better from here.

Hey, no one commented on me buying a baby brush - I highly recommend it.

ReadheadPam - your hair looks fantastic!!!

Michele - I sent you a PM with my email addess. Email me your photo and I'll post it for you, like I did for Brenda.

Sue

doronet

Suepen:  CONGRATS!!!!!  WOO HOO!!!   I chuckled at the baby brush purchase.  I'm still able to just use my fingers, but I can see how the brush would signify progress. 

Go, Pam!!!  I'm so looking forward to coloring my hair, but my plan is to keep the Jaimie Leigh Curtis-color until it gets longer, though I do "feel" older with the, what does Melinda call it?... yeah, gray house mouse hue.

I am actually having some very brief "I forgot I had cancer" moments lately. I wasn't sure that was possible so soon.  I'm reading parts of a book called After Breast Cancer,by Hester Schnipper.  An extremely good resource, if not entire read.  She has had bc twice, is married to an oncologist, and is some type of pyscho-social oncologist who has done extensive research with women who have had bc and their experiences post-bc.  Well worth looking into.  (My DD ran across it in the library and checked it out for me.)

Happy Friday.  Nette 

Melinda41

Pam; Your hair looks great, nice and thick and I love the color !

Mabelle: Sorry that you got deflated, that must be really weird for your brain to get used to. But if it makes the rads hit the spot better, than that is a good thing.

Suepen: Congrats on being done with rads!! Woo-hooo!!! I did think about buying a baby brush also, I imagine that it does feel good to have hair to brush. I can use a comb and smooth down the wooly hairs.

Nette: I need to get my neck cleaned up a little also. I just hate to pay full price for such a little hair cut.

I started counting my weight watchers points again this week, hopefully, I can move this chemo weight out of here.

I think I should bedazzle where my eyebrows should be!

BrendaSharon

Sue

I am so happy for you to be done with the rads!!!! I love the color of your hair. It looks almost like a strawberry blonde to me. Love it!!!! I didn't use a baby brush, but i have one sort of like it. And I will say it feels fantastic on my head, let alone it IS EXCITING just to be able to brush something again!!! I swear the scalp is more sensitive than before.

Nette,  I Love that you went to the hair dressers  

What you said about the rads, I could not have said better myself. I too felt like you and I cried as you said. (randomly) Let alone the lying there on the table feeling all naked and vulnerable. The people at the hospital where wonderful however and they could have not tried harder to make me comfortable, but somehow this was degrading to me. When I thought I was almost done the found out I had another week because of the boosts, I cried like a baby and they called the Dr. in to calm me down. When I was done I really wanted to celebrate it was over.

Pam, OMG Your hair is awesome and gives me hope that in one more month MAYBE mine will be that long too!!!!~~~~~ Love the color too!!!

SherriV, Trust me when you are completely done you will be happy. Although I understand what you mean what do I do now? It's almost like we know there is something we still need to do or somewhere we have to go.

Linda, I dig the grey look too. Your hair looks kinda like mine, I am proud to have it!!! As much as rads bugged me for weird reasons, they do seem to get over quickly and that is the good thing. I hope you don't have any problems with burning or peeling like poor sweet Sue!!!

Ya know I started putting on a special cream my rads onc gave me from day one of Tx. She said to use it 3 times a day and I did faithfully. Even though i didn't like how it felt. But, I will say I didn't burn or peel.

UNTILL, very strange after rads where over , within the next week i started to peel, but it was like when you get a sunburn at the beach and about 3 days later you start to peel. I actually thought it would just stay tan looking, but NOPE it peeled off. Just yesterday, which is 4 weeks since my last rads, my nipple completely peeled off. It is kinda sore (well sensitive) looks like a fresh pink baby's nipple. Very strange to see. I have one brown nipple and one pink nipple.

Oh well, at least I have a nipple or two.

mabelle,

Is it strange to be deflated? I just don't understand any of that stuff because I didn't have but a lumpectomy. 

Melinda,

I totally had lost all my eyebrows and eyelashes. Kinda freaky looking for sure. BUT, my eyebrows are back and full (overgrown) like weeds actually. I don't even know where they came back from so quickly. If it was my hair on my head oh my I'd be tickled. My lashes I still have none at all!!!

Today I go for a "Port Flush" , as much as I am scared to death to have it done, I will be so happy to get this thing out of me. I don't know why they are waiting!!! It makes me feel like they don't think I'm done with treatments yet.

Well girls, have a great weekend.  (((((Hugs)))))

Melinda41

BrendaSharon: Is a port flush more than an injection of stuff in your port to keep is flowing smoothly? Has anyone mentioned when they might take it out? That would seem like a big graduation day, when they feel like you won't be needing it again.

BrendaSharon

Melinda,

They inject me with (Hephnephrin)spelling may be wrong.  It is to keep me from clotting. But, it hurts every time they poke me there. I hate it. It hurts I yelp. It is over quickly though. I have to pay every time also.

And yeah, I will feel like I've graduated, because as long as they feel I need it, it scares me thinking I am not for sure through with chemo. Like they may have doubts. So, once it is I will feel  at least in my lil pea brain it is over.

JustmeAlicia

Pam ~ WOW you have a lot of hair.  THAT gives me hope  !!!  Looking good.

Sue ~ really cute about the baby brush set.  I can still just towel dry and move with my hands.  The color is looking more of an ashy blonde then mouse gray a bit.  I will color it once I have enough hair to do something with.  Congrats on your last RAD ! woo HOO

Michele ~ liking your new avatar, looking good !  Hope you are feeling good.

Today I go to the dermatologist for a full body scan of my moles.  THEY are going to love me all bronzed from the cruise.  OH boy !  I will be in trouble for sure !! 

Hope everyone has a great DAY!  It is a beautiful one here in sunny NY !

Melinda41

Suepen: Is it Heparin? That is what they shoot me up with once they finish the infusion. I can understand your being bummed, driving down there, getting poke AND having a co-pay. I hope they tell you they can take it out soon. I have heard of that being done in the doctor's office, I can't imagine them cutting this out of me in a doctor's office, yikes.

Has anyone had their port pulled out yet??

Alicia: Hope you had a great trip!

Hey, does anyone want to know what Heparin is made out of???

The mucosa of lungs from pigs and cows, how do they come up with this stuff??

BrendaSharon

Melinda,

Kudos to you~~~~

How do you even know such stuff,

tis a gross thought I get some pig and cow crap like stuff every few weeks!Yuk-a-puk

Oh, I told my Dr. they put in me in the hospital and they will take it out in the hospital. No taking it out of me in any office and slap a bandaid on. I'm a chicken and don't want to know anything that is going on. KNOCK ME OUT!!!!!!!

Melinda41

I think I have received my last insurance EOB from chemo, the chemo only tally is up to $72,000.

Wowza...that is more than I paid for my house the first time.

MaryNY

Alicia: you said "today I go to the dermatologist for a full body scan of my moles." Whenever I've gone to the dermatologist it's just been a visual scan. But recently, at a health fair, there was information about a new scanning technology, Melanoscan. Was that what your doctor used?

suzieq60

Brenda: My hair was enhanced by the sun on our front verandah - it really looks salt and pepper inside. I did use all the right creams etc and the skin on top of the boob and under the arm is fine. The skin breakdown was only in the crease underneath which is apparently pretty well unavoidable in large breasted women. I think if they had treated me lying face down it could have been avoided. The nurse told me it was because of the radiation going through 2 layers of skin. The doctor said it's because of rubbing skin on skin. Who to believe. Face down treatment would have meant a lot of setup and I reckon she couldn't be bothered.

They should be letting you have your port out. I do know sometimes they like to leave them in for a while but our onc let Steve have his out straight away on both occasions.

Alicia: Welcome home, I hope you had a great time on the cruise. I'm in the middle of booking hotels etc for our upcoming trip to Adelaide in South Australia - major wine growing area. Our daughter lives there and we're going down for a week on the 15th June. We have plans to visit ALL of the wineries and I want to see the new pandas they have in their zoo.

I didn't really need a brush, just thought it would be nice to brush it with something. Might be stimulating for the scalp.

I cried yesterday too. Just glad to be done with it.

Have a great weekend sisters!!!!

Sue

doronet

BrendaShar, Why do you even still have the port?  I thought you had it taken out already.  I had mine out the 3rd of March.  In the breast surgeon's office, with so much Ativan in me that I don't remember much.  My DH even said that on the drive home, he told me some things the surgeon mentioned in the office and I don't remember him telling me anything at all.  Came home and slept for several hours that day.  The port didn't come out straight away:  scar tissue had begun growing around the port, so she had to give me more morphine and snip around the port.   If I had to do it again, I would take stronger pain pills.  Don't think my surgeon would do it in a hospital even if I had requested it.  And I couldn't have mine taken out until 2 weeks after I had finished chemo TX's.

 I feel I should clarify my comment on my brief, occassional moments of forgetting I even had cancer...it can only happen when nothing hurts, I can't see myself in a mirror, and I am fully dressed.  : )

I have full eyebrows and am wearing mascara, though I don't think my lashes are as long as they will be.  I was only without eyebrows for about 2 weeks before they started growing in again.

I think the rad treatments alone were close to $60,000.  Thank heavens for good insurance.

Happy Friday and wishing for everyone lots of hair growth over the weekend!  Nette