November 2009-Starting Chemo

suzieq60

Hi Brenda,

I reckon go ahead and get the port out and piss off the onc. If your bs says ok then do it. You should have socked him one when he hurt you. It's great your hairdresser thought your hair was lovely. I'm going to the herceptin tx tomorrow topless!!

2 washing loads down one to go. It's really late but I'm not tired - might as well wait for the last load to finish - less to do tomorrow.

Sue

JustmeAlicia

Hi girls ! 

Melinda ~ love the dreads !  sooo funny ~ did you really knit that???  Your amazing if you did !

Linda ~ RENEW whenever you want, I agree with Melinda.  July will be my 20 year wedding anniversary, I too want to renew our vows. 

Sue ~ love your pic with the panda.

Nettie ~ your hair looks so good, BRENDA ~ yours too !  We are finally growing some hair...

Brenda ~Glad your exam didn't hurt.

I have some pain on my left side in the underneath area of the implant ~ where a breast fold would be...  I see my PS on Friday.  Sick of hurting.. hate these IMPLANTS ! yuck ~ Now I know why women go au natural !

Hope everyone has a great day !

Melinda41

I made a set of black dreads yesterday, they look better . I think I will wear them to my Herceptin on Thursday, get a chuckle out of the staff.

I am loving all the hair pics and vacation pics.

I have 10 cancer related appointments this week and the temp is in the high 90's every day.

Alicia, I am sorry your implant still hurts. I was hoping that no news was good news and you were deliriously happy with your new rack.

Brenda Sharon; too funny about the hairdresser asking who has been doing your hair.

Sue: after vacation laundry...yuck!

Cafelovr

I am loving the dreads...yah mahn!

I'm still chugging away with rads. I am ready to be finished!!!!! Come on July 6! I'm not wishing time away, I'm wishing rads away.

For those who had a mastectomy, have any of you had cording occur? I'm having issues with my cancerous-side arm where I have pain going all the way down to my wrist. It's a tight sensation that hurts when pressed (I know, so don't press on it then!) It's just so aggrivating, esp at night when I try to sleep. I know there are boards out there for this, but I trust my Sisters first!!

Alicia...au natural is for the birds. I can't wait for ps! When I go without a bra, my gut looks so huge. At least your clothes fit. I can't begin to tell you how my shirts don't fit due to lack of boobs. And foobies doesn't help. I MISS CLEAVAGE!!

Love to all!

doronet

Melinda:  I showed your dredlocks to my crocheting/knitting daughter and she was impressed!  (I think she wants to make some now.)

BrendaShar:  I can't believe the onc dr. was so heartless!  I was almost in tears just reading the post.  You should have totally complained to him!!  I am soooo glad you will have another dr. in his place.

Sue:  Love the vacation pic!  You rock the do!

Alicia:  I, too, am so sorry you are in pain.  Hopefully you can find something out on Friday that will help.

Linda:  I think you should renew your vows whenever you feel like it will mean the most.  I had intended to renew mine at 25 years, but didn't.  I wish I had, especially since we got married in Copenhagen in a "civil" ceremony  and not a religious one.  I haven't had a mastec. so I wouldn't be any help, but hopefully someone can advise you here.

Yesterday, I saw a guy who works at a grocery store  for the first time since my diagnosis and when he saw my hair, he said, "Good Lord, woman!!  What have you done??!!"  I said that I had had chemotherapy, all my hair fell out, and this is how it came back in.  I think he felt really bad, but, actually, I felt worse.  I didn't let on.  I really felt depressed the rest of the day, though I know better, I know it isn't my fault, I know I looked better with long, brown hair than short, gray hair, but I really am tired of not looking like myself.  As much as I try to convince myself that my hair looks fine...

Sorry for the venting. I'm usually fine until I go out of the house.  I still feel that my appearance screams cancer.  I should be thankful I can even go out of the house at all.

BrendaSharon

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Nette,

Now you got me in tears.

I truly believe when he said "What have you done", he probably just meant WHY did you cut your long hair off, then he probably felt bad because he didn't realize why and felt bad after the fact. BUT, trust me and all the girls, cuz I know I'm not saying you looked awesome just to make you feel good and neither are the other Warrior Sisters, you truly look stunning with short hair.  You are beautiful inside and out.

Alicia,

Hope you get feeling comfortable with your new self soon ~~~ ((gentle hugs))

Love y'all

Melinda41

Nette: here is my second set of dreads, the kids said they needed to be black. I was making a Rasta hat for a friend, just a joke type thing, and I decided her needed dreads to go with it.

I haven't seen any one in a long time that didn't know about the cancer. I did run into a few friends when I was bald, that was always a good ice breaker. It does get irritating the constant attention to this crappy head of hair. Ya'll have good color and thickness, I am still weird baby bird with tufts everywhere.

suzieq60

Nette: I know how you feel. When we went away for a couple of days before the big vacation, a little girl asked me if I was a man. That really hurt. I just told her I was sick and my hair fell out. She was only 3. Your hair looks SO good - really. You've got way more than me.

Melinda: Is that your hair above the black dreads in the first pic?

I am much more nervous about going out with my hair like this where I know people. It's much easier if you're away (except for the little girl). But I've decided I can do it. It will be weird when I go back to work like this.

Sue

Melinda41

Suepen: Yes, that is my hair, still house mouse gray and 1 1/8" long (I measure this weekend).

suzieq60

Melinda: You have SO much hair - it looks blonde!!! I can see curls too. WOW!!! Don't complain about it. Compared to your old rodent mom pic it's amazing. Makes me look bald. I know mine will grow slower as it's winter here and the TCH chemo seems to have a bigger effect on regrowth. I guess I'll have to live with it or wear beanies

doronet

Melinda: It really does look like you have plenty of hair.  At least what's above the rasta hat looks good.  And you are doing great with the crocheting!!

Thanks, you guys, for the encouragement.  I just had an evening of feeling sorry for myself, but I'm over it now.  And glad to have any hair at all. 

My beautiful daughter is turning 20 today, so now, I now just feel old!!!!  :P  (kidding this time, though I do wonder how that happened!!  When did she grow up??!!)

Wishing everyone lots of hair growth, no boob pain, and tons of energy today!!   Nette 

micheleboots

Nette, do like I do when you go out of the house and people look or ask strange questions...I tell them I have cancer and I am a fighter, kicking cancer ass.  I had a lady say that she wished she had hair like me.  I said "oh lady you do not want this hairdo."  Then told her is was my chemo hair. I always make light of it....I refuse to give cancer the power over me...after all I am a Warrior. 

JustmeAlicia

woo HOO Michele !!!  I like your spirit ~ 

Melinda ~ that is a nice head of hair !!!

Nette ~ Happy Birthday to your daughter ~ 

I have vowed to never complain about being old......  I hope to grow old !

doronet

Alicia:  my daughter says, "thank you!" 

Michele:  You have a great attitude.  I would never let on to anyone that their comment made me uncomfortable:  I know that people are not intentionally "inconsiderate."  I've learned through having two adopted children that people are just uninformed most of the time.  I do agree with Sue that it is, by far, easier to go to places where you don't know anyone than to go where you might see people you know.

Random question:  is anyone else taking Arimidex?  Was wondering if you were experiencing any SE"s.

suzieq60

Nette: I took my first Arimidex last night - stay posted. It's supposed to take about a month for any SE's to show up. The onc expects joint pain. My bone density was quite good apparently. I really expected it to be bad seeing I've lost height - must be my pathetic posture.

I went topless for the herceptin tx after doing the groceries topless too. The nurses all thought it looked good. The receptionist stroked it So that's it - no more hats.

Happy birthday to your daughter Nette!!!

Sue

doronet

Sue:  I told my daughter that Suepen from Australia said happy birthday and she said, "thank you!"  (She knows almost all of my friends on this site and gets a kick out of the things I tell her or show her from it.  She is really impressed with Melinda's new crocheting talent!) 

I still have some neuropathy from the the Taxol in my hands and toes, though not as much in my toes as my hands now.  I am 3 1/2 months out from the last Tax. TX.  I also have joint stiffness when I am in the same position too long, but I don't know if that is from the Tax. or from the Arimidex.  That's why I was asking about SE's.  I have been taking the Arim. for 8 weeks.  I have not experienced any joint pain, though.

Today is the last day of school for around here, so no more subbing until the fall.     Will tutor my son throughout the summer, though.  That will be as pleasurable as having all my teeth pulled.  Oh well.  It really helped him start the school well last year, so I'm hoping for at least the same results this next school year.

Happy Thursday, everyone!  Nette

micheleboots

Nette, I hear you about helping the kids with math.  My daughter struggles and hates math...But then she has a who cares type of attitude...what can ya do...

My onc said that my joint pain was from lack of estrogen, not the chemo...said that I just have to get use to it....whaaa...it doesn't bother me that much, i guess.

Cafelovr

I too have stiffness when I get out of a chair and joint discomfort...it's not painful, but makes me feel old!

Dr said it was from menopause...lack of estrogen. He suggested Joint Juice, but I've been taking Fish Oil tablets. I have a gyno appt soon to test levels and have a bone density test coming up. Still no period since December 5.

Nette, tell her Happy Birthday from the Triad area of NC!

livelife

Hi Girls.

I am loving our matching hair cuts, well we are sisters after all.

I have put together a short video of my patient journey and put it on youtube, in the hope that someone somewhere who has to go through treatment might find it useful. No-one in the UK knows the Run For Life song, all my friends love it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ram_qS4U-Ys

Is anyone having night sweats on tamoxifen?

Great to see everyone doing so well, we might be a bit battle scarred but our fighting spirits seem as strong if not stronger than ever.

Love to you all.

Natalie xxxx

BrendaSharon

Natalie Great job on the YouTube Video,

Thanks for sharing with us!!! Good to see you as well our Warrior Sister.

Only problem is it reminded me of just how badly I must get in shape.

I need to run, or walk before I get any bigger than I already am.

The Tamoxifen is giving me day and night sweats. I've been on them since mid April now.

They also make me very dehydrated so I have to be careful to drink plenty. I am so frigging sick of water, I could float our own boat! Also, I am still very tired most of the time. When I got off of work yesterday, I slept from 3:30 till 7:15 and I had no trouble going back to sleep at 10:00 that night. I just wonder if anyone else gets tired as easily as I do???

Have a good day girls

Melinda41

I am not a hormone drug thingee and I have the sore joints, so it is probably a lot from the chemopause.

I had my 6th zap and a naked herceptin this morning. I wore my ratsa hat and dreads to the Oncs, everyone loved them and want me to make them a set. My Onc said all I needed to complete the look was some ganga, I asked for a scrip but we don't live in California so.... but the nurse got a kick about the Onc joking about the wacky weed.

My echo this week was good, Onc says everything looks great.

Brenda:  I am exhausted too. I am so sick of people telling me to go on to the gym since I will feel better after I work out. I don't freaking feel better after a work out, I just feel stinkier. I don't know whether to keep pushing through or do I need to nap?? I just feel like it is not going to get any better so I might as well trudge on and get used to it.

1marmalade1

I am on week 9 of Arimidex - so far, I haven't noticed anything that wasn't there before.  Not everyone gets side effects, so if we don't, we should consider ourselves lucky!

Haven't gone hairless to Herceptin tx's yet, but I do wear a baseball cap instead of the wig.  I find the wig too hot to wear in the heat and humidity.

suzieq60

Hi Girls,

I've decided to try going to the gym today. I hadn't been going for long when the whole bc thing started. My cold is not really better but I thought I could try just doing weights for the arms and see how I go.

I've got ringing in one ear from this bloody cold so I'm off to the doc to see if it needs clearing out - hope so. It's driving me crazy.

Also going to have the thyroid ultrasound today - might as well get it over with.

I called the rehab chick at work yesterday and left a message about my coming back to work. We'll see if she calls back today. I really need to get off my arse and back in the world.

It's all happening here!!!!

Brenda: I'm not surprised you're exhausted after all you've been working through this whole thing and had that long drive for the rads. Can you have some vacation time?

Melinda: I've tried not to have naps after the chemo finished. I was really tired yesterday but just stayed up anyway. I can't have naps when I go back to work, so I'm trying not to start a bad habit even though they would be good.

Happy Friday girls!!!

Sherri_V

Today was to be day #25 of my radiation but I have an open wound so they put me on a break until next Thursday.  Feeling okay, aside from my tiredness and the broken skin.  Did any of y'all have to take a break during radiation?  Just curious...

Have a good weekend ~

BrendaSharon

Sherri,

So sorry you are having to pause until next week. Where is your open wound at? If today was to be #25 then you should be close to done, right? Are your next few the "Boost"? If so, they seem to be a little easier on the body.

Sue,

I wish I had a vaca coming up. we took vaca during the slow time which was between Christmas and New Year's. The whole plant shut down and that was my vaca. I was undergoing all the chemo and what not then. So, that's prob all I'll get. I don't know if any one else feels like this but now that it is over, when I think back to all the chemo and the radiation, etc, it just almost all seems like one big Bluuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrr.

Happy Friday Warriors!!~~~~

Sherri_V

My open wound is right under my breast.  I bought some tank tops so that I wouldn't have anything rub that area for the next few days.  At this point, I have 3 more regular radiation treatments plus 5 boosts.  The radiation technician says that after my PET scan and CT scan next week, the dr. will decide if I need more or if I'm truly near the end of treatment.

I'm keeping it covered in moisturizer and aloe today.  Good thing I'm off work today 

suzieq60

Sherri: I had skin breakdown during the radiation and they didn't stop the treatment. It was in the crease under the breast like yours and happened at exactly the same time. I stopped putting the aloe and moisturiser on that area and they dressed it with Solosite gel and a non stick dressing every day after my tx. I bathed it with cool boiled salty water after my shower each day and patted it dry. After the boosts were finished I used Medi Honey and it healed really quickly. I think you can get it over there if you buy it online. I kept the non stick dressing under the breast while all this was going on. The gel helped it stay there. Don't try and tape anything there - I lost some skin after doing that.

Well, the rehab girl called back and I'm going back to work on 5th July. She recommended 3 half days per week for a month to start with - I can live with that I had to get a note from the GP saying I could work the 3 half days.

The GP said the tinnitus in my ear was caused by fluid behind the ear drum - shit!!! He said it should clear up in a month or so. Meanwhile I have to listen to crickets all day and night. I hope it does clear up cos it's driving me crazy.

Had the thyroid ultrasound and the girl said I have nodules on both sides. I'll get the results of that and the blood test on Tuesday week when I go back to see the surgeon. Then I'll find out if I need any treatment.

I chickened out on the gym as I'm still not well from the head/chest cold I have. We are both really sick with it. Thanks to our DD who gave it to us (not).

Have a lovely weekend everyone!!!

Sue

doronet

Suepen:  you are an Internet hound (my DD would call me an "Internet whore" but that sounds sooooo bad!  Apparently that is an oft used word with teens)  like I am so you prob. have already searched the net re: thyroid nodules.  In case you haven't yet, I found an excellent site written in laymen's terms that was very informative:

http://www.endocrineweb.com/nodule.html

See if you can access it, even if only for additional info.

Thanks to you, Marm, and Linda for your experience with the Arimidex and general stiffness.  Yeah, that ol' estrogen is quite the hormone, huh.  Pretty much makes us what we are...or are no longer. 

Sorry to hear about the open wounds with the radiation.  Mine didn't appear until after the rads were over.  Then it was around my nipple and under the nipple to the point of the oozing.  I was told to wear a huge t-shirt to let it air out, and that worked for me,  My breast was healed enough in 10 days to wear a regular bra.  I still put pure Aloe Vera gel on it once a day.  I still have the "tan" line from the rad, and the rad onc said I could use some alpha hydroxy creams on it to get rid of it, but I am hesitant to use anything "strong" there and it doesn't bother me anyway.

Happy Saturday, ladies!!!  Nette

micheleboots

Sherri, sorry about the boobie booboo...I had some major skin peeling happen around the 5th week.  It healed quickly when rads were done.  Onc said that it takes two weeks for the skin to react and that I would start to see improvement about two weeks after rads were done...and just like clockwork two weeks later the healing process began.  I too have  a crazy tan pattern on my chest.  I figure that I will lay out naked except that I will use a face cloth to cover where I was fried.  That way my tan would even out....what do ya think?  Good idea or bad idea.

Happy Weekend everyone.

Cafelovr

It's funny how we get conflicting stories from our ROs. I was told one the boosts were finished, my collerbone and sternum would be healed. I don't have open wounds, but my skin is red, blistery, and has the feel of sandpaper. I hope you get some relief soon, Sherri.

 Sue, feel better soon. Good luck with keeping the crickets quiet.

I have one more regular rads tx, 5 boosts and then that's it...I'm done! Surgery...check; chemo...check; rads....check. On my way to Tamoxifen. I am done!!!! I could not have done it without you!!! You all have become such a part of my life. I get mushy very easy anymore, so I won't gush, but I love you all!!