April 2011 chemo

pawprintgirl24

i am on facebook..the nurse called me back and said it could wait til monday.. really??? no call in antibiotics crazy!!! i work at a vet office and animals are not that much different than us!! but i'll just keep it clean as i can til monday!! i have been sooo happy with the place i choose to go to and so far they have been great about everything, maybe its not as big of a deal as i think!i have heard things about the other big onc group here and i'm glad i choose this place still... i hope everyone is having a great day and welcome all the new girlies!! ain't this fun!!!

kg1234

I am on facebook....msg. to add me if you'd like,

Kg.

bonnieandcleo

my port is in a week nearly still bruised but only hurts when I went to hit the dog with a towel when it was barking ..had first treatment last fri ...I can see having a port helps

artiecat

Well, I am a very happy girl today - had a slice of pizza and it tasted almost like usual - a little off, but it made me feel more "normal" (whatever that is!).  Then I was actually able to start warping my loom!  Hooray!

 Thoughts and prayers to all on this journey!

pawprintgirl24

so happy for you artiecat!!! my mother in law is bringing her potato salad over tomorrow and i hope it taste right!! i love it!! on a funny note..i shaved my leggs wednesday and i still haven't had to i could but its really not bad!! hair on my head is still hanging in there but today is day 13 tomorrow is 14 so i guess it'll be really soon

lorenar

Wanthat ed to pop in and wish you ladies a happy easter. So sorry for you having se and glad for you not. My internet service was down so I got behind.MYDH did take me for that second opinion Fri I will have to basically stay where I am for awhile becausw I cant afford to drice 8 hours roundtrip once a week. I love this onc. and feel safer with him. I have had a funny feelin tongue for 4 weeks thought the chemo did it since my other docs never check my mouth. guess what it was an infection he gave me medc for. Also said my bone scan was never done and to late now. Theres only a 1% its in bones but he said he wouldnt want to know now. Im tellin them do it now. also he said didnt know how I have stayed out of the hospital when my bc was so low with no neutropenic shots. He gave me some ativan to ease my nerves and omg it helps alt. He said until my chemos done Im more than welcome to come back anytime. I told him I probably would because they wont give ativan here. He said thats fine. He doesnt believe any of us should sufffer through this without comfort meds. Off monday for 11 out of 12 weekly taxol/herceptin. Sure I will have alot to tell them about ha. take care ladies..

kg1234

Had my big head shaving party today....:) it's all gone.  Now I've just got to watch the 1/4 inch left fall out.  I'm only 9 days from first chemo..so it'll be a week or so.

Anyhow, just thought I would check in.  I feel pretty good today, and felt for the most part --very normal. Slight weird taste in my mouth, but otherwise feel good.

Hope you are all doing okay today.

Kg.

axtella

artiecat --  I was brave and made nachos tonight and they were so good! I haven't taken the anti-nausea for two days now. I don't care for the one that melts in your mouth, I think it leaves a horrible after taste. I have had a sore throat for two days. We have a cold going around my house right now. I'm pretty much walking around with Lysol and keeping in my room.

Kg -- I'm not ready to shave til I have my correct color wig. I haven't felt the tingle scalp like they say you are supposed to get prior to hour hair starting to fall out.

Well we are moving next week to a bigger house. My 23 year old son has moved back home so he can finish college. He will be such a big help for me! DH informed me I wasn't going to move anything...hey I'm kind of liking this pampering!

Have a wonderful Easter everyone!

KiwiMum

Axtella - I've not taken nausea meds for two days now either and am feeling much better. I completely agree about the one that dissolves in your mouth. The taste of that make me feel like vomitting. According to the doc it gets into your bloodstream faster and will still be absorbed even if you vomit. I have been taking herbal ginger tablets and I think they are working.



Good on everyone who has been brave enough to shave. Not me yet. I'm only 6 days post chemo and nothing falling out yet. The wig place said they will do it for me when I'm ready to pick up my wig.



Pawprintgirl - I shaved my legs the other day as an experiment to see if they'd grow back. They are, which is a pain. I was hoping to be done with legs and underarms. I still can't shave under my right arm post surgery and it's grossing me out!



Happy easter everyone!

Merilee

Day 5 for me and I had a little energy break through this morning. I was attempting to work out which was a bit challenging. I thought about quiting and then I got really pissed and yelled " You are not going to steal my vim!" Just yelling must have released something because I was instantly determined to finish the work out and did and now I feel so much better. It made me think. I can either come out the other side of this weak, or I can use the next 12 weeks to go on an exercise and nutrition plan that will leave me stronger in the end. I choose health. I am going to not only beat this nasty little bastard called Cancer, but I am going to use this experience to improve my self and my life.

DeeBee

Somewhere on one of these boards I read about preventing mouth sores by gargling with baking soda and/or salt.  Does anyone know the recipe/proportions?  I am starting to feel funny in my throat so figure I better start that.  Also, those of you saying you didn't need the anti-nausea meds today, which day are you on?  I had a bad reaction with my first treatment - dr. said less than 1% reacted that way - so am afraid to let them go too soon but want to be off them whenever I can be.  Tingling feet starting today. 

Merilee

Hi DeeBee

I am off them so far today and today is day 5. I am a better safe than sorry type so if you think you need them, stay on them. No point in letting yourself get sick.

I am using Biotien mouth wash as a preventative. So far so good.

determined3

sooo, i start chemo in a few days. my last weekend of feeling "normal"..though my life has been far from normal since i started. i am getting a bit anxious!

RangerMom

I'm new to this topic as I wasn't sure till last week when my chemo was starting. I'm having the port placed tomorow 4/25 and my first round of AC on Thurs the 28th. This looks like the place for me because all you brave girls are ahead of me and can give me guidance. I read the first posts and that's where I'm at, kinda scared, and kinda of dreading it but also kinda of excited to get this going and move on to the next phase. I'm doing chemo first, then bi mx, then radiation. I'm not sure about reconstruction at this point. 

kg1234

Kiwimum, thanks for thinking I'm brave - I'm not.  But I just wanted to get it OVER with.  And since I am on two weeks chemo, I know next weekend I'll feel like crap.  So I wanted to do a) to get used to it, b) to get it over with c) when I was feeling relatively normal. 

All 3 of my boys and my hubby and my mom --ALL shaved their heads.  So it was quite the party, with pink plates & balloons, some really hilarious moments too.  That's what friends & family are for.

And while I have several mom friends who are lesbian, with no offense, I look so butchy.  Ugh!  Not sure how I am going to pretty this up.  Oh well. Let's break out the hats and scarves.  Oh, and my new wig : NOELLE!!  She's a beauty!

http://www.wowwigs.com/noelle.html 

Mine is not platinum blonde, but rather a reddish-brown.  

Kg

geocachelinda

I am on facebook too Linda Wheeler Weigel

artiecat

Axtella - you are moving!  Yikes!  No pressure or stress in your household!!!

Re nausea - started for me on day 3 - took 1 pill per day for about 4 days.  (I admit trying to pretend it wasnt there!)  Doc gave me a prophylactic antibiotic due to low WBC which has made me feel a little sickish.  

Re mouth cleanser - 1/2 tsp sapt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 c warm water is what I was told.

Day 12 now for me - still have hair!  The texture feels weird but no tingling.

I admire all of you brave women.  Somehow we are all plowing through this using our own reserves, our own resources, our own courage, yet allowing ourselves to feel the fear, the pain, the loneliness and the sisterhood of it.  

geocachelinda

Just had a major blowup at my husband.  Bad enough having to go to church for 3 hrs with only one friggin tit knowing everyone is staring at my chest but then having to go to the store because we were out of bread, eggs and coffee creamer and getting the credit card declined.  He was too "busy" to go at the minute himself and handed me the card telling me it had $15 on it.  How humilitated I felt having to walk out without my order.  I just blew up at him cause he came in the room and was acting like I was interuppting what ever he was doing because we needed bread.  I told him to leave me the hell alone.  Now I feel like a turd.  Oh and never mind my mouth and butt are sore!  Grrrrrrr

scc218

My husband just finished shaving my head with the dog clippers!  Very traumatic to lose the hair.  I found it more traumatic than losing the boobs!  Go figure.  Just makes the whole thing so much more real now.  I could hide the lack of boobs under a shirt (sort of), but lack of hair is just so obvious.  The wigs don't look natural to me, but I have one that is fairly cute.  Right now I have on a cute pink camo bandana that my sweet sister gave me.  She gave me several -- in different colors -- and I think I will be wearing them a LOT!  I keep telling myself it's only hair and it will grow back, but it was more traumatic than I anticipated. 

KG1234 -- how cool that you made it a head-shaving party!  Very upbeat of you!  And so many others joining you!  Awesome. 

Geocachelinda -- don't feel like a turd.  I've had a few blowups at DH myself.  Not that that makes it right.  But it's so understandable and so normal.  Sometimes it just seems that they can be so insensitive.  Most of the time my DH is very supportive and understanding, but they're not "wearing the shoes," so they have no idea what all is happening to our bodies and is going through our minds.  Anyway, hang in there!  Thinking of you.....  Sending virtual hugs.

trail2

Hi Ladies,  I am on day 12, and everytime I brush my hair, there is more coming out.  Other than my steroid acne, I feel really good. 

geocachelinda:  i had my blow up yesterday with hubby and oldest son.  Later I was able to calmly tell them why i was upset, and hubby said he had heard that mood swings went along with this.  I think we are all on edge, and guess what ,  WE HAVE CANCER!  they seem to forget, or not realize how hard this is.  Hang in there, 

Scc,  you are braver than me,  I have an appt tues. to cut mine shorter, but wonder how much will have come out before I get there.  I may be loosing my hair while in Florida next week!  That will be something ,  leave home with hair, and come back bald.  I have never traveled with a wig before.  we have been making jokes about going thru security and being asked to remove hat with my velcro hair attached.  LOL  trying to laugh instead of cry.  Right now , I agree with you about loosing the hair being harder than loosing the boobs. 

Hope everyone has a wonderful afternoon!

pawprintgirl24

so sorry about blowing up at dh.. mine thinks he can do no right right now.its ok to blow up!!

hair still hanging in and its day 14..i was hoping it would go now than when i'm at work or something..i could shave it but dh thinks that i should wait.i pulled it up today since i want be able to for probably more than a year since my hair is curly so it will take longer to grow back

happy easter everyone  and ain't this fun?!?!?!

scc218

Trail2 -- I had my hair cut shorter first.  I actually did that on day 3!  I wanted to minimize the "blow."  Day 14 is when I started noticing lots of hair coming out in the shower.  Today is day 16, and a TON came out in the shower.  Since we live in an RV, I didn't want to clog the drains, so I decided "it was time."  Really didn't want to do it on Easter and seriously contemplated doing the Easter egg/bald head thing, but alas, I'll just wear a bandana for now.  I'm wondering about the flying thing, too.  Heading to Texas in a couple of weeks for some quality time with my sister -- need it badly.  Between the wig, the fake boobs, and the compression arm sleeve, I'm sure I can set off some kind of "alarms" or at least turn some heads.  Should make for an interesting day.  I'll probably just go flat chested, with a bandana, and the arm sleeve -- skip the foobs and the wig.  Let me know what you decide to do and how it works out. 

KiwiMum

Kg1234 - how amazing that your boys, mom and hubby all shaved. My hubby has had a receding hairline for years. He is refusing to shave with me when it's time because as he puts it "at least yours will grow back". Lol. I think he has a point!



Deebee - I needed the meds for days 1-4. Then day 5 much much better and gotten better everyday since. I'm now on day 7. I have another two weeks before next infusion. Oddly I keep dreaming of nausea - weird!



Taking my girls to the movies today to see Rio in 3D. Should be fun. It's the second week of the school holidays in NZ and the girls are getting to the stage where they are trying to kill each other!! I think they need a break so need to get onto inviting some of their friends over for a playdate.

profbee

I couldn't love you women more right now.  Hubby and I had an argument this morning too.  I think we all needed to blow off a little steam.  Our dearest friends were visiting, and my friend was watching my son and her kids, and it gave DH and I the time to get some stuff off our chests.  A little time alone without either of our parents here and with someone to watch our son--we needed a little honest communication, to express that we're both scared and irritated, and to admit that we've both been short with each other lately.  Talk about a GOOD friend--the kind you can let know you're fighting with your hubby in the other room.  LOL!

I'm not one to cry much.  I just grit my teeth and get through it and work hard, but sometimes that means I can be bitchy.  Granted, I've got plenty to be "irritable" about lately!  LOL!  Anyway, it's nice to hear I'm not alone.  Happy Easter, friends.

Oh, and DeeBee asked about the mouthwash.  I don't know the "formula," for the baking soda, but I have tried Biotine a couple of times and it's very soothing.  

G'nite! 

jackifp

DeeBee: I don't know about an 'official' mix for salt rinse; I mix salt and warm water to taste like ocean. It feels like it neutralizes the tangy, odd taste in my mouth.

axtella

My dr says swish buttermilk and swallow it. Ok so I did and the mouth sores were gone the next day but it was so gross!!!!

axtella

Here is something odd I forgot to mention...my fingernails are growing at a rapid rate...what is up with that??

kg1234

I'll have to remember the buttermilk if I get the sores.

Question:  I had the neupogen shots for 3 days.(sat, sun, mon)...then the side effects were so bad, we stopped the shot.  So now I'm waiting till tuesday (which will be my day 12) to see where my blood counts are.  How do I know if they are dropping? (I guess I won't know) 

Will I have noticeable side effects over tomorrow and tuesday?

Kg.

RangerMom

Hi All, 

Anyone please let me know....I have to go to work the day after my port placement. How did you feel the next day? I was told to ice all day, 30 min on, then 30 off. I'm having my first chemo 3 days after placement. Thanks!  

RangerMom

Windlass,

I also feel you loss. I had long red hair, not as long as yours, and had it cut very short last week to get ready and give me time to have fun with this new style. You won't believe the positive comments you'll get when people see you with the new hair cut. I also was able to give my hair to Locks for Love. Made me feel very happy.