Chemo May 2011

MamaV

Congratulations to you laureen - finishing A/C is a huge milestone!!!

neecee

Congrats to MamaV and Cyborg!

neecee

Laureen - congrats on finishing AC!

neecee

Speaking of going out with bald heads - I was home on Thursday, hanging around the house with nothing on my head, since I usually don't wear anything on my head when I am at home.  My door bell rang, and I didn't think anything about it when I answered the door.  The person at the door was my neighbor down the street whom I have not seen in months.  His eyes got big when he saw me, and I realized that I was standing there bald.  He recovered nicely, and other than what I saw on his face, he never said a word.  I told my husband later that I probably scared the man!

MamaV

Thank you all for the congrats - cyborg Ive been in tears too! Can't get as excited as I hoped b/c there is still much ahead of us all. I have my appt with my RO on wed so my break is short lived! I should be about recovered from this last round by the time that appt comes along. Still wish I could just sleep through til at least October.

Cyborg

Congrats laureen!!!

Beaglesgirl

Laureen, I'm right behind you - my first taxol is Tuesday.



Question for the taxol vets... My onc is only going to give my decadron in my premeds, will that cause that to make me gain the weight? Of all the bad things that have happened to me since this has happened, I was hoping to keep my high school weight with my new boobs. One can dream. I rather be short and pudgy and ALIVE though

mccrimmon324

beaglesgirl, how did your appt go yesterday?

MamaV

No weight gain for me with taxol. I lost 20 pounds while crawling through A/C. Didn't gain back a single pound on taxol. I wasn't nauseous like the A/C but certainly wasnt looking for tons of food either!

Beaglesgirl

Oh I spent three stress filled hours at the hospital. My MO said he wanted to have a ultra sound and my heart sank. So I went down stairs and the tech called in the radiologist because she really didn't know what to look at. Again heart sank. But he didn't seemed worried either... In the end they were being cautious. Both agreed that it was just some sort of infection and Dr B sent me home with a Z pack and told me to ice it. The pain is already a bit better, so I think theynwere right. Whew!!!

mccrimmon324

I'm glad to hear it Beagelsgirl, if it feels better already then it must have been an infection!

Patriotic

Hi Beaglesgirl. I have had 10 of 12 weekly Taxol and have only gained about 3-4 pounds. My Onc said I might gain on Taxol. So, to ward off the possibility, I exercised a bit more. Nothing strenuous but enough to counter the constipating effects of the taxol. You will do great.

Cyborg

I am hoping u feel better beagle's girl

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Beaglesgirl,

You mentioned Decadron intake for Taxol in your msg.  My oncologist advised that I take 5 Decadron the day before treatment and 5 Decadron the morning of treatment.  5 pills is equal to 20mg.  I was thinking of weight gain as well with this regimen.  Let's compare notes.  I go tomorrow for #1 Taxol.  Will keep you posted.

Laureen

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Everyone,

Goodluck to those sitting in the chair this week.  Goodluck also to those moving on to radiation therapy!  Good job ladies!

Laureen

MamaV

Good luck with taxol this week Laura and laureen!

Cyborg

When u girls get over the chemo, let's talk about the emotional side of being done. I am like really messed up and I do t know why!!!

MamaV

What's going on cyborg? I am done and am thrilled to be done, but now I am not only freaking out about radiation, but what if it comes back now that I'm not doing chemo? Oh and how about everyone who expects me to be 'back to normal' now that chemo is done? I need to find a new normal b/c the old me is gone.

Elizabeth1889

I thought I would be thrilled, too, when I finished chemo, but it was actually sort of a let down.  I felt safe while I was on chemo and the routine had become oddly comforting.  Now, it is time to move on to the brave new world.  There is a song by Mika that goes, "Say good-bye to the life you thought you knew."  That is us.

Cyborg

Yep. There is that song. And there is the FEAR. And the lack of safety. And then the changes in my body. I just feel angry at everyone around me.

Cyborg

Cograts mamav on your milestone

jackifp

Mamav- I ditto your post, with capital letters. Rads are a whole new thing, and we barely get a chance to get thru chemo. And "done" with chemo? "Normal"? I need a new dictionary.

40-years-old-now

Dont worry too much about Rads. I had them at the same time as my first chemo. I had 10 treatments (for arm and leg). Be for warned you will be getting (most likely) tatoos, they are little dots that look like freckles.

I had no SE from the rads. Some people have dry skin, or something similler to burns.

Take care

mebmarj

Have you ladies getting ready for rads had your sim yet?

Like 38yo said, you'll probably get little tattoos (tiny actually), after some CTs,etc. They may make sharpie marker lines too, to indicate fields to treat. It takes a little while for the team to work it all up.

That was all 7 years ago I did that, you will do fine. Ask questions if you have them. Often it takes longer for you to change clothes and get positioned by the techs than it does for the actual treatment.

Best of luck to y'all with upcoming "cocktail hours" and "extreme tanning."

-m

blondelawyer

Had my third AC today--thankfully with no allergic reaction. My onco is ordering another breast MRI to make sure there is shrinkage (but it definitely feels like it) and also because I have quite a bit of pain in my tumor site. I know that he felt for my lymph nodes under my arm too so I suspect he would like to see that on MRI as well. Additionally he ordered an MRI of my brain because I have been having near daily headaches. I'm not thrilled with 2 more MRIs (and they can't do them at the same time because they use different constrast dyes), but I would rather be thorough.



The onco said total of 4 AC, so only one left! I'll start talking to surgeons after the MRI this week.



What to you guys think about traveling between chemo and surgery? My friend is a wedding photographer and is shooting a wedding in Hawaii 2 weeks after my last AC dose and asked me to come with him. Obviously I'd check with my oncologist, but just wanted to know what others thought . I've never been to Hawaii. My friend doesn't understand why im even hesitating.

MamaV

Cyborg - I am angry at everyone too - except my DH and kids. Everyone else - people at work, friends who I've become a burden too, just all people and really everything. I realized today at work that I'm just not a happy person anymore. Not good. But don't know how to change it. I certainly can't go back to who I was. I need to find the new me.

txladysara

I dedicate this song to the May ladies, especially MamaV and Cyborg---Beautiful by Mercy Me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WnAq0o2Xl8 .  Well had my chemo today. Had the first 3 FEC and now started on Docetaxel, it was way easier cause i was getting a bag of nausea meds 20minutes, then steroids 20mins, then the 3 chemos 45min ea. Well today it was just the naseau med, steroids and Docetaxel 45min. We were out of there much sooner and they said no shot tommorrow. Woo hoo!!! I still have one more iron drip to go but I am happy that I am 2/3 over w/ chemo. Got home ate then slept ate awhile ago again and have a slight headache but besides that I am doing better. Dr. said this usually has less side effects so I am hoping that it will go smoother. About the rads, I dont even want to think about them at all. I will worry when I get there and I still need two more chemos so.... Just glad to be alive and blessed w/ so much. Have a good night May Ladies and God bless.  Sara

bak94

MamaV and Cyborg, I haven't finished chemo, obviously, but I also find myself being grumpy and irritated. I am usually pretty easy going about stupid comments but sometimes I feel like I am going to explode on someone. I get in a really bad mood when I have to put my wig on for work! Yesterday I drove bald and it was so freeing. Then today I sat in my yard bald, with sunscreen of course(not that anybody could see me). I get mad and frustrated when I get tired walking and doing errands and chores, feel like I should be able to do more and get tired of explaining to people why I can't do more. I don't like asking the costco people for help loading the 50 pound dog food into my car, but I certainly can't do it right now. It is just so much easier staying home with my animals where I don't have to talk and I can go around bald.

I have to apologize to all, seems like all I do is complain here!

Blondelawyer, that sucks that you have been having headaches daily. Happy for you that you are only doing 4 ac! Will you have to do more chemo after surgery ? Hopefully not! I have my last ac this friday.

txladysara

I just got a great idea, corny, but i am corny hehehe. Why don't we write some good things on paper and put them on our bathroom mirrors? I am thinking maybe one that says, You are beautiful, Everyday and in everyway I am getting better and better, I love myself, ect. If you're Christian you can also post some positive scriptures like, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, ect. and well we can say them outloud everyday after we shower.

Beaglesgirl

Cyborg and MamaV, except for my husband and kids I feel totally abandoned by my family and friends. Great deal of animosity building up. I mean I get that I represent in some sort of way their their own mortality --but come on this is when I need them



I understand your anger, I hope this passes like one of the other SE!