April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

kjiberty

Vicki:  Wow!  Take care of yourself!  

Jennyrjd amd Raelen:  My Onco score was 28; MO and BS definitely recommended chemo.  4 rounds of taxotere and cytoxan.

Thanks all of you for the nail advice.  I might just take a chance and not do it.  It's scary either way.   

dancetrancer

Colorado gals - stay safe from those fires!  

 melrose - thanks for the well wishes!  No, we aren't on the coast (in central AL), however, can you believe that is exactly where DH is going for work this week???  UH, I'm not happy about it.  We are watching the weather closely...

jenny - not sure b/c that is being reported in a way I'm not familiar with - need a neutrophil percentage.  You take that times your WBC (X 10 to the 3rd) and get ANC.  So if WBC was say 1.9, and neutrophil % was 53%, your ANC would be 1900X.53 = 1007.  That's just an example.  The ANC determines what grade neutropenia your are (1 thru 4).  Maybe that example will help when you go over it with your onc. 

Tweetyb422

Marcia1111,



I take the steroid on day 2 thru 4, so I keep taking it one day after 3rd emend....hope that helps

chapter4

Nofear2012. I've been really tired too...no energy...pain in muscles and joints comes and goes....aleve is my friend. I have treatment number 3 on July 3.



Hey ladies...just watched "five". Let's all kiss the wall in 5 years!



What a great movie.

Marcia1111

Tweetyb422 -

Oops!  That makes my husband correct (again!)  I guess I need to trust his memory more than my own.  Well, it's too late to take it now and I wasn't nauseous today, so I guess it's okay.  I'll know for next time.  Thanks for your feedback.

kjiberty

Chaper4:  I couldn't watch that movie because I knew I would be crying the whole time!

Tweetyb422

Marcia1111,

I hate when my hubby is always right lol

I actually goofed up my steroid...it said to take 8 mg as directed on days 2 - 4, so I just assumed (not smart) that they were 8 mg tabs, nope they were 4 mg tabs, so I took half what I was supposed to for 3 treatments...oh well I didn't feel so sick.  When I mentioned it to my dr he said as long as it worked why change it lol.  I blamed it on chemo brain ;0

Tweetyb422

Oh I finally put a pic up, I had to...my daughter came out this morning wearing one of her bandanas and said she wanted to wear a bandana like me.  Too cute, she is very sweet.

vickilind61

Thanks rgina.  Prayers are always welcome.

Stacie

Tweety that was so sweet of her!

Melrosemelrose

Tweety - Your daughter is just so cute and a sweetie pie!!!!!  You've got some wonderful support!!!!  HUGS to you and her!!!!!

dancetrancer

Oh tweety what a sweet pic!!! 

lisa2012

LA prof, I totally get it. Since I started chemo in April I thought I might be able to work part-time or? I'm a school principal with no assistant and that plan lasted less than a week. I too beat up on myself (am I not trying hard enough? Some other women seem to do better than me etc.) even once I started understanding it more, I still felt like I should be able to maintain. I was a bit naive going into this too. Didn't get the whole impact.



Stomach hurting, first time in a while. no fever this time with Neulasta- and no bone or muscle pain, just fatigue all over the place. Feel like crying just to de-stress. Wore scarf around the house today and it seemed like my DH wasn't happy about it. . I could be assuming things.

vickilind61

lisa, we all react differently.  My sister is a three year survivor and she struggled with SE's horribly.  There was no way she would have been able to work.  She was in bed, hugging a trash can and puking for over a week after each tx.  Then the Neulasta shot put her under for 2 weeks.  So, literally, she had a week feeling okay before the next tx.  I have been doing well.  Missed one day and now I will be better prepared for the next round. 

The important thing is to do whatever you have to in order to get through it all. 

kjiberty

Well said, Vicki.

lisa2012

Thanks for the support, ladies. My sister had different side effects too, I'd kind of forgotten.

Nails: I didn't ice at ll, didn't really know about it. Here I am done, with a number of sensitive nails, some with pinkish discoloration. Too late to ice, but us there anything to help?Man, if I bump one , OUCH. PS: saw that stomach pain and upset can come with Neulasta. I just took a bath and was so glad to see my legs still looked like my legs!!!

Hope you who are in weather places are all doing OK.

sandik

Vicki and Indigo, be safe out there! 

I start taxol in the morning. I think I'd rather stay on the AC. At least I know what to expect! I don't like not knowing what's going to happen.

I forgot that movie was on today. Going to go grab the tissues and watch it now.  

laprofessoressa

Fierro and Lisa and others -- I really connected with what you said ....' I, too, am the one who never takes even a tylenol and is constantly working on a thousand things at once between home & my job






Tweety - great pic !!!

SadeSurvivor25

Hi ladies! Haven't been on in a while. I hope all is well with all of you. I've been doing good since my last AC treatment and have since started my summer semester. Luckily I only have one class this time around. Starting weekly Taxol on Thursday.



Sandik, I'm with you on. I hate the unknown and not knowing what to expect is freaking me out. Please let me know how it goes for you.



Welcome all newbies! And minimal SE to us all.

vballmom

Sandi and Sade - I'll be right behind you on the Taxol. Thank you for paving the way!  I am terrified of anything new. Counting the days to my last AC (one week) but still afraid of the next reactions.  Today I go in for my bloodwork to see how my counts were. 

Had a lousy week, but yesterday for my daughter's graduation party I felt better than I had in days.  I did fall asleep on a couch around six, but everyone just partied around me.   It was small and intimate and perfectly wonderful.

Hugs to all in the BGC this week. I get the week off and am praying that I will find some energy to do something. Anything!

PositivityRocks - I'm thinking of you and hope you area doing ok.  Please check in if you are lurking!

kjiberty

Sade:  Welcome back.  I was starting to get a little worried about you!

Lisa:  My nails have been really sensitive too.  As far as mani/pedi's, my MO says it's okay, so long they don't do any cuticle cutting, harsh rubbing etc.  My nail gail, who I have been going to for 8 years, is very, very sensitive to cancer patients.  The owner of the salon died 7 months after her diagnosis of ovarian cancer--she was 32.  Anyway, I have my own tools, that she keeps and sanitizes.  She does that for all her regular customers.  I love it.  I get to feel pampered.  I do a very sheer pink on my fingernails and a bold color on my toes.  She and I took a good look at them on Saturday and she said they looked good and so far, no damage.  Speaking of pampering, our local Cancer Center for Healthy Living offers one-hour massages for $25.  I have an much anticipated appointment today!  It's my treat to myself to celebrate my last tx on Thursday!  Can't wait.

Vballmom:  I am glad you had fun yesterday.  Thank God you didn't have to worry about hosting it.

Sandik:  Good luck with your taxol today.

Good luck to all receiving treatment this week and wishing you minimal S/E's. 

chapter4

For those of your starting taxol...I'm two treatments in and I found if far better than AC



I too was nervous starting something new...so nervous I made myself sick to my stomach day one of the first treatment....I've had bone and muscle aches...almost like flu aches...tired...but that's about it...oh and taste buds are shot. But it's refreshing not having that sick feeling.



Good luck....we WILL get through this!

Marcia1111

I have finally caught up on the fires in Colorado.  I hope all of you out there are okay.

kjiberty

Hugs and prayers to our Colorado sisters.  Stay safe!

Melrosemelrose

For those in the Big Girl Chair this week: Wishing everyone an easy time in the chair and minimal side effects.  Keep calm and hydrated and a fed tummy!!!! 

For those having their last chemo round this week: I am doing the happy dance for you!!!!  Wow... the end of your stint in chemoland will be coming to end and the next phase of treatment whatever that may be will begin!!  Hope your last round is an easy one with minimal side effects.  RING THAT BELL AFTER YOUR TREATMENT--YOU'VE EARNED IT!!!!

For everyone else:  Rest up and recoup from your recent treatment!!! Here's to minimal side effects and feeling good!!!

I'm getting "steroid up" for tomorrow's #4 round and my icing gear ready.  Looking forward to my time in the Big Girl Chair which means one more round closer to finishing my chemo.  Yahoo!!!!  Stay cool, hydrated and rest this week.  It's going to be a hot one for sure!!!  HUGS to all and extra elbow hugs to my fellow germophobes!!!

Gemmie

Good luck tomorrow, Melrose. You have a great attitude about moving on.

Vickilynn, glad you had fun at the Broadmore big wedding event. My wedding was enjoyable too, but I did go home (motel) and crash early. Left DH behind to party on, and was happy to do it. I enjoyed my private time with a hot shower and a good book, lights out by 10:30PM.  He didn't need my help. He had tons of family there. (I was also a little germophobic as it was my Nadir time so I was glad to get out a there)

For all the sisters in Colorado, I hope all is well and you safe this AM.

And now my question for the day: I am 12 days out, in no pain, etc.  Don't think I need to be taking any Tylenol now, right?

My bone pain is gone from Neulasta 11 days back, but I have been taking Tylenol daily as a precaution, but don't want to become immune to it, so no need for it now, right?

A good week to all, especially those going to the BGC this week.

Stacie

Good morning all. Woke up and had some fiber. I either have a hernia or fissures from the C train, even eating TONS of fiber. Thats just how I roll. Very painful. Will find out more from doc. Plus the fatigue is worsening. Chemo #5 of 6 is Thursday yay. I am working on additional support these last rounds i.e. delivered meals and I already have maid service. Trying to only work from home and rest and cut everything else out. I don't know how I will tolerate RADs so am hoping to get through with 2-3 call in days these last 6 weeks of chemo SEs. Then if I need to go on extended sick during RADS I can. Have heard RADS are no big deal to them wiping out all energy. Just planning ahead. I may fare well....we shall see.



Thoughts to all joining me in the chair this week and all minimal SEs.

dancetrancer

sandik - good luck with your first Taxol!  melrose - good luck to you for your tx tomorrow as well!  And also to anyone else I have missed!!!  May we all have minimal SE's!!!! 

oooh Stacie, that sounds so uncomfortable!  I feel so for you!  Hope the doc can get you fixed up ASAP.  You are smart to get the extra help!  And yes, rads can be fatiguing, but I didn't notice it until the last 2 weeks or so.  Even then, for me at least, it wasn't competely debilitating.  I just got tired if I walked too fast/did stairs, or maybe I'd feel zonked out for an hour or two - then it would pass, esp. if I rested for a bit.  Nothing like the fatigue or other side effects with chemo.   I know everyone is different but wanted to share my experience b/c I tolerated them really well, MUCH better than I thought I would.  I had more emotional issues about rads than anything - just really didn't want to do it, and going EVERY day was a major drag on me mentally.  Just didn't want to face my cancer and that machine every day.  

Marcia1111

First time going out in public with a wig - not sure I'm ready for this.

lsharvey822

@ Marcia - you've got this!

@ Stace - I had my first experience with the big C this round so I can't imagine.  Hope you're doc can straighten it out for you.

Day 4 post tx 3 for me and I'm sitting up at the computer!  woohoo!  definite step up from yesterday.

I'm sure I've missed a ton so I'll just say love to all you ladies and minimal side effects to all.