2012 sisters

juneaubugg

So when will I get any semblance if a head of hair again...? Someone please tell me?

What about just waking up and feel healthy. Not light headed, or dizzy, or sleep, confused..... Argh!

MrsCich

Well, I have my Onc appt and labs tomorrow morning and then another surgery on Wednesday (to remove parts of my nipples), 2nd TC on Friday. Phew...I'm beat from thinking about it. Not to mention I have plumbers at my house using jack hammers on my floor because of a busted sewer line. So much for a free day to do nothing. I've already filled up on ibuprofen due to the noise.



Hope you all are having a decent day.

Tazzy

Cottontail... maybe you need to get into some 70p's disco & funk to get you going... sure worked for me.   I have to say I woke this morning and I feel so much better... shame I have to go get nuked, but for today I am OK.  Really hope you can get out of your slump... it will happen.   

Don't people just amaze you eh?  The first time I was grocery shopping and someone asked me if I was in treatment... I was very polite at the time... after a couple of times I got really pissed off.   The last time someone asked me I turned round and in a very angry voice yelled ‘NO... I'M HAVING A BAD HAIR DAY'.

Tina-jason:  I've only  had 6 nukes and my skin is tender.    Not red yet.. .just sensitive. And I have olive skin which I thought would really help me.  Just keep lubing up.

Juneau - wish I had some good news for you about hair.   I had my last chemo June 22 and although its
coming back its very patchy.... I will get my DH to take a picture and post.   I think the younger you are the better it grows back.

MrsCich - that's crappy for you... sorry for the pun - couldn't resist.

Wishing all a good day with minimal SE's.

teeballmom

Had a pretty good weekend, although one moment of sadness. My family and I were looking at some photos from just a year ago and I got all teary because I had hair, eyelashes and my skin was glowing. Although I know BC was probably growing I looked healthy. Now I have fuzz on my head that doesn't look like it is growing and no eyelashes. Yuck!!!



I haven't had anyone ask if I am in treatment, yet. But I do get looks and am asked how I am feeling. Oh and yesterday while at the grocery store the clerk did not ask me if I wanted to donate a dollar for BC when she was asking everyone else at her register. She had a hard time looking at me. I felt bad for her but yesterday I just wasn't in the mood to coddle anyone who was having a hard time facing my reality.



MrsCich: I am sorry you have to have another surgery and having to deal with the noise.



Cottontail: I vote for 80's music. If nothing else the clothes they wore in the 80's makes me laugh, as well as my memories of trying to get my hair as "big" as possible. I should have bought stock in a hairspray company.



Juneaubug: I still feel tired after waking up and not so healthy. Feel O.K. and think this is my normal for now.



Hope everyone has minimal to no SE's this week. I go in for Taxol #7 and Herceptin on Weds.



Take care.

Cottontail

Lol, Tazzy! I posted on my Facebook page about random strangers thinking it was ok to ask about the health of people they don't know, and a friend of mine who is a hospice nurse said I should reply by asking them, with a completely serious and calm tone, when their last bowel movement was. Cracked me up.



Juneau, my hair started coming back in at about eight weeks post-chemo. My husband said it was growing in the back at seven weeks, but I couldn't see it, so it doesn't count. Haha. I've got decent coverage now, about an eighth of an inch long, but it's still baby-fine so I can still see my scalp. I think some other people here have had their hair grow in faster; it does vary.

liefie

MrsCich, will be thinking of you this week with the surgery and TC#2. It seems this journey is a slippery slope. Just when you think everything is going well, another curveball comes your way. One step at a time we will get there.(((BIG HUGS!!!)))

Tina, so good that you feel better. What does the song say - what goes up, must come down; in this case it is what goes down WILL come up again. Good wishes to you and Tazzy with the rads. There is no way to predict how your skin will hold up, and those onc nurses have some good advice. Towards the end they showed me how to do saline soaks, the onc told me to apply hydrocortizone cream for the itching and redness, and Flamazine was presribed in case my skin got burnt, which fortunately it did not. I had 25 rads. That hydrocortizone cream was a Godsend, and you can get it over-the-counter at any pharmacy. Just keep slathering on the aloe vera and the other moisturizing cream.

Cottontail, try some sixties rock and roll - LOL. Maybe that will lift your mood? About strangers asking about your hair - it blows my mind that people do this. Why do they have to ask? Don't they have any common sense at all? Isn't it obvious what's going on? They mean well, but some people just lack in the sensitivity department, it seems.

Juneau, you are in the throes of SE's. This is the LAST time! Soon the fog will lift, you will return to your old feisty self, and everything will become better. It will take more than three weeks to get back all your energy, but it does come back eventually, and life will be good again. The hair? Everybody is different. My hair took a full 8 weeks after my last chemo to even start growing, but now, 3 months later, I have full scalp coverage, and I'm sporting the Gerber baby look with darling curls above my ears and in the back - LOL! But it's hair, and I'm grateful. Best wishes to you!

Cindyl, the blue skies in that picture is beautiful! Where I live, we sometimes don't see the sun for months in winter, and I'm just a little jealous.

websister

So much to catch up on after being away for a week! We had a wonderful vacation on Vancouver Island, I think the highlight was meeting Liefie and her husband on Wednesday. I learned from this beautiful, elegant and soft, but well spoken lady that liefie means 'little darling' - love that . Liefie's hair looks fantastic, it looks like a very expensive cut (which it really is, isn't it?) with great attention paid to detail and the white color is striking with her complexion. It wasn't like a first meeting but more like a re-acquaintance with a good friend. Her husband very generously took time from his work to meet with us also and it was so nice for my husband to talk with another man who had been through BC with his wife. We left inspired, and loaded down with a box of gourmet food items from a unique store in the area called 'Goats on the Roof' (there really are goats on the roof of this store, got some great pictures). Thank you, Liefie!

If you get a chance I highly recommend getting together with people on the forum, we truly are all sisters in this experience and no one quite understands the same as someone who has been or is going through it.



Re: head coverings - agree with Liefie - Headcovers.com is great and ship very quickly. I also love my Racquel Welch wig and have found a Canadian manufacturer called Parkhurst that makes great hats that cover and stay in place as well as being stylish.



Juneaubug - sending hugs



Tazzy - glad you are feeling better



MarianneElizabeth - thinking of you today



Know I won't be able to address all, but I will enjoy going back and catching up on the week. Appreciate you all, welcome to all who are new.

liefie

Teeballmom, we were at Safeway yesterday, and the cashier asked us if we wanted to donate to BC. I guess it means then that I don't look like a cancer patient any more? Yay!! See everybody? There is light at the end of the tunnel, and you will all get there. My husband opened his wallet with a weird little smile, and donated . . .

Welcome back, Websister, and thanks for the kind words. The enjoyment was mutual!

Chrisrenee77

You know BC really is the damn gift that keeps on giving. Went to see my PS for my routine visit, that turned out not to be so routine and I knew it. This weekend I noticed that my left breast was red,swollen and feverish. So my PS drained some fluid from it which hurt like a bitch. I will get the results in 2 days and scheduled to go back on Friday to be seen, to see if its getting better or worse. I don't have time for an infection. And on top of that my hair is thinning quite a bit now. I wasn't prepared for that on my meds until someone ( I think Scottie) had mentioned it. Ugh the sucks! I'm going to start a revolt against BC, who's with me?!

Mrscich- sorry about you having surgery again, that's never fun and no one wants to have.



I love music therapy! I may be 35, but I absolutely love 50's music. If I need to get pumped (going to work) I have to listen to 80's. If I want to throw a pity party for party of 1 I listen to country music. Nothing can make you cry like listening to someone who's been left dog has run off and you don't have any friends! That will make you cry. Haha



Hope everyone is having a good day!

juneaubugg

Thanks ladies.... I'm praying for all of you still in the middle of treatments and an SO GRATEFUL I have reached my end... Because I really was loosing it. Now I'm trying to decide if I should go with my wig or just a scarf my first day at my new job in 3 weeks? Thoughts? I will be grateful I think when that day has passed and I no longer obsess over it. I also am trying to accept that I won't be my usual quick self mentally when I start and will need to be patient with myself (and take a lot more notes then usual at a new job). Question: will I ever get ALL of my mental faculties back or did the chemo forever slow me down?? Anyone know???



Anyway- I was a girl if the 80's and I have to get with Tazzy... 70's funk all the way!!!

Tazzy

Cottontail... love your friends response - priceless.   Hope you are doing better today.   I have spent the afternoon in my greenhouse and really I should've done that over the weekend.   My mojo has returned.

Websister: how wonderful you could meet a fellow sister.  Even though I haven't met liefie her posts show what a gentle, caring woman she is. 

Liefie... love the meaning of your name... suits you too.

Chrisrenee - I'm always up to revolt against something... why not bc.   Wishing and hoping your boobie heals soon.   Made me laugh with your version of country.

Juneau:  I never wore a wig.  I just couldn't.  I had this image of getting out of my car one day in a busy parking lot and the wind lifting the wig and it blowing away, and there I'd be bald as a coot running after it  I know a lot of people wearing wigs and of course that doesn't happen... just this visual I had.  I went with scarves and hats and still do.   You have to go what you are comfortable with.   Yay for 70's funk - boogie on down sista!!

Here's to a wonderful rest of your Monday with minimal SE's.

Aruba

Hi everyone,

Websister glad you had a wonderful week and glad you got to meet liefie!  Meeting fellow sisters from here would be great!  I am starting to get the reddness of skin that Tina mentions from rads here on day 19.  Trying to figure out a way to let the underside get a lift to let air hit...not something I have ever had to consider before.  Lube the boob is now a main focus of the day !  Thinking of you Mrs. Cinch and hope surgery goes well!  Hugs to all!

chrissera

Got my path results today... 0/6 nodes negative and clear margins!!! was glad to hear that, puts my mind at ease a little that lx was the right choice. Also,met with the RO briefly and should have my orientation appt next week. Also had another session with lympadema therapist, a little swelling in arm but nothing to be worried about yet.

Next week,I have appt with the MO to discuss results and upcoming herceptin and termoxifen, not sure when those start? I haven't had a period since May, does that make a difference going forward? I am,concerned about it cuz I am 95%ER+ and have had some ovarian cyst issues in the past, the ones that come and go.



For the hair question... mine started growing back about 5 weeks post chemo. I wear scarfs all the time, even when I went back to work. My wig is uncomfortable and I feel like not me when I wear it. Do what makes you comfortable ans F*%* what anyone says or think.





HUGS toall!

PinkyWI

Aruba -- My surgery was at six o'clock so I had to lift my boob to get air under my D cup for healing purposes.  What helped a great deal is taking a very thin wash cloth and folding it up under my boob -- worked like a charm to keep everything dry -- if you know what I mean. 

Aruba

Thanks Pinky!  I do get your drift.  Happen to use washcloth cooled with water over weekend that way.  I never had sister siblings but feel like I have many now from this site!  So thankful!!

liefie

Chrissera, congrats on a great path report - you must be so glad there's no node involvement! Yay!!!

Tazzy, my name here is actually the name of a beloved, departed cat that I once had. You guys are way too kind; sometimes this little darling changes into a little fury - LOL. Glad your mojo is back too, you are truly an inspiration to us all here with your encouragement, sense of humour, and funny pictures. Hopefully we can meet one day with all the others who can make it. I will love that.

Aruba, you're right about how great it is to meet a fellow sister from here. I was as excited as a kid in a candy store to meet Websister, and it was really wonderful to be together, share about our cancer experience and our families, and get to know each other. Cancer is not a positive thing, but I never would have met this very special woman, as well as all of you, if we all did not get cancer. Kind of ironic, isn't it? 

Juneau, the wig or scarf decision is a hard one. I had a wig, but had the same fear as Tazzy that it would fall off, be blown off or that someone would bump it off accidentally. I wore it only on high days and holidays, because I just did not feel like myself with it; I felt fake - no matter how many times I was told how cute the wig was, or how good I looked in it; it did not change how I felt, and I felt fake. Was just way more comfortable with scarves or cute little hats. It was cooler too. Fortunately summer is over now, and you should not have the heat problem if you go the wig way. Good luck on your decision.

Cottontail

Chrissera, I haven't had a period in three years (due to IUD), but my MO still considers me premenopausal and I'll be taking tamoxifen. (I'm two years older than you.) I also have or had an ovarian cyst, dx through ultrasound halfway through chemo.



I was told to start taking the tamoxifen after I finish rads. She must have had patients in the past who were reluctant to fill their tamoxifen scripts, as she called mine in to my mail-order pharmacy, she didn't even give me an option to take the script with me. My first three months worth has been sitting next to my computer monitor for two weeks.

Anonymous

Just wanted to pop in and say hi. Been keeping up, but quiet - as I've been focusing what energy I do have after round 4 on my kids and job. Tonight I'm finally starting to feel the fog lift a bit. Hoping by Wednesday I'm as good as new and can have a good week before I learn what Taxol will bring my way next week. But can anyone pretty please tell me when the f'ing chemo cough and post-nasal drip disappears? And please don't tell me some infinite time PFC... If we're taking votes - I vote for 80s pop, with a bit of 70s funk thrown in there for good measure. But Cottontail, I'm with you. I consider myself a grunge baby and my fave music is not so uplifting (my hubby calls it "angry chick music"). But truth be told - these days I tend to listen to kids place live, and rather find myself enjoying it. Anyway - just wanted to say hi and send you all big hugs. Cheers for good path reports. Gentle hugs for SEs and post-surgery discomfort. Hope you all have a restful evening. As for me - attempting to yet again avoid germs from my 2 year old with a fever and runny nose as i hit my nadir... Hopefully tonight he won't scream his head off until we let him in our bed, otherwise I might have to move myself to the couch downstairs! (((((((((((((((((((((HUGS!!!!!!!)))))))))))))))))))))))))

Chrisrenee77

Tazzy- thank you, maybe I need to throw that pity party sooner than later. I will just turn my music on. I tell you this damn thing is painful as hell. I say we start this revolt tomorrow! Haha



Chrissera- congrats on your clear margins. That's a really good thing.



Juneau- to hell with what people say if you wear a scarf only, that's what I would do. But do what's going to make you feel comfortable.



Me and this painful boob are going to sleep. I've got enough medicine in me to knock a horse down for a couple of knights.

Soyaandpepper

Juneau- So great to hear that you're done with your treatment and getting ready to think about your new job in 3 weeks. Can't give you advice on the wig since I didn't do chemo but do what you feel is right! If the wig bothers you during the day then you'll feel uncomfortable and always trying to fix it. 

Remember I told you ladies last week about my friends' dad who found out he had leukemia less than a month ago? Well, unforturnately he pass away on Sat! It makes me so angry about this cancer. Just makes you feel that you have no control over it at all!!!!!! 

Well I'm starting my herceptin treatment on Friday for a year, so wish me luck! I know that it might not be chemo and I hope that I don't get SEs from it. Any ladies doing it right now? How is it compare to chemo? I mean I didn't do chemo so I won't really understand the difference but I could judge from the SEs you ladies talk about during chemo.

marianelizabeth

Tazzy I too have decided against a wig but I totally understand why others would choose that option. For me, I am not working and out in public much and the heavcovers.com has so much to choose from I haven't done the order yet but our daughter came home from travels last night and is going to help me. Glad to hear your mojo has returned.

Chrissera, such good news on the path report! I am hoping that is will be the same for Sneakychiquita.

liefie and Websister, so cool that you got to meet in person. I hope that sooner or later I get to meet all of you Br. Col. women and maybe even Websister in Calgary as we have good friends there. But maybe not in winter!

chrisrenee, all I can say is I hope things get better before they get worse.

I had my first AC chemo today after PET scan. I had to go to the chemo floor to get my port accessed for the first time for the nuclear med injection for the scan and it was painless! I also had 4 tubes of blood drawn for a study just before my chemo and am so glad to have that port.

Now I am in bed and feeling reasonably OK - I am sure those anti nausea drugs are doing their job. The look good, feel better class tomorrow has been rescheduled which is fine with me.

 

juneaubugg

marianelizabeth; hang in there. AC. Is. A nasty bitch and gets a little more uncomfortable with each treatment (at least for me). But we are all right there I your pocket.

KarenZ0305

Good morning ladies - going to put my two cents in...

 70's and 80's all the way!!! Who doesn't love Donna Summer to get your groove going and some Wham to keep it moving! I am a child of the 80's and my sister was the 70's so I love it all!

Juneau - I went with the scarfs and bandana's.  It was a bright spot to do a little shopping to match scarfs to existing outfits. And a big plus they come in handy for my Gypsy fortune teller halloween costume! I just started going around the house without anything on my head since my hair is starting to come back. I wouldn't let anyone see my bald head. Now don't care so much. Go with what makes you comfortable. But I agree with Tazzy - who has the energy to go running after a wig in a parking lot!

marianelizabeth - I agree - hang in there, AC sucked. Let your body tell you what it needs. I went on disability by the fourth (and last) one and am still on. Taxol sucked too so being out of work was good.

Ramos - I compare chemo brain to pregnancy brain - does it ever go away? I am forever writing notes to remember stuff. I love the notepad and Wegmans app on my iPhone! I would get to the store and go "ok what does my family want to eat?"

Soya - I am doing the Herceptin every three weeks and it is easy peasy lemon squeezy. I go an hour away from home for treatment and don't need to bring anyone like I did with the AC/taxol days. I kind of like it because it's quiet me time and I have a very bad addiction to audio books! Ok any books.

In addition to music - does anyone read books to take you away from this nonsense? I love Janet Evanovich (yay Jersey girls!) Plum series and Diana Gabaldon Outlander series. And for a quickie I like to read Debora Geary. I have a thing for witches.

Ladies I wish you all a happy day with minimal if any side effects and happy thoughts.

Chrisrenee77

Karen- I too am a huge reader. I love James Patterson and Catherine coulter. If you are into the "witches" books look up HP MALLORY the jolie Wilkins series. I think there are 6 books in all. I am currently on the last. Very good read and also an easy one.

Good luck to everyone in treatment today, hopefully no SE's hugs to everyone

Cottontail

I have a ton of books on my iPad, if I ever get caught up with my magazine subscription I can read them!



Today I'm going to try to improve my mood with some good (pre-gospel) Elvis and Johnny Cash.

I have to say, though, someone would have to pay me to listen to most 80's music, haha. "Angry grrl" grunge will always be my go-to.

Nkb

I love books on tape and they really motivate me to go on long walks. I tend to listen to books that would be a challenge for me to read often due to their sheer length. Have read lots of Dickens, Jane Austin, War and Peace, many classics that I missed along the way.

The app goodreads has a audible books club that listens to a book together and comments.



Any book read by Frank Muller is wonderful- he did read Great Expectations, Tale of two Cities and Moby Dick.. Also a lot of Stephen King who I am too scared to read.

stride

Nkb, I agree with you about Stephen King. Won't go near it.

I have been leaning toward atmospheric books, movies and television that take me to a different time and place. Jane Austen, Downton Abbey and Mad Men are good examples. It helps a lot with some of the unpleasantness of chemo. Right now I am reading "Under the Tuscan Sun".

Interesting story about a husband who shaved his head in solidarity with his wife and found melanoma--perhaps head-shaving should be a whole-family activity! 

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/10/16/georgia-man-shaves-head-to-support-cancer-stricken-wife-discovers-he-has-skin-cancer/

I ate Cheemo brand perogies for lunch today. Pretty good chemo food, actually, although I doubt that was the manufacturer's intention.

Hope everybody is feeling OK today! I am enjoying just knowing I am done with chemo. Life is good.

MrsCich

Hi all. Just got back from getting labs and visiting my MO. I got the ok to have my surgery tomorrow. Yay! Who knew I would be excited to have parts of my nipple cut out? Lol



My WBC was much better and fell in the normal range. She did however, recommend I get a pic line put in due to some necrosis of the skin where my IV was. So...tomorrow morning I have surgery and afterward I'm hoping to have the pic line put in that way Im already groggy and calm. The surgery is at a surgery center and the pic line placement is at the hospital in radiology so they aren't in the same location. Bummer. I was ok getting the IV for infusions because I didn't want a port and a pic line I imagine is uncomfortable. Anyone else have one and can share experiences??

marianelizabeth

juneau, thanks for thinking of me and my first night was rough, could not breathe I think due to swelling and congestion and woke up gasping and sweating. Horrible! It happened a couple more times and I think it is the swelling as I gained 4 pounds since yesterday and my rings are tight. Anyone else has anything like that? It made me feel a bit nauseated too.

mrscich good about the surgery. There have been postings about the port/PICC line but the only thing I sort of gleaned from them was that the PICC line means you need to cover it for showers but easy to access. I have a BARD Power Port and so glad to have it (or a PICC line) as accessing it yesterday was awesome. Lucky too that the day before the pain and tenderness was finally almost gone. No pain on access eitehr!

Time to get up and try to go for a short walk.

Marian 

Soyaandpepper

stride-I just read that same story too! Its really something , isn't it?