August 2013 Chemo Sisters

SewStrong

I'm trying to change my avitar picture to the one with my wig. Now, there's no picture at all. I'll keep trying.  I cut the wig just like I wear my hair. Hopefully, I didn't erase both pictures.

SewStrong

beeve, oh my goodness, How will you shower? That looks like it might have taken forever. The artist is to be commended. I've never seen anything like that.

Togetherness

Third day after treatment and feeling very fatigued. Have a few new side effects this time. Sores on my lips and mouth, can't keep my legs still. Feels like I need to move then all the time like restless leg syndrome.



Looks like several people who just got done with with chemo tx are having a rough time. I wish them a restful day.



Beeve I luv your Helena tattoo!! Looks great!!



Lisasp I know what you mean about being bed bound. It really stinks. Tried to walk and I think I hit every neighbors bush with the dry heaves.... Finally gave up. The one thing I can do is sleep when I get my legs to settle down. So I am doing a lot of that!!



Martha so sorry you are having a rough time. Makes what I am going through minimal. Hope you get home soon.



Tonya I only have one more treatmdnt of the t/c. Thank goodness!! Just need to get through this third round of side effects!!



I need to get on another thread and find out how long you have to wait after your last chemo treatment to do the surgery for the implants. I currently have the tissue expanders in as I call them "the torcher expanders". I want them out ASAP after chemo. Plus I want all this wrapped up by the end of the year so I don't have to start all over with my insurance out of pocket and deductible. I haven't been working as I have had too many side effects to deal with. Just the fatigue alone is enough to keep me out. Plus my blood counts are rarely

Good!! I told my husband I don't want to be a breast cancer survivor living in a tent!!!! Plus my daughter graduates from high school next year and off to college. So you know where my money will be going!! Sorry for all the rambling. Just thought I could handle this 3rd treatment better with less side effects. Oh happy day when this is behind me.



Make it a great day!!

lighthouselady

Togetherness - I'm sorry you're feeling so bad.  I have restless legs syndrom (have since I was a teenager) so I can relate.  Do you take Magnesium?  That helps a lot.  Also potassium - so when they are really bad, try eating a banana.  Or a hot shower.  Not sure if it will help, but that's what works for me!

LisaSP - I am praying this stomach stuff ends for you soon!  I know my sis-in-law had the same treatment as you and ended up in the hospital (overnight) twice for diahrrea/vomiting and fever.  Maybe the antibiotics will be what you need to kick this?  {hugs}

Beeve - Wow!  That is so cool!!!  Beautiful work, really!  Does it not rub off on your pillow when you sleep?

My mom left this morning, and my mouth really hurts.  I'm feeling sorry for myself.  Booo.  Luckily it's a beautiful day and my son has a football game later... so I can't wallow around and have a pity party.  LOL   I'm debating calling my MO's office.  I was going to wait until tomorrow when they are open, but I might have to call the on-call doctor and ask about my mouth.  It really hurts to chew and swallow, and I don't want to get where I can't eat.

beeve

Fortunately, it's not hot out today so I won't have to shower right away (I seldom do every day in the first place because my skin is so dry).  By bedtime it was all dried and I started chipping it off with my nails, etc., didn't get it all so I slept with a scarf (held in place with my CPAP headgear so the grit didn't get in the bed).  Where's it's been chipped off now the lines are tea colored, so a very temporary deal but it was a lot of fun and I encourage anyone with an artistic friend or teen to try it.  If you hate the design, just scrub it down or wear a scarf.

I just can't get into wigs or scarves yet, I don't mind the baldness and only don a covering when there's a reason like flies or it's chilly.  I've always been awful at accessorizing.

Togetherness

Lighthouse - I do not take magnesium but will definitely get some today!! I have researched restless leg syndrome and I have been eating bananas for the potassium and that has helped. Thanks for the suggestions I will try anything. Hope you feel better soon. The mouth sores are very painful. Hope your MO can give you something. Go out and enjoy your son's football game. I am going to try to sit by the pool and read a magazine. Of course out of the sun!!! Anything to lift my spirits!! It is the small things in life that make me happy!!



Enjoy your day!!

LisaSp

Togetherness, infusion 3 seems to have been rough on us both. Bleh. Sorry it's hitting you hard. For me, it seems as though I may have some type of intestinal infection. I have tried to get up and do things and when I do, of course my stomach cramps start. LHL, thank you for your concern! Hopefully when I get to the MO and get my antibiotic tomorrow I'll be back on track.



Got my faithful nurses: my cat Kyra, curled up next to my head and my dog Chi Chi at my back. My dear husband is helping out; at one point there was me, laundry, dog, cat and my big ol' 12-year-old girl smashed together on the king size bed. What a party!



The henna tattoo is so cool Beeve. I've had one before, it's basically a plant-based dye that comes in a paste. You leave it on for a while using a stencil and it dries and flakes off. The dye remaining lasts for about a month and is waterproof til it fades. They sell head stencils at Chemo Chicks.com. I've actually thought of tribal arm or chest tattoos for this treatment phase.



Maybe for rads to go with my permanent dots I'm getting in the beginning of October...

ForMyGranddaughter

beeve, your head looks fantastic!!!

Sending well wishes to all of you that aren't feeling your best.

Today is the 3rd day post 3rd nfusion.  I must admit that I am not feeling myself.  Nothing specific to complain of, though. Maybe it's fatigue.

I went to be feeling fine.  This morning I got up at 8:45 and showered for church.  Stomach felt jittery so I took an anti-naus. pill . . . I just felt off so I got back into the bed where I was hot/cold + sweating.  I just got out of the bed at 4p.

I just ate a bowl of my smoothie cereal +will take my vitamins.  Maybe that'll make me feel better.

ForMyGranddaughter

I just forced myself to walk 30 minutes.  Are there any other walkers out there today?

ForMyGranddaughter

Today I declare: NO weapon formed against me shall prosper!

What do you declare over your life?

SaltyJack

Well, FMGD, I walked with the dogs - yep, the old sniff and stroll - but it was out in the fresh air so that's good, right?

I declare that I'm going to just keep putting one foot in front of the other, one day at a time, trusting that God has a reason for the path He's put me on - and the ending will be glorious!

Sweet dreams - no SE - good Monday to all!

aprilinmay

JellyK,

i am new to this post/reply stuff. an internet newb.  Anyway, I like your attitude about

no survival rates.  I have four older kids, but they still really need me.  I will be here for them!

Thanks for stating it so well.  I was just diagnosed a couple weeks ago, no staging yet,'but an idc

larger than 5 cm and angry.  Where did it come from?

Had my PET Friday, but not results yet and i am terrified.  Port goes in on Wednesday,

and my second opinion breast specialist appt on Tues.  As people hear about my news,

I realize how common this is.  I turned down a job offer same day as my oncologist

appt, and the lady just said "i'm a seven year survivor."  I am encouraged by the new

vaccine the Cleveland Clinic has developed.  That's where I'll be getting treatment.

travlmom

Aprilnmay - I am sorry you too have to join this club. These boards are a fabulous support group.  I am also in the Cleveland area but I am at UH - I am considering a 2nd opinion at CCF after I meet with both Medical and Radiation Oncology this week.

mankatostate

Fmg- had a mini 5 minute walk when I dropped my son off at a youth group event. Does that count? I wanted to go longer but I was just sooo tired!

Togetherness do you think it might be the steroids causing the restless legs. My oncologist reduced mine and it helped me so much!

Welcome Aprilinmay. This is the only internet site I've ever posted on either, but everyone is so kind here, you'll get the hang of it quickly.

RhodyMMM

FMG, what is your "smoothie cereal?" You may have posted something about it before, but I don't remember. Sounds interesting. I know you make a lot of natural soaps and things...do you sell them?

Thanks for all the encouraging words. I am really hoping to go home today. Sounds promising. No fever last night. No bloodwork ordered this morning (everything was normalized yesterday). Curious about the magnesium and the jumpy legs....they told me my Mg+ level was a little low a couple of days ago but they didn't do anything about it. I will have to ask. My potassium was low the night I came in to the hospital; they gave me one dose of supplement and the next blood level was normal so they have not checked it again. I do get restless legs, it often seems to be related to low potassium because if I step up my intake (bananas, milk, salt-substitute) it seems to get better. I have been drinking so much water while I have been here that I can't help wondering if I have flushed it out again (although they have not given me my regular water pill for the last two days....BP has been okay). So hopefully this morning the ortho doc will come in and do a cortisone injection into my poor knee (seems to be a "civilian casualty" of this whole process), and then maybe I can go home. I miss my dog (that would be Rhody)! And my bed! And my hubby of course!

Best to all of you.....hope the new week is good to all of us!

Martha

Togetherness

Martha - I called the MO and they did say it was lack if potassium for me causing the restless leg syndrome. Told me wo eat more foods high in potassium and gave me script for naproxen for the muscles. Great another script!! It is much better today. Hope you get released today and can be back in your own environment.



Mankatostate I mentioned the steroids they didn't think that was the cause since I have had the same treatments with the steroids and this is the first time it has happened.



Lisap this third round has not been kind to me. Makes me not want to do the fourth and final round. I usually start feeling better about my third week. Right when it is time to go back in. I am thankful for that one week of feeling good!!



Everyone have a SE free Monday!!!!

lighthouselady

Martha -  I hope you go home today!!!

ForMyGranddaughter

Great day!!!

mankatostate, every little bit of movement counts!!!

RhodyMMM, I'm glad you're feeling better and are headed towards home.  I cook flaxseeds, chia seeds, nutritional  yeast, wheat germ + oatmeal into a thick cereal.  I usually blend it with fruit, agave syrup + green tea but my blender broke.  So I've just eaten it with milk, a little butter + raw sugar.  It's very high in vitamins, protein, iron + fiber.

Today I slept in late again . . . until 11a.  I plan on resting as much as I need today; cause it's back to work tomorrow.

Today I declare to give my body what it needs to thrive + be healthy!

MAKE it a great day!

Anonymous

I have extreme smell sensitivity. Anyone else?  How do you solve it?

I was in a meeting with a co-worker and nearly died due to her bo; she's european and doesn't use deodorant and this is not usually an issue for me at all.

Also, the smell of chicken soup immediately results in retching as does the smell fo old grease.  These are heightened smells as well so that for example no one else is smelling them but I can tell that they are there.

Help!

V

lovewins

HVV...I too have heightened sense of smell on top of quitting smoking.  I had to buy a new face cream that was odorless and I just have had to hold my breath at times.

gildedcage

I've got that heightened sense of smell issue too. My husband decided it was a fine time to make some ceviche a couple of weeks ago (he's half Peruvian and they go crazy for ceviche, as do I. Can't wait for this to be over and it's safe to eat again). The fridge still has a slight fish smell and I'm now in fear of opening that fridge. We put in boxes of baking soda, he wiped down the inside of the fridge and says he can't smell it. But I can. Blech.



What I hate the most of how the inside of my mouth tastes like something died. I don't have the metallic taste issue. For me it's kind of rotten egg meets old sock. Nearly everything tastes awful and totally muted. I love food and I miss it. I'm actually losing weight through all this because of this horrible taste issue. So far the only thing I've found that tastes good is cream soda. Everything else tastes like fresh hell.

mankatostate

Yep I too notice the extra smells. I've been hinting my dog needs a bath, none of my boys have taken my hints yet! :-)

lighthouselady

gildedcage - that's exactly how my mouth is too.  Everything tastes "off", especially drinks, and unless I'm brushing and rinsing constantly, my mouth tastes like something died in there.  

I haven't noticed any heightened sense of smell... I feel for those of you who have that!  

My doctor called in the prescription for mouthwash for my sore mouth, but the pharmacy doesn't have it ready yet.  Grrrr.  Guess I'll have to pick it up after my daughter's softball game.  

ForMyGranddaughter

Besides fatigue + just feeling off, I AM FREEZING + seem to be a little dehydrated (my lips are dry) + have foggy thoughts.

Today, like yesterday, I've mostly been relaxing.

Other than those 4 or 5 I'm OK . . . no other SEs.  No heightened senses.

LisaSp

Hello all. I can relate to the bad taste, it always comes along and settles in and leaves by the third week. It tastes like I have an old sweat sock in my mouth -- thankfully it's temporary. And thankfully I only have one more round of T/C to go.



I have a dear friend who was diagnosed with oral cancer last year. Thankfully he's disease free now but after a couple of operations and having his tongue lasered (yeah that's painful) he has a perpetual bad taste -- but I think it's fading. I hope so. But we are all happy he's disease free!



I'm happy today as I'm on the mend. When I went to the MO yesterday, seems I have an ear infection; I'll get my antibiotic soon and be done with it. I think I had a stomach virus and its leaving. Great!



Hope everyone has a good day. And FMG, if you're freezing, have you checked your temperature? If its 100.5 or above, you know what to do!

lovewins

Glad you are feeling better Lisa...this mouth is annoying at first it mafe me angry. it like like trying to learn to eat all over again to find something good!  Good for you only having 1 treatment left!

FMG Hope you are feeling better, did I read somewhere you are back to work today?  I hope you are feeling well enough to accomplish what you need to do today.  may you be lifted up in His name.  Have a wonderful day ladies...all of you here and everyone on this site.

lighthouselady

I'm having a pity party today.  I was supposed to work, but I told my hubby (he's my boss) that I needed a mental health day.

The catalyst was losing my hair.  I hoped and prayed that using the cold caps would work for me, but I am losing so much these days that I'll have nothing left next week, let alone after two more months of chemo.  I thought I was prepared... I have a closet full of scarves, buffs, hats, and a wig that looks pretty much like my hair.  But I'm so emotional... it's like, you can take medicine for nausea.  They can give you a mouthwash for your sores.  They can give you fluids for dehydration.  They give me a shot for white blood cells.  Doing the cold caps, despite the odds, was my way of controlling the hair loss SE.  To go from looking and feeling great just last week to how I feel today is such a let-down.  I put my hair up in a baseball cap so I don't have to even look at it and I'm going to sit around & do nothing today.  I know we can't wallow and get too down, but taking a day for myself to feel sad - that's ok.  

If I'm still having a pity party tomorrow, please talk me out of it.  

RhodyMMM

HOME AT LAST! It felt so good to sleep in my own bed last night! Thanks to all of you for the well wishes and positive vibes.

I also seem to have a smell sensitivity, still almost three weeks post-chemo. It's so hard to even know what I want to eat, it's hard to plan ahead for meals. Other than dinner, I find myself just kind of picking. My hubby does all the cooking; I think he gets frustrated when I can't tell him in advance what I want. And it seems that all the foods I used to love are not appealing to me right now. In the hospital they told me my albumin was a bit low, that surprises me because we have been trying to make sure that I get enough protein.

FMG, do you have an actual recipe for that cereal? It sounds yummy and very healthy. I actually got a short walk in this morning, when I took the dog out we went to the end of the street and back. Not far, but it's a start. They drained and injected my sore knee while I was in the hospital, so I am trying to move a little more. It's a bit sore after the walk, but I am tired of being an invalid. Back to work tomorrow, at least for one day. Waiting to find out if I will get the schedule port placement and chemo on Thursday or if I have to wait......

Hope everyone has a great day! The weather is beautiful here in the Pittsburgh area. Sunny and blue skies, supposed to get to 70 degrees today. My favorite kind of weather! Now it's time to do some sewing. Some people at work put together a team for our local Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in October, and they named it in my honor...."Martha's Militia!" Haha! So I am making some bandanas (pink camoflage), and banners and flags to put on our boat which we are hoping to be able to take to the event. That had been my plan to do this past weekend, but the hospital got in the way......

Love you guys! Martha

mankatostate

Lisa...sorry about the ear infection. I think your point about your friend and his oral cancer is a great thing for me to remember...it could always be worse. These past few weeks I have been reminded of that. A friend of mine just lost her son to a murder...wrong place at the wrong time...it's big for the little small farmers town we live in. And then another friend just died in a car crash a week later. It's helped me keep this whole cancer stuff in perspective. Yes this chemo is no fun but when all is said and done...Lord willing I will have beat this cancer and can go on living. The second friend who died over the weekend has an 11 boy...I feel so for my friend who now has to raise this child alone!

Well I am in my "pre-chemo" feel good week and I plan to enjoy it as much as I can. It does sound like as the chemo's pass it gets shorter between feeling good and the next treatment so I better enjoy it while I can. Have a great day all and any with treatment or SE I hope you feel better soon!

SaltyJack

Oh, LHL - I'm with you! Yesterday was my pity day - I'd made plans to meet a friend in the morning and then planned to come home to nap (day 4 of chemo). Well, I ended up getting a call from a desperate friend - crying about having to get a divorce and I felt like I should meet her to talk (after my initial reaction of "I'm sick! I want to go home to bed!") After I finally got home, after dinner I just wanted to vegetate and another friend texted to see if it was okay for her to stop by. Well, I thought she was bringing a casserole or dessert or something - but she just came to visit.....for an hour! After she left, my husband asked if I'd offered her a glass of wine.  Arrrrggghhh! As calmly as I could, I tried to explain that it was a "tired" day plus being busy....I think it sunk in but I sure was feeling sorry for myself for a while.

On top of that, my hair is pretty much all gone on the top of my head. If I wearing a hat I can pretend I still look like myself but it's just about time for the wig.

Yep, I'm with you. Tomorrow will be better but today I'm going to be a little cranky.

God is still good.....all the time!