Starting Chemo March 2015

neverthought

Last infusion today - yay!  Not too bad, just one blown vein with blood shooting out but other than that not bad.  And MO decided no need for Neulasta this time.  So let the healing begin and somehow attempt to get back in shape.  Such a germaphobe - afraid to go to the gym or PT until done and blood counts back up.  And hoping the SEs will subside soon.

Thinking of everyone who still have spa dates and radiation to go.  Sending good thoughts your way.

Dx  1/31/15, Stage I Grade 3, 3cm dcis + invasive + lobular 0/4 nodes, ER-/PR-/HER- 

Surgery  02/04/2015 Mastectomy (left)

Chemotherapy  03/11/2015 Cytoxan, Taxotere

Italychick

chemo, cookies, charms - I've got it all covered today! Had to use my shirt to hold the cookies lol.

molly1976

i just finished my last chemo!!

Italychick

Woohoo Molly! Awesome for you! After today, one more for me, I am right behind you.

ninjamary

YEA Molly!!! You look like a 16 year old in that picture!!!

Italychick

What is the blood measure before you have to get a transfusion? I've been trying to find Bekah's post with no success. I don't think I'm there, but I don't have anything else to obsess about today lol. Steroids, benadryl, woohoo! I'm about to fly to the moon, or clean the chemo room again. I clean and organize while I'm here - can't sit still. The Benadryl hits me the opposite of most people, wires me up like I imagine speed or crack would.

shaz101

congratulations Neverthought and molly! I'm really excited for you both! 🎉🌞🌹

Theresa I hope you are OK.

I'm up on steroids and still nauseous but only a little headache right now.

Karen, thank you so must for posting your photos. They help so much and made me sad that you are going through this again. The video made me cry, in a nice way.

shaz101

theresa I'm so glad you have the bracelet! Looks great, I hope something magical happens while its in your possession. I'm already thinking about what I can add.

Italychick

Of course everybody knows I am adding a bike to the charm chain lol. Because mine has saved me through this process. The bracelet will definitely be going on a bike ride to add some good energy.

Pre-meds done, Taxotere in, Carboplatin going in now.

Italychick

Katy - mmmm, cookies! Eating right now - so yummy!

KBeee

Sothabout, I always felt like my hair was slow to come back, so that's why I recorded it. I think it was on the slow side of average, but I wanted others to have an idea of what's normal. Anyone doing Taxol last will be ahead of the curve since hair will start to grow on Taxol.

SueH, That ends at 15 months; I shaved my head to begin chemo at 16 months. It was too hard emotionally to add the last picture since I was finally starting to look like "me" again, so I never did.

Neverthought and Molly, Congratulations! Thrilled for both of you!

Italychick, Blood transfusions are usually done when hemoglobin is at 8. Some will do it a little higher than 8 if symptomatic.

Wishing minimal side effects and maximum cancer killing to all.

Italychick

KBeee, thanks. I'm at 13, so I am good then!

Carrie37

Thanks for sharing the photos KBee!

Jackbirdie

Neverthought and Molly! I hear bells! Marching bands!!!! Trophies being awarded, and I see a finish line (checkered flag)

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🎺📣🎹🎼🎵🎶🎺📯🎷📯🎷🎺📣📣

🏆

🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁

Words cannot adequately express my pride and concurrent jealousy, haha!

Italychick

done with round 5 and home. Gonna try for a short bike ride.

Jackbirdie

Theresa, looking good! Nobody rocks a do rag, cookies, and a magic bracelet quite like you. Sending the best of thoughts for an eventless week.

Eventless in terms of SEs. Eventful in terms of bike rides, walks on the beach, and coconut oil in your ass crack

Jackbirdie

so, for me, it's been decided. My chemo program is officially derailed. No reschedule date yet. Still going for bloodwork tomorrow when my future will be revealed

I feel alternately relieved and scared shitless.

Can't be helped. I'll deal.

Might need cookies though......

Italychick

Katy, they can delay up to a week supposedly with no issue. Remember, all after four rounds is a bonus for the chemo agents you are on. My MO was only going to have me do four if I went with Taxotere and Cytoxan.

Nothing in my ass crack right now, hopefully won't go there. But will definitely coconut oil it up tonight just in case. I got some Maalox in case my gut goes funky. Gonna try some aloe Vera juice first. Feet tingling, which is why I want to do a bike ride. And gut is swollen from fluids, feel pregnant. All in a day I guess.

Ate the cookies with no shame, one in two bites lol! Crammed that baby in my mouth and chomped it down. Mm mm!

Jackbirdie

Theresa- thanks for that positive reminder that I am in the bonus round.

If it had to happen, better now than during the first 4.

And it all started out so well!

Can't wait to see the bike charm!

Meme117

Congrats Molly and neverthought! I love the certificate!

Theresa looked like a nice spa day, cookies and charms.

I'm feeling the bone pain and stomach crap already😝 thinking it's gonna be an early night.

SueH58

Katy, I'm so sorry for your delay. What an emotional gut bomb!

Theresa, what happens if chemo is delayed longer than 4 weeks?

KBee - I can't even imagine your taking those monthly pics and getting almost back to normal when "bam!," it's back What an absolute blow, to say the least. You're a remarkable woman to just pick up and do what you need to one more time!

Speaking of Bekah, where is she? Haven't heard from her for a while...

IndyGal35

Congratulations to Eileen, Neverthought, and Molly!

Hoping for low SE's for everyone in the chair so far this week.

Katy, I'm sorry about the delay. My hope is that the week off gives you some time to heal and feel really, really good.

Oh, my. The thought of even trying to ride a bike with coconut oil in my crack makes me laugh.

so-she-did

Okay ladies, since our conversations often seem to center around this topic I figured I would post this link to an interesting article. Time to practice your squats!

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/weste....

ksusan

Katy, so sorry to hear it. Hoping for health and a good plan from here.

Italychick

SueH58, I'm not sure what happens if you go past four weeks. Everybody I have seen post on here either makes the 4th week, or their MO has them stop.

Did 16 miles on my bike woohoo! Not my fastest, but not my slowest, but after chemo treatment today, I will take it. Plus the sun came out, was shining on the ocean, a beautiful ride! I feel way better after riding.

So-she-did, funny post. I have heard that before. My husband, who has a masters in anthropology and in computer science, also said we are supposed to make piles of poop and not worry about these perfectly formed segmented feces. He said science has that part wrong, for what it is worth.

Hey, during chemo, pooping is a major focus, along with anal bleeding, cracked hands, blurry vision, torn up guts. It is no wonder we focus on poop and ass cracks lol. And crappy feeling mouths.

Italychick

wpmoon, how are you doing today after chemo?

Yes ladies, I am on a steroid roll, will try to restrain myself on posting, but it is difficult. 😘😝

slothabouttown

Congrats to all the finishers and near finishers! I love it! Katy you seem like you're getting stronger everyday, I'm confident you'll be back at the spa next week kicking butt.

Very interesting poop article Amy, aren't you also the one who found the red poop charm on Etsy?

Today was my first radiation dose. I had a busy morning so I didn't give any of it much thought until I was lying on the table with technicians drawing on me with markers and lasers going through me and this big machine rotating all around. Then I suddenly felt panicked and really aware of all the toxic shit going into my body with the chemo and now radiation. I was always an organic eater and trying to make healthy choices in food, cleaning products, you name it. Now it feels like my body is a toxic mess! Sooooo...had to talk myself off that ledge, remember what they tell us about targeted beam, etc. etc and just get through it. I know it'll get easier and it's not at all painful at this point...just another layer of the sandwich. Tonight ill be treating myself to a lorazepam left over from chemo and hope it has the same effect as a bottle of wine. Weren't we just talking about wine?

molly1976

"Very interesting poop article, Amy," is making me laugh so much. Oh, cancer, what have you done to us.

Carrie37

That is so funny Amy!

Congrats to those finishing up and positive thoughts/prayers is headed your way if you are in the chair this week.

SueH58

Amy, I'd end up in the toilet along with the poop. Not talented enough to squat on the seat!