Starting Chemo March 2015

Italychick

Bekah, I'll bring my shotgun over. Rat bastard coyote!

Carrie37, I'm about there. This wig thing is ridiculous. Was trying to hold out until next week so I could be done with chemo before I outed myself - I'm a suspicious person in the workplace lol. That way I can tell people "oh yeah, I'm already done with chemo" before they know about it. Somebody posted early on in our forum about hanging their head out the car window after their first day of work wearing a wig, and I can totally relate to that post right now!

Whitney, good luck with rads, and great post! My step-son loves Kafka. And so true!

Avmom, awesome about last chemo. I am there next week. I hope we never have to do this again! If I weren't doing cancer treatment, I would be in Moab, Utah right now for two weeks of hiking. My husband and I do it every year, but this year, obviously, not happening. I need my nature fix, and the deer and woods imagery you put out makes me wistful.

Can everyone tell I'm over working today? Leaving for bike ride in about an hour, and I can't wait because I CAN TAKE THIS FRICKING WIG OFF! Lol.

eheinrich

Here's my family at Shana's graduation (she's in the white dress)

eheinrich

Bekah I'm so sorry about your girl. I hope the others do the adopted mother hen thing.

Italychick

Great picture - she is definitely your daughter because she looks so much like you.

wpmoon

Carrie - I had my lumpectomy first - back in December. I had this urgent feeling of "GET THIS THING OUT RIGHT NOW!" So, I was diagnosed on 12/1, and two weeks later on 12/15 I was under the knife. I'll probably be starting rads around the beginning of July. I go back on 6/26 for the positioning, X-rays, and CT scan.

Just came back from follow up appt with my MO (I see him before every chemo), and I'm happy that I won't have to see him again for another two months. During the rest of my treatment with Herceptin only, I'll only be seeing him once every 2 months or so. I walked out feeling slightly lighter. Getting marginally more excited about being done with this part of treatment next monday.

Fun fact: I had my lumpectomy on 12/15, and my last chemo is on 6/15 - exactly 6 months apart.

Jackbirdie

Avmom- EARLY CONGRATULATIONS ON RINGING THE BELL tomorrow!!!

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🎉🔔🎉🔔🎉🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

What a relief for you I'm sure! I know it takes a while to get completely back up to speed, but I am encouraged by our sisters here reporting in that things are starting to get better.

Bekah- I am so sorry about your hen. And right in front of you, the boldness of it! Nature is rough. I guess in a way we are getting a dose of tough nature too.

Whitney I love the quote. And very happy you like your RO. That does mean so much. And Allison is right, you do deserve a break,

Here's my happy thing today. I ordered more healthy cookies from Soulfully Sweets! Just for me! All mine!

And I dropped my quilt off to be quilted. Usually I do it myself, but I can't move my arms to do it right now.

I decided it would be helpful to have it sort of "around" to remind me of a time I pushed through and did something strong.

Hope everyone has a good night. Love you all.

Katy

Ohiotripleplus

I am to get radiation after surgery also. Must be a reason?

Feeling a little better now, but don't know if I can function at work tomorrow.

Meme117

Leigh I agree, and I tell my friends what am I gonna do, we have to just push thru. I do respond " I look better than I feel", when people say how great I look.

Sloth, how wonderful a weekend in a cabin watching movies sounds. Thanks girl the laugh!

Theresa you are a hoot! I want to tear my wig up and burn it too, maybe after my last radiation or sooner. I am sick of wearing it everywhere. I only go commando at home it may be time for me to change that.

Bekah I'm sorry about your hen, I hope others take care of the chicks. I'm so not near any wild animals, do coyotes visit often?

E so nice your husband spoke up at the dinner party, add those comments to the stupidest things people say. Such a nice family photo! No need to feel guilty for a relaxing day at your pool, after this shit sandwich we all deserve mucho relaxing days.

Katy so glad your feeling better and the quilt is lovely, I didn't know you could drop off to have quilted. That Tutti is so stinkin cute.

Avmom congrats for tomorrow! I will be celebrating my last one with a party hat and cupcakes. It's frickin hard and should be celebrated!!

My MO is reducing my taxotere dosage due to my toes cramping, she thinks the tingling will be next. BW is good so 5th treatment will be Monday.

I didn't hear too many positives??? My whine for today and the next few days - I will turn the big 50 (OMG) on Friday WTF can't believe it and this is not how I had planned to celebrate, I'm not sure I want pictures taken this year. It totally sucks to even think about it. My positive - I'm grateful I was approved today by some patient advocacy foundation, they will cover the $800 copay of the last neulasta shot.

Italychick

I think I decided Wednesday to ditch the wig and go to work in a do rag. I'm over the wig. If people want to talk about me, so be it. I rode home from work commando with the windows down, what an awesome feeling. And yes, I got a bike ride in lol. Slow as hell, but still did it! So glad my friend Cheryl and my boss Ben are sticking with me. They just ride ahead, wait, and tell me how great I am doing. They are more nervous I am going to stop riding with them than anything. So nice to have that support system

wpmoon

My positive for today is snuggling with this girl (even though it's almost 80 degrees eight now)

Jackbirdie

oh what a sweetie! Another tortie?

I like you let her pick what she wants to watch on tv Har.

SueH58

Katy - SO GLAD you're feeling better. I hope you feel better and better, at least up til your next treatment.

I would just love for someone to stomp and burn their wig after a comment about how wonderful it is to be able to wear one. "Take that, mothafucka" and poof. I'd love to see the look on the commenter's face.

WP - hope your rads go well. Unfortunately, I'm not young or thin, but I am a bit pale, so maybe I'll have good luck too?

What a good point about how long this goes on. I think I commented before that 9 months is probably about the minimum (it will be in my case). I'll finish rads shortly before Thanksgiving and was diagnosed before Valentine's Day. And I was naive enough to think I'd have a lumpectomy and a few rads and back to work in June. Wrong!

SueH58

WP - my tortie looks JUST like yours. Her name is Marli. I also have a black cat named Sonrisa, who is Marli's biological sister. Love them!

slothabouttown

Here's something positive I can say about rads, compared to chemo this goes FAST! I'm coming up on my halfway point already and I feel like I just started. I'm just beginning to feel the burn and there's not a lot of redness yet. I thought I'd be more irritated about having to go for treatment 5 days a week but compared to the waiting for infusion days and the literal shitstorm of chemo side effects, this is a welcome and predictable routine. My SE fighting arsenal has switched from mouth rinses, eye drops and poop meds to all manner of lotions and ointments. Until this BC I was the kind of girl who threw a toothbrush and deodorant in a bag and I was packed. The only thing in my medicine cabinet was ibuprofen. Those days are gone, my bathroom counter looks like a science lab!

Anybody know if coconut oil is a good thing for radiation burns? I'm a fan in general and it seems like it would be a lot more healing than that petroleum aquaphor stuff they give everyone. I tried to research it a little but didn't find much.

Oh, and today I'm thankful for the sunset and the breeze. We're having a little heat wave here in Portland but it's cooling off nicely finally. Definitely a wig burning type of day out here on the west coast.

ksusan

Wow, deodorant? Fancy Portland girl . Just kidding--I hear you. I normally need only a backpack for a month-long international professional trip, but it's taken a whole suitcase for an overnight chemo at OHSU. So many products!

Today was heat plus very high pollen for us lower in the valley. I spent a lot of the afternoon in a cool tub.

IndyGal35

I started going commando a few weeks ago when my hat flew off in the convertible wind. After that, it occurred to me that I was really wearing it for the comfort of others. Being able to accept the reality of myself as-is has been huge, and I've spread so much awareness by strangers coming up and opening a dialogue.

If platelets are better this morning, I will get round 5 today on a week's delay. Send love, prayers, and whatever you've got that I don't have any more delays!

DH and I went to a reconstruction panel last night. There were 6 gals that have had varying types of (or no) reconstruction, and it was so worthwhile to see their results. I still don't know for sure what I want, but I've definitively ruled out some options that I DON'T want! I highly recommend going to one if it's offered in your area. (My guest room is always open here too!)

Called EAP. I think that it's in my best interest to start being mentally proactive. I have a tendency to hold it together during a crisis and fall apart much later. Working through some of the fear and anger now is going to be my gift to a future, healthier me. (Of course, they did have to ask me if I've had thoughts of harming myself, and I said, "Uh...no. I'm actually trying very hard to survive right now.")

Msmath

msmath here. I know it has been awhile since my last post but I have a question. I am halfway through my Taxol / Carboplatin treatment (6 more to go) and my WBC is low. The dr has me going in the next three days for Nupogen shots. They told me it was similar to the Nuelasta. Any one else out there who had the Nupogen

Marksgirl

MSMath   I had neupogen (3) after my first round to TC.   They tested me at the 3rd shot and I was very neutropenic still (had to stay home).   The only side effect I noticed with the first 2 shots was feeling a little flu-ish, ran a very low grade temp (99 something).  The 3rd shot I also had low back pain, which I kind of welcomed because I figured it was working, stimulating bone marrow.   Follow up blood tests showed that this was true with my WBC being fine.    For my next 3 rounds, they gave me Neulasta which is extended release, I heard about 10x stronger.    It did the trick, never had neutropenia again and did feel low back pain.   Ask your MD if you can take Tylenol for pain.   And absolutely read up on Claritin before and after.   I believe Neupogen and Neulasta use histamine releases to stimulate bone marrow and Claritin really helps avoid pain/symptoms.   Wishing you well through the rest of treatment!

Trvler

E: Your family is lovely!

wpmoon

sloth - a famy friend of mine that went through bc twice sent me calendula cream for the radiation burns. She swears by it.

slothabouttown

Thanks WP I'll pick up some calendula cream. Some of these products are hard to find without alcohol and parabens in them. My techs gave me some comfrey gel which feels really good and I've got some aloe gel and some medical marijuana ointment (not sure if thats a good choice to use) that friends have given me. Hoping to try the coconut oil if it's safe for burns. Right now I'm planning to stick with the simpler topicals and try not to use the aquaphor and other creams that have a hundred chemical ingredients.

K Susan, I should have added that these days even buying deodorant is a major process! Now that rads are underway I've settled on Thom's lavender with no aluminum. The interesting thing about these "safe" deodorants is they don't work! Yet another thing to worry about- smelling like a dirty hippie by 3 pm! So now I carry a spare deodorant at all times for "touch ups" if needed. Hope I didn't offend anyone on this board, some of my best friends are hippies.

Katy, I hope you feel even better today. The sun is relentless on this part of the country so maybe you can take Jack for a stroll and get a dose of vitamin D! Congrats to everyone finishing up at the spa this week- soldier on!!

Jackbirdie

good morning everybody-

Diane is in the chair today- wondering if I missed anybody else. Thinking of you, Diane.

Unfortunately I took a turn for the worse last night and have a completely shut down throat. Swollen glands and raw. Really hurts. My spirits are still better than they were a couple of days ago though. I'm hoping to rally. Going to just work on just surviving and hydrating today. So far a low grade fever, which I hope stays under control.

Hope everyone has a good one. No sun in sight here on the coast

Katy

molly1976

I'm sorry, Katy! Are you still on antibiotics? Maybe time to try another one?

sloth, I also have deodorant in my purse. Ha! My rads don't start until next week but I had my simulation yesterday so I brought it with me to put on after. I got Tom's unscented.

Msmath

Marksgirl thanks for the info. My dr recommended the Claritin so I took that this morning before the first shot. My daughter also mentioned that my face was flushed. I just feel really run down. I not sure when they will draw my blood again. Normally it is drawn every Monday.

ksusan

Stay the course, Katy.

Marksgirl

MsMath      Keep up on the Claritin for a few days.   I always had the same flush - everyone thought my color was great! (not!)   I also got rashy as chemo went on.   I don't know what was the Taxotere and what was from the Neulasta.   So may be the Taxol??  Hope your counts stay good on Neupogen so you don't have to go the bigger guns (Neulasta!).      Hang in there!!!!!! 

Love Jenny

Jackbirdie

Molly, thanks. The pneumonia is mostly clear now. I'm just weak.

KSusan- thank you. Every word of encouragement is like a glass of water at the 25th mile of a marathon.

These pics I'm taking with my phone are such poor quality and it is dark (and messy!) in here. But these two animals are managing to crack me up. Jack. Suchagoodboy. Tutti: a DICKENS!

ninjamary

Katy,

It must be amusing watching those two get acquainted. In that picture it looks like Jack is thinking to himself "I won't look, I won't look, I won't make eye contact"

Trvler

Katy: I am so sorry. I was hoping you would feel better!

Sloth: My sister uses that deodorant and yes, has always smelled like a dirty hippie. (She kinda is a hippie).

Just got done with round 3. I am in the single digits now. Woohoo. HATE my MO. I figured out why. She is condescending. She spent 15 minutes trying to talk me out of having my surgery in NOLA.

Jackbirdie

Ninja- that's exactly it! I didn't think he had that much self control! I just love him so much more for it. As if that were even possible.

I am giving him lots of special attention too. Right now he's under the covers sharing the heating blanket with me. One of our strongest rituals.