Starting Chemo March 2015

Jackbirdie

Good luck to you too Lynn (MySunshine)- now we have a little circle, holding hands. You Leigh, and me. Thank you for the reminder to repeat some positive thoughts.

Yeah- and Leigh I don't believe them either. You only have to read the boards here to know its not THAT RARE

ThePrincess

Ladies going today: you got this! You can do it!

Katy! It's the last one, the last time! Go for it! No matter what SEs come your way, this is the last one! :-)

BBwithBC45

Hi Ladies. It looks like a busy spa day today.

Katy, good luck and congratulations on the last one! The scarf from Sharon is beautiful and it made it to you just in time for your last treatment.

Leigh - good luck with the Taxol. Keeping my fingers crossed it will go OK. Even though I never had a reaction to it, I took my Xanax before every treatment, except for one and that's when I ended up a sobbing mess. So from then on, Taxol time equaled Xanax time for me.

Mysunshine - good luck to you too!

Carrie, I am surprised too that they want to take your port out before you finish all your treatments. Did they give a good reason? I'm keeping mine at least till the end of Herceptin.

BB

KBeee

Katy, Wrap that scarf around you like a giant hug from your March gang for your last time in the chair. Consider it a group hug and when you need your hand help, grab that scarf tight. We are all holding your hand.

slothabouttown

Katy, stay strong today! Last one and done! Lately I've been thinking a lot about how we've been working through this for 6 months! We've been through winter, spring and now it's summer and we're still here, a little battle-worn but still in the game.

Good job everyone, positive thoughts for those with spa days today!

Jackbirdie

I have decided my positive imagery will be Sloth's smiling face holding that card up saying I'm doing a " fucking great job"

Sloth- no matter what YOU are feeling, you can always be counted on for a laugh.

I just got myself a nice fresh glass of water to sip and hydrate while I'm waiting for the pam to work. I hear this noisy drinking sound. Yup, Tutti stole my water again! Now she's got her motor running on high, very contented. But now I need to get up again and replenish. Jack is sure to steal my spot on the heating pad when I move

SpecialK

Good luck to all in the chair today - you can do this and you will get through it. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth slowly and envision a happy place in your mind (mine is in a low beach chair at the edge of the water in Bermuda with an umbrella drink - course can't do that any more due to the skin cancer, lol!  Apparently I need a less sunny happy place!)  FWIW I expected cumulative SE from my last chemo as that is what happened consequetively - and it didn't happen - #6 was one of my easiest - hoping for that for all of you!  Also - you can get Ativan IV in your pre-meds if it has been ordered.  Many MO order it but don't necessarily tell you that - the nurses can hold it in reserve for sudden nausea or anxiety.

shaz101

katy i am here. Thinking of you bigtime. Take some slow breathes...you have got this

Jackbirdie

haha Sloth, we x posted!

Thanks Princess, Karen, BB ( pI know you understand and I was especially hoping for a little virtual mojo hug you)

shaz101

goodluck today leigh and mysunshine. Thinking of you both. Im sending some love your way.

shaz101

thats a nice pic katy. Im so pleased the scarf arrived safely. Let it be a nice warm hug from all of us.

Jackbirdie

thanks for your comforting and intelligent thoughts as always, Special. You have added so much to March.

And Sharon! Thanks for coming to my pity party! I feel you here.

All of you

greenae

To All the ladies at the bar today....

YOU GOT THIS!!

And Katy... THIS IS IT!

I laid around for 3 days after my last TC. Then said FFF this! You wil feel Soo much better in a week or two. I promise!

Love

Arlene

shaz101

mary, i laughed so hard. I can imagine how you felt. I havent gone there yet, but i dont feel very attractive...id have to switch the lights off. Id turn myself off, if i saw myself.

IndyGal35

Sending good vibes for everyone in the chair this morning.

You're on the home stretch now, Katy. By tonight, you'll be all done with this part of the sandwich.

I woke up with my face tingling yesterday, and I was so dizzy that I was staggering like a drunk. I ended up having to go to the infusion center. They ruled out a neuro episode (scary thought), and I finally asked, "Do you think it could be my electrolytes?" Boy, I'm glad I know my body! It turns out that my potassium was low, and my magnesium was VERY low. After some fluids, a potassium cocktail, and a magnesium infusion, I felt a lot better. Sheesh. Our poor bodies. :

Jackbirdie

Arlene- thanks and good to see you!

Lee- OMG! It is a good thing you know your body! A lesson to all of us. (So many lessons I wish I never had to learn and hope I never have use for again- but this one is a keeper. KNOW YOUR BODY)

Trvler

Leigh: I get it. I hate walking into that place and I know I am such a Debbie Downer when I walk up and check in. I told the girl Tuesday I felt like I was giving my prison ID. She said "prison doesn't have cable' and then we agreed we bet it does. I was then thinking, maybe prison would be worse than cancer…or not….I couldn't decide. I know the first few Taxols, I was a nervous wreck. I can't imagine how I would feel had I already had a reaction.

I wish you and Katy the best.

Katy, you always say just the right thing to EVERYONE here. Just remember how much you mean to us when you go. I hope it helps you through.

Mary: God bless you for taking one for the team. I wanted to try to have sex but I know it would hurt and I just can't face it emotionally.

Jackbirdie

Alluson- thanks to you for saying the right thing too, and making me lol about Mary taking one for the team.

Mojo packed, game face on. Lucky scarf and earrings nicely presented. Here I go!

Jackbirdie

Alluson- thanks to you for saying the right thing too, and making me lol about Mary taking one for the team.

Mojo packed, game face on. Lucky scarf and earrings nicely presented. Here I go!

pboi

I only have a minute to post but wanted to say...Hugs and positive thoughts to those in the chair today. You are all awesome and strong. You got this!!!

pboi

Beautiful Katy, good luck!

Italychick

Katy, looking good. You remind me of a 50s Hollywood star, so glamorous.

Best of luck to everyone in the chair today, I will be thinking of each of you. No whammies or allergic reactions, fingers crossed!

You are all doing a "fucking great job!"

Jackbirdie

thanks so much, pboi!

Ya know, sometimes you just have to laugh. When I checked in there was a package addressed to me here that the nurses opened because they thought it might be meds. It wasn't.

It was a pink tote bag (I now just hate pink and everyone knows why).

It had a very nice soft blanket (pink)

An adj charm bracelet/necklace with a single charm that says "help". Could have used that months ago.

A big neon pink nail file. My compromised nails are clipped all the way down. But ok, maybe useful later. But it's fucking pink.

Some Mary Kay eye shadow in agood color for me but came with no brush. And I forgot to put any on today so I used my finger.

Some FANTASTIC Burts Bees lip balm with tint. Love love love Burts bees.

A product called "Wink" to stimulate eyelash growth after chemo.

And best of all, a little (Orange, thankfully) index card that says

"Aerodynamically the bumble bee shouldn't fly....yet it does anyway!

NEVER STOP BELIEVING"

Renee Devine

The tote bag (pink) says Go Pink and the logo is Breast Cancer Charities of America. I've not heard of them, and neither have the people here. Nobody knows how this package came to be in my lap today, of all days. But I'm grateful. Despite the pink.

Jackbirdie

Thanks T!

Italychick

you got it girlie! I am with you there in spirit!

Jackbirdie

BTW, I just read the ingredients in the product "Wink". It says it's all natural. Seems to be niched for bc patients as it's in a PINK package (with the stupid pink ribbon, even)

Says: "Eyelash and Eyebrow Enhancer"

"The finishing touch to all- natural beauty"

Ingredients: ( in order)

Castor oil, Emu oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (jojoba), Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Rubus Idaaeus (Rasberry) Seed Oil, Vitamin A Palmitate, Tocopherol, Citrus Sinensis (Orange Oil), Cymbopogon Flexuosus (Lemon Grass Oil), Helianthus Annus (Sunflower Oil), Organic Ethyl alcohol, Organic Lavandula Angustifoloa (Lavender) Oil

That was verbatim. No translations by me. Sounds ok?

Wink Natural Cosmetics

410 Memorial Drive, Suite 341F

Cambridge, MA 02139

Just in case any of you need help in this area and were told not to do anything during actual chemo.

Carrie37

Katy, can you feel that? That right there is all of us cheering you on to the finish line! Whoop whoop! Last chemo day! I have tears of joys for you today! You look beautiful in the picture.

I nearly left my MO's office today before infusion. Good thing my mom was there to hold me back. I waited 45 minutes in the waiting room. Ridiculous!!!! I kept asking and then nothing would happen. They finally get me and I am in tears. The nurse asked if I had a cold since I was sniffing. I told her no, I am crying because I judged waited 45 minutes to come get a poison and had to ask several times why you all are so late. Give me a break here!!

As soon as I sat in the cheer I had a quick second to check here and read the posts about the port coming out. I asked my MO and she said its true. I don't need the port. I was feeling a tad sassy so I pushed back and said my veins suck and it's so much longer to go with the Herceptin. She agreed to talk to my BS about placing a new port after surgery. I don't want to complicate things but I also don't want to go through the poking. Someone asked why they said they would take it out: my BS said something about it being in the way of things during surgery. She said it can move and they don't want that so they take it out. Then the MO said today that sometimes they tale it out for surgery and replace it after.

Hope all the Thursday spa girls are having uneventful days and side effects are minimal for all!

Italychick

Just went to health food store and was approached by a young girl who had just gotten her port installed. She asked me about where I got my do rags, then told me she has to do 8 rounds of taxotere and cytoxan. I said why so many, and she said initial diagnosis was stage 4 with lung mets. I told her about Bestbird and her treatment guide and our forums, and told her there are lots of stage 4 women 5/10/15 years out. She started crying and hugging me. broke my heart, I cried, am still so shaken up. Another woman turned around and showed my husband her Survivor bracelet.

Sorry, not trying to be a downer, but touched my heart so much.

I think the saying is "there but for the grace of God go I."

Jackbirdie

T- that is s wonderful, inspiring story. I'm having a hard time getting past the 8 motherfuckkkn TC txs. Just goes to show you. Always someone worse off. I visualized the whole encounter including the hugs. Made me feel good. BTW, my PT's mother is a 16 yr survivor of stage IV bc. Doing great.

Carrie- yes I can truly feel it. I'm glad you had a chance to push back a bit on the port and at least have A DISCUSSION and some REASONS! That goes a long way.

I hope if they do feel they need to take it out that they put one right back in while you are out. A year is s long time with bad veins.

Trvler

It's like we are the pod people walking around and sometimes we recognize each other and reach out. Thanks for sharing, Theresa. It's hard sometimes to realize that people have it worse than we do.

On that note, I have had the day from hell. My daughter can't behave at camp and they are probably going to send her home. I guess it makes me realize she ISN'T going to outgrow her issues and she needs some therapy. Just wish I could have had this happen last year or next year or some other time. I am total stress case right now. They asked if she had been diagnosed with anything. She hasn't. She is just very willful and very imaginative and has trouble socially. But she WANTS to stay. So they suggested maybe she is actually not capable of controlling herself and I think to some extent, it might be true. But at the end of the day, we need HELP. NOW.