Starting Chemo March 2015

jumbledbamboo

Congrats Ali and Karen! I am still doing Herceptin Chemo Until 8/16. It may seem longer since I will skip one before recon. I have had hemoglobin issues so before econ no chemo.

I love Tuttie. She looks like my Princess Peachy Keen!

avmom

Alison and Karen, congrats!

Jacky, our tortoiseshell kitty does go outside - we live out in the country, so there aren't a lot of human-related dangers. We don't have very much traffic, as the road that runs in front of our house is used mostly by just three residences, and it isn't a through road to anywhere. We do have wild predators, including a family of great horned owls, so she has to come in before dusk. She is about 99% reliable in coming in when you whistle for her, though. We do have a harness and leash for her, and we use it when travelling, but she doesn't like it much. I think if you started putting on her harness and let her wear it in the house while she is young, Tutti would get used to it, and going outside on leash would follow pretty naturally. Our little Ewok didn't wear a harness until well after she was an adult, and she manages, but I think if she had worn it as a kitten, she would mind it less. Good luck

Trvler

I think Tutti's wanderlust might subside after she is spayed?

Whitney: I think your friend is right. I think we all have to be suffering from some small (or large) degree of PTSD. We need to just be kind to ourselves and take it as it comes. Time will help, I think.

Eileen: Can you tell me which airport we would fly into to get to your place? I was looking through our school calendar last night and they made some changes to spring break. It is the last week of March and they added a day on the front (the week before) and a day on the back. So I wouldn't be able to come if you did it either of those weekends but maybe if any of the others. It also depends on the logistics.

Awake at 5:15 again. I guess due to the steroids. I need to go to bed earlier for a while to make up for the waking up early.

BBwithBC45

Whitney and Theresa - I'm stuck with my port till next year too. It doesn't bother me as much as it used to, but I will be happy to see it go.

Leighrh

I still have 4 Taxols to go including tomorrow..... Everyone will prob be done before me. I started late and was on a 3 week schedule with AC so I am lagging behind..........story of my life right now! LOL

I love Tutti so much.... I miss having a pretty kitty.... DH is highly allergic but I grew up with cats!

Hugs to anyone in the chair today!! Thursdays are my days and tonight I will start taking Ativan.... I still get all worked up before even though this is my 12th time to walk into that room!

Jackbirdie

Jumbled- Peachy Keen looks very regal! No wonder the Princess moniker!

Allison- Ontario airport is the closest fairly large airport that serves Arrowhead. It's east of LA (inland, avoiding major traffic) but you would probably have to transfer @ lax. Rent a car either way. Burbank is probably next closest. There's a lot to see near there, Universal Studios, theme park, Universal City Walk, might be worth seeing some other stuff..

So you are saying weekend March 18-20 works for you possibly?

I think it would be do great if we could meet. I know in some ways it would be better to stop thinking about this hell we've been through, and seeing each other might trigger anxiety? But I still think it's been such an important phase of my life that I really don't know how I would have survived without all of you. Really. Having the ability to vent, talk things over, get ideas on how to handle SEs, simply validating the SEs that the medical world doesn't seem to acknowledge. All of that. It took major pressure off of relationships that surely would have been trashed by so much additional pressure. Pressure that was relieved here. I'd like to celebrate that friendship. Like to give some real hugs in person! Laugh about anal waxing. All that. Let's do it!

Tutti just woke up. She says we should.

Her Royal Tuttiness

Jackbirdie

Leigh- it just means we all have more good energy to send your way! Good luck.

And by now Sue in Florida should be in the chair THE LAST TIME!!! Wooooohooooooo!

🎉🎉🎉🎉🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔💃💃💃👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Trvler

It is hard for me to plan anything now not knowing how I will be after my surgery and when I will have to travel back to NOLA for Stage 2 and possibly nipples. I am also worried about all the SE's of surgery and getting my life back after. But I would love to come if I can.

I used to live in LA so I have done all of that LA stuff. HOw long of a drive from those airports to LA is it?

I could probably do that weekend if I can come. Don't plan anything around me though. That is my husbands busy time at work, too. Usually he is wrapping it up by then and I have a little more flexibility but sometimes he travels for work. I would probably have to hire someone to watch the kids anyway so maybe that part won't matter anyway.

Trvler

Leigh: I was wondering why, given you started around the same time as me that you were later finishing. Why did you do AC every 3 weeks? Did you have bad SEs? I did delay week 1 of Taxol. She said it was due to my platelet count but I personally think it was because I was accidentally 1 hour late to my appointment and it messed up their schedule.

Jackbirdie

Eileen will know better, but I think driving time from Ontario to Arrowhead is about an hour

From Burbank, 2

LAX is less than an hour more without traffic, but could be an extra 2 hrs with. I would definitely recommend Ontario if you don't care about any LA stuff. It's a pretty drive up into the mountains

Jackbirdie

At some point we need to hone in on a date, so it may as be that one, even if you end up not bring able to come. Does anyone have any thoughts about


MARCH 18-20 2016?


Does anyone think we should start a separate thread for this and add it to our email notifications so we don't have to dig through other stuff to find updates?

Leighrh

Allison, that was just my schedule from the beginning. I never got nuelasta. I even tried on the last AC to do it the second week and I couldn't because counts were too low. I guess having that 3rd week allows you time to bounce back. I would feel pretty fine on that 3rd week!

Leighrh

I am up for the get together if I can swing it!

Jackbirdie

awesome Leigh!

eheinrich

Allison: I would recommend Ontario Airport. From Ontario about an hour, Burbank Airport ~1.5. Not sure what airport you'd be coming from. Not all have direct flights to Burbank or Ontario. LAX is going to take you about 2h. All of that depends on the time of day & mood of the traffic gods.

I'm very excited!!!

slothabouttown

I can make any weekend around that time so ill leave the final decision up to the folks who have kids and other matters to consider. Another thread or taking it to the FB page might be a good idea Katy.

eheinrich

Whitney: I think I get where you're at. I was feeling very lost prior to BC and don't know where life is heading now. I agree with your friend, now isn't really the time to figure it out. At least I try to remind myself that. I really want to have all of my procedures over with so I can get back to real life, but I'm not sure I quite know what that means anymore.

Blech

KBeee

Leigh, So by the end of next Thursdsy, you will be down to2!!!! I always liked to twist things to decrease my numbers... Kept my mind and body in fast forward mode

Jackbirdie

the FB page sounds like a good idea. Except I just remembered some people aren't out on FB and concerned about slip ups. So I could start a new thread. There is no way to make it private though. That's aproblem too. I'm thinking out loud here.

I have addresses of many of you who are in the physical traveling bracelet group. That is, physically receiving the bracelet. You may or may not be in the FB group. I could collect the home emails of all interested and send out group emails?

I think We should think this through before we either post on FB which excludes some people, and a bco thread which would be visible to the world. Not liking either option upon review.

Ideas? Thoughts?

Italychick

I'm fine any time in the spring. I veto Facebook since not everybody is on there.

I think a thread would be okay if we don't use any addresses or an exact location. I'm trying to think what information would allow a potential stalker to find us, and that would be the information I would not put on the thread. We are using it mainly for schedule coordinating, right? I don't think any "weirdos" who might lurk or look at this forum would know anything relevant if we keep it to schedule coordination, gag gifts, etc. The final address and details can be sent out by a private message through this board closer to time.

Leighrh

Karen, Even though Thursdays are my day... I count Monday as the start of the week... so to me.... I have 3 left, because I am not counting the current week..... LOL MIND TRICKERY.... LOL!!!

SpecialK

You can put the general info on your thread, or this one, and PM the sensitive info (dates, times, locations, emails, phone numbers, etc.) with each other. This is what we do with the Tampa thread.

ThePrincess

Ladies, hair Question!! So I have tons of white fuzz, but the black hair under is starting to come in! Should I, or Can I shave all that white fuzz off? Would it hurt anything?

Lovemylab

I just saw a doc who works with cancer pts regarding recovery from chemo. She says I definitely have chemo brain. She says it is common in breast ca pts due to the types of chemo used. She wants me to delay work until at least mid October and she is sending me to speech therapy. She says they are working with chemo brain pts now. Also thinks I may have to see GI if big d doesn't resolve. I am so relieved work is being delayed! I knew I had chemo brain, she confirmed that it is real and that I have it. She plans to do more testing at next visit regarding how bad it is and if when or ever I can go back to work.

Maureen

Italychick

The Princess, I didn't shave, but buzzed off the long white scraggly hairs with my husband's clippers, maybe used a size 3 or 4, not exactly sure. It made my hair look uniform and my kids called me GI Jane for awhile lol. I wouldn't shave your head - that white stuff will dye when you go to get a hair dye job. I already dyed mine using a touch up for gray hair kit - it was all the dye I needed lol!

SueH58

Maureen, how did the Dr. conclude you have chemo brain?

Lovemylab

She did some in memory quizzes as well as my self reporting of symptoms... Forgetful, word loss, names of items and people I cannot think of. I think I have a pretty severe case at this point. I could not name the months of the year backwards. That chemo really did a number on me. Got in with a speech therapist tomorrow so that should be interesting!

eheinrich

I think an email thing would be good for planning purposes, but whatever way is fine by me.

I had blonde fuzzies at first but the darker hair has taken over. I didn't want to do anything to scare the hairs away - just coax them out lovingly.

Maureen, I'm so sorry you got an extra topping on this shit sandwich. It's good that you are on top of it though.

Trvler

I am not cutting a hair on my head. lol

I do shave my pits though. Attempts # 1 and 2 at false eyelashes were a complete failure.

Jackbirdie

Maureen- such a bummer....I'm glad you aren't going back to work yet. On top of the obvious, I feel chemo brain has the potential to erode one's self-confidence. Make you doubt yourself. I have felt that way at times when in thinking one word and a totally different one comes out. It's not as serious, but I think the whole bc experience: conflicting data and advice, the options and decisions nobody can make for you and you are never quite sure you did the right thing...things like that have the potential to have already eroded our confidence.

I applaud you for facing it and alerting your doctor to it. And am grateful she validated your conclusion. Not glad it's happening though. Please try to remind yourself that you were very sharp and self-aware to, like Eileen said, get on top of it. Proud of you for that.