May 2017 Surgery Group

JuliaJazz

Here is my new transitional haircut, short in back and a bit longer on top.  Haven't had bangs for 50 years. You can hardly see them in this picture because they are very wispy, but they are there. Just don't look at the top of the head where there is very little hair left.  I am having absolutely no symptoms at all with Round 2 of my chemo.  One dose of smooth move tea fixed me up with the constipation and I have had no bone pain and last time it had started by now.  So I guess it is a good thing I am losing my hair or I might think the drugs weren't doing their job.  Have a great week everyone.

sunnyjay

Looking good, JuliaJazz! I chopped off my hair after surgery, went from long, layered hair to a short bob with bangs. I was thinking of going shorter also, but my sister's wedding is coming up on Aug. 5th and didn't want to have a drastic cut in the family photos. I'll wait til my 2nd infusion also and see where my hair is at.

We're all about 8 weeks post-surgery. I hope you are all doing well!

MamaOz

looking good julia!!

Mine is growing back ! And the poofies worked fine!

Going for radiation simulation tomorro

JuliaJazz

Keep us posted on how the radiation goes. MamaOz.  Fun to have hair growing back.

Hope your hair holds on a bit longer for you Sunnyjay.  We are all doing well and taking it one step at a time.

MamaOz

hey Julia, i was thinking about you.. hope the chemo is treating you ok

Im sporting a fluffy julius ceasar do currently .. slow going

My actual radiation I think starts tomorrow , today I will have my test run to make sure everything is set right

M

JuliaJazz

Hay, MamaOz. Thanks for the shout out.  3rd chemo went OK.  Had some bone pain all day yesterday but it is gone now. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow.

MamaOz

joke was on me ! After they set me up and ran test with drs ok they then proceed to do my first radiation treatment! But hey first one down!

What type of chemo are you doing?

JuliaJazz

Well one down Mama Oz, hope it wasn't too painful. I am doing Cytoxen and Taxotere which doesn't seem to be as bad as that AC.Are you done with your chemo now?

MamaOz

yes my chemo finished end of april. And glad your not doing the AC! I was wondering how you were managing so well. I did paxitaxol for the last 4 and that wasnt as bad but did start to cause nueropothy , but its better now

The radiation doesnt hurt when being administered its the accumilative after effects after a few weeks from what I understand. Today will be day 4 and ill see dr as wel

Chella

Thank you for starting this thread. Had bmx on 5/26/17with reconstruction. Just went back to work. Eating healthy, exercising and feeling well. Certainly, this diagnosis has been a life changer

JuliaJazz

I've been busy with my 94 year old Dad who was in hospital and now at rehab. He is confused in his new surroundings and does better when a family member is there.  I am thinking about all of you and always read your comments but won't have much time to reply until things get back to normal with him. I am just glad I am feeling well enough to be there for him.  Good wishes to all of you sisters.

MamaOz

oh julia good luck with your dad.. mine had alzheimers and was in a home the year before he passed 2012 so I understand the heart ache..

hope your chemo is going well will you need radiation? I know you may not be able to answer

Will be thinking of you ..

mamaoz

Tpralph

mama oz  you said you did 4 taxol was that DD?  I am starting this Aug 31 and am concerned re: SE. Will be getting it every other week high dose.

JuliaJazz

MamaOz, Thank you for your concern.  I think we will be able to move him back to assisted living with my mom on Tuesday with round the clock private sitters until he gets stronger.  Expensive but worth it for his mental health.  The other night he walked over to the other bed to give my mom a good night kiss but it was his roommate Bob in the bed.  The nighttime sitter intervened.  As you can imagine, Bob will be glad when my dad goes home too.

I will not be needing radiation.  My last chemo is on August 25th and I start on Arimidex September 15th.  

sunnyjay

Julia, thinking of you and praying for healing for your dad. My father in law is 92 and we are worried since he loses his balance sometimes and falls. He hasn't had any major falls, but it just takes one. Sounds like you're handling the SEs well as I am. I had my 2nd infusion a week ago, and so glad to be halfway through this. But rads was recommended for me when this is all done. Take care!

MamaOz

julia had a slight chuckle on your dad trying to kiss bob l

Wow your almost done! Fantastic! I have 20 more radiations and will most likely start arimidex about a week or so after you..wishing you the best with your dad.

MamaOz

tralph, So how is the AC treating you? It was rough for me

I did DD on all the chemo every other week. I actually ended up only doing 3 of the paxitaxol because I was developing neuropothy in hands and feet..so dr decided it was best to stop

other wise it wasnt as bad as the AC... the neuropathy has subsided and my hair is slowly growing back

Im now doing radiation. Good luck keep me posted

JuliaJazz

Good luck with those rads Mama Oz.  Thinking of you.  My dad gets to go back to assisted living Monday night (with private helpers at first) and then things will settle down again for me.  Just in time for my final chemo next Friday.

MamaOz

woo hoo on final chemo!! Fantastic!! Julia!!

Tpralph

mama oz, the first two ac were no sweat, the third one tired me out quite a bit, then again I did do too much on one of the days... Chemo delayed this week due to a diep abdominal wound infection (#2 ugh). surgeon doesn't want to cut it open as will really delay chemo until almost healed, so may have a few more before chemo is done. so chemo 4 will be next Thursday...... second time the dd has been delayed a week. 

I am glad your neuropathy is getting better.

Julia- Congratulations on last treatment! Soooo jealous!

MamaOz

oh tralph ! Hope your wound heals! Im surprised they did the surgery for the diep so soon , did they do it same time as mastectomy? A friend had that done also but her diep was done a few months after the bmx and expanders.. she doesnt need chemo or rads just the arimidex... but wow thats some surgery!

Its amazing how different everyones reactions are

The AC wreaked havoc on my whole gastric system, i got thrush and a fungal infection on side of my face that persisted for months, my blood counts were erratic etc

Sending healing thoughts your wa

JuliaJazz

Thinking of you Tralph.  Hope that infection heals up soon.  Thanks to everyone for the kind thoughts.  Too busy with my dad to write much but I read all your posts.

Tpralph

mama oz, yes the diep was the same day as the bmx.  seems the infection is bigger than I thought. it feels hard along the healed incision line beside the open area and when I press there pus comes out, yuck but is about 3 inches beside wound...probably does need to be opened up and cleaned of sutures floating in there. so figure I am going to be dealing with this until after chemo....just pray I don't go septic in the meantime.. thank you for the kind words

Julia- thank you and hope all goes well with your dad

sunnyjay

Tpralph: I am having a similar setback. I had some redness from the tissue expander a few weeks after surgery. But my PS just thought it was my body getting used to it. Now after my 2nd round of chemo, I had some skin irritation in the same area. When I went to get an expansion yesterday, my PS saw that it is most likely an infection. So I now have antibiotics (Cephalexin/Keflex) to hopefully clear this up. She wants to remove the tissue expander since she is so anti-infection, but doing so will mean I have to pause my chemo treatments until the surgery heals. I just hope she's not too hasty with this and give the antibiotics time to work. I have my 3rd cycle of 4 treatments next week, so I hope I don't have to stop.

JuliaJazz

Thanks for the thoughts everyone.  My Dad is now out of rehab and back to assisted living with my mom, but he has some helpers to keep him safe as he recovers his strength.

MamaOz

great news julia !

Sunny jay hoping the antibiotics do the job..hang in ther

Tpralph

Synnjay. Yes perhaps she should see how you do. My oncologist said to finish the antibiotics and monitor. He doesn't want to open me up for that exact reason - would halt my chemo until healed. Said it may happen again before all chemo is done. If u they continues after then he will open it up.

Hopefully you will heal well and no more infection

JuliaJazz

  I am starting to think about my diet post chemo.  Before my diagnosis I had lost 60 lbs in 18 months on the Atkins diet.  I decided to give myself a little bit of a break and not be so strict during chemo but I will go back on during my Arimidex treatments which will start sometime in September I think.  The oncologist says the less adipose tissue you have the better and that is the diet that works for me AND there is no sugar which is a plus.

Today DH and I closed down the infusion center so the nurses were the only ones to hear me ring the bell.  I iced my hands and feet for the final time - YAH!  Today I went au natural.  I still have enough hair to walk around with although I often wear a scarf or a turban.  My best wishes to all of you as you continue your treatments.  Know that I read all of your posts and keep you in my prayers even if I don't always have time to answer each one individually.  I am still very busy with my Dad, helping him adjust to having help 24 hours a day.  It is hard for him as he has always been very independent.

MamaOz

julia congrats! And you look great!

My hair is coming in , trying to get used to the grey look!

Ive done 14 of 28 rads. Getting there. Please keep us posted on how it goes with the arimidex! Good luck with your parents. But also remember to take care of you!!

JuliaJazz

Thanks Hap B and Mama Oz. Thanks for the support. I am doing great.  And I am lucky that I have minimal side effects.  Especially no nausea and very minimal taste issues.  I started with (very expensive) varubbi and 3 does of zofran every 12 hours.  Time 2 and 3 I backed it up to Varubi and 2 doses of Zofran with still no nausea and this time I decided to try just Varubbi and one dose of Zofran.  Score!!! I completed avoided any constipation or taking anything for that other than a probiotic capsule.

Here is an interesting article about anti-nausea drugs  https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/center-news/2017/08/new-guidelines-take-aim-at-chemo-related-nausea.html

Don't worry, I will be napping like crazy the next few days.  Next step will be a bone density scan before I start the Arimidex in a month or so.