Anyone starting chemo in Aug. 08?

Kym,

You are in my thoughts and prayers.  I just pm'd you.  Please keep in touch with us and let us know how you are.

God Bless,

Tonya

My sister in San Fransisco called me and told me that she will begin taping ' Breast Cancer Diaries, ' a series that is coming on TV soon in the USA. She will tape it and send it to me, thank goodness. She said that it will premier on Cable TV on Oct 30th on Discovery Health.
I think that would be the Discovery Channel but I am not sure.



Bette, my nail beds started turning dark blue at the cuticle after my 2nd round of A/C. Tea tree oil massage was suggested on another thread. My doc says I might lose some nails anyway so be prepared. She said that this issue can last for over 6 months. Do not use bandaids if your nails start to split over it. Use pink wig tape because it won't stick to your nails and pull them off as abuptly as sticky bandaids will. Be as tender with your nails as you can. Almost half of my thumb nails are blue but only a bit on the other nails and none on my little fingers FYI. Also the cuticles are so dry that some of them are peeling off. The surrounding skin is also dry and some of it has peeled.

Hi Ladies,

It feels like ages since I've checked in.  I've been so busy around the house, school, appts. Attended a good friend's Armenian wedding last week.  (So much food!).

I met w/my surgeon (He's chief of Surgery and performed my thyroid surgery in 1992 ).  He told me that since I've responded so positively to chemo, he wants me to have a lumpectomy.  I inquired about that vs. a mastecomy. He said they really try to preserve the breast now a days and it's no better or worse than a mastecomy.I feel pretty good about that. I'll be having surgery  in November.

I see a lot of new names here. Hello and welcome.  To you Kymberlyn: You are in my prayers. I am so sorry for the loss of you son.  Ditto on what Stacy said and continue your TX. Your son is an angel watching over you. I have a 19yr old too.

Wow Stacy you sure had a day! Thank God for our folks.  Mine have been phenomenal. I also can relate to the 'best friend" thing.  My comadre (She baptized my son) sent me a beautiful card but that's about it.  I've come to not expect much from anyone. Even my mother-in-law hasn't called. Isn't that tacky? The people at my wonderful job gave me a beautiful gift bag w/eye lashes, hand soaps, natural deodarant, a robe and money. People that I wouldn't have expect to contribute, did.  Showed me who is really genuine in my life.

Congratulations to everyone who finished their final TX!  I will be going on TX#4 Friday.  Then only 4 more....I'm very sniffly and sneezy too!

Prayers & Hugs to all.

Jeannine

Bette, may I ask which ointment you are using?


Welcome back Jeannine. You were missed!

Roya, I am using Neosporin as I have some open areas that I don't want to get infected

Hey everyone!!!!!!  Well I am over a week out of my last chemo and I am feeling pretty good.  Still alittle runned down but NOTHING I can't handle!!! LOL  I go in tomorrow for my markings and rads consultation.  Then they said I will probably start 1 or 2 days after so it looks like maybe Thursday will be my 1st radiation appointment!!!! I am just glad to get through another section of this!!! KYM - you are in my prayers - so sorry for your loss.  Girls hang in there I can see light at the end of the tunnel and it feels WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Loves to all...........

Hi, Joyce & everyone... I'm here; just haven't felt much like posting.  I think I reported earlier that I caught a horrible cold a couple of days after my last tx, and it's still hanging on.  I've been taking an antibiotic, which has helped kick it some, but which has also given me diarrhea.  Other than that, I just don't have any energy again -- sort of like after tx #2.  Not sure if it's the chemo or the cold or the combination, but I just feel crappy, and I'm tired of feeling crappy. I had a follow up app't. scheduled @ UCLA this Wednesday, but I just cancelled it due to the 3-hr. drive, which probably would not be a good situation to get into if this diarrhea doesn't stop.  I'd cancelled last week's app't. with my PS for the same reason.  So, I guess I'm just hanging out and waiting for this inertia and totally blah feeling to lift.

Did you all watch Living Proof?  If you missed it, I think it repeats again tonight on Lifetime.  It's about Dennis Slamon, the UCLA research doc who discovered Her2 and developed Herceptin.  Incredibly moving, and well worth watching. 

Thinking of you all ~  Who's up for tx this week?      Deanna

Hi ladies.. i just wanted to come and say hello.. been trying to recover from chemo and these hot flashes.. bette sorry about the job thing..my onco told me i had to stop working...and to sign up for disability.. so thats what i did.. even though i want get any funds till feb 09.. but i hope everything works out for you.. isnt there groups that help women with bc with finanical things..

Hello ladies

Kym-you are in my prayers too,,,may you be blessed with an abundance of peace.

I went for number 4 today  and instead was told that the tumor is now Not responding to the chemo. It grew this time (had shrunk before),,,so it is surgery THIS week. I will find out more tomorrow. I can say I am relieved.  I will see the surgeon and set up my pre-op.  I am not scared, just know its time,,and needs to be done especially since its now growing again.

I pray for a healthy and quick recovery.   For all of us. May we all know peace and know Gods love.

I'm soooo tired.    I pray for all of you. This really is not in our hands,,and my faith is strong in believing there is a purpose for it all.  God is good. And will use whatevers bad for good. 

Hugs to you all.  @-}-----  I can day I'm looking forward to that pre- med they give right before the operation.  The little perks of this LOL.

Nice to hear from everyone.  Kym, I am so sorry to hear about your son, it is just beyond words.  Take care of yourself, I bet that is what he would want.

I go for my first Taxotere on Friday.  Fingers crossed!  The old fear of the unknown kicking in..I did see a gyno last week and had a uterine biopsy "just in case...god forbid" and it was negative, so that was good.   I think  I am going to ask about genetic testing, see if I can get it done. 

 Best of luck to everybody!  

I saw a few snow flakes today - yuck!!!!

Taxol today. I am a bit anxious not knowing what to expect from the treatment or the SE's

I am calling the Americans with Disabilities Act Hotline today as soon as they open to see if there is anything I can do legally about my job.

I dislike having all this looming over me, but I know that God is in control of it, and nothing can happen to me that does not first pass through His hands. In that is my comfort.

Bette 

Lisahugs, I am sorry to hear that your tumor is not responding.  Glad to know that you are getting it removed!  You are in my prayers!!!! You are right, it is in God's hands!

Bette, I have had 2 rounds of Taxol.  The good news is that there is no nausea/ vomiting as S/E. The main S/E  that bothers me is the neuropathy.  The aches and pains in the bones, esp my legs.  The numbness in my fingers and feet.  It began about 4 days after the first dose.  At first it was not so bad and seemed to dissipate after a day or 2.  Then after the 2nd dose, it came back after about 3 days.  The following Monday found me in bed wrapped in a down comforter with a cup of tea and 2 pain pills.  The discomfort was formidable. I will let you know as I go.  Thank goodness, just 2 ore treatments!!!!!!

Jeannine, hope my pm finally got to you.  I think it repeated itself 5 times, somehow before the real message got through.

Had tx #4 yesterday, I think that is my halfway point.  Dr. still not sure how many, but probably 8.  Not feeling too bad today, slept for about 12 hours last night, but I'm up and around and feeling ok today.  My dog has to go for her mastectomy and get spayed tomorrow, so I have to get out of the house for a little bit tomorrow.  I'm going to take it easy Friday too, my bff is coming in from New Orleans for a visit this weekend and I want to be able to spend some quality time with her.  DH's company just got big contract that is requiring 12 hour days, at least 6 days a week, he had to miss appt with BS on Mon and tx yesterday.  And I can't expect him to do much around the house, he is exhausted when he gets home.  But somebody's got bring in a paycheck!  I slept through most of my tx yesterday, when I woke up, I got up to go to restroom and caught the IV tube on the doorknob, pulled it out.  Didn't really hurt to re-insert it though, she was able to get it back through same hole.  They said I'm the first to ever do that, go figure.  I have another PET CT in two weeks, hoping for the best.  The muga came back at 71%, so that's great, only a 5% decrease in 3 months.  Hope everyone is doing well. I'll be okk for a few days, gonna stay in bed with a book!

Hi Misty, I more than likely will be starting tamoxifen too.  There's a possiblity I might go in a hormone suppression clinical trial but right now I am chemopaused and my hormone levels are too low, but just barely. So it will probably be tamoxifen when I go back to the onc.  I'm due for my breast mri next month, but the good boob definitely doesn't feel as dense as before chemo. Do you have to do mri's every 6 months now too?  If so, you'll be due for another one soon and maybe then you can rest assured that is nothing.

Surgery today,,,trying to keep busy and not  to focus on too much . Lots of love to you all. Pray my recovery is quick.   I'm soooooo hungry and thirsty LOL.  My moms coming,,pray THIS goes good.  Lots of issues there.

I pray you all finish chemo and come out with peace and no more of this desease.  @-}---