Starting Chemo February 2009?

Oh gee whiz, jancie, I hate you're having to delay your chemo, but it's good to get all your dental work done first.  I'm glad you were able to play your chemo card and get in soon.  Good luck with the root canal and crown!

I haven't tried lemon water; thanks for the idea!  I've been buying Propel powder in the berry flavor; I like it a lot, but might need to switch it up for lemon once in a while.

You wrote:
>>I dread the stares I will get next Sunday when I go to church with a wig on.  Nobody would ever say anything mean but you have to wonder what their silent thoughts are.>> 
If anyone looks at you wierd, just hold up your Chemo Card.

apple, I don't know for sure, but I can imagine that I'll like scarves and caps/hats better than a wig.  I'm a ponytail-n-ballcap kind of girl anyway, so yeah, I'm going to buy some scarves tomorrow.  

So, Furies, my second chemo went fine today, praise the Lord!  My aunt stopped in to see me; she's being treated for lung cancer at the same group; we've joked about asking for a family discount, haha!

Hugs to all,
Artemis

Lisa810 - the brain fog is weird and is still lingering.  I was in class until 2pm today and had a hard time focusing on anything.  I'm sure it'll get better soon..I hope.  I start my clinicals next week (I'm a student physical therapist assistant) and this is my last semester.  I also need to start prepping for my state licensing exam. 

Jancie - this winter has been cruel - it was brutally cold a few weeks ago with windchills dipping to 20 below 0.  We had a foot of snow last Wednesday, but it warmed up this weekend and it's starting to melt.  Now everything is turning to mud.  

My latest side effects include wicked acid reflux and even worse constipation. Notifiied the onc.; she said to take an otc anti-acid and senokot.  I'm done with the steriod until the next treatment so hopefully that will hault this incredible appetite of mine, lol. 

Hugs to all -  

Started my chemo today. I I was quite nervous at the doctor's office. He gave the "go" and told me to take the Emend right away. Half an hour after taking Emend, I felt relaxed for some strange reason.  The chemo itself was short only 1 hrs but the waiting before that (for the doctor's exam and all) was two hours.  I had really good appetite coming back home at 2pm since I missed my lunch. Started to feel muscle pain a bit now and a bit cold before dinner.  Then the hot soup my aunt made for me really made me warm and had to eat some icecream to cool myself down.

I went shopping for wig and bra and hats. The store was owned and operated by cancer survivors. The owner, being a 17 or 19 yrs BC survivors, she's so nice to her customers.  We got there a bit late since I live nearly 1 hr away from the store. She stayed 1 hr late after the closing hr to make sure I got everything I need.  Also she took my insurance beforeahead and called them to know my allowance.  She had such a big collection of everything. I was my one stop shopping for everything.

SHe did tell me that some of her customers had developed lumphdema out of blue - years after the treatment and also some like herself has blood clots in her leg later although she's not sure if it's related to the BC treatment.

My husband is saying I'm overeacting about the wig.  He wants my hair to fall out then look for a wig.  (He's really hoping my hair doesn't fall out).  This is a man who is only used to seeing me with long hair.  I may slip into to some local wig shops and see what I can find, but he only wants me to look for long hair so people won't think it's a wig (????).  We'll see how that goes.

Luv2sing - oh....thre are so many beautiful long hair wigs out there for you to try on and look at.

I have been having problems figuring out how to post pictures here. I am getting a wig that has longer hair than I currently have and I can't wait to wear it!  Here is a link that shows you a picture of it http://www.wilshirewigs.com/SUGAR-RUSH-by-Forever-Young-pr-3486.html

Hey jancie - wow, that is quite the wig!! You will be turning heads!

I had second treatment last Friday, has hit me harder than the first one. I'm still feeling a bit crappy, but am able to function OK, I think. I would not like to be having to go to work and think!!  Just need to ride it out until the weekend, am sure to feel back to normal by then. Got a bad taste in my mouth - it is the SE from something, wasn't as aware of it last time. yuck...

aaww..

hope you feel better Judy.  heartracing and blackouts are not good and I hope your doctor can relieve them.   (I personally love doing laundry, altho you wouldn't know since my laundry room is such a mess).  why the kids think they can pull all the clothes out of the dryer, throw them on the floor, find their pants in the washer and dry them is beyond me.  I wish I could take pride in their laundry skills and not complain.

i would love to see pics of your mosaics if you have them.

Love your doctors' names Bethie1 !  Dr Sunken, Dr Savage and Dr Welt!  Reminds me of my post surgery torso!  Kind of sunken, savaged and welted. 

My primary care is Dr Badman,  my mom's is Dr Payne....

Anyone looking for elasticized (easy to tie)scarves, I found some on Etsy and eBay made by survivors. just search 'chemo cap'

Luv2sing,  You can also try to call local ACS for free wig and scarf, something for you to transition if you don't feel well enough for the wig shopping after your hair falls out.

to: Bethie1  Much luck to you tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you. I, too, was operated on by Dr. Krieinberg. I liked her a lot. My oncologist is Dr. Garbo from NYOH on Washington Ave. Ext. I had my first chemo last Fri. I've got 5 more treatments to go. What chemo drugs will you take? Let me know how it goes for you. I got a wig today. We'll figure out a way to connect.  Suzanne

To all: This journey is a strange one. A long road to travel, so many experiences.
Best of luck to all.

Hey Jancie, dd's horse is a 7yo thoroughbred gelding.  He has been her 4-H project for the last 2.5 years, and she has been trying to bring him along as a hunter.  The show we took him to was a local English/hunter/jumper schooling show, and unfortunately Tex decided he did not care to jump that day - out on refusals in 2 of 3 classes and eliminated when she came off after a very dirty stop five fences into the course in the third class.  Let me know if you need more details, and I'll pm them.     

I will keep you posted on how my treatment progresses - so far so good although I had a cranky day today - chemo related?  I don't know!  Do you have your start date yet?   

KerryMac - sorry to hear your second was harder on you than the first - hope you feel better every day. 

Carol0371 - I am following your treatments with interest since I am slated for Tx12 following AC (but no Avastin).  Sorry about your turkey breast!

Prayers and positive thoughts to living4today and nancyb7912 who are listed as starting Wed and Thurs - and everyone else whether your treatments have started or you're still waiting to get going.

Tricia  

Hey there everyone. Still hanging in here, holding out for the weekend when I am sure I will feel better. Sore body today - my 3 year old ended up in bed with us last night, and he was kicking me all night, Now I feel all battered. We are having a bit of a heat wave which is lovely, everything is all melty outside. Roll on spring (or more specifically May 1st, my last Chemo!!)

 Carol - you made me laugh with your Turkey breast - I was cooking soup for my kids lunch yesterday, and was thinking it was much more noodly than usual....I, of course, had forgotten to add the extra water! My brain is certainly not inside my head, I find I am typing really slowly too, and misspelling a lot.

Just wanted to add something people might want to think about with their hat buying -  I have a lovely soft sleep cap, which I wear every night to bed. I would be chilly without it, and it is nice to be able to get out of bed and have a head cover on.... I am really nearly bald now, look far more like Cancer Girl than GI Jane!!

Anyhow, hope anyone starting today does well. You've just got to put your head down and get through it. 

Is anyone doing the TAC vc TC study? #06-090. Looks like that is what I am going to do, hopefully to start on 2/20/09. I'll either have Taxotere/Cytoxin X6 or TC+A X6. I am a little worried if I get the TAC, since all 3 of those drugs together seems like the SE's could be terrible. Hopefully I will get the TC and not have to worry!

Jancie - I like the wig you selected, and thanks for the link! I ended up ordering a couple from them yesterday (inexpensive ones) and will get the more expensive daily wear wig from a local wig shop. Did anyone get a fun, punky style? I think I will order a costume wig in bright purple just to wear for days I need a cheer. lol.

I hope everyone is doing well. Webbie - looks like you have the closest regimen to me, how are you tolerating the TC? What are your worst days so far?

 Thank you all for being inspirational!

Janine

lbrewer,

You shouldn't need pain meds before, but the next day when you get the Neulasta shot I would take something like motrin or the Claritin they say does help. As for  allergy meds... you should be getting a steroid and benadryl with your treatment and that'll take care of any allergy side effects you might encounter, but that is rare. The mouthwash I use is called Biotene, rinse with it twice a day, it'll help with possible mouth sores and also dry mouth during sleeping time.  If you get a sedative during treatment like Ativan, you won't be able to drive.  Good luck!
Well I finally slept thru the entire nite last nite, first time in 2 weeks!  And just in time to start my steroid craze tonight, to get ready for treatment #2 tomorrow bright and early at 930.  Guess my house will be pretty clean again this weekend!

On the wigs.. I bought 2 cheap-o ones from ACS website tlcdirect.org.  They have wigs for $35-40 and they look really nice.  Not as well made as the $400 ones of course, but hey it's only temporary right! Also just ordered a new one from voguewigs.com (w/free shipping!). Came upon this "Options Heat Resistent" type of wig that you can use a curling iron, hot rollers, blow dryer, etc. on!   You can't use any type of heat on a regular synthetic wig or it will be ruined, I learned the hard way on that one!  So with these types of wigs you can go straight or curly or wavy... just like real hair, and without paying the price of a human hair wig ($800+)! They are by Alan Eaton, check them out!

Sue

Just wanted to let all of you who are starting chemo, hang in there.  The horror stories you hear are not nearly as bad as they sound.  Reading your comments tells me you are all strong women.  That is what it takes to get through this frightening time of your life.  I finished ACT in four months with very few side effects and can tell you your state of mind is your biggest ally along with a strong belief in God.  Bald head?, so what.  I shaved my head before I started losing my hair.  It was going to happen on my terms not cancer's.  Never be ashamed of admitting if you've gone through a mastechtomy, a breast does not make a woman.

 I completed my chemo  December 26, 2007 and 8 days later my husband was diagnosed with throat cancer.  We went through our radiation together and again our attitude toward this disease is our saving grace.  Hang in there ladies, you've already gone through the worst just by getting your diagnosis.  The rest is easy, it's working on your cure.  Love to you all.