Starting chemo January 2009?

Year -- it's not thoughtless to just report something you read....no need to beat yourself up! 

From what I've read, the "stage" concept is good for predicting the odds on a statistical basis, but unfortunately that's no guarantee that I, for example, won't be one of the 5% of the Stage I, node-negative people with a 32 Oncotype who will have a distant recurrence in 10 years.  It's all a crapshoot, no matter what stage any of us are.  This is why I'm struggling right now to take comfort in the stats that are in my favor, and why it was so encouraging to talk to my aunt today (thinking I need to call her on a daily basis!!).  DH also keeps reminding me that I could be hit by a bus tomorrow, so all this excessive worrying is really a waste of energy.  Believe it or not, most days I'm really positive & optimistic, but for the past few days, I've been having a harder time chasing away the pessimistic thoughts.  Think it's the cold, dreary weather...it will be in the 20's here for the next week or so, and it DEFINITELY affects my psyche.  I'm SO ready for spring!!

Year....I think you deserve a get out of jail free card......when I read what you wrote I clearly understood where you were coming from.....

There is nothing more important right now than being an advocate for our cause and our sisters. 

MISTY123-yup, the same thing happened to me. The Neulasta shot didn't kick in until about day 10, and they wanted my counts up before that. So, I do the neupogen shots 3 days in a row, then get checked on Monday to see if I need another (didn't last 2 times). I had less pains from the neupogen shot, and I get the shot in the belly although it does hurt (but just for a few seconds). Good luck. It's just a pain going in the get the shots.

Year of the Hat--it was an article--you're NOT thoughtless. I think the point is that we need a cure for breast cancer. Too many women are dying from this disease, and the truth is that the likelihood increases with the stage, among other factors. This is not a pretty pink disease. I've lost my grandma and friends to it. I'm going to do all I can to knock it out of my life, andALO is right, advocate for all our sisters.

Hi all.  I had a good thursday too.  I was tired in the morning and went back to bed after eatting some breakfast.  I have a cold and Saturday would be when I was hospitallized last time so I figured I should give my body any rest it wanted.  Once awake I made a bunch of phone calls I had procrasted on.  I took my longest walk so far since the weather was warm. I tired easily but other than that it was a good walk.  Then in the evening DH went out with a friend to drink beer and have guy talk and two of my girl friends came over with pesto pizza and chocolet ice cream.  I gave them a fashion show of my hats. They loved them and told me I have a great head for hats and should find a way to model them.  The evening was over around midnight. It is almost 4am and I was just awakened by a restless leg and could not get back to sleep.   I think I will go whip up a batch of that almost no-knead bread I made over the weekend that is pretty much gone and see if I can repeat the miracle.  This part I need to do first takes all of 5 minutes.  I called a bunch of friends to see if anyone wanted to come over for dinner tomorrow night (last night as a childless couple.  DS comes home Saturday) but only one said yes and they offered to have us over instead.  I think I will take them up on it since they have a child and entertaining him will be easier over there.  But I can bring bread and dessert.  Of course I may be tempting fate.  I went out to a friends for dinner this Friday last time around and Saturday I was hospitalized with low blood counts.  I am counting on the nuelasta this time.

Ddlat, I was just about to post on the same subject.  I have been anemic since my 2nd treatment of A/C.  My hemoglobin in now down to 8.5 and I will need a transfusion next week if it goes down to 8.  It has been dropping at least 1 point after each treatment.  I had a treatment yesterday so in a week I am sure I will be headed to the blood bank.   I have to go back in a week to have it checked again.   Everytime I move from one point in my home to another, I feel as if I have just run a marathon.  Pounding in my head, shortness of breath.   I am with you when you say you want this over with.   They tell me though that the transfusion should last for a while.   I begin 12 weekly treatments of taxol on March 5.   Also am told my counts should go up with this series.

I have also had very sensitive teeth and jaw pain, so it has been difficult to eat solids.  I have lost 13 lbs. in the last 4 week.   They were not thrilled with that either.  

Hang in there.  It will get better.    It's got to.   

Holdbolt!!

Holtbolt,    

     Adam is the goth guy with Black hair he ususally hasd eyeliner on..............sorry My daughter got me addicted to this..............well sorta.........He will be on next week, and I don't know who danny is describe him for me pleaser!!! Everyone have a great weekend!! Pamela

I'm just a nervous wreck....going in for AC 4 in about an hr.  Last one!!!!! then tx.  Thanks everyone for the reasurance. Can't seem to get enough.

Yearofthehat, good luck with AC #4, oh, how I wish I was on AC #4! lol.  Last one, woohoo!  You can do it. 

Also wanted to add that my oncologist freaked me out today.  I asked her (thanks to some postings I've seen from my Jan Jewels) about having ovaries removed, was it necessary, blah, blah, blah...She launched into a response that started with "Well, since you're ER-..."  I was like "I'm ER +"  She said, no you're Triple Negative   Holy crap! No that it's any better or worse but I was thinking holy crap, are we going down the wrong path?  She quickly flicked through my file and confirmed that I'm ER+/PR+.  She was so embarassed.  Had to let her off the hook, though.  I was like, you have 100 of me to worry about, I only have one.

Holtbolt...I think so.  Supposedly it's been very successful and I feel like I will do anything I can to help with research on this beast.

Re: ovaries, it was a wait and see thing.  If my period isn't supressed by tamoxifen she thinks we should talk about it.  Although not necessarily a removal, but some other way of supressing their activity.

Diane and Year of the Hat--CONGRATULATIONS on finishing the AC! I was so happy to be done with that. Hoping you have no SEs.

PrincessKauai- Wow--you're almost done!! Any fingernail issues? For SEs, what's the best day to get the treatment. I hope to go back to work 3 days, and I was thinking I'd try to get tx on Fridays. I'll check out the PT lead. I really like the therapists at the Alta Bates Cancer Center, and I think that my visits are limited by my insurance--WHICH I GOT REINSTATED!! Hooray.

Brenda--Hope you start feeling better after your next (last??) AC. They tell me too that the Taxol will be easier. I'll be REALLY po'd if it isn't. I mentioned to my clinical trial coord. that I'm already so tired of this that I can't imagine doing the Avastin for months more if I'm in that arm of the trial. Twice she's looked at me and said if you are, then FOR YOU you should really go through with it. Of course I wonder what that means!!! I'm going to get up my nerve to ask her. Like what does she know that I don't??

Holtbolt--I think there has been some discussion on some thread here about that. I'm on the Avastin/Placebo trial for high risk of recurrence. !The thread for that is under Just Get me through treatment. I'm going to try to push for the Zometa anyhow once I finish chemo because it shows promise. I need to talk with my onc more, as he didn't seem convinced (since it's still being researched).  Good luck!

good day! 

Wed I went for T/C number 3 and was happily surprised to find out I would be doing only 4 instead of the 6 like I thought!  I was really happy, as it was getting harder and harder to psyche myself up for the next treatment. My worst side effect is taste and it bothers me a lot.

I know in a week it will be gone, I want my OJ to taste good again!

The nuestra shot doesn't seem to bother me that much... motrin helps.  My WBC have been 7.9 each time.  I joked with her yesterday when I got the shot.. for the cost, it shouldn't give us pain!!  Guess I will thank my mom for making me drink all that milk when I was younger.   The doctor also told me  I could eat fresh fruit.  That made me happy as it has been hard to pass up those fresh strawberrries and grapes in the grocery store.. Looking forward to them tasting good next week!!!

 Today has been rough, I let time go by while getting taxes ready for the accountant, that I should have taken a nausea pill earlier but hopefully it will kick in soon.  Made some home made macaroni and cheese in crock pot.  It was nice and bland, but then it was probably my taste buds

Have been knitting some hats, hopefully will get another one done this weekend.  Signed up for the Look Good, feel Better program in April.

Also need to call about Radiation, as they called the other day about when I would be starting. Guess around the first of April,  since my last chemo will be March 11th

I did ask him why 4 instead of the six and he said it hasn't been proved that 6 is really better than four and with my report 4 would be fine. I didn't argue.  

 Enjoy your weekend

sally 

Ninja--It looks like we have similar schedules. Had my last AC last Thurs. Doing the Neupogen shots to up my WBC (down to 1) and Levaquin. What's your Taxol schedule?

Had terrible news today from my dh that our friend's husband was taken off life support after being hit by a bus last week. Their youngest is my oldest's age (21). So much sadness...so unfair. Marymoir was right that worrying about the unknown is a waste of energy. I'm going to try to do better and live for the day and look forward to tomorrow. And give my family and friends love and smiles as best I can.

Well, HUGS!!! to all. My dd brought some friends over to spend the night, which helps my attitude.Teenage girl energy. Hope everyone has a great weekend with NO SEs.

Oh, Lisa, SO SORRY about your friend. More tears... little boys too. When my sister was up here last weekend, the onc. nurse gave her a book she was reading on lymphomas because my sister's good friend's 15 yr old daughter just got diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma. I'll try to get the name of the book if she remembers it. They just started chemo with her. When will it stop??? Your kind, positive attitude should be a great support to her. I'm wishing all the best for her and her family.

Hello All,

I am 1 week past my second chemo treatment and all my hair, except for hard stubles, is gone. I am having a very hard time wearing hats. My scalp is just too itchy and I started a rash. Any one else who has the same problem? Any suggestions?. What is this leg hair thing?? One would think you would get a break not having to shave. You lose your hair of your head and everywhere else but not your legs? What gives. Also any of you having problems with weight gain? I seem to have slight swelling in my hands and my abdomen seems larger. Otherwise my energy has returned and I am looking forward for a better week.

Sending all you angels "feel good" vibes, Johanna