Starting Chemo February 2009?

And you will feel so much better once it has gone. Trust.

to all you who are having a rough time... best thoughts and wishes are sent your way from Kansas.  I will try to enjoy my day before my next chemo... hoping the SEs continue to be well tolerated and not be accumulative.

it's funny,  now that i know all about the side effects i seem to have them more along with the constant worry that i get them..   heh.

my hair continues to sprinkle out.  it is so short it is hardly worth buzzing so i won't till bald patches appear.

a little hint:  i have really enjoyed wearing pure silk scarves.  they are thin, elegant, warm and easy to hand wash.  i started looking for them at thrift and consignment shops and garage sales.  Even tho i have a large collection, it is still difficult to find one to match my outfit.    i guess i will rely on the wig that makes me feel like a boy in drag but looks great even tho i want to tear it off, it's so uncomfy.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9K4BKkLaCI

have a great day all.

Dx 5/10/2008, IDC, 5cm, Stage IIIc, Grade 3, 4/9 nodes, ER+

Here's to a better day for all of us!   Talk about weepy.. boy was I a weepy woman yesterday.  I dont know if I'm starting the dreaded menopause, or what.  I cried on the way in to the office and many times after that.  Then my dear hubby sent me flowers to my office and when I went to see what the receptionist had called me for at the front desk... I cried.  Gosh haven't cried so much in a long time.  Even cried on the turnpike going home.  Oie!    Well feeling much better today, minus darn sinus pain and pressure.  But I'll be starting my steroid craze tonite for treatment tomorrow, so maybe it'll clear up.

Cheers to all for a good day!

Sue

UNBELIEVABLE! My chemo is suppose to start tommorrow, and I woke up with a 100.6 fever this morning!! I have been so careful to stay away from people who were sick and use lysol, wash my hands, use hand sanitizer and I STILL got sick.  I have put a phone call into my onco's nurse and waiting for a call back, but I am sure this is going to set me back another week. I can't believe this is 2 weeks in a row I have been trying to be ready to go, and got it put off. Next Thursday will be 6 weeks from  my bilateral mast. Isn't that quite a long time to wait to start chemo? Also, my port will be in for 6 weeks by then with no flush... I am 3 hours away from my treatment center and I live in a small town and would never let anyone around here access my port.

That's gonna put my start date in March..doesn't my body know that will throw me out of the Fabulous February Furies??? SHESHHHH!!

Thanks for the info Kerry - now I get to feel like crap before my chemo even starts.. lucky me! I know it sounds funny, but I think I started getting sick about 2 days ago.. my body was aching, feeling sick to my stomach, but I thought I was just having sympathy symptoms for all of you!

hello and welcome to Helen/Gramof3, BCPrego2008, lexie4040, Sessna1 & anyone else new i missed. big hugs to you.

Kerry, I hope it's ok that I'm taking your advice "Remember you can get all nice and healthy again in the summer!!" for myself. I'm adding it to my mantras. So happy to hear your mama will be around to help you, that's so great.

"When people ask how I am, my answer should not exceed ONE word." - excellent advice, denali.

Jancie, love your pics - you are gorgeous!

kelty, glad to hear your counts are back up but sorry about going off schedule. That's my biggest fear.

(((Michele))) & ((kathie))) & (((webbie))) just cuz.

living4today, all parts crossed this treatment goes smoothly for you.

Suzmarks, can you just tell your students not to mention the wig? That you're really fragile right now and that your hair loss makes you sad? I wore mine yesterday for the first time and I didn't even let anyone at work compliment me. I felt they would just be telling me what I wanted to hear, and i felt so odd & weird & phony & ugly. So I just smiled and put my finger to my lips in a shhhh motion, and they respected my wishes. I also don't need to hear coworker tell me for the 12^th time how much fun she had when she used to wear wigs ... for fun. Wearing wigs for fun is a completely different scenario. People just don't get it.

Susan13, I was told that, with implants, I'll be having MRI's every 6 months forever, even tho I don't have any breast tissue left (if there is, it's microscopic).

Oh and on the weepy front? I was crying on Monday because it was WINDY! I just wanted the wind to STOP already. (I think more for fear of wearing the wig the next day, but ... maybe no. I really hate wind.)

i feel deeply for those of you wrestling with the mortality thing. Perhaps because mine was caught early enough to fix and I'm doing everything possible to make sure it never comes back, it's a place I don't go. Not even in my darkest pity parties. I don't know why, because I'm a complete worrywart by nature. That's why my mom keeps saying "I don't know where you're getting your strength from" because I usually freak at the drop of a hat. like, about errant asteroids and nuclear holocaust. i kid you not. i can be a nutcase.

I do worry about ovarian cancer, though. I think I want them to take my ovaries out.

on the positive side, i walked my dog yesterday. just a short walk, but it was the first time since early december, when i was nuts about all the ice and possibly falling prior to surgery. it felt good & i think zoey was happy to have mommy back, too.

healthy and healing and comfort and soothing vibes and neck massages and footrubs, up for grabs.

 Hi all:  I just finished round 2 of Taxotere/Cytoxan/Herceptin.  I get the dreaded Neulasta tomorrow.  I have my regular claratin and hope to ward off the pain.  It only took 31/2 hours this time so not too bad. 

Kat4pink:  I had my bilateral and port put in on Dec. 3rd and didn't start chemo until Feb. 4th.  My onc was on vacation the end of December.  They did flush my port on initial visit Jan. 15th and had no problems.  They do say they like to start chemo 6-8 weeks after surgery but I don't think it is critical.  Hang in there and I hope you feel better.

I now have chemo brain all the time.  I have no memory and have to right everything down. My daughter also says it has afffected my personality.  She says I am too critical of everything.  I will try to be more positive.  

On the mammo after implant front I have heard of people getting them with implants, but I would find out from your onc and surgeon on best treatment for you.  My cancer was never picked up on mammogram but MRI lit up the lump I found and 2 other tiny lumps on my other breast.  I vote MRI all the way.

Sue 50: I can't believe they left behind any breast tissue.  I am going to further inquire with my surgeon on my next visit.  Isn't that why we chose a bilateral so we wouldn't have to worry as much. Your in our prayers and I'm glad you changed doctors, very smart move.

Good night even though with the steroids I'll be up most of it.

Cheri 

Yes, I'm doing marvelous!!!  Glad to be around all this support!!!  Had my 2nd round today, handled it marvelously!!!  I'm having less side effects today than 2 weeks ago.  Some I had some I didn't, but I'm taking it day-by-day, and am anticipating fatigue to set in tomorrow on my hydration day.

• "When people ask how I am, my answer should not exceed ONE word." - excellent advice, denali.
• I am so going to use this advice!!!
• thank you !!
• Sue from Fl

Susan13,

Regarding followups, I only had annual physical exams (no ultrasound) from my oncologist for about 2 years post mastectomy, then I was told I didn't have to come back but to continue with annual ob/gyn visits. They can't do mammograms on you any more. 

Incidentally my original ob/gyn refused to examine my implants!! Didn't feel qualified, she said. At least she was honest. So I found a new ob/gyn.

I think things have changed though; the followups may be more aggressive these days. A friend of mine was diagnosed a year ago with DCIS, and chose bilats with silicon implants. One year out, she is still getting exams from her oncologist every 3 months.

I only got an ultrasound after finding the lump. I don't think they offer it as a general screening method, maybe they should. 

KerryMac,   bummer about your belated diagnosis. We just have to pick up and go on as best we can, though, right?   But you have the right idea....Painting!  Art lifts the spirits for sure. I'm playing with colored pencils tonight.

Where are you GCPommon? (speaking of art, she's the mosaic-ist) Hope your mom is ok too.

Kat4Pink, get well soon! 

See y'all later, (look what you Southerners are doing to me), going for AC #3 tomorrow!

I've never even had boiled peanuts and I'm drawlin'

KMN - Don't feel bad going into May - my chemo is going all the way into June!!  The thing is many of the people here started the first week of February.  I just started last week and have 8 treatments 2 weeks apart which means 4 months which takes me to June unless I am not doing my math right (I don't do math).

So I will be hanging with you the entire time!  I checked the top of the thread and it didn't give any details as to exactly your chemo procedure and I am too lazy to go back through 20 pages to see where you posted it in a thread - sorry - don't take offense - don't take that personal - just my mind is tired.

Color me confused but I thought that those that are HER2 positive get Herceptin and there are a number of us that are HER2 negative.  Instead I will be on tamoxifin after my treatments are over since I am ER/PR Positive and HER2 negative.

Weep away - I will weep with you.  It is hard emotionally to get through this and I have my days where I just want to curl up in a ball and lay in bed all day long.

Morning y'all -

 It is nice to hear that people seem much cheerier this morning, I'm feeling good too. It must be because we are nearing the halfway mark. Whoohoo...My Husband is quick to point out I have to wait for the upswing before it counts, too. What is it with these husbands?? I guess they are the ones that have to cope with us in our chemofied state. 

I am another one using an IV. My veins are pretty good, and I have three weeks between Tx's, so I guess plenty of time to heal. I can only use one arm because of the Node removal, so hope they hold out.

My veins are sore though, all the way up my forearm. That is from the nasty "E" drug (it is the one that makes my pee go pink too!), but it is also the one that is super powerful, so I will take the sore veins!! My arm gets really cold too, it is like it is frozen!  My husband has found where they keep those warm blankets, he was able to keep getting me new ones. They give me a popsicle during the E infusion, it is supposed to help stop the yuckky taste, didn't work so well last time.

 As for Chemo Brain - after I picked my daughter up from school yesterday, I took her shoes off to put her snow boots on...then just put her shoes back on! She thought it was hilarious. Actually, it is kinda funny.

Sue (and anyone else up today) - hope it goes well!!

 Webbie - great news on your blood counts! You are kicking this. Hope you get some rest, I have read loads of people crash on Tx #3. I have had the same thoughts too on how I am feeling and whether I should be feeling worse so I know it is working on the cancer....I know they say SE's are no indication on how the cancer is responding, I wish there was a way of measuring it. Maybe you are just super healthy and your body is coping well. Must be all those boiled peanuts...!

Kristine - I started early (mid Jan) and will be going until the begining of May. There will be plenty of us around still. I think some Chemo groups keep going even after everyone is all done, as everyone gets so friendly. I am doing rads after too, so will be in Tx until July. You and me both for having a Dx that sucks, but remember, the more "aggressive" your cancer, the better chemo works. That is what I am telling myself, anyway.

Anyhow, hope everyone has a great day, sleep if your tired, try and enjoy your day if you are feeling good. 

How do you post pictures on this forum? Last night I had my husband and boys shave my head. I couldn't stand having my hair fall out! I couldn't wait until Saturday. We had a great time doing it! They took lots of pictures. I got a mohawk first, then took it all off. I want to show you all some of the pictures.