Starting Chemo May 2008

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  • MsKarin
    MsKarin Member Posts: 647
    edited March 2009

    Noelle - this is my reply to your FB comment. See my above post it says a little already. It was great. At first I thought I was at a doctor's office. I had to fill out a form asking about illness and medications I was taking. She explained to me she asks for that information since it effects our hair. Before the scissors touched my head we had about a 20 minute consult. She did the Deva cut then washed it. She then put a little Set it Free then AnGell in it. Then showed me how to finger style it. I sat under the dryer for a few minutes then she finger styled a bit more and snipped a bit and shaved bottom hair line.

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  • ranD
    ranD Member Posts: 373
    edited March 2009

    New photo demanded when a new haircut is achieved!

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  • lewing
    lewing Member Posts: 1,288
    edited March 2009

    Jackie, I'm outraged and heartbroken for you.  You're so right: 8 is far, far too young to have to deal with this shit.  I'm holding Karli close in my thoughts.  I'm holding *you* close in my thoughts, too - I can try to imagine what you're going through, but I know I can't fully grasp it. 

    Randie, your dad sounds really funny.  I think I can see where your sense of humor comes from.

    Linda

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  • KristyAnn
    KristyAnn Member Posts: 793
    edited March 2009

    RanD- you have MY hair!

    Kristy

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  • Sable
    Sable Member Posts: 738
    edited March 2009

    Jackie~ my heart aches for that little one :O(

    Karin~ I also demand an new pic of deva curl doo hair! lol

    I had a really nice anny day today. I went out with my gf and did some retail therapy and came home to wait for hubs. He got me a docking station for my ipod! Told him a trip out to dinner was just fine for me but he said he couldn't exactly find a card that said "happy anny glad you are still alive" LOL. He is such a ham. Then we went out with my gf and my boss to dinner at a mongolian restaurant, that was an experience. You go to a buffet bar and pick out raw meat you want and toss it in a bowl, then the next station you pick out your veggies and the last station you pick out seasonings and/or sauces. Then to march over to a HUGE round grill and these guys with big knives stand there and cook it for you. It was really good and a treat to watch.

    Tomorrow is the heart scan ... again. I'll be glad to get all this crap behind me one day. soon....sooooonnnnn.

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  • ranD
    ranD Member Posts: 373
    edited March 2009

    Kristy,

    Looks like we are all sisters with our hair!!

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  • ellenoire
    ellenoire Member Posts: 674
    edited March 2009

    love to all.. too tired to type..

    11 hours on my feet. 

    2 long days to go. 

    N

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  • rock
    rock Member Posts: 1,486
    edited March 2009

    Gracie,

    The pain comes through your post. I can only imagine how hard this is.  For what it's worth, though, kids are extraordinarily resilient especially when they have the love and support of someone like their Nana.  Someone who believes them and doesn't blame them.  I'm really glad she has you. I'm really glad she felt she could report what was happening to someone. I'm glad she was taken seriously.  But most of all, I'm glad she has a gramma who is going to be with her not only now, but years down the road, when she's a teenager or a young adult and some of the stuff might surface again. 

    You take good care of yourself, Gracie.  (I'm sitting at the kitchen table with you, with our tea, squeezing your hand.)

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  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited March 2009

    Gracie - Oh, shit.  <Sigh>  I totally agree with Rock - she will need support and love now and at other points in her life, but she will get through this.  I will pray especially for her, you and your family tonight. 

    Randie - Well, no wonder your mom was pushing you to tell the kids!  I'm really glad you can laugh about it now - and it sounds exactly like something my mom would say, too!

    Jen - Glad you had a good anni-day and Mongolian b-b-q is awesome!  Got your postcard, too -thanks!!

    Noelle - Love the Monty Python stuff - it's sooooo irreverant and soooooo funny!!

    Eddie - I'm ending with this quote, which reminded me of you (and not because it's the Jewish Buddah)  I may have to change my tag line now:   

    "Be here now.  Be someplace else later.  Is that so complicated?"  -- Sayings of the Jewish Buddha

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  • kerry_lamb
    kerry_lamb Member Posts: 778
    edited March 2009
    Well..another BIG read! I had the BEST talk with Ran, and while I was chatting, hub bought Jen's card up to me. It was all so coolLaughingI felt...not so far away! I'm typing with a sleeping orange kitten draped over my left arm..the devil does sleep once in a while lol.I have spent the last two days at our school's swimming carnivals. Yesterday (Year 7 - 10) I took 468 pics and today (Grade 3 - 6) I took 256. I have never seen such happy, relaxed children! It breaks my heart to read that some of your littlies are suffering..(hugs to you especially, Karin)..and I will pray for all of you. I wish I could come and clean your house, Noelle. I am the QUEEN of the chuck-out-and-schmick-the-joint..but only when it's someone else's place..I DID, however, PUT ALL MY CLOTHES AWAY last night. Man that felt good..and it took 12 minutes. I shit you not. I rang the girl who had the same recon as I am having and had a good yarn. She is 8/10 thrilled with hers. She wishes she got bigger ones! I laughed at that (being a well-endowed kinda gal) but I did take on board her regret that she went through all of that and should have been a bit more selfish. I'm thinking maybe I'll revise my choice of size ( I opted for poached eggs), and get some proper ones!  Cancerversary..Nope. Not me. Don't want to know about it..nothing to mark, celebrate or note. I kissed 2008 goodbye on New Year's Eve and I'm in my new life. But that's just me...I totally understand the alternative. Noelle, I want and anticipate more for you. You do so much..you deserve so much. For feck's sake, let it be soon. XXX I'm D.A.T. and am going to get a (fitfull, overheated) 'good' night's sleep. Goodnight from Lamb, the cat, the kitten, the dog and the (non-laying, bludgers called the) chickens. XXX 
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  • Roxi65229
    Roxi65229 Member Posts: 462
    edited March 2009

    Jackie, I am so sorry to hear about your grand daughter. It just breaks my heart. She is so fortuante to be embraced by so many that love her.

    Jen, glad to see that anny came and went. Your bbq sounded great. Wish we had something like that around here. And Karin, thinking of you love.

    I'm with Kerry, so long 2008, 2009 and FINE!!!!!

    Have a great day all. Let's see all those pics! 

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  • ellenoire
    ellenoire Member Posts: 674
    edited March 2009

    Huh? Poached eggs? Why Bother?

    Get at least a B! Remember the fakeys won't droop like the real ones! 

    If I was not so fond of my remaining boob I'd get a bigger set. 

    Not an issue until this damned Herceptin is over. 

     Busy day. 

     Love you all. 

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  • Gracie713
    Gracie713 Member Posts: 302
    edited March 2009

    Morning all!

    Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers!  I could feel all of you here with me all day-it is a great comfort.  I am better today.

    Randie-I have the same hairstyle as you too!  I love all of my non-biological sisters!  (Sometimes they are better than the "real" ones!)  I have been trying to upload a new avatar, but have to resize to get it to work.  I finally have more hair than the baby!  

    Jen-Thank you for the postcard.  First time I had mongolian, I put too much sauce and boy, it was hot!  I have learned that more is not always better.  Retail therapy sounds good--maybe that is what I need right now--does going to WalMart and buying a small fan to put on the head of the bed for the night sweats count?  (Naw........)

    Rock-You always know what to say and I could feel you squeezing my hand.  

    Much love to all.  

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  • JulieC
    JulieC Member Posts: 324
    edited March 2009

    Good morning, sisters,

    I just wanted to let everyone know that I am thinking about you - especially those with extra family issues (Karin, Gracie, RanD).  It's hard enough to go through what we do and then to add suffering children to the mix - I just don't know what to say.

    Roxi - how many more sleeps?  I have my streamers and confetti ready for your bon voyage party.  Sorry, everything I've learned about cruising I learned from "Love Boat".  Hope you have room for all of us in your luggage.  I know we will feel the warmth.

    Hugs for all!  Will be back later.

    Julie

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  • robink
    robink Member Posts: 336
    edited March 2009

    Good Morning to all of you -

    Just wanting to wish all of you a grand day.

    RK

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  • MsKarin
    MsKarin Member Posts: 647
    edited March 2009

    Just a quickie before I start doing the dinner thing.

    ranD - hope ER visit was drain and needle free. Sorry I missed your chat window last night.

    As for my hair I will take and post a picture this weekend. The last picture was taken on the 18th of Jan. Since then it had grown much longer and puffier. Hated it. I love it now and think it looks about like Adrienne's.

    Will try to post again later tonight.

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  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited March 2009

    I can't wait to see everyone's new hair pictures!!  (That's all I've got right now.)

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  • ranD
    ranD Member Posts: 373
    edited March 2009

    This will be fast. back from ER.  Left lung still the same as 3 weeks ago, right is up a little higher.  Doc Didn't think was worth the risk of draining today, said wait a week and let UC Davis make the call... who hoooo

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited March 2009

    Way to go, ranD!  No lung-draining today!  Yipee!

    I have to admit something.  Some of y'all are having terrible things happen in your families and home lives, and I just don't know what to say to comfort you.  (I feel kind of like someone I really care about has been dx'd with cancer, and I'm afraid to call her because I don't have anything intelligent or helpful I can say to her.)

    I've been reading the wise words posted by everyone else, and whatever I might add would just be ... additional words.  So I'll fall back on this.  It's especially for Gracie and Karin, who are worried about their grandkids; and for ranD who surprised her mom with the news that she wasn't planning to be gone in 30 to 90 days:  That really, really sux.  I want you to know that I'm thinking about you.  If I were closer, like right next door, I would be over at your house right now, hugging you.

    Kerry, I think I'm reacting to the cancerversary stuff (my own) like you are.  I'm not "celebrating" any of it.  I'm treating all these dates kind of like the "use by" date on a package of food.  One year has gone by; the "use by" date is past; so I'm tossing out all the acute memories of those events.  My US-guided core biopsy?  Gone (clunk!).   The words the radiologist used when he called me with the biopsy results?  Thrown out (Plop!).  My memories of recovering from my mast/SNB?  Expired and erased (whizzzz/click!).  Six weeks of worrying about my Oncotype score?  Discarded (thump!).

    Feels much better.  My closets aren't any cleaner, but my brain is less cluttered.

    Hi to everybody, and hugs to all... 

    otter 

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  • JulieC
    JulieC Member Posts: 324
    edited March 2009

    Jen - how did the heart scan go?  Is it because you are on some medicine?  I guess I don't remember your specific situation.  Sorry - some days I don't know what MY situation is.

    Otter, Roxi and Kerry - how can you not think about the specific dates as they roll around?  I want to be able to be like that, but everything this year reminds me of what I was doing last year.  I know your way has to be healthier, just not sure how to get there in my mind.

    Karin - how are things with your daughter today?  Did you come up with any new ideas?  How about you Gracie?  I keep thinking of the little ones and wish I had the right things to say.

    Sue- how many sleeps until your last day?  This month is moving pretty fast.

    Yea RanD - another week down without the draining business.

    Karin - what is the Deva hair cut all about compared to a regular cut.  Does it work with our short chemo hair?

    Got back tonight from a Girl Scout sock hop.  Our children don't know anything about such things.  My daughter was appalled that I wore my capris, bobbie socks, pink lipstick and pink scarf which happened to be one of those Ford Warrior women pink scarves.  I have 4th and 5th graders in my troop and they warmed up after a little bit. Here is your girl scout trivia for the day.  Today was the 97th birthday of Girl Scouts.  The first ones were registered in 1912.  Another sisterhood going strong.

    Good night to our sisterhood!

    Julie

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  • Sable
    Sable Member Posts: 738
    edited March 2009

    I'm glad everyone is getting their cards ok. I love getting postcards from different places and I thought I would share that with ya'll.

    RanD~ YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! What a relief!

    Had my echo today.. rather uneventful. Had a new girl and she was trying not to look at my scars. Finally she did and commented about how long it was. I told her it wasn't such a big deal anymore I'm getting used to it. I think I must have been one of her first people to scan with a mast. She just graduated in july so its a good possibility.

    Had another good all around day today. Nothing spectacular just a good day, lots of smiles.

    heading to bed and trying to go to sleep earli-er.... time change wipes me out. Jet lag I suppose.

    Sweet dreams!

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  • Sable
    Sable Member Posts: 738
    edited March 2009

    JINX! julie and I posted at the same time LOL



    Julie~ us gals who are on herceptin have to get heart scans every few treatments because it messes with the heart function. If our numbers get too low we have to stop treatment until we regain them. I think all the other ladies get MUGA scans and I get the echocardiogram instead.... cause I'm a big chicken shit when it comes to needles and the onc let me slide LOL. If anything serious pops up I'll have to do the MUGA one though.

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  • Sable
    Sable Member Posts: 738
    edited March 2009

    p.s..... noelle~ I have to tell ya my cat is all over me now that I am using the deva curl no poo and conditioner. Everytime I'm in a position that she can sniff my head, she paws at my hair and runs her nose thru it. Weird sensation. must be some herb or something in there she likes. Thank goodness there is no cat nip or she would drool on me as well LOL

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  • kerry_lamb
    kerry_lamb Member Posts: 778
    edited March 2009
    Hey girls. D.A.T.  UTI. Julie, don't worry about that date thang..we are all different. My memory has always been a bit..crazy. One real advantage of this is that I forget conflict at school. If I have a set-to with a child, I forget it overnight and every day really is a new dayLaughingI don't know why New Year was such a big deal..but I really was happy to see it go! I only remember chemo started in May because of this group! I'm going up for a nana-nap. I need some of that super-juice.....XXX
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  • Roxi65229
    Roxi65229 Member Posts: 462
    edited March 2009

    Hi all, this may be the last time I check in. We leave in the morning but I need to check all the bags tonight to make sure the kids have packed appropriately. Something tells me my 15 yo will try to pack a hoodie, the staple of high schoolers in the area. Sneeking in a morning herceptin since it was supposed to be next week so I thought I would see how everyone is doing.  I've been thinking of all of you. I'll write y'all but I'll probably send it from the states. I would have no clue how to send it in Mexico. I'm planning on taking lots of pictures so you can all be there as I curl up my toes in the sand! Still stressed at work but I'll manage. Boss is freaking out a bit since I'll be gone. Wait till summer when I'm out for recon!

    Julie, I love girl scout cookies. Just got 4 boxes from my niece. Whatever you do, don't read the side of the box. I think 2 cookies equal a serving. Yikes!

    Love you all...bon voyage! 

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  • Gracie713
    Gracie713 Member Posts: 302
    edited March 2009

    Roxi-I hope that you have a wonderful vacation!   Kinda picture us like the Verizon commercials, following you around everywhere!

    Love you all!  Have a great Friday the 13th!!

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited March 2009

    Roxi, have a great time!

    Jen, I've been wondering what it would be like the next time I have an echocardiogram.  (I have a mitral valve murmur/prolapse, so I have an echo every few years to keep an eye on it.)  The side they will be "wanding" is my mast/flat side.  That should be funny.

    When I was in the hospital for my mast/SNB, I did take advantage of a "teaching moment" when the chief surgery resident came in to remove my surgical bandage and check my incision.  She had an entourage of lower-level residents and 4th-year medical students--maybe 10 people in all. She tried to keep everything hidden under my hospital gown as she was removing my bulky bandage, but she was having trouble with the tape. So, I said, "Heck--let's unsnap the other snaps!".  That dropped the left side of my gown to my waist, revealing the whole bandage--and a few seconds later, the whole mast incision. Much easier.  Plus, maybe some new residents and med students who'd never seen a fresh mast incision (without recon) got a chance to see one.

    Julie, many months went by before my mind would stop playing those audio recordings of the radiologist telling me the results of my biopsy, and onco #1 giving me my Oncotype score and recommendations for chemo.  It was months before I was able to stop the mental video of my tumor on the US screen, and myself on the table during my breast MRI.  For a long time, I relived all those experiences, almost willingly. It was like picking at a scab.

    But, like any truly awful experience, those memories are fading. I'm now able to stop the tapes, block the images, interrupt the video. Some days it feels like none of that happened to me--it must have been someone else.  Maybe I read about it somewhere, in a short story or personal essay.

    Me?  Cancer?  No feckin' way.  Pass the chocolate, please.

    otter

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  • ellenoire
    ellenoire Member Posts: 674
    edited March 2009

    website not working. Cleaning help and manicurist and co-op student all bailed or quit...

     not enough sleep... 

     and still have no confirmation from VIP's about dinner tomorrow.

    I think dinner out is gonna be the answer, this place may not get done.

     Love to all.

     DAT here.

    Might get to Meet Roberta from the April thread next week.

    hope I can get some sleep by then...

     wheeee!  

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  • ranD
    ranD Member Posts: 373
    edited March 2009

    Roxi: Wiggle your toes once for me.....how fun a vacation!!! Don;t want the hoodie, get one your size and wear it, will only take once and they won;t pull it out the whole trip!

    Otter:  More chocolate here as well.. can't wait for the Easter Bunny to hop over this way!

    Kerry" Lots of cranberry juice...guzzle it ...wonder how the purple stuff would work???

    Julie:  Am a sucker for the cookies, so this year i avoided them....trying to be good....

    Noelle, If $$$ allows, dinner out and then dessert at home....darker after dinner and the house will look cleaner in the nighttime!!!

    sable: my cat loves to bite and pull our hair, I hated it when I was chemo bald....it hurt!

    Happy Friday the 13th...moohahahahahahahahahaha

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  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited March 2009

    I like today's chattiness - just this 'n that. 

    This morning dh took the little one, Kelly, to school for "Donuts with Dad" - she loved it!  The PTA does it every year in the spring; in the fall we have "Muffins with Mom".  The flyer states this is supposed to be "in addition to" a healthy breakfast at home - yeah, right.  So that Katie would not feel left out (her new school does not do that), I was forced to take her to the donut shop this morning.  Mmmmmmmmmm....

    Randie - Glad about the no-drain.  And I forgot it was Friday the 13th.  Unless I'm at work, I usually have no idea what the date is.

    Roxi - Have a blast!  I'm starting to plan our summer vacation to San Diego for a week - that's where we supposed to go last summer.  Oh well, we did get to go to Disneyland for 3 days!

    Julie - I'm like you - I'm having a hard time not remembering all the things that were going on at this time last year.  I think because it was the entire month of March with biopsies, scans, and all the waiting in between.  I spent a lot of time researching here and other places but I don't think I ever really let myself think "I have cancer" and I'm certain I didn't say it out loud.  I'm hoping this year of helping my friend through her adoption stuff and the birth/coming home of baby will supplant the "other" memories.  But it is what it is.

    Almost time to go pick up the kindergartener...

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