**NEW** Starting Chemo March 2009

Bunny, you rock!  That's what I am talking about.....everyone who knows me knows that I would never have considered a tattoo but after riding out this BC storm who knows what's in store for me?  Seriously, I was the goody goody good girl.........time to break out of my shell.

Mom of Boy's - Maybe send the link to TLC's Ami James, owner.  He would probably love all the bald pictures since he is one of us!!! 

Not sure who said their daughter went to the Miami Ink shop but I'm jealous!!!  Those guys are funny!!!

Alyad and Bwbly - I like your tattoo style!!!

Diane - I'm in on the Tattoo - my procrastination at 50 was really my goody (needlephob) side talking back.

Paula:  Welcome!  Let's be miserable together!  Seriously, you will get a lot of understanding, empathy, and a lots of info here. 

Everyone else:  I'm doing my best to keep up with the posts, but this 2nd Tx is knocking me on my non-tattooed rear.  Three nausea medications (one of which -- Zofran -- seems to be the culprit behind my headaches) are still leaving me nauseous.  Heartburn like crazy anytime I get too cocky and want to eat anything.  Fun stuff, you betcha! 

By the way, major spring snowstorm going on in Iowa right now.  And one of my daughter's most obnxious friends is here and can't home.  Happy happy, joy joy! 

Feeling bitchy but sending hugs anyway:

Carol

Well... who knew so many of us had "tats" OR were about to get one?  PattiB... I seriously am going to contact them and see what I can find out!  Maybe a group of us could be selected for one of the October shows... are you with me, Diane? 

IowaDiva... Again... LOL!  On your non-tattooed rear?  Don't ya just hate it when "those" friends get snowed in?  BLAH!

Dawn... Sounds wonderful.  We have a fashion show here called "You're Beautiful."  It's a huge fundraiser for our local ACS.  All of the models are cancer survivors. 

Paula... I "only" get the TC part and I know the "A" is horrendous.  All I can tell you is that Days 4 and 5 are the worse for me.  After that, it gets much much BETTER.  Hang in there... relief is coming.

I could do without one more drop of steroids.  My face looks like I was 14 instead of 62.  My forehead, nose, cheeks and chin are breaking out .It feels like my skin is stretched tight.  Just one more lovely SE.  Day 4 and 5 still the worst here too but better this week than first.  I have weekly taxol so I go this week and have blood work first and wait while its done to see the onc.  Then go and have chemo if everything is OK.  Should only see onc every 3rd week if everything is going OK but the blood sugar put a kink in that last week.  Once he sees a whole weeks worth of my poor stuck fingers worth of blood work not being over his limit, I might be able to go back to seeing him only on every 3rd week again.  You never know what is next!!!

Mom of Boys -  I'm definitely in on the Tats - Miami here we come!!!  Do you think we'll be allowed by October???

Michelle54 - Your tats sound really cool!!  I have an 18 1/2 year old and feel the exact same way, where did those years go?

Paula - Welcome to our group!!!

Hello Princesses all,

I am sorry to read of the skin/itching-related SEs that Gina and NanaA and others are having.  I hope they calm down soon. Alyad - so glad to hear you are feeling better!

I have no tattoos and don't think I would ever get one, though my boyfriend is somewhat encouraging me to get one at the end of my treatment. I think when radiation ends I will just want to forget all about cancer and not have any reminder more than the scars I already have (which are quite funky - and my boob is perkier than it was thanks to my lovely surgeon who added in a lift when she took out the lumps!).

I know what happened the last time I posted this but I have to say - I am feeling really really good. Mouth is still a bit off and am swigging Biotene like a gin drinker in a Hogarth etching, but otherwise no complaints. Was even able (and in the mood!) to be of service to the lovely boyfriend last night, if that is not too much information for you all!

I think the thing which has helped is the amount of water I am drinking. I am seriously peeing every hour, but it has so far kept me remarkably fine-feeling. Of course, maybe my body feels guilty about the melodramas of last week, or maybe it is just saving it all for next time. Am off to the naturopath now to find out what I can do to keep future SEs at bay.

It is a glorious autumn morning here. Hope the sun is shining for you all.

Patti....re the million preg tests....with all the surgeries, procedures all I heard was when was my last cycle....oh you are late.....LOOK my man is fixed and not much is going on right now so I seriously doubt I am pregnant....GOSH makes me worried that I am when I know there is NO WAY I could be.   Gripes.....can they just leave us alone?

Hi, reeney77

I've had only one TC treatment so far, but never had the bone ache. BUT, I also was not given a Neulasta shot right after my treatment, and my onc tells me that can cause bone pain because at the time you are given it, it may not be needed.

I did finall get a Neulasta shot when my WBCs dropped to 1.7 and I caught pneumonia, though! And I had absolutely no bone pain, because CLEARLY I needed it then

Did you get a Neulasta shot with your treatment?

Hope you are feling better very soon...

Nadine

Yes i did get Neulasta - now i'm wondering if it's even worth it. i guess pneumonia is not fun either though..

Can you post it in the message....can't read it.

Alright...who can tell a semi-tech-savvy girl how to get a pic into a post? I'll blame it on the chemo, lol

Nadine

reeney77....please, please, get the Neulasta shot if they are offering...just my opinion, but yeah...pneumonia has been far more painful, I imagine, than any temporary bone pain

Feel well, friend!

Nadine

My night routine pre-BC:

1)  Take bubble bath.  2)  Clean face.  3)  Moisturize body.  4)  Brush teeth.  5)  Take sleeping pill.

My night routine post-BC:

1)  Take bubble bath while worrying if onc instructions REALLY meant I shouldn't take a hot bath.  2)  Clean face with free cleanser from Look Good Feel Better.  3)  Brush teeth.  4)  Inspect tongue and mouth to make sure no white spots or sores.  5)  Rinse mouth with Biotene.  6)  Put special lotion on lumpectomy scar.  7)  Put cream on liver spot (yep, developed one since chemo).  8)  Take Ativan just because.  9)  Put Tree Tea Oil on finger and toenails.  10)  Evaluate whether I think I might have hot flash... adjust night clothing accordingly.  11)  Moisturize entire body while wondering if it is okay to start back exercising.  12)  Look to see if Pube Fairy finished the job she started.  13)  Look to see if new pimple looking things have developed on head.  14) Put Aquaphor on hands.  15)Take sleeping pill.

Other changes in anyone else's day or night routine?

~Jan~

Hello again,

 I am back from the naturopath and armed with at least 6 different pills and powders to take every day to protect my immune system, ward off bone pain, guard against mouth sores etc. If anyone else is consulting a naturopath and wants to swop stories please feel free to PM me.

But I wanted to share one thing she told me in case it helps anyone. I was commenting on the fact that I felt really lucky to have had (so far) such limited SEs. She asked me what my attitude towards chemo had been. I said I had really not thought about it much because my BC diagnosis came just as I was starting a  new relationship and that for most of the last 2 months I had been far too busy falling in love to think about cancer. She said that many studies had shown that the more positive and low key one's attitude to chemo, the more limited the SEs tend to be (obviously there are exceptions to this rule and I am not saying if you have bad SEs it is because you are a stress bunny! Nasharayne  and others, you have had horrible luck).

I asked why this was. She said that stress produces cortisol, which produces elevated homocysteine levels. These levels are associated with, amongst other things, worse reactions to chemo.

So her main advice to me was to do whatever I can to minimise stress in my life, so as to minimise cortisol levels. Mine are slightly elevated and one of the pills is for that. She said so many women are far too hard on themselves during cancer treatment - worried they are not caring for their families, worried they did something to bring the cancer on, worried about whether they can keep working etc - and that paradoxically that worry makes their fears more likely to come true by increasing their SEs through higher cortisol from the stress.She said we should all give ourselves a break.

She also said that people do better on chemo if they think of the chemo drugs as a friend rather than as the enemy. A tough call, I know, for those having such horrible times as I know many here are. But she encouraged me to think of the chemo drugs as my fellow warrior in the fight for good health, not as something to battle against. She said this would make my body more likely to cope with the chemo.

I don't want to sound preachy because I know how lucky I am compared to many. But I found her advice really helpful and in case it is of interest to anyone else I wanted to mention it. I am NOT saying that those with bad SEs have brought them on themselves. I would never say that.  It is clearly not the case.