Starting chemo January 2009?

Hi Lisa:

I met with my rad onc last month, and have my simulation is scheduled for mid May, right around when I finish chemo. She wants me to start 2 weeks after chemo ends, so around end of May. I wanted to wait til after son's graduation 6-14 from UCSD, but she doesn't want to wait, and will only give me a day off. But that's a question you might want to ask--how much time between chemo and rads and how they feel about breaks if you have something scheduled. Also,  how many sessions, and I forgot to ask about "boosts," which I've read about here.

At this point I'm getting around 6 weeks to the chest area only. I'm still a bit anxious that she doesn't want to do the under arm area, but she felt that the surgeon did a good job of getting all the affected nodes. So you might want to ask what areas they plan to zap and why.

Also, she told me that local recurrence is reduced from 30% to 10% in my case, but overall survival isn't affected. I want to ask about that. Doesn't make intuitive sense to me.

I asked about swimming, and she said fine but keep an eye on the skin and keep it covered up from the sun. She also recommended getting aloe from Trader Joes. I want to find some loose cotton clothes and camis--looks like peasant blouses are back in style!

Good luck! Let us know what you find out.

kim

Lisalisa--Hey.  I am not supposed to rads, though it seems there are many around with my same bc status and they've done rads.  Good luck

Wore my wig out in public for the third time and felt okay.  I didn't see second glances much, although I wonder if it's because I just didn't notice this time.  Still looking to see if any fuzz is starting as I go through the taxotere phase of my tx.

Have a great Sunday.

lisalisa: I'll have my last(6th) TC on April 16th.  On that day, my onc will schedule an appt with my rad onc for the end of April for the simulation and scheduling -  then will start 3 weeks after my last chemo.   So I bet we'll be close in start times.   I have been so lucky that my infusion center is literally 100 yards from my office in the hospital... radiation is a different story - I'll have daily travel of 3+ hours, not including treatment time.    I've had lots of people offer to drive, so I will definately accept the offer to make the time go faster.

I am on DAY 11 of TC #5 and this weekend is the first time I've had any energy in weeks --- what a great feeling!!  Have been reading all your posts but not writing much.   Went through a "fretful" period where I was worrying about all kinds of things -- like whether the lumpectomy was the right choice.   My breast surgeon and onc assured me it was the best decision -  re-read all the literature from back in November -- am comfortable once again with that choice.  Am hoping that MRIs are the follow-up of choice, pricey or not.

Well, I accomplished something today --- I managed to a) find a picture of me ( I'm usually the one behind the camera), b) figure out how to edit it and c) put it here in place of my gardening avatar...not bad for a technologically challenged old lady!   This one is from a great family vacation to Mexico. 

HoltBolt: who's your Idol favorite?   I'm liking the fellow from Milwaukee - he really picked the right Rascal Flatts tune last week -- suited him well. 

KM47; I was severely neutropenic with my first round of chemo --- once those white cells finally kicked in, they reproduced like rabbits --- hope you're back home soon.

Well, Jewels, hope everyone has a great week --- I think we all get to be aunties to Patti's grandbaby!! 

Thanks kt57. The doctors have now said they want me at 1.0 before they let me go home, but they're confident that, as you say, once they start reproducing they go up quickly and that tomorrow I'll be at 1.0 anyway.

How long were you neutropenic for? Were many changes made to your treatment to address it? 

My doctor said I may be given the G-CSF shot as a matter of course with my last two treatments but I've managed to avoid having to have it this time around since the neutrophils have come up on their own (much to my relief - i was a bit nervous about the shot).

Renrel, best of luck with the diet over the next two weeks. Look after yourself as best you can.

KM47 - My neutraphis came up on their own after 2 nights in the hospital.  I have gotten nuelasta each time since with no other changes to my treatment and have not had any other episodes.  Hopefully you will have similar results.

Hi all hope everyone is doing great.  i am feeling better after being sick and my wbc and neutrophil levels being very low.  finished my last taxotere and gemzar, and have my first AC is thursday what a way to spend Easter. well i just hope my counts are high enough to do this the sooner i start the sooner i'll be finished.

hugs to all

It's corny, but when I feel this way I think of old Superman episodes when he was exposed to Kryptonite and all his funtions slowed to a near stop.  I do not have the stamina to read posts from over the weekend.  My eyelashes and eyebrows started falling out a few days ago.  I'm still bald with very faint stubble.  My joints ache.  My hands and feet keep going numb and I am having frequent hot flashes.  I can't say I am enjoying any of this but it's OK.  It seems now that the next 7 weeks of Taxol may not fly by as quickly as I'd hoped.  

I am at home for a moment and will head back to the office now.  

Hope everyone is doing OK and was able to at least rest this weekend.  

Just an update - my neutrophils got up to 0.5 all by themselves yesterday - no shot required! My fever is also gone. Before they send me home from hospital they want the neutrophils to be at 1.0 which they think I may well get to today. Can't believe I've almost been in here a week!

K.

hi ladies:  I am still in Texas getting to know my new granddaughter.  If I do say so myself she is beautiful.  She is 4 days old today.  She is having jaundice problems so has to sleep on lights and not liking that much.  My daughter has gotten overwhelmed a few times in the past couple of days but overall is doing well.

I am sorry to hear you are still in the hospital Km47.  You are about to break my 8 days record.

I am jealous of all you jewels finishing up chemo and moving on to rads.  I wish I was still moving forward but I guess God works in mysteries ways because if my treatment had not been stopped because of the pnuemonia I would not be here holding my granddaughter.  I return home on Thursday and see my doctor on Friday so I will be making a decision about what's next or not next at the end of the week.  Now that I am feeling better I am thinking I do not want to stop treatment and hope for the best.  I am going to tell Dr. I NEED to finish to give myself the best odds I can especially after holding this new baby.  I want to be around to watch her grow.  I am going to ask him about switching meds and about some of the other drugs you guys have mentioned getting to control WBC.  I have gotten neulasta shot after every treatment and ended up dropping to zero WBC 3 out of five treatments so why has he not tried something else besides the Neulasta???  Good question I think.

Patti

lisalisa, what is your chemo?  Are you also on the weekly taxol?  I can't remember.  Wow, I have had such issues with inability to multitask.  I go so slowly, I can't believe it. 

Have a great Monday!

I too have had doctors comment on my expanders.  I find it reassuring that they, who must see lots of these, think mine came out so well.  I know not everyone's reconstruction looks good.  I usually comment that my surgen is very talented but does have some bedside manner issues, as do many PS's so that they can take this information into account in making referals.  My PS works for me, though we had a few bumpy momentst, but may not work for other women. 

Lisa, that's great that you get compliments on your reconstruction.  I have one boob so I am totally down about my appearance.  I don't meet with the plastic surgeon until November!  He's the best in Calgary so I am willing to wait.  So, sometime after that I will be getting the other breast removed (skin-sparing prophylactic mastectomy) and the reconstruction on both at the same procedure.  I am getting implants, but I don't know anything yet, maybe expanders first, who knows.  I just can't wait to have my hair and boobies back, or at least 2 lumps on my chest that look like boobies! lol.