Starting chemo January 2009?

re: headwear for us baldies

 i found this Life is Good super soft snuggly hat before i started chemo, and it has been invaluable- SO soft and SO good for nevada winter and for around the house and really anywhere: 

http://www.cabelas.com/spodw-1/0050361.shtml 

i tried to find a link to it on the Life is Good website, but can't find it. lots of other places are selling it. i found mine at cabela's in reno. 

Hi Ladies,

I finally was released this afternoon, blood count still low, probally related to chemo is what was explained, I am still very sore and tired but this too shall pass.

I went right to the hospital to see Malcolm upon my release and he looks so much better, face is even feeling out already, he should transfer to a regular room tomorrow. The new liver is working like a charm, he was so excited to show me how he could use his arms and legs again, of course I was ecstatic because a few days ago he was too weak to even turn his head or form words. They were concerned if he would have any deficient since he was so ill going into surgery but mentally and physically he is progressing better than expected in a short time.

Thank you all for your support and prayers, a community combined is what made this miracle happen.

Misty: I'm so happy for you and your Malcomb. I hope you both continue to feel better!

Lisa: Wow--you were busy today! You're an inspiration. So, I didn't quite make it up at 5, but I did pull out my last issue of Martha and made hot cross buns and did a special dinner for our little family! I'm so glad you're feeling better and had a special Easter with your family. I so cherish those memories of egg hunts and excitement and family dinners. Good luck with Chemo on Tuesday!

YearoftheHat-Hope you were able to get some sausages in Omaha! I usually take a Tylenol PM to sleep and then an Ativan at my 3 or 4 am wake up. Seems to work, but I want to try to avoid the Tylenol pm. Really do need to sleep, especially before work.

LadyJane--Re weekly taxol and blood counts. My wbc went down to 1.0 with AC. Both red and white counts improved during the 1st 5 tx of Taxol, then went down (but still within tx range) for #6, then back up for #7. So, so far Taxol's been less hard on my counts than AC. I felt pretty good today and went for a long walk with 14 yr old DD. Usually today is my bad day. My onc said that he felt my counts would improve on thier own without Nuepogen, and so far they have. He would consider the shots if needed. Good luck with your next step. The weekly is inconvenient, but I've got a routine/schedule and it seems to be ok for now.

Well, busy day of cooking, walking, chatting with my kids away from home and friends, financial aid apps for DD. Reduced emotional crash thanks to reduced steroids. Hope tomorrow is ok too. Will have another echocardiogram early tomorrow am since my heart function decreased on the last one, and then try to mail off taxes.  Good luck to all doing chemo this week! Hope you JEWELS all had a nice weekend.

kim

Misty, that's wonderful news!!!  I'm so elated for both of you. What a relief!!! 

Lisa, I'm still vibing a way for you that you'll be able to get your treatment on Tuesday!  My last is Friday and I've done everything but wrap myself in bubble wrap to be sure nothing delays it.  I'm so hoping you can get it done.

Patti - congrats again on your granddaughter and good luck with the Taxol.  You'll do great!

Year - I hear you on the sleeping issues.  We should start a separate forum just for that.  I'm extremely leary about taking sleep aids...I get dependent on them very quickly.  Maybe I should go out and run around the block before bed!

Has anyone else started the Zometa trial yet?  I've been on it just over a week and haven't noticed any SEs at all other than some extremely mild heartburn after I forgot the instructions and layed back down after I took it in the morning.  My bad.

I hope everyone feels good and has a great week.  Happy Easter!!

Diane 

Misty - I am so happy for you and Macolm. I will keep thnking strong good thoughts for you both in hopes that healing will continue on an upward spriral.

I have been feeling very tired lately.  Yesterday slept very late (11:00) and felt better.  DS and I puts seeds in seeding containers and played alot included some rought housing.  I made a matzh lassana kind of dish and got a few more rows on my practice knitting project done.  Today I am having my teeth polished to try and deal with some brown spots that have appeared since starting chemo.  I will also stop by the Kosher market and try to find a few items that were not at the store.  Tomorrow I start the prep for Chemo #5 with the decadron and tons of water.  

I missed reading all your blogs this past weekend. I had my first taxotere Fri. The decodran kept me up the whole weekend. In top if that, I had to go in Easter morning for my neulasta shot. Thank God I made it through church and dinner before I started getting achy. I can barely move today, but I have lots to do. My girls have their last day off from spring vacation so they are helping me.I'm glad everyone had a nice  Easter.

Misty-I'm so happy for your son. I will continue to pray for him and I hope your feeling better.           

ddlatt-I hope everything comes out ok with your test. I will be praying for you.

lisalisa-you have so much energy. I'm so happy your feeling better. The birthday party sounds like fun. My daughter graduates from hs and I have to start planning her party. Thank God my last treatment is June 12th. She graduates June 6th. I'm pretty excited. I will be done and then my surgery will probably be the end of June. We are all getting close to being done with all this. I will still have 5 weeks of rads, then I'm not sure what happens. I don't know if I can get reconstruction right away.

Well I got to do chores. Everyone have a great week.

Good for you lisalisa !    : )

Lisa--Great news!!! What a relief for you!

Plutz--Glad you had a nice Easter with your family, and hope the aches go away ASAP. Sounds like your daughters are a great help and support. I'm lucky to have one last dear one at home. She even made me a friendship bracelet (tears...) this weekend. Will wear it forever! I want to have a grad party for my son too in June. He's graduating college 6-14, and they will only give me one day off rads but I think I'll do it the following weekend when we are back home. Good luck!!!

Shocked--Which trial drug are you geting? I'm picking up the bisphosphonate trial info today. I'm already on the Avastin trial, but my trial director said I can do both (my cancer center just opened the bis. trial). Why not???  I've spoken with my onc about not doing the trial and just taking Zometa. Seems that while there may be SEs my recurrence risk is high enough to offset that.

kmmd-For neuropathy my onc also has me taking Alpha Lipoic Acid 600 mg/day. Wow--it peaks in 3-5 months. That's scary.

Renrel-hope you feel better. White teeth sounds nice!!

Well, my echocardiogram tech said my heart seems fine, but of course he can't give me specific numbers. Going to accupuncture after a friend visits. Then somehow get geared up for 3 days of work.

Lisa, that's FANTASTIC NEWS!!! Congratulations

Go lisa, go lisa, go lisa.  Happy happy joy joy!!!!!!   ( can you tell I've been around teens all day??? 

Plutz--i know what you mean about the decadron.  For me, in combo with the neulasta, when I crash....I plummet into such pain.....Am digging around for aspirin as I write this.  I did however, get a lot of the house cleaned on Saturday~!  Tx was thursday.

Renrel--good luck on tx #5. 

K57---I am on taxotere and found for about two or three days my hands itch like mad.  Now my top tips and finger tips are peeling as well.  Also, you asked about my brother's transplant....he always used to drink rootbeer, and since the transplant, has switched to pepsi!!!  Who knows?

Shocked---whoohooo!!! Friday is your last! 

ddlatt----hope you have good news!!!!!

LiL

just got the phone call with results of the CT scan - no liver cancer. what a friggin' relief. my doc is out of town AGAIN and won't be back until wednesday, so i'm in limbo. i assume he'll have me take another blood test on monday to check the liver enzymes, and if they're okay, i will start taxol again on wednesday and hopefully finish this soon. i have two more taxols to go. this hiatus has messed up my radiation schedule, so i have to re-schedule the mapping and radiation dates. i was hoping to be finished by the end of june with everything, but now it will be the end of july, if i can continue taxol next week. ah well. if it's one thing we've learned, it's that we are in control of NOTHING, right!? 

lisalisa - so exciting!!!!!! yay!!

Ddlatt--GREAT news!!! Hope you can get back on schedule quickly. What a relief-so happy for you. You're right--we sure aren't in control of much in this. kim

What a huge relief DDLATT!!!!!!  

Anyone have a bad reaction from ambien cr after taxotere & cytoxan (2nd treatment?)  Never took ambien before.  Could not sleep for a few days after first chemo, so asked doctor for something.  Upset stomach and wiped me out totally for three days.  Could be the combo?