**NEW** Starting Chemo March 2009

Ah yes, percentages indeed.  Every day that's how I think of myself - what percent of normal do I feel?  This 3rd round of AC for me has brought me down a bit more than before, but nothing I can complain about in light of what some of you are going through.  Buddy - A couple years ago I was stuck in the hospital for a week with an infection, while every day my infectious disease doctor said maybe I could go home the next day, and then it didn't happen.  Hang in there.  Diane - Are you feeling better?  Michelle - Congrats for getting caught up on all the posts, lol.  You must have been relieved not to be carted away from the fundraiser in an ambulance, and I'm sure the fresh air on your drive did you a world of good.  I agree completely with your take on expressing concern to people.  I adjusted my approach some years ago when my brother died.  I had always reached out to close friends, but someone I worked with or didn't know well, I would probably not approach for not wanting to say the wrong thing.  Well, when friends and acquaintances were offering me support, I realized that I so appreciated the act of someone approaching me in any way, regardless of what they said or if they fumbled.  Since then, I have always come forward to offer support, and then I base any followup conversations or actions on how the person responds.  I think just the acknowledgement is important, rather than acting like the most important thing that's going on in someone's life isn't worthy of conversation.  I know "isn't worthy" isn't the right way to explain it, but that's how it can seem.  On the flip side, I remember being very concerned about someone, but not wanting to intrude, so I try to remember that some people in my life must feel that way about me, and I just try not to take any reaction personally. 

I just realized that I haven't had to shave my legs or under my arms for like a week now.  Finally, a side effect I can appreciate.

Morning ladies...The fog is lifting and I'm at 70%   so will be back at work tomorrow I guess. I Know I have read that some of you had cravings for salt, I didn't first time round but sure did this time, and for mashed potato and gravy! So along with that I had the junk food you all said you had wanted, I actually had MacDonald's, something I don't usually buy, not a burger but a fillet -o-fish sandwhich and the fries were so good!  Se's were about the same as last time just seem to hit a little quicker, I do have a ongoing problem with skin issues though in that I suffer with psoriasis, I don't have too many patches thankfully at the minute, but the ones I do have are like burns after the chemo and are really sore, my Onc gave me some cream that helps and usually takes about 10 days to Calm it down.

Friends.....well I had an experience before this pathway about four years ago that kind of sorted out who my true friends were which is another story and would fit on another forum if I ever felt the need for it, which I can say I don't. Anyway I am not in touch with those so called friends and I am left with a few close and dear friends that have been a constant support through both of my life changing times these last four years even though they are miles away in the UK. And since moving here I have made a few more friends that have been very caring and offered help in whatever way they can. I am equally touched by people that I have come across at work (clients) that have been supportive too either because BC has touched their lives or someone they know of. I do think that some people don't know how to handle certain situations until they see how you are dealing with it, so I decided to be out there and open about it, even bringing humor into it, especially at work. One young colleague even said I was her Hero the other day, I was touched, but you just do what you have to do to beat this B*****d disease.

Janet...yes I'm liking the not shaving bit too!

Well it's another beautiful day so I am going to make the most of it, some errands to do , fog permitting, then R&R with a bit of Vit D. Have a great Sunday everyone.

Sending healing thoughts as always

Julie

I am sorry.  I apologize.  I did let my anger get the better of me.

Sessna1

Buddy and Diane I hope you are both feeling better today. Sending good karma. So far #3 has been much easier than #2. SE's are very different. Bad bone pain (even with Claritin) and bad insomnia. So tired but can't sleep even with drugs. I know it could be worse so I won't complain too much. Cool and grey in the NW. I miss the sun of last week.

Hi Everyone!  Hope you all had a great weekend!

Buddy 1~  Hope you are feeling better and get good results

Diane~ I wish your symptoms go away!

To all!  Your true friends carry you thru the rough times, I have found in my 50 years that people who are no comfort and don't no how to handle situations ,usually have not had the opportunity to get thru bad times themselves, most have just bounced thru life and they are the center of everything, too bad they miss so much. They do not share themselves with anyone and often times end up alone,  The bad times make you strong and you learn to cope and you find all the gifts that you did not realize you have.  I feel very fortunate my family and friends are SOOOOOO

Supportive,we had a yard sale for Breast Ca yesterday and 25 families donated stuff and we made alot of money,I am so proud of them!! We were there from 6 to 3:00, a long day in the sun, but worth it! We also had a great human interest story.  This woman about 40 walked to the Garage Sale on a busy street 3 times with a beautiful 4 yo girl, it was her daughters boyfriends child, of whom she was the primary caretaker. The grand mother kept coming and buying a few things, she was very quiet, until we noticed that she kept coming back, at the end of the sale she was there and we gave her everthing for that little girl , snow boots and snow pants, a bike with a helmet, a brass bed, books, videos and anything else she wanted, we loaded up a van and took her home. She cried and wished me good luck with my treatment and insisted we take her last$6 for BC.  We had a fit, but she wanted to contribute.  We were all breathless, we are all mothers of girls and have so much and our girls have so much! We couldn't help but admire this womans courage!  A feel good story for a Sunday pm. Much luck to all this week, we are all making progress in this journey!  Dawn

Dawnmom - your story really touched me.

Diane - Glad your feeling better.

Hope everyone has an SE minimal/free week or is on the mend.  BUddy - still sending well wishes to you for the week, especially ?Wednesday?.

Hi All,

Diane- sounds like you are finally feeling better. That  is great. The donations at the gold party sound great.Every little bit helps in this battle.

Buddy- Hope you are  doing okay. I don't think we have heard from you today. Is everything okay. Are you coming home ? What is happening with your surgery.

Marion- Glad you are getting better. I understand about making decisions which feel right to you. If you are comfortable with a decision it is a good one. Strong people are not concerned with what others feel. Some people are just ignorant.

Michelle- Sorry to hear about your unfortunate incident. Glad friends helped you out.You must have been nervous.

Let's hope everyone on this board sticks to their word.

 At a birthday party today two women admired my lovely hair. They did not know it was a wig. The funniest part was that a friend said she liked my eyebrows,They seem to be getting smaller each day. She thought I had a nice wax job. I could have told her it was done by chemo but I kept quiet...

Tomorrow is an onco appt. One week from tomorrow is my last TC.

Hope all had a good weekend...

Hugs to all...

Francine

I still wrap my head in a towel when I get out of the shower - it is sheer force of habit! Plus my head gets cold. Like Diane I already can't imgaine what it was like 2 months ago when I had my hair. Waist  length! What was I thinking?

I am soooo hungry this time around - and the steroids must have worn off by now so they are not my excuse. I feel like my metabolism has got faster or something. Let's hope that means I won't gain weight. Julie I am craving potato too -I love gravy!!!!

Can I ask how long it took for your port to settle down? My neck and shoulder are really sore - I think I must be tensing them to compensate or something.

Diane glad the sinuses are improving.

Ricki I forgot to say yesterday that my right boob has a funky looking scar around the nipple, but courtesy of my breast surgeon is perkier than my left, so  I am happy to submit it to the Team Australia boob squad.

Sessna thank you for your gracious note.

Love to all.

Rachel, it took 2 weeks for my port to "settle" down.....no real pain but just annoying feeling, now I have to remind myself it is there.  I have had no problems with it.

Janet, I want some of your energy......you amaze me with all you get accomplished. I think that sometimes I use my DX to rest all the time when I know that I need to get out there and take longer walks with the kids.......no more excuses, I need to get with the program and really start exercising consistently again.

hugs,

Diane

Dawn and others,

I totally agree that adversity makes one strong. Both my parents died when I was in my twenties. I have always felt that this made me a much stronger person.I always knew what was important and what was not. Maybe this attitude toward life enabled me to accept my DX and move on.

Diane..I am not the first to end from the Warrior Princesses.. I believe MOB ends this Wednesday and Chick finished this past Friday. She had problems with her TC's so her last one was a AC. She took many meds and is doing okay. I am sure we will see Chick on this board during the week.

Diane- I also had very thick eyebrows before the chemo. My last wax was just before the chemo also. I did read on the TC board that a women lost her eyebrows a month after her 4 TC's. I guess we have some surprises to look forward to.

Good Night all,

Hugs,

Francine

I still have about half a dozen hair bands sitting on my bedside table for tying up my long hair when I get out of bed!  I hadn't even thought about it until now but I can probably put them away for a while.

Diane - I just try to keep moving, because if I stop, I'm not sure I'll be able to get started again.  In the interest of full disclosure, though, I do spend plenty of time just resting in between everything else, and this morning, I hit the wall.  I got up at 5:30 to get ready for work and I just could *not* do it.  I sent an email, took some Tylenol (had a slamming headache, probably from too much time in the heat yesterday), and went back to sleep for three more hours.  The head is better at the moment, but I guess my doc wasn't lying when he said the fatigue would increase with each round of AC.  Yep.

Chris - So far the best I've found for comfort in the heat is a plain old cotton bandana - it feels lighter on my head than a silky scarf or a hat.  A suggestion from a friend though was to look for something in a sports store made of a fabric that wicks moisture, like a buff by UnderArmour or some such brand that uses the kinds of fabric they use to make shirts for running and biking.  I would think Sports Authority or that type of place would be a place to look.  And, if you're pissed that you have to cover your head, heck, go for a walk bald.  Who cares?  Do use sunscreen though!

Hi, all!

Rachel...for the first 2 weeks after having my port placed, it felt like I had bad whiplash. But it does get better, I promise! Now, it only hurts for a couple of days after I've had it accessed...like a dry, pinching feeling. I'm also kind of bony, so that doesn't help.

Well, it's Tx #3 out of 6 for me this Thursday! When it's over, I'm half way there, yay! I spent this past weekend (glorious weather in the NE) in the garden...finally! It felt like heaven. And just this morning, I packed up my little ones in the stroller and took a 1 mile walk. Not even close to what I used to be able to do, but it was something. And between the 2 kids and a double stroller, I was probably pushing a good 75 pounds. It felt good to sweat again!

And that reminded me just how important it is to live fully on those weeks when I am feeling good. Chemo week comes around again too quickly.

Blessings for all...especially those of us having hard days.

Nadine