Starting chemo January 2009?

I hope everyone has enjoyed the long weekend!!!  Tonight I  will eat sushi!!!! I have done without it for so long.....At this point it can't kill me right?  Wish me luck!!!

Hi all.  I am doing OK other than alot of fatigue.  I am not sleeping well.  Friday night I was up from 2am to 6am.  Saturday I took an atavan at bed time and slept through, but woke up feeling as tired as when I went to bed.  Sunday night I just woke up repeated during the night but not so much awake that I got out of bed.  We had a fairly busy weekend.  Saturday we visited with a friend who had some plants he needed to thin out and which we could use to fill in.  Then Saturday night we visited with other friends for the first grilled meal of the season. They have a son a little younger than mine and the boys are finally starting to really enjoy each other company. The age gap is narrowing.  Today we got up and planted the new plants before driving to RI to visit with my ILs who just got back from wintering in FL.  It was a nice visit.  Tomorrow I have to get up and out because DS has a dentist appoint and then I need to get him to school in time for gradutation rehersal.  

 I am starting to think that some of the weird numbness and aching in my feet and maybe hands, arms and legs, maybe from some water retention. I am not sure but I looked at my feet today and I think they look a sort of puffy, not enough to be sure. I still have ankle and all, but I think I used to be able to see the bone on the top of my feet and I don't see them now.  And my arms feel thicker around than I remember. But it is hard to be sure when you don't have anything to compare to and the swelling is not so extreme that it is obvious.  My belly certainly looks way bigger than ever, but that could of course just be fat. I weight 15 pound more than when I started this journey. 

 Wednsday makers then end of treatment in my mind. Thats the day I don't go back for another infusion. We still don't know what we are doing to celebrate.  I want to celebrate as a family, but I don't want to spend my time entertaining my son at what ever we do.  That is not a celebration for me.  

I need to run.  Hope you all had a good weekend and took a moment to say a thank you to all those men and woman through our history who have chosen to be of service to our way of life and given their lives though that service.  That debt can never be paid off. 

Hi everyone.  I hope you all had a good holiday weekend.  There was no parade here either but I remember going to them as a  kid. 

Catherine - congratulations of finishing rads!!!!!

Thanks everyone for the info. about gene testing.  I have many female cousins, most of whom have kids and I have a sister.  I hope I will be able to have the test for their sakes at least.  If I am positive then I'll likely have the ovaries removed.

I am having a bad time with SEs....I'm very achy, have no energy and there is numbness.  I am so glad though that this is the LAST round.  Thanks for the head's up BKim.  I'll try not to get too excited but I am still so happy that I'm not getting a fresh dose this Friday.

Take care everyone,

Nancy

Sorry to hear that Plutz.  Only now when I'm sleeping better do I understand how much not sleeping well during chemotherapy contributed to how lousy I felt

Year of the Hat---I hope you feel better soon.  I am still having trouble with my aching knees.  I so wish it would go away.  Oncologist said exercise would help, but that hasn't been the case with me. Congratulations on being done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I always do a mini celebration dance when Thursday comes by for me. 

I can't wait to get my port out.  Has anybody read about getting yours flushed every four weeks?

Renrel--i have been wondering how you were doing. I am sorry your hands and feet feel numb.  I hope that is resolved quickly.

Kathy-- I bet you are glad to get the port out...That side has bugged me as well.  It feels so tight and bulky.  glad it did what it was meant to do, and I hope I'll never need it again!!!!!!

Patti--Hope the pain goea away quickly.

renrel- I also have the numbness in my hands and feet. I was just getting it on the tips, but today its the whole thing. I can barely pick up anything. My legs are still achy and of course I'm very tired. I slept fairly well last night but woke up at 3am and  was awake for awhile and managed to get a little more sleep. was planning on running some errands but I really don't want my legs giving out on me so I'll stay home and get some stuff done. Hope your feeling better

Good luck Patti and Phyllis!!!  You ladies are bring up the rear with grace! 

Very good Catherine and so true.  come one Patti and Phyllis....We are rooting you on!   A toast!

Holtbolt:  If I had 'em I'd share LOL!!   Have great birthday!

Patti: Thinking about you tomorrow and 3 more Thursdays to follow.   Then your baby will be there --- that is wonderful news.

Phyllis: what's your chemo schedule?   Want to be sending positive vibes on your days too.

Take Care Jewels

Patti and Phyllis, I'll echo the other's we're still here and rooting for you. 

Phyllis, I am glad you were able to get around some.  Doing simple things becomes such a project with chemo.  Just keep conserving your energy to take care of yourself and try be comfortable.  I had my last Taxol last Friday and I have been really tired, with very swollen legs and achy feet and hands.  I've had moderate and continuous neuropathy also.  I can't taste almost anything except maybe sweet stuff, like strawberries.  

It should feel good for you to go out for a cancer cause.  I give so much credit to those non-adults who manage through chemo.  It's great that Kelsey is getting some public support. 

Patti - I am still taking painkillers too.  I was taking them as prescribed for some of last week but will try to taper off and use Tylenol instead.  I am hoping my aches will subside since this is my first week without chemo in 3 months.  I too had aches everywhere which I suppose is what arthritis feels like.  I kept saying I imagine that's what ninety year old women feel like.  I am still limping around from foot pain.  I hope next week that will be more mild.

I'm thinking of you both.  You are both doing great!

Nancy

Just got back from Open House, which was really nice. Bittersweet for me since my job and program are being eliminated. I'll be placed somewhere else, but I'm hoping I can get the resource specialist job at the same school--although the current resource teacher has lots of seniority and a doctorate and has told me she wants to stay. I think I can get my teachers to write me letters of support.

My legs are SO SORE. It's not my joints so much as my quads.Maybe I've been overdoing the walks, but nurse and accupunturist/onc say it's typical taxol. My feet are more numb than during treatments, but getting a bit better,. Hands improving.

One lash left on one eye, and brows have scraggly hairs here and there.

Patti--Great news about your daughter moving closer to home!! And grandbaby nearby. My students haven't seen me wigless yet--maybe I'll surprise them last day of school. Another treatment down!!!! You're getting so close to the end.

Phyllis--glad you're feeling better. It is so sad when young people get cancer. One of my sister's bf's 13 yr. old daughter just finished chemo for Hodgkins' lymphoma and is now getting radiation. They also had a fundraiser dinner. It's so nice when the community comes together. It's just so hard for the family too.

I still have taste buds--too many I think. I just want to eat and eat and eat.

HoltBolt--HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Wish  I had some extra hair to send. But the stuff I do have you wouldn't want. Curly frizzy white stuff.

ALO123 - "Bringing up the rear with grace" what a nice thing to say especially coming from someone who has walked the walk.  I put on a happy face for most of the world, but you guys have seen the real me and I will be the first to admit I have not always been doing this gracefully.

CATHERINE - Thanks for the laugh out loud start to my day.  Chemo Overacheivers.  That's hoot, especially to those who know me well.  I am kind of a perfectionistica overacheivers in a lot of ways.  My DH thought that was a riot, he said "Boy did she peg you!"  Seriously though I would rather be done.  All the delays due to illness, hopital stays and bad SEs from the taxotere still make me angry when I realize I COULD BE DONE!

JESS AND KMMD-Thanks for the cheers and the toast.  It is really nice and I am extremely grateful to know that you are still here.

HOLTBOLT - Celebrate big time!  I agree with you the first birthday after dx does seem like something special.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY tomorrow and many more. I love your gift list and I too would share if I had any of that stuff left....

KATHY - Thanks for thinking of me yesterday.  One more down and 3 to go!!!

PHYLLIS - So how does it feel to be bringing up the rear with grace?   Glad to hear this tx was a little better.  June 12th is your last one right? Really sad to hear about 14 yr. old with cancer.  Did you guys hear about the 8 year old with BC on the news recently?  I have a 4 year old student whose sister had brain cancer last year at 6 and a little boy in the 3 year old class across the hall from me has been doing chemo most of this school year right along with me.  I am beginning to think there has to be something in the environment causing all this cancer.  Have also had other young children in our church who we have been praying for with cancer.  What kind of research is being one on that?  Think I will look it up.  A cure would be great but I cause would be nice too don't ya think.

NANCY - How far out are you from your last tx?   Just trying to prepare myself for when all the SEs do NOT go away immediately after last tx.  I had tx #4 yesterday.  Worked from 8:30 to 1:30 went for tx until 5 came home and crashed until 8 and woke up in horrible pain from the waist down. I did  take one of the new painkillers he gave me and it worked great.  When I finally got back to sleep I slept all night without waking up once from the pain and I am still pain free this a.m.  Not sure whether to take another one before my afternoon class as I am afraid of driving and other things like...functioning lol.  Maybe I will wait until I get home unless the paid in unbearable before I leave the house...Sorry thinking through my fingers now. 

Yesterday was my last tx while still in school so maybe my legs won't feel so bad after the next three since I would be standing on my feet all day before tx.  I can hope at least.  That little glimmer of hope will help me go to tx next week without having to be pushed from behind.  My sister is coming from New Hampshire to go to my next tx since DH will be finally working at his new job and will not be able to go.  My sister has been such a source of support through this whole thing.  I get cards in the mail from her three times a week.  She is an oncology nurse and I think my dx hit her as hard as it did me (even though she is older than me and has escaped the breast so far).   I think even though she has not walked in our shoes, she understands more than most what we are going through.  

KIM - So sorry to hear your job is being eliminated.  That is just not fair.  You should not have to deal with that right now.  When things come up like they will I think Oh come on I have CANCER  isn't that enough..PLEASE do not give me anymore to handle right now...How long have you been in your present job?  I will put you on the hope you find a new and better position for next year prayer list.  Good luck.

KT57 -  Thanks for thinking of me yesterday. 6 down 3 to go!!  Next 3 are gonna costs me some $ as my insurance changes the first of June. Anyone know what a chemo tx costs?  I have no idea as thank the lord all mine have been fully covered up until now.

Well time to crawl up stairs to the shower and get ready for my LAST DAY OF SCHOOL - and...I have mixed emotions.

Take care.  Love you all.

Patti