Any May 2009 Chemo Starters?

Titch- Thanks for the list! It helps to have everybody's names in one place. I started on the 26th though, not the 27th. Thanks for taking the time to do that!

Geri- Glad it's going well for you.

Today is day 4 for me. This is my first day without the Emend tri-pack and I don't have any nausea. I ate some watermelon and now I'm eating a piece of toast. I am very, very tired still. Other than being very tired and not having any appetite, I am hanging in there. This is my lowest energy day yet.

I hope everyone is doing well. Hugs and prayers for all!

Just an update on my condition. I am still in the hospital with the blood clot (hope to go home today or tomorrow) for they are  waiting for my blood level to be thin enough to go home. My arm still turns bluish when up. My WBC count went pretty low yesterday so I was placed on isolation (feel like I'm in jail) plus no raw fruits and vegs. My hairdresser came up last night and cut my long hair off so it's quite short--today is Day 11 so will be expecting my hair to start coming out soon. I missed my wig styling appt. yesterday so hope I can get it in next week before all of my hair is out.

lassie11-I love the competition you and the cat are having in who is shedding the most--I have cats too that are shedding like crazy.

hrf-are you still taking fragmin? I've not heard of it before.

blondie45-I too was only given steroids in IV prior to chemo and I had lots of nausea/vomiting plus feeling so cold. Hope to get things changed for my next treatment

deb6563-good luck on your walk--way to go!!! 

Titch:  I am Linda  (LRM216) and I started 4/30/09, please add me if you will, and to

 Kelly:  I know only too well what the isolation feels like, it's horrible.  Get well and come home soon!

Linda

Geri- great to hear the start went so well, keep guzzling that water at home too! I was interested about the "Ice caps", do you really mean on your head? Why? When I had Taxatere before (and will again on Mon) they gave me ice gloves and slippers to protect the nails, but not a cap. Is it for your hair or something? Intrigued.

Deb- Way to go on the fundraiser, enjoy the experience tonight, it's an emotional rollercoaster like this whole trip.

Have a good weekend everyone else, we have sunshine (at last) forcast for central Canada, so I'm off for 10th anniversary dinner with my husband- making hay while the sun shines!

Cat

May Chemo Starters  What an amazing group of survivors you are!!  I looked back through some of the posts that were written when you first started this thread--it's interesting to see how you've "matured" on this journey.  At first, when you didn't know each other and were still in "shock" about what was happening to you, you were introducing yourselves, giving your diagnoses, etc. and the anxiety was coming through (and rightfully so, too).  Now, the last pages are reflecting courage, strength, and determination--most of you have been through at least the first chemo tx and are sharing your experiences--holding out a hand to help a sister whose tx maybe didn't go as well, welcoming newbies, giving a tip you learned from your oncologist or NP.  You have picked up this burden and are marching on:  You all are awesome!   

The treatment list is a great idea--will help you keep track of each other.  A name would be fun, too.  Bethie and I are February Furies, I think there's a March Princess Warrior checking in from time to time, and I believe there's another survivor from another group, but I can't remember the name-- discovered the hard way that if you go back to a different page to check, you lose your unsubmitted post.  Anyway, a name gives you a group identity and a sense of belonging (sorry, I teach sociology ).  Many of you will keep in touch long after you finish your treatments.

Sorry about the rambling--just got home from a Taxol treatment and the steroids make me loopy.  Am going to take a nap.  May Starters, keep on "giving" when you can, and "taking" when you need to--Take care--Helen

gramof3 you also sound like you have a FANTASTIC attitude, glad you are here.

glostagirl I think the Claritin worked for me with my first Neultasta shot, I have read varying doses from people on here on how much to take for how long. I think I took 1 before I went to get the shot and 1 for like the next 3 to 4 days afterwards and it seemed to work for me. I am wondering why if the claritin helps the bone pain from the Neulasta that I haven't seen it mentioned to help the bone pain from the Taxol, or maybe I just didn't find it yet, so much info to read here!

gmp300- glad to hear it went so well!

TexasRose and luvtheocean-hope you are doing well.

Titch-Please add me to the list. I started my chemo today 3/29/2009!  Just made it to the Marvelous May Crew! Do we have an official name??

No allergic or other reactions although I did take a 3 hour nap afterwards and am ready to turn in for the night 2 hours later. I understand that I'll probably wake up sometime in the middle of the night, however...

My port was placed yesterday morning and sealed with Dermabond. It appears the betadine may have wiped some of it off as the incision was somewhat opened after today's chemo. Put on abx ointment and dressed it in waterproof bandage/gauze but will call surgeon on Monday.

Couldn't sleep last night but had oral steroids. Had IV steroids today, more oral steroids tomorrow.  God Bless everyone.

So far we have  Marvelous Madams, Marvelous May Crew!  Any other Suggestions?

Diana

Stay positive even through the darkest hours!

Hello Everyone,  Well I barely made it for the May crew,  I had my first treatment yesterday and just tired some today and tonight getting a sore throat.  Anyone have suggestion on sore throat, what helps?   The Nurse called this morning and checked on me and told me to rest today because tommorrow will be a differant day!!!

Hi all

I have updated the list.  I just realised that the forum posts are in my GMT time world, and since me and Zuzee are in your future (being in NZ).  It is currently 2.pm 30th May here. So those that added posts with "I started today" and I have used that date will have a start date in my time, not the correct date

Just let me know and we can amend it.

Tania

Thanks, Titch, for adding me.  Appreciate it greatly.

Hugs,

Linda

CatKC---Yes Iam still guzzling water,  sipping on ginger ale and chewing on ice, and eating popsicles.  It is the end of day 2 and I still feel good,  I have my taste buds, no nausea (Ihad pasta for dinner)  and alot of energy from the steroids.  I don't know if the water is the answer but it seems to be.  I am also eating yogurt and watermelon and trail mix. Tomorrow is a new day so we'll see.   About the Cold Caps.  I ordered them from a company (after researching them) and you are suppose to save your hair from chemo.  You wear the caps during chemo and 3 hours after at every tx.  We'll see if it works in a few weeks.  It has worked on other woman and is very common in Europe.  It is starting to catch on here.  There are a few gals on here who are using them now too.  We'll see if it works and let everybody know.  Well it's getting late and Iam anxious to see how I feel tomorrow,  You  take care too and I hope your feel well also.  Take Care ---Geri

Hi Ladies!  I've been posting in the Triple Negative section, but thought I'd add a post here.  I post for my mom because I am taking this journey with her and I am the one doing all the research and finding tips and such because she's not been handling this well so far.  Anyway, she started chemo yesterday.  She is having neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (chemo pre-surgery to shrink her tumor before her mastectomy).  She is also participating in a clinical trial so she is doing her chemo weekly and taking a new drug, Sutent, in addition to the chemo. 

Because she's triple negative, hormone therapies are not effective.  Her regimen is weekly Taxol for twelve weeks, with daily oral dosage of Sutent (the experimental drug).  This will be followed by fifteen weeks of weekly Adriomycin and daily Cytoxan and Sutent.  Then after the 27 week chemo therapy, she will have her mastectomy.

Her first dose of chemo yesterday went REALLY well.  The benadryl made her very drowsy and she slept through most of the infusion, then she slept when she got home for the rest of the evening.  We woke her up at 9 pm to eat a light meal and to take her Sutent (with some Ensure) and then we gave her a sleeping pill at 11 pm to put her back to sleep so that her body's internal clock didn't get screwed up.  She woke up Friday morning feeling great.  No side effects, no sickness, no fatigue, no pain.   She said she felt better than she's felt since she first had the cancer.  We're really hoping that this experience continues through the Taxol portion of her treatment.  It's the AC portion that tends to make you sick from what I understand.

This was really good for her because she was so scared of being in pain and the idea of chemo and now she's not as worried anymore.  Her chemo is every Thursday, so I will post next week and keep you posted on how she's doing.

DX 4/2009, 5-6 cm, Stage IIIB/Grade 3 , 1/2 nodes, ER-, PR-, HER2 - (Triple Negative)

So far we have  Marvelous Madams, Marvelous May Crew, The May Flowers, Mighty Fighty Mays, May Marvels, "Maybugs rule.  Any other suggestions?

Diana

Stay positive even through the darkest hours! 

Pantufas, sending you best wishes and hoping you and everyone else are feeling better today!

Remember, some days you are going to feel bad but that means soon you will feel better!

Stay positive even through the darkest hours! Diana