first chemo done

You have bangs, I'm jealous! LOL....I think mine is going to get curlier, even though it's shorter then yours, it's starting to like stick out in places...and mines coming in gray and black! Jill I've never had black hair before, natural was a light brown with reddish tones!  Mines really soft too..and not knowing what yours looking like before, yours looks good in the pic!

Hi Ladies...

I just posted another picture...I went to a great event yesterday with my DH, my niece and her DH.   It was called "Blending for Boobies" an event that raised money for women who cannot afford mammograms.  (A Solano Midnight Sun Foundation)  We were able to taste some great wines and then make our own blend and bottle our very own bottle of wine.  I was glad to see so many of my old friends who were very surprised when I told them I have BC.  They could not believe it or that I had a wig on...The two women who founded Midnight Sun both are BC survivors.  One was a customer of mine and the other I played golf with in many tournaments.  They asked me to be on their board.  I really want to help others who are dealing with this...so of course I couldn't say no. 

There were vendors there from the local area and one that I thought was cute was "Bras for a Cause" and these women made a calendar of pictures of Cancer survivors dressed up in glamour shots...and sold their calendars with some of the proceeds going to Blending for Boobies and then to their Bras for Cause.

Jill ...Love the shirt....where did you find it?

Happy Fathers Day...to our wonderful DH's who put up with our CRAP.... 

Love the new picture, love the t shirt.....you guys are the best.

Hey ladies,

I just had my herceptin treatment today with benadryl... is it just me, or does the benadryl injection knock you on your a**?

I've taken bendadryl orally for allergies and it makes me sleepy for a bit. But when I get it in an IV, it hits me like a shot of heroin (not that I'd know what heroin is like) and I am still woozy 8 hours later.  It feels like the injectable version is a dozen times stronger. 

Or maybe it's the Herceptin? 

L.  

Hello all !

Nice to hear from you all again.  Lots going on.  

Janet - Hey there !  Nice hearing from you.  And.. would love to see that picture !   PM me if you want instructions on how to do this.    To answer your question, I am exactly 6 months out from my last chemo, which was December 22.   Hair (on my head) started coming back in about 6 weeks after chemo ended - although brows and lashes came in faster for me.   I felt comfortable going without the hat toward the end of radiation which was early/mid March.    Or course,  I got out of the darn hats as soon as I could.   It came in flat as a board until just recently when it decided to go insane on me.  But, thanks for the compliments.

As for my son.. thanks.  And yes, he is his mother's son.  If I were a boy, I know exactly what I would be like.   Sometimes I almost feel sorry for him.   Also, so you know, my 15 year old daughter decided to forgo camp this year.     That was fine with us.. the marching band eats those kids alive every year.   So, I was OK saving the money.   Let us know how things are going with you - your chemo and what you decide in regard to reconstruction!

Cindy - Nice event - although for the record, I never need an excuse to drink wine.  Got a glass right next to me now.    It's yummy.   As for the shirt, I got it at the following place:

www.zazzle.com

Lots of fun stuff there.  The shirt was just too Laura to pass up - and if you can cheer up someone going through chemo... then why not?

Speaking of Laura -  Gosh.. I think I am getting a little turned on by all the compliments and offers to touch my hair.     OK.. kidding on that.  You know, you are not the first person who has mentioned young face/gray hair syndrome and mean that positively.   I last got carded for beer when I was 33 - so have always dealt with the looking young thing (and couple that with being short).   So.. I think I am going to see where this goes and stay gray.  What the hell do I have to lose?

Anyway, as to Benedryl... yes, the IV stuff kicked my ass, but I think the herceptin plays in too.   I get the Benedryl orally now, but get the 90 minute dose of herceptin, and it STILL kicks my ass the day I get it.  I literally have to sleep it off for like three hours the afternoon I get it.  And since you appear to be my tall clone (inside joke), I suspect it is hitting you the same way.   Not a whole lot you can do but sleep it off. 

Oh.. and by the way, I have found that the Olay daily cleanser with "blemish control" helps keep the zits a little better under control without over drying my face.  I use once per day off herceptin weeks and twice per day on herceptin weeks.  Herceptin just makes me feel oily.   I still get a zit or two, but it is really different than if I did not use it (in which case, I would revisit my teen age years).

Shannon - Great to hear from you !  I had been wondering about you and your Mom.  Glad to hear she is doing well.   Use those creams!   They do help. 

Have a great night everyone !

Jill

Okay, BIG DAY TODAY!   Two weeks from my first TCH and, yes, my hair started to come out. I got rid of it.  This really feels like a milestone for me, but it was harder than I expected.

I woke up this morning and ran my fingers through my hair and, hmm, there was a lot of it in my hand.  I turned my head upside down, ran my fingers through it, and it was like pulling out loose grass - I just kept shedding and shedding and shedding.   It all seemed to be coming out in a spot near my hairline, right smack in the middle of my forehead.  I was kind of torn - to buzz or not to buzz?  Then I thought that I'd rather not wake up tomorrow morning with a pillow full of hair, and I called our local Aveda salon and had them buzz it.  My mom came with me and she was awesome because she brought along a huge bag of scarves from her closet, probably 20 or so.  Some of them are really really pretty.  I thought I'd hate myself without hair but, weirdly, I don't.  I kind of think I look like a Buddhist nun.  I find myself thinking longingly of flowing linen robes, incense and rope sandals... 

Janet -  I did wear the shirt to chemo and one woman stopped me and laughed so hard she had to sit down.  It was a hit!  I might order a couple more from Zazzle to wear to chemo.  They've got some pretty clever ones.   

Shannon, I'm glad your mom's doing well, and I hope you are, too!  

Jill... OH BABY!  Gotta touch that hair.   More seriously, I got my B./H. cocktail yesterday at 9 AM and it wasn't until about 9 PM that I finally started feeling normal.  I think you're right - it's the Benadryl/Herceptin together that's getting me.  I felt pretty good today, except for being a little emotional and weepy about my hair.  At least my face hasn't broken out...  yet.

Cruise, I am SORRY about the radiation.  A friend told me that it was the worst part of her treatment, worse than chemo.   I am counting down the days for you. 

L.

Hi Laura....Your friend is right...RADs are the worse.  Love your new DO...Now you are part of the club....officially  LOL

I had my first Boost today and only 4 more.  It wasn't as bad as the regular rads...although I woke up this morning with blood all over my nightgown.  I had to use peroxide to remove the stains.  This is getting really ugly and I hope I can heal now that the other rads are finished.

I am resting for the next few days...this really SUCKS....

Crack, stick it out babe, you're almost done!!!!! But I'm telling you, if I get that bad, I will quit...they told me I was cancer free, have hmmm, 19 more to go...which includes boosts, the techs say this doc likes to do 5-8 of those........so so far nothing..(Knock on wood)...EXCEPT under Big Bertha, which is still a DD...from rubbing the skin under it, it has really irritated it, beet red and itches like mad...........gotta show the doc tomorrow, hope she gives me something for it...........

Hey Ladies....

 I have been taking the pictures/avatars with my iPhone and then I email them to my address and save them as an avatar...it seems to be the easiest way to take a pix. 

Wow I can really see the shiney head...I hope to take more as the hair grows....I need something to amuse me while I go through this rad crap...

Janet..you had a great party...the lemon snacks sounded yummy....and the support from your friends just can't get any better...

Deb...the last two weeks of rads will be the test....that's when I started to get worse.  I PRAY that you don't you have been through enough....

chelev...Cute picture too!  We are growing......

Janet, the party sound like fun. What about some recipes they all sound great. I could use a "When life hands you lemons so make lemonade" party!  I think my girlfriends would love it. It a great way to celebrate, and I know just when to spring it on them. I just finished chemo and will start rads in a few weeks.   So when I start rads would be perfect timing.

 kathy

Laura, I am a stress eater too, but I figure if I have a party to look forward to that I might just be able to keep myself under control till then.  I know I have to start walking and working out.  So, at work I started parking my car accross campus on nice days.  It's more than I was doing, every extra step counts.

 Have a great day...enjoy your workout.

kathy

Laura...I just started shaving my legs after 2 months post chemo....it sure was nice not having to bend or stoop in the shower to shave everyday....the "Va jay jay" is still bald...and I noticed some eyebrows peaking through the skin...it won't be long now before I will look human again and not like an Alien.

Kathy...that's a great way to get extra steps and more exercise in...we all have a habit of circling parking lots to get the closest spot...I will do the same when I go to Costco...

Good evening to my ladies,

     Just stopping in to say a quick hello.  Mom had some good results from the heart work up.  Doc says she tolerated the chemo very well and things look just as good as they did pre treatment, so that is a bit of good news.  We were concerned about the heart function,  she has been so out of breath lately.  But, seems all is well on that front.  The BRCA testing was negative too, so we will have to blame it on some other genetic problem I suppose.  But seriously, this was a bit of good news as well.  She is begining to experience some burning already from the rads and they are supposed to prescribe some lotion tomorrow so we shall see if that helps any.  Other than that things are going well in our little corner of the world.

     Hope you all are well tonight.  Laura, you look beautiful in your photo and I would say that the first things I notice about you is you smile and your kind eyes.  The chemo may have taken your hair, but those are the things it will never touch.  Moms is starting to come in a little here and there.  It is all white so far, but it is returning slowly.  Cindy, you are the prettiest "alien" I have ever seen (and I know some strange folks).  Happy that you are almost finished with the rads and I am sure I will have some questions soon.  Sorry this part is proving to be difficult for you.  Almost better now.  Hang in there ladies.  Thinking of you all..............Shannon

Ladies -

Hi again.  You all have been busy !  Because I think we could all use something funny, I wanted to tell you about something that happened at work today.

Tomorrow is "Take your child to work day" where I work.  My son is going in with me, and they have all kinds of activities planned.  Accordingly, they erected a big old tent on the front lawn of our building.  

Well... my office is on ground level looking right out at that front lawn.  And it is REALLY hot here right now.   What this means is that I got a front row seat this morning to watching these young, hunky SHIRTLESS guys put up that tent (we're talking six pack ab material here).   Let's just say, my work morale has never been better.   I want to float a proposal that in order to improve work place morale (at least for the women), that everyday these guys should be putting up the tent or taking it down.  Tent up.. tent down.  Easy.  

I have not told my husband about this idea yet.  But, if I did, it is likely he might demand "Take your husband to work day" such that he can police the situation.   So.. think I will keep it to myself.

Anyway, sounds like most of you are doing well. 

Janet - Great party idea!  It sounds like you are doing great.  

Cindy - I hear you on the rads thing.  Last couple weeks really suck.   Sounds like you warranted the antibiotic cream too.  The only thing I can tell you, though, is that you will be AMAZED at how fast your skin heals.  Trust me on this one.   Now that you are in the boost week, the healing has started.   Hang in there lady !  Almost done.

Talk to you all later.

Jill

Hi all,

Last A/C done 10 days ago, and while the effect on my stomach - quesy, heartburn- was more so this round, I just keep reminding myself that the A/C is done...and I'm still standing! Yeah!

I meet with the onc on Tuesday to discuss the Taxol/Herceptin - that combination will be weekly for 12 weeks, then the Herceptin for the balance of a year.  We're all getting there, and I thank everyone for their thoughts this last round.

Geri