Any May 2009 Chemo Starters?

Titch So sorry to hear about your scare with your son.  One of my sons is just 18 and every time he takes the car I get worried something might happen.  Thankfully in your son's case he wasn't hurt.

I go for #2 of 12 Taxols tomorrow and I'm dreading it.  The first one wasn't too bad but the second one is where if you are going to have an allergic reaction to the stuff it happens this time. Also, I have been using cold packs on my hands and feet to help ward off neuropathy and ever since the 2nd AC my hands and feet have been very sensitive to the cold so it is hard to keep the packs on.  I am petrified of getting neuropathy especially in my hands because I depend on them for some very fine motor skills to be able to make the jewelry, quilts and papercrafts I love to make.  Take my ability to make things away and I would be lost.  I already have problems because of osteoarthritis so I don't need any additional problems.  Unfortunately the neuropathy SEs sometime don't show up until after treatment is finished.  So I won't know for a few months whether or not the cold packs did the trick.  Oh well.

It' s fun to hear about everyones' getaways.  I wish I could get away from our house for a few days.  The only thing I get to look forward to this week is a fitting for a Lymphedema sleeve and bra on friday.  Hopefully they will help me keep it under control.  I need to get some handle on it now because rads can make it worse!

Hope all you May Marvels have minimal SEs this week. Take care.

Hi Marvels

Well another good day at work became another shiite day again . Oh not to work, I wish. Tania I hope you are still not doing 10 hour days and to anyone else working I hope are  you having better days than  me.!!! Crikey Swine flu has arrived in  Waihi , New  Zealand, popn 4000. and we have 4 cases a day. I am going to stay home for the next few days, stuff work , getting bolshy due to lack of sleep and ongoing problems with work,. Have decided it is now doing my head in!!!!so I quit for this week.

Pink Hugs Susie

Susie- I give you kudos just for the fact that you even have been working going thru all of this,i just want to lay around and be lazy, maybe if i worked i wouldnt feel as bad who knows, just stay in bed and rest, rest,rest, and be careful around crowds too, with the swine flu lurking there, hope you get some sleepy time in today

Well im off to get another shot in tummy, counts were low yesterday have to have shot all this week, i feel sick with a sore throat too so hope shots keep my numbers up, seems like its taking me longer to bounce back from # 3 infusion, jsut feel crappy all over,and did i mention I HATE NEEDLES!! sorry didnt mean to yell, but if someone is trying to get me to overcome my fear of them, its not working !! hugs to all

debbie

Viki good luck tomorrow! BTW I loved your story!

I took a day trip with my sisters to Antietam National Park where the bloodiest battle (over 23,000 soldiers died) during the civil war happened. The scenery is beautiful.  I had a great time but I am tired.

On Monday I have my 3rd treatment and I am not looking forward to the SE.

Well, I hope everyone has a great night and you get lots of rest. To everyone else have a great day. To those who finish their treatments, CONGRATULATIONS!

Lots of hugs,  Diana.

Hi ladies,

I haven't posted for awhile.  I've been enjoying feeling better after my last chemo 2 1/2 weeks ago.  You will feel great when you are finally done.  I can't wait for you all to get that point.  Now I'm onto rads.  I have a planning session at the end of the month then I will start the second week in August.  I thought I would be done by the end of August but things take time and now I'll be going into September.  This has been one very long year, hasn't it??? 

Lori - I am meeting with the research nurse on the 31st about the biphosphonates study.  I don't konw if I want to participate yet.  I guess once I get the info I'll know for sure.

I had my first lupron shot last week.  I am or was premenapausal but I can't take tamox because of a risk of blood clots (family history) so it is lupron and arimidex for me.  I haven't received the arimidex yet (mail order).  I'm interested to see how my body will react.  On the lupron I have some slight swelling of my ankles and knees.  Hurts to bend them.  Other than that, it's the darn hot flashes!  Chemo had those pretty much going all day for me now the lupron is going to continue them.  I wonder how hot I'm going to feel when my hair grows back!  I'm one hot mama! 

Hope all of you are having minimal side effects today.  For those of you who have finished chemo, Congrats.  For those of you who are on your almost there, hang in there you will be done soon and will be in for better days.

Love to all.

sukiann

Good Morning Ladies..........I am 10 days out after last A/C.  I still feel tired??  I took like a 3 hour nap yesterday.  How much longer till I feel good??????  I am so ready!  I see the Rad-Onc next Thursday and have my test run rad.  I think I am going to be right there with you sukiann, I think she said I would start 2nd wk in Aug also.  Which is actually fine with me, I am looking forward to feeling better and would love a week where I feel good before I start the boob burn!  After this is done in Sept, the new hubby and I are going back to FL to St Pete Beach (our fav) to FINALLY have our honeymoon.  For those of you who don't know, or chemo brained it out  I got married on 4/4, saw a surgeon on 4/6 and had lump & sn on 4/8!  So we are soooooo due for some normal alone time!  I booked the flight yesterday to give me something to look forward to!  Hopefully the S/E's from the rads and then tamoxifin won't be too bad.  I went over to one of the radiation forums and read a bit, looks like the S/E's range from next to nothing to blisters, etc.  IM STAYING WITH MY MARVELS through the rest of this.  I see no reason to try and get to know a whole new group of ladies when most of us have been here since our 'day 1' and I feel like we know each other so well!

That is probably it for me today, maybe for the weekend......I always read but don't always post.  Sorry girls, it has just been a draining last 1.5 wk!

Hugs to all........

Becky

Hi Marvels

A shite week at work but a great night outlast night dancing to Abba . I feel as if I am back in the real world again. Great to read that some of you are out of chemo, my last is 30th July and then 1 month off and then rads. I am also staying with Marvels for rads. We are a great group of strong positive gals. Saturday morning here and it raining so no golf for me today.

Have a wonderful weekend all.

Pink hugs Susie

Hi Gals

Have to tell you the rugby is on now New Zealand versus Australia, The world down here has stopped, This is like Superovl but cannot ring anyone now. Bloody ozzies winning  13 - 10.

Anyone else on FEC-T? I am Day 6 of the first round of the Taxotere (2 to go and that's it!!)  and am quite pleased to find that it comes without nauseau! I have been super tired and there is some joint pain but I think someone specially organized this so that the worst part was first. A friend sent me a card that said something about "the middle is the worst" and you are half way through and you can do this. Just in time. I was getting annoyed - want my hair back and my PICC line gone. Now. This too shall pass. Just not yet.

Good morning May Marvels. 

I had my first taxol yestereday.  I had 50mg of benadryl IV beforehand and when I got home, I slept for 3 hours.  Then dozed on and off the rest of the day.  Today I feel great.  No nausea so no zofran so no constipation so no hemorroids so no bleeding so no pain. WOW!!  I don't have any muscle or joint pain.  So far taxol is a piece of cake compared  to A/C.  My white blood count was good so I don't have to take neupogen (sp?) shots this round. I know that the muscle and joint pain as well as fatique will come later as I get more of the taxol in my system, but I am going to enjoy this week pain and fatique free.

I'm headed to Wal-mart to spend some money on food that I can now eat because the yucky taste is finally going away then back home to clean house.  I could never have said that the day after A/C.

Janet - where are you?  check in.  haven't heard from you in awhile.  How are you feeling now that you are finished with A/C?

Take care everyone and have a great weekend.

Hi Taj- glad you back and hope you had a nice relaxing vacation, i pm you  take care

angel hugs debbie

Hi all

I am sorry I have not been around.  I have had massive computer probs this week.  I purchased a new laptop and had dramas with it since.  Will be taking it back tomorrow to get it fixed. 

I have had a couple of crap days, which is a change for me.  I finished chemo late on Thursday and missed the chemist, so had no steroids.  Then by the time I got to the chemist the next day, I had missed my time (have to take at 8 am), so didn;t have it till the next day.  Since then I have felt really yuk.  The steroids definitely have been what has kept me well.  I have been very irratible myself, which is not normal for me, but it is how I am just feeling.  So hoping tomoroow is a better day. 

Take care gals, and no matter what life throws ya keep smiling.....

Hi Marvels

Monday morning is here and I hope everyone has a better week this week. I have to start it by contacting my insurance company.  My tenant rang to tell me the ceiling in my kitchen has collapsed!!?? so have a laugh girls and enjoy.

Hugs Susie

Hi everyone,

  I just got back from vacation.  Had a nice time at the beach with the family, although, I was a little less active than in years past.  Before I left, I had a little scare...thought a new lump turned up in the healthy breast.  After having an ultrasound it was determined that it was just fatty tissue. (Hooray for fat!!!  Never thought I'd say that!) 

  I also met with a plastic surgeon before I left for vacation.  Now I'm deciding between implants or a DIEP procedure (where they use tissue from your belly but not the ab muscle) .  Unfortunately, the second plastic surgeon who I talked to about the DIEP (who just happens to be the Chief of Plastic Surgeon at University of Pennsylvania Hospital who specializes in reconstruction) totally contradicted what the first plastic surgeon I meant with said about implants.  

  Tomorrow I start Taxol.  Once again, the "unknown" has me a little nervous.  I understand that the nausea is less than with A/C, but since that wasn't an issue for me, I don't know if the taxol will prove to be more bothersome with bone pain and "tingling" fingers and toes!   What I do know I'll hate is being in that chair for five freaking hours!!!!   I told the onc nurses that they better give me something to do like filing or my ADHD is really going to get the better of me!  

  That's it for now. Hope everyone is doing well. 

Janet

Susie- Sorry about your ceiling, when it rains it pours it seems

Janet- good to see your back i mentioned that you were mia and wonderd how you were, good luck with the taxol tomorrow

Jaeslne- I knew that your were having problems with the implants but i had no idea how bad it was, im sorry you had to go thru all that, thats one of the reasons why i have decided to wait at least a year before i decide what recon i will do if any, it to much to handle for me right now. I hope that your SE are minimal this time around, i too had really low white and red counts and my hemoglobin was on the low side to, i have had to get he shot every time, in fact this last 3 days has been really hard on me with the bone pain,stayed on pain meds the whole time,tonight i finally feel better, but not looking forward to next infusion, My heart goes out to you and all those that have more than 4 to do, i will do my last one at he end of this month.

I have been to SB it has been about 25 years but it is really beautifvul kind of reminds me of hawaii.

hope every one had a good weekend

debbie