Starting Chemo Aug 09

Reni - you go in the dr office for your neulista shot?  My onc told me yesterday that I will have to give myself the shots.  Is this normal? 

Anita aka Scoobydoo

Hi everyone, I hope you all are feeling good!

Navymom, feeling blue is completly appropriate we are going thru alot these days. Keep your chin up and cry if you have to it is quite theraputic! We are here for you!!!!

Luddy, I am not having my care at Moffitt, I am at Florida Cancer Center in Spring Hill. My mom had breast cancer and used Moffitt for 8 years, OI am very very familiar with it and it's drs. it is a great facility!!! You are in good hands!

Manue, How did your port install go?? I'm up on Thursday!

Scoobydoo- I too get my Neulasta shot in the Onc. office. I have heard of people giving themselves the Neupagen shot at home.

Reni- I'm on TAC day 13, still no hair loss, but the second I see it the buzzers are coming out, hats here I come!

Kristin- I read about the stool softner, I have to tell you guys, TMI, I haven't had a normal stool since day 1 of chemo, I have not taken any stool softeners at all but I swear if I eat I go within 15 minutes. I don't know how I am not losing weight. My food does not even digest, tomato in , tomato out!

Mainecoonkitty- Try to get some rest tonight, if I'm right you are starting your chemo tomorrow, it will be a long day for you bring something to read or do, by the way I thought I would let you know a personal tidbit. I am assuming by your name you are a Maine Coon fan, I have a handsome Maine Coon named Fred, the coolest cat ever, very good at cuddling!

JanetH77- I guess if you are 2 days ahead of me my bald head will be here soon, which brings me to my next post...........

ReneeS- Thanks so much for sharing your "shaving", I cried watching it, not because of the loss, but because of the affection your friends and family gave during the process!

Jenn-I am glad you are feeling better today as if chemo isn't enough, a sinus infection on top of it, not fair! You are on day 7 thats about when I was feeling good and smooth sailing since!

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes, so far 40 is uneventful! I can't help but notice how young we all are. I wish we didn't have to go thru this but appreciate the company....strength in numbers!!!!!  (((HUGS)))) Donna

Good luck tomorrow Maine Coon Kitty!  I'll be thinking about you!

Thanks, Karen! 

I fell so much better knowing my sisters here have my back and are rooting me on to the finish line!

I thought the same thing the other night when I shouldn't sleep, Kristin.  That this is going to be a long few months and very hard.  I tried to be more positive today so I thought about how good it will feel when this is all in the past.  I can't wait until next summer really. 

Hi Jenn,

I had my first treatment of taxotere and cytoxan yesterday.  They premedicated me with 3 different anti-nausea meds before the infusion.  I slept through most of it, I took an ativan 0.5 mg prior to going into the infusion center.  I ate lunch before as well.  After I was able to go out to dinner and still had a good appetite.  Before bed I took zofran and another 0.5 mg ativan and slept through the night.  This morning I took the anti-nausea meds and have been fine all day just really tired.  I got my first Neulasta injection today, it hurts during but once its done its fine.  My next infustion is on the 31st and I plan to get a mediport prior because I am a very difficult stick for IV and blood draws.

Paula 

ps: Hydrate well, I drank lots of water all weekend before and during and after the infusion and I had some life savers in butter rum to suck on too.  I took my ipod and my computer but I slept through and didn't use them... 

Scoobydoo - First neulista shot I go into the office (where I get my chemo), 2nd shot insurance pays for a nurse to come to my house to show me how its done. From then onwards 3 - 6 I'm on my own... but my friend lives nearby and she's a nurse so she's going to do it for me. I was suprised that it stung when the med was going in (not the actual needle) .... the nurse said I should make sure to let the fluid flow slowly as it burns less. Thought I'd share if you are doing it yourself...

Hope this helps (not sure what is considered normal)

Hello Everyone,

Boy, everytime I check in so much has happened !! Well, first day was on Monday, the day went well until I hit around 6:30 at night. Oh my goodness,the nausea hit me full force, I was awake all evening, I may have dosed every 30min. but was up all night. Thank goodness day two was uneventful, went for my Neulasta inj. which burned a bit, although, she put it in rather slow, no side effects with pain yet. Now I am on day 3, Yeah !!! Going for more PT today, hopefully today will hold good things for me. I am hoping all of you have a great day today. My thoughts have been with all of you. I have had trouble with feeling down and I have been relying on reading the posts to pick me up quite a bit. Thanks ladies. Tara.

Hi, Amazons! Sorry if I don't respond individually. My short term memory/attention span is not what it should be. Those who are feeling blue--hope you feel better. I think we all have bad days and good days. Hang in there!

Re: mediport pros and cons--different for every person. I'm going to be doing this for a year and a half and have lousy veins, so it makes sense for me. The putting in part was not at all bad. It was a bit uncomfortable but that's it. Was terrified the first time they used it for A/C, but they took it nice and slow and all went well. They can take blood out of it for blood test if you have trouble with veins.

Re: hair--everyone's favorite topic. I think I posted about how I had it shaved 'cause it was coming out in clumps and I had to be somewhere fancy. Well, after I shaved and started wearing the wig, none of the stubble has been falling out. I would rather it just go away! People like my wig better than my normal hair, which I was not dieing. So I guess when it comes back in I''m going to have to start coloring away the gray.

Love the Xena and Wonderwoman imagery. We are all wonderwomen! Hand in there all, take one day at a time, love life, thank G-d every day for all the miracles that we enjoy daily. Hugs,

Deb

Hello. I just typed so much and lost it. I am glad to know that I am not the only one that is just starting. I hope that from this point we can keep in touch and talk to each other more. I could really use a friend and support person. I turned 35 in July. I just had my second treatment of chemo and I am having a hard time dealing with some of the side effects. I had a real hard time after my first treatment because I caught a virus and my body was having a hard time fighting it. I have alot of people around me that is trying to help but no one knows how I feel and I can't explain it to anyone. I have 3 kids that need me and right now I feel like I can't be there for them. I am taking TAC. I chose to take all 3 of my medicines at once. So, my treatment is TAC over a 18 week period. I have a hard time because I am use to doing for myself and doing things my way. Now I have no energy, no patiences, nothing. I don't feel like myself. I just lost my hair to the point that I cut the rest of it off. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. For my birthday, I had a birthday/coming out party. Where friends and family came and brought hats and scarves. I loved that. I guess just being around so many people that I never thought cared made me feel good. I have had so much support that I never imagined. But I don't want the attention. I feel like some of the people around me are only doing it just to have something to talk about. The others sit around and say, If you need me for anything, just call. I have 3 kids and tell you that I can just barely hold my head up, is tired, have no energy, do you think that I could use some help? I don't like asking for help. And it kills me inside not to be able to be the person that I am use to being. My kids have always been my world and I have always tried to be there for them. Now I feel like, I don't have the energy to do that anymore. I am depressed, stressed, tired, confused, lonely, I can go on. Now I need someone that understands to help me get through this. I have my fiancee' of 10 years but I feel pulled away from him. He has always been my rock. Through everything that I have been through, he has been there. He was always the one face that I wanted to see before surgery and right after. We have shared everything. But I feel like I am by myself. I feel like no one understand. So maybe we can keep in touch and share some of the trying experiences that we are going to go through. I hope that we can become friends. Look forward to talking to you in the future.

Hi Bootie, I know it's hard to ask for help.  I hate doing it too but this disease is too strong to fight alone.  I keep telling myself that if it were the other way around and it was someone else who was sick, I would be one of the first to help anyway I can.  That does help me and I hope it will help you.  You said you don't feel like yourself anymore - I am confident that we will all feel like old selves again when this is over.  Things might not be quite the same but I am very hopeful that we will all go back to enjoying our lives and being healthy again.  It's hard to be positive sometimes and things are very difficult at times but we will all get through this together and with the help of our loves ones. 

Hugs to all the August Amazons!  

Jenn - it's funny, but the shakiness leaves me once I get on the bike.  In fact, I didn't think that I was up for it last night but once I changed into my workout clothes and got on the bike, I felt great.  The minute I got off I felt not-so-great again, which made me want to get back on!  I have found that the best thing for me is to just do it and see how I feel - I can always stop.  I'm glad that you're walking . . . maybe you could take someone with you just in case you need a hand.  At the very least, take a cell phone.

Manue - I hope that the abscence of the "C" means fewer SEs for you.  We'll keep our fingers crossed on the clinical trial - we all owe you and the other ladies on trials a big "thanks".

Bootie - in my opinion, if you even think that you need some help then you should find it.  You know yourself best and it sounds like you need someone to talk to.  Just remember - this is temporary and, as Karen said, we will all get back to normal eventually (if not stronger!).  Your previous priorities can wait.  Right now you should be your priority and, taking a phrase from my boss, "this moves to the top of the queue".  You have to put yourself first.  Your kids will be stronger because of this experience - don't underestimate them or your fiancee.  They will be fine and will admire you for your strength.  Be as strong as you can but don't worry about being super-woman, no one expects that of you (except maybe you!).  We are all here for you.

K

Linda, Read thru the post and you will see that most of the first chemos went ok, I know you will be worried until it's over and you will say, hey not so bad! I will be thinking of you, and Mainecoonkitty, she is in today. I will have my port placed tomorrow and like you am nervous of the unknown. I get my strength from these post!

Bootie, Welcome to the group, keep your head held high! I agree, your children will probly amaze you with their strength! I too am on TAC x6, second tx next week all good so far! I know what you mean by "not being there" for your kids. You are there more than you realize. I'm not saying that this is true for you but I am a mother of three and a bit of a control freak. I feel I need to be in control of everything or all hell will break loose! Guess what, I've been out of full control for a month now and the house is still standing, my kids are still breathing air and the laundry somehow still gets done. I think it's not getting done "my" way, which is the best way, haha, but still getting done. Now is the time to lean on your fiance and friends, don't feel bad about that, let them help where help is needed, you will get thru this and back to normal. I like to think of this has a temporary situation, that may be naive but thats how I can see the end of this nightmare!

(((Hugs)))) Donna