Starting Chemo Aug 09

Hi everyone TGIF!!! Well the port is in, so far so good a little sore today I am taking Advil the Doc gave me Darvacit wow no thanks those things knocked me right out. My third eye (mole) is also gone can't wait to take the bandaid off tomorrow and see it. Today is day 16 and hair is coming out big time oh yea; "all my hair everywhere"! Good new at least one of my friends cancelled plans and will be here for the big shave along with 1 son and my DH.

Kristen, I was told my chemo facility does not have wifi, I am bringing my netbook anyway because I find it hard to believe that in that huge busy building there is no wifi.

I hope everyone has a SE free weekend!!!!!!!

Thanks for being there for my head shaving drama.......(((HUGS)))) Donna

Oh Jenn I'm so sorry your throat is sore!  Take it easy!  You haven't had an easy time of this.  I really admire your attitude though.

Thanks for the cat comments ladies.  He's a he, thought he was a she but no.  It was going well but he has very stinky urine.  I don't know if it just that I am more sensitive to bad smells right now but I had to clean the litterbox and almost threw up several times.  Ugh!  Hopefully I'll get used to it or I may get my dad to take him for a little while.  I did put an ad on the radio so maybe his owner will come out of hiding.  He is a very sweet little guy though and nice to have around.  I live alone so it is especially nice.  Not sure about a name yet....

I washed my hair this morning and there was a lot more hair in the sink at the end of it.  And tons more when I blrew it dry.  Oh well.  I'm getting to the point that I was before my chemo started, I'm tired of thinking about it and just want to get it over with I think.  At least we will all be bald together and I will be in good company!

I think I might be going out to breakfast tomorrow and I'm going to try to see if a friend of mine might want to go to a matinee on Sunday when less people are around, like you Jenn.  We've been wanting to see "The Ugly Truth" so we may see that.

Hi ladies,

Sounds like lots of good news out there, I am so glad.  Just read all the news and it is all a blur.  Just thought I'd sign in quickly.  Fridays are always super busy since I am off every Thursday, only check e-mails at the end of the day.

Kristin-LOL about the book title.  Too funny. Scalp is still itchy but the hair is hanging in.  But I bought a great wig that is"me" yesterday so I feel ready.  Not really sure about wearing it since I have never been bald before!!!! but we shall see.

Kim-how are you-sounds better so not chicken pox?

Karen-glad to hear about the kitty.  We have 2 cats and they are very sweet.  Especially appreciated now.

I read about your insurance situation and it makes me sad.  I am in the Montreal area in Canada (Quebec has it's quirks with the medical situation compared to the rest of the country) and have a great private coverage as well for meds.  I am at a great medical facility too so feel very well taken care of.  I have not gotten my scans etc as quickly as you ladies but if they were of immediate medical necessity it would have happened.  We are very fortunate here. I wish you all luck with the current government discussions.  It really seems a pity that everyone cannot have a high level of care and not be harmed financially.

My news is TX3 was uneventful and I feel great today!  The SE's might start to accumulate but I'll deal with that as it comes.  I met my onc yesterday and he confirmed what I thought, but was afraid to think, my tumour is responding to the Taxol (or the Zoladex?!)!!  We were not sure if chemo would have a great effect hence the neo-adjuvant treatment.  I have ILC (which only has 20-30% response rate to chemo) and the tumour is large, 3.5-4 cm (hard to judge due to how the tumours grow).  So I am greatly relieved and feeling like I am progressing.  He said we might be able to do surgery after the 12xTaxol.  Will cross that bridge later-but also want this lump out!!

I was debating about sharing the other bad news I have but think I will.  My father in law had a massive stroke this past Monday.  He has been on machines and under heavy sedation all week but weekend or early next week will probably be decision time.  While this is hard for me my poor DH is obviously getting the brunt of it.  First me and now this.  My good friend and I, who both seem to have lots of familty suffering lately, came to the conclusion that God does not operate under the quota system and we just have to take what comes with the most amount of grace we can muster.  So we have our prayers for the least amount of suffering for the FIL.  Sorry to end on a sad note.  But there has been a mixture of good and bad-just like life in general and we have a very tight and blessed family.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and gets the maximum enjoyment that you can get from it!  

Hi ladies

Welcome to our new Amazons.

I'v been a bit miserable the past couple of days but today is much better. I have mouth sores (again) despite all my brushing and rinsing and I've had indigestion to the point where I don't want to eat as I know I'll be miserable. But started taking prilosec today and a prescription for "magic mouthwash" so all in all much better.

Sorry to hear of nasty SEs in  others and if you're feeling good - enjoy!!

Jenn - I have lost weight, but not particularly from the chemo, just the whole thing, from worry and surgery onwards.  I am now in the range of normal - not having been there for probably 15 years plus! So it's certainly not that I'm wasting away.

Still have some hair but it's at the point where I wear a hat or something when I go out. Had lunch with a friend yesterday and wore a little turban with a scarf tied round it. Looked quite good.

I am not ready to wear my wig. Not sure when I will be. I too have enjoyed my really short haircut and the wig doesn't seem like me now. Oh well. I'll wait till I'm truly bald and maybe will like it then.

Well the rash is pretty much gone and the eye infection seems to have clear up also.  I have not heard back about whether it was chicken pox or not.  But the anti-viral medicine seems to be knocking out whatever it was.

The hair is really coming out this evening.  So glad I am getting the buzz tomorrow afternoon.

YoYo44 - Sorry to hear about your father-in-law.  Your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Luddy - Try not to worry about how bad the treatment will be.  I have found that nothing is ever as bad as I can imagine it to be.  What I did to stop myself from worrying was everytime I worried about the chemo treatment I thought of the chemo as a pacman going after all bad cells.  That way I had a little inside joke with myself.

Hi sister Amazons

1 down 5 to go. Lots to read up on again. Thinking of all you are all going thru, and keeping a positive outlooks for everyone.

I got my port stiches off this morning, and everything looks great with that. Went to my teaching session for my Chemo treatments, got my binder (whoo hoo) more stuff to keep organized and keep track of. Blood tests looked great too. Port is so excellent. No poking all over my arms trying to find a spot. Then we began my CAT treatment. It all went very well. I feel good - today! 

It felt so good to get started. I drank lots of water all day yesterday, at my Company baseball game and I didn't think about today all day. It was a fun day. Even got myself a Pink Baseball hat. I took my pills after dinner last night and went to sleep early too! 

We got our grocery shopping done afterwards and went to dinner. Then my husband bought me an IPOD to listen to during my sessions. We are not in private rooms and the may be times I just want to zone out and not listen to what everyone else it doing.

I am scheduled for the 6x's unless anything changes, so I'll be done by December.  Am going for my neulasta shot monday morning. What ever SE's I have I know I can get thru them. I have to!  Like all of you. Keep sharing. I'll let you know how I'm doing tomorrow.  

Better tomorrows!!!  Linda

If it makes you feel any better Linda I did fine with the Neulasta.  First chemo - not so great.  First Neulasta - no SE that I noticed.  I hope that doesn't mean it didn't work. 

Good Afternoon everyone. I hope all of you are doing well.

I am on Day 3 and feeling very good. I worked out yesterday and ran for 30 minutes this morning. I have had an upset stomach. I feel mild cramps and diarrhea but staying hydrated. I have lost 2 pounds since Thursday but I am sure it is the stomach issues and lots of fluids. I have noticed I begin to get tired around 5PM and don't feel like doing much.

Paula - I am so glad you are doing well. Hang in there...staying positive and hope does help!

jenn3 - I hope your throat feels better soon. I am glad the walk with the dogs gave you an energy boost.

Have a great weekend everyone. Take Care and be well.

Yasmin

Well I ended up getting an extemely short hair cut instead of the buzz cut.  I then tried on the my wig.  The hairdresser was actually very impressesd with the quality of the wig.  He said it looked very natrual on me.  It was so hot today that I took the wig back off.  I am getting more comfortable being out in public with the new cut.

My friends called and invited me to a pool party tomorrow and I am going.  I think my surgical sites should be okay getting wet. (Its been a month since the lumpechtomy and 2 weeks since the port was put in.)

Like Gillyone says another milestone has now passed.

Now I have to decide if I want to wear the wig to work Monday or just a headscarf.

gillyone - you sound so positive about the buzz cut. I think I will shave as soon as I notice a good amount of hair out.

Kim09 - I hope you have a great time at the pool party.

jenn3 - I am feeling Ok. I feel more tired today than yesterday. I had enough energy to run yesterday but not today..just going to take it easy on the couch. Still suffering from diarrhea and stomach aches here and there. It is not too bad though. Today I am noticing a tiny bit of an ear ache, my tongue feels weird and I have a little sore throat. I have that metallic taste in my mouth too. I am going to stay positive because it could be worse. I feel lucky to have manageable side effects so far. Jenn, I hope the doctor is able to give you something for your throat. I can only imagine how uncomfortable you feel. Let us know what they give you. Take care of yourself and take it easy. I hope your blueberry muffin and coffee party was fun.

Kayel - Welcome. I just joined this thread too. The ladies here are wonderful and have provided tons of positivity and information in their posts. Good Luck to you.

Take care everyone and be well.

I have a suggestion for those about to start tx - things I wish I had done!

KEEP A GOOD RECORD - of everything that happens to your bady and what you do in response. For example, when you go for tx (#2 for me) the onc nurse asks all kind of questions about how you have been - SEs etc, when you had your last bowel movement etc. I wish I had kept track of how many days after tx I started with heartburn, so that I can pro-active at the right time,  or when I was constipated and prevent it this time, and which day I was most fatigued and not plan anything for that day. I know not everything is cut and dried, but I wish I had written everything down and not relied upon my memory!!.

Gill, You touched a very important subject. I kept a journal every day from diagnosis to 18 months after. I used to write every thing every night including my own thoughts. That was a great comfort for me. And here i am 4 y ears later i know exactly what was happening to me then.

Good suggestion.

To all August Amazon's don't forget next year this time everything you are going through will be behind you.

Good Luck and Best Wishes to all AMAZON's.

 Sheila