Any May 2009 Chemo Starters?

mom2twins -- Congrats on your last chemo!!!!!  I had my last one Aug. 21 and am still recovering somewhat.  Overall, the chemo for me wasn't too bad (t/c x 6) but the last two were the hardest.  Give yourself time to recover! 

Hey Gals, 

Finally had a day where I felt like a "normal" person. My final T/C was 10 days ago. Of course the SE's had built up to be pretty bad at this point. In spite of not feeling physically well, I think my mind was getting worse. The boredom of constantly laying around unable to do much because of severe weakness had me to the point of wanting to chew my leg off!

My friend calls me yesterday to see if I needed anything from Costco, (we live and hour from town). I'm at the end of my rope being stuck at home so I ask, "would you mind if I just rode into town with you?" "Sure," she says, afterwards I have to hit the mall to shop for a dress." "That's fine, you can park me on a bench and I'll people watch for the afternoon."

Well, we get to the mall, it was the first time I've done anything since my surgery in April. I was feeling like a prisoner in my own home. I got in that mall and started walking (nice and level was   working for me) like I had never seen a store. She tried on dresses, I tried on dresses (it's definitely different without boobs) she bought shoes, I bought shoes, RETAIL THERAPY WAS WORKING!!!!!!!!!!

I came home 5 hours later exhausted and happy and didn't feel like a cancer patient for a whole day. I can't wait to get back into town! I'll have to be careful with the checkbook, but I'm feeling a bit deserving---I'll stick to the sale racks!

To all that are still in the throes of treatment, hang on, wellness is coming! {{{hugs}}}} Mary 

You are so right Deb - when we are through this we can do anything. You are also right about radiation. I have had it before and it hardly made a dent in my life - except for the time it took to get it done. Piece of cake!

I'm amazed that you are even thinking about going to work - no wonder you are extra tired.

It will be excellent to have enough energy to mow the lawn without lots of planning and several breaks. It's not that big a lawn. Tomorrow might be the day.

Hi Peggy, you know, the wig thing for me is ever changing. When I feel strong and confident, I'll put on a dash of makeup and go bald. Other times I do a hat or scarf. I happen to have about a dozen wigs because I am a hair stylist, so there are many choices. Usually it depends on who I will be with and their comfort level.

Are you going to be doing rads and/or tamox? My husband and I are going to do a short road trip up to Glacier National Park for a few days before I start rads on the 14th for seven weeks, woooohoooooo bring on the big ominous machines!

Being 12 days out from my final T/C is making me anxious to get things like tastebuds back especially now that the garden is producing such a bounty....unfortunately none of it tastes good to me. Every day I wake up and do a body inventory to see if anything is back to normal yet, instead I've noticed that my fingernail beds are lifting, so I guess I'm gonna lose my nails. It's really too bad, since I've not been doing much they got long and lovely.

I've noticed that this thread has gotten thinner over the last few weeks as everyone comes closer to finishing. Good luck to all as you splinter off to other threads. Hugs, Mary 

Hi Marvels

Well staying with the friend of a friend did not work out for me as I was so homesick and unhappy. Now I am driving 5 hours a day on week days around the WAIKATO and our roads are crazy with crazy drivers, all farming country. A very pretty drive but it will be exhausting.Still I get to see folks, dogs the man etc.. Having said that I am in a hotel in Hamilton this mrning as I was too exhausted to drive home last nite. Had driven down from Auckland and struck rush hour in Auckland at 3 pm and then struck it again in Hamitlto at 5 pm. Was late for my appointment but they gave me a dose. It is a walk in the park compared to chemo. Still managing to work and still playing golf and having heaps of fun. I have spent a fortune on feel good products. I went for a super facial in Auckland as I felt my face has aged and I look haggard so now feel wonderful. Getting a massage today, then rads, then  a 2hour drive home then work, then off to see the bf, another half hour drive down to Tauranga.!!!

Pamper yourselves girls.

Pink hugs Susie

Hey all May Marvels!  Haven't checked in for a couple of days but just wanted to say hi and send hugs to everyone.  I am about 1/3 of the way thru radiation - had #12 of 35 today.  I am sure it might get a little worse but so far it is nothing (at least for me).  The only thing I really mind is the time it takes to go to and from.  Hope it is some consulation for those of you still doing chemo to know that rads is definately a whole lot easier.  Once you are done you will truly be thru the worst.  I am 6 weeks past my last chemo and the hair is definately starting to grow but UGH it is taking way too long for me

Take care all

Lori

Right in front of you Benisse. I had Taxol #7 of 12 yesterday So far the side effects for me have been pretty light. I did have a little more bone pain with #6, so not sure what the days ahead hold. Just a little numbness in my big toes, but it goes away. The worst thing is the slimy mouth taste. I hate that! Still having problems with my blood pressure too. The trial drug makes it go up, so they put me on BP meds. After awhile, it wasn't enough so they doubled the BP meds and I developed a horrible cough from the them. So Tuesday, we changed the BP meds to another drug but my PCP gave me a very low dose and my BP is very high again. I was supposed to get the trial drug yesterday, but they weren't able to give it to me again because my BP was too high. I should be getting it every three weeks, but I have had to skip the last two trial drug treatments. Oh well, as long as I am getting the Taxol and the chemo is going well, I can live without the trial drug. I've been a little more tired after 6 and 7 also. Today was my day to be very flushed from the steroids. Only five more! I'm going to make it!! 

Hugs to everybody doing radiation now and definitely hugs to those of us still on chemo!!

Titch- I'm sorry, but I must have missed something. Why are you doing chemo again? My thoughts are with you!! I'm so glad that you and Susie got to hang out!! She seems like she would be a lot of fun...and you too!!

Hugs all!

Mary

Hi again

TexasRose:  They decided after my surgery (4th Aug) and got my pathology report, that more chemo was needed.  They were confident I am cancer free, but didn't want any potential cancer cells to take up elsewhere, if there was even the smallest cell it would grow, so I am on 3 weekly sessions, and have 2 treatments in each session. The tx are only 1.5 hours also, so I am not so long having the chemo.  They changed me to CMF which after a week and a half and 2 tx, I have had NO SE at all. Which is great.  I am feeling very good.  Did get abit tired earlier this week, but having no rest at all during the weekend, I paid the price.  After this chemo, I have radiation, daily for 5 weeks, and then hormone treatment. 

TexasRose - I am right behind you!  You are going to make it!!!!  Taxol is harder for me than the FAC was...I guess because there was more recovery time between.  It's not as much the Taxol as the steroids.  Did you lose your hair again?  How about brows and lashes?  Some hair fell out for me between 5 and 6.  Lashes/brows are almost all gone.

I saw the eye doctor about a dark spot in my left eye vision.  The spot had gone away but the onc wanted me to have it checked out.  I have a "floater" which are sometimes caused by inflammation...so I'm sure mine is from the steroid inflammation.  We'll just keep an eye on it.  They're not dangerous...just an annoyance.

Titch - you are taking your treatment so well.  I'm so glad you don't experience SE!!!  Hang in there.  How fun to see Susie!!!

Echo - Am I right that he has prostate cancer?  What is his treatment plan?

GMP - so sorry about your TE problems!!  My doc filled some during the surgery and then I had 2 more fills.  There was a lot of pain after each.  I only went to 420 cc's b/c I am scared of being too big.  Would rather be smaller than bigger.  Fills were complete b/f chemo began.  I have always wondered how you know you have an infection.  I'm praying you have no more complications and that your fills on that side are pain-free.

Madge - My hair is the same as yours.  White peach fuzz.  I am wearing a ball cap on dog walks but wear a wig whenever I'm with my sons...they prefer it.  My font hair line is still stubble so I guess it will come in unevenly. Have lost my lashes and brows on Taxol.  That made the biggest impact on my appearance.  I've heard they come back first too and am grateful for that.

Deb 6563 - you hang in there!  I'm having the nosebleeds too and am miserable with SE of steroids.  5 more to go...you can do it!!!

Jean - congrats on completing chemo!!!

LRM - that's great you can do rads at night!!!  How smart is that?

Indomitable1 can you ask to have a PICC line installed for the last two treatments?  It is far less invasive and can be put in without sedation. I complained about mine -after several months of it, but it sure did the trick -and taking it out was as easy as removing those drains we had after surgery. No problem!

I agree with Titch - there is a lot of fatigue and I haven't had to go to work or look after children during all of this (on account of being retired with children who are sort of grown up). I have driven all through it (no one like Tom in my corner) and have been aware that I need to concentrate more than usual to be safe. Each day if I do one thing that is good fun is a good day.

Hi ALL

I am in a study in NZ on chemo brain.I think they are trying to determine if it is sub clinical depression. I think it is caused by stress. I have found this trip to be fairly stressful, all the drugs, poking & prodding and my total loss of control over my emotions, brain and spirit really annoyed me . My adrenalin & cortisol levels are very high. My theory is that we revert to survival mode so any info that is not critical to our survival becomes irrelevant!! like new peoples names!!! I used to read 3 books a week, now I only read magazines as my attention span is limited and my concentation skills do not last as long but they are still there. I am driving 5 hours a day, every week day on my own for rads so driving is not a problem.

Have to tell you because I am so proud of myself, that Terry and I won our 4 golf matches this weekend. We played 72 holes, alternate shots. Terry is a male golfing mate from my club and then I had to drive home, an hours drive!! The new boyfriend Ian was playing with another girl whom was staying with him, all very odd but  it was arranged months ago so was hard to cancel, plus Ian had man flu and was feeling very sorry for himself!!! so I was glad in some ways not to be with him as he did not have fun and I had heaps of fun and laughter with Terry.

Have a happy week all.

Pink hugs Susie

Hi beautiful May marvels,

I'm chiming in on chemo brain as well --Zuzee, Tom--I am a college prof and I am back 2 weeks now at work (in week 4 of 7 of rads).  I have such a hard time following a conversation.  I tune out my collegues all the time:)  Kind of nice actually:)  Seriously though. for class I have to write detailed plans -- the class i am teaching this semester I must have taught 50 times over the last 20 years-- but if I don't have it written down, I will not make it through the material. It sucks.  I usually write a paper over the summer for a conference and I couldn't do it this summer.  I am 7 weeks post  Chemo tomorrow and my feet are totally swollen at the end of the day Diana-- and I had 4 rounds of T/C.  I can still feel the effects of the taxotere in my legs everyday.  They ache and throb still.  Rads is so much easier-- no needles.  But the fatigue is amazing.  I am peeling myself off the floor in the afternoon, I have never been this tired.My hair is growing back oh so slow-- I have a full cover of hair on my head.  My eyelashes and eyebrows are almost all gone still:( 

I look back at all theat we have gone through and are still going through JUST on this thread, and it is amazing to me that we are all plugging along in our own ways.  We must remeber to give our selves a big hug for all that we have been through and still must go through.

I am sending a big hug to all of you-- Us and New Zealand-bound hugs too,  We are amazing

XO

Helen

Big pink hugs from New Zealand to all of you all over the world. Did my brain test today. Same stories which you have to repeat, word associtaion game with very little connectivity between words

 E,G

Bank - Clown

Rose - Bag

Star - Ladder

Insect - Acorn  etc...

This is then followed by a find the dot number sequence and then  a game of placing bolts into the correct shaped squares with your left hand and right hand. All timed. Will be fascinating to get the results but they are 2 years away!!! Still need 12 more for the experiment!!

I don't think chemo brain is associated with depression, more likely a drug they use is killing off the brain  cells!!!! Damn good reason for forgetting things so use it to your advantage girls!!!!

 Lotsa love Susie