Starting Chemo October 2009

Day 5 after 1st chemo and was starting to feel better this morning, but it got miserable again in the afternoon.  I'm thinking of discontinuing chemo.  Has anyone heard anything pro or con about skipping chemo?  Is it possible to do herceptin without the taxotere and carbo?

Well my treatment has been postponed for tomorrow......My biliruben (sorry if the spelling is wrong) levels are to high...now we must figure out why...Grrrr.  I just want this thing to start...But on a good not the PICC went well..Thank goodness that part is over..Was a piece of cake.

Yes. A PICC line is a catheter line inserted into the vein. The Port-A-Cath has the catheter line AND a port. The PICC lines are simpler to insert. If you are going to get 8 treatments in all, a PICC line may be enough. For longer treatments a Port-A-Cath is recommended. PICC lines need to be dressed every week and are more prone to infections because there is an open hole. Port-A-Cath's do not have any open holes. Almost all chemo nurses know how to use both but some regular hospital nurses (who don't do chemo) only know how to use PICC line. Ports do not hurt when used and are more discrete and let you shower or bathe or swim. PICC lines can place several restrictions. Talk to the interventional radiologist about which one they would recommend for you and why.

See http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1018395-overview

ReneeJean it sounds as if things are going pretty well.  I hope it continues for you!  MarieK you poor thing!  I'm so sorry that the antinausea meds didn't seem to work for you (quite the opposite, it seems). jhenry299 Are you really going to stop your treatments?  I know you've been suffering.  I hope your doctor can make things easier on you.

Laura, I think running off to Mexico sounds wonderful. but I'd be afraid of not just the food, but the water too.  Not the old stereotype, but you have to brush your teeth sometime and it is hard to avoid.

Be well all,  Sido

Dearest suz45:

I am sending tons and tons of positive vibes for you.  I do not ever log on this early but I am glad I did for you!

I am not going to state "God only gives us what we can handle" as I too have had more than my plate can handle as of late and am not so convinced about the "God thing" (no I am not an agnostic - just an angry Christian who on top of parent dying, my cancer, etc. recently found out her parents were in fact Jews but changed religions as children when coming into the USA from Russia- explains alot of my genetics now!). 

But, back to you suz - take a deep breath.  Eat something.  Be sure to stay hydrated.  Take a shower/bath where you can feel the cleansing water run over your body.  For me - funk music does it - or maybe for you - you like the blues.  Whatever your music choice - put it on.  Breathe some more - deeply.  Okay, now get a paper and pen and make a list. Look at the list and see if you can either eliminate some of it or delegate some of it.  I, too, am a child of a family who looks to me to handle everything imaginable - from the littlest things to the decisions regarding life and death so I know how heavy it feels on yoour shoulders.  You know that you are strong - but right now you just want to crawl into someones arms and cry.  If you have that someone - do it.  If no person physically, then while in the shower/bath (read above) let the water envelope you and hold you in its warmth.

It does s**k.  No other way to say it.  It seems that there is no end. No other way to say it.  BUT IT WILL WORK OUT. Everything will work out, it really will.  Put yourself in "business mode" and get what you need to get done - and then give yourself some time!!!

Gentle (but firm in belief in you) Hugs to you!!!!

love,

your sister Jac

Suz, I am so sorry.  Prayers and hugs your way. 

Suz -

I'm so sorry for your loss!  Please be strong, knowing that we are all behind you as well.  Jaclyn is right about the list.  Do what you need to do, and delegate the rest.  Allow yourself to feel the pain of losing your dad, just take some time to contemplate.  Be supportive, but also allow your family and friends to SUPPORT YOU!

Maybe your doc can recommend something for the next few days?

L

Hell October Sisters!

Thanks for all the good wishes and words of encouragement.

Yesterday I was able to take all of my meds and keep everything down. 

This morning I woke up with my face, neck and chest on fire! I guess that's the steroids working.

I just lathered myself up with Eucyrin (sp?).  It's a very good moisturizer for extremely dry skin (not greasy).  It really helps but I can tell my face & neck are a bit swollen from the steroids - funny not my hands or feet or anywhere else.

Today I go for my neupogen injection and training.  Not sure if I can give them to myself but we'll see how that goes.

My hubby went to work today but was reluctant to leave me. I'm ok to drive and if I get tired this afternoon I'll take a nap - the kids are home early from school (it's their 1/2 day) so I'll have them around to deal with the painters.

After the painting there's just one more thing to tick off the list for this reno to be finally done!!

I'm also picking up my "good wig" today - Happy Birthday to me!

Hope everyone is doing well or getting through as best they can!

Marie,  my fiance and I are planning a cruise for the New Year's Eve holiday.  I'm a little apprehensive about it, and I told him we can't book it until I get through the first treatment and see how I do.  I think taking some time for relaxation and family is so important, especially during the stress of chemo.  Good luck with your decision!

Peace...

Shelby 

Hi girls:

Day 6 after dose dense AC (friday) - and finally I feel somewhat human again.  Actuallly, my "new normal" is okay and I even went out for a tiny bit of shopping (okay - the pharamacy counts as shopping too right? ) and even a light lunch today.  No nausea, just fatique (not as bad as past few days - no Claritan today), and my hands and feet are sadly more itchy/burning.  I use Eucerin lotion constantly.  Also, my taste buds are not so good - but more a nothing tastes good as opposed to tasting bad. I also notice that although my left arm (node surgery) range of motion is unchanged (not full range and still hurts a bit - but my exercises are bearable) - since starting chemo the upper arm and underarm area is more numb and painful to the touch.  I assume that it is just the nerve endings?  But really this is all bearable and not as bad as what I feared prior to the actual experience.

I did NOT pick up my wig yet as I did not want to damper my good mood.  I stopped by and saw my hair stylist though and she encouraged me to try to keep my own hair as long as possible - doing another trim next week (@ the dreaded two week time) if possible!  If my hair decides it is time to go though, she will just buzz it.  I am okay with it as she is a bc survivor herself and knows exactly what and how to say things to keep me calm

I saw that one of our sisters, jhenry in dublin, is thinking of quitting on chemo due to the se's.  Obviously we each know our bodies best and make our own decisions - and I can only speak for myself after my own experiences with only one treatment - but despite pure h*** after my first chemo treatment (see earlier post),  and despising that every single thing in my life has had to change in some way due to this disease and/or treatment, I am a fighter for myself and my family.  I have learned not to think about the next test, treatment, side effect - but instead only on the "now" and if the now is not the most pleasant, look for joy in something outside of myself (ie. the sunshine, a funny joke, a sitcom on tv etc.)  Believe me, I am not a pollyanna, but instead keep the mantra that "I am worth it!"  Anyway, whatever you decide jhenry, please know that we support you!

So, that is all for now.  My oncologist was just on the evening news tonight doing a segment on breast cancer.  Cool!  I am going to get some dinner together for my hubby  with yogurt only for me as I do not have too much of an appetite and I do not want to push it too much after such a good day.

Have a wonderful night and best luck to the girls starting tomorrow!

Hi everyone.......I'm a late September starter, so not much further ahead of you all.

I'm so sorry Suz45 to hear about your father.  I had felt sorry for myself learning I had a recurrence the day my son left for college.  I thought THAT was a lot to deal with at once.  I can't imagine how you are feeling.  Prayers to your family.

I wanted to comment to the person that is considering quitting chemo........like someone else said, you know your body and what you can handle.  I will say that because I am having a recurrence now I have thought about regret.  I didn't have chemo after my surgery a year ago.  The doctors and I were in agreement that my chances of needing it were very small, and we all know chemo carries its own risks.  My recurrence was caught early and I don't have to deal with a lot of "what ifs."  But for a couple of weeks we didn't know if the cancer had gone anywhere.  It was a frightening thought, and I had to remind myself many times that I made a good decision that several doctors completely agreed with.  I hope you will think about how you feel if you quit chemo and things don't go the way you hope in the future.  How do you deal with regret?

To the person considering the cruise, one thing to think about is germs.  I don't want to discourage you from going, just remember that cruise ships are a lot of people in close quarters.  Take precautions to protect yourself!  (And don't forget that chemo drugs can change sun tolerance...bring lots of sunscreen!!) 

Good luck to all of you!! 

Hi, this is arby and I'm so excited to see new names on this thread.  Welcome to everone doing the chemo. My port makes me a bionic woman!  And my surgery made me an Amazon Woman.  And I think by Halloween I will be the bald, fat lady who sings!  Thank you all for being willing to talk honestly to one another so we can function more normally with the people we encounter in our communities.  So many don't understand the huge emotional battle we all fight.  ANd the whole pink thing for Oct is not appealing to all of us.  We can get said what we need to get off our minds and express the feelings that are behind...."oh, I'm doing fine".  So thanks for all that you are teaching me about this journey.  arby