Chemo Starting Sep 09

Stunning!!!

Ok, here goes.......I'm all alone cuz DH is on night shift, so I will try my best to get a good pic of my bald head.  Might as well dive in too Toni

Hey ya all.  I'm windy today and I'm not talkin bout the toots. 

Just got off the phone with my clinical onc nurse.  SHE says that our dosage is based on our weight and height.  I didn't understand all the math, but apparently that's how they meter the dosage.  I think she said Taxotere (which is what is causing my skin to peel and my tongue to peel (it isn't thrush according to her).... is 35 mg x bsl (body surface length).  Cytoxan is 600 dpl's x bsl  I tried to take notes, but I suffer from CRS

I don't know what any of that means, I just told her to tell Mrs. ONCOLOGISTHANG to back it off.....  she's calling in some Mary's Magic Mixture for my poor tongue.

My doctor's office draws a little blood from my finger first to check for counts along with vitals. Then to exam room to meet onco. Then if everything checks out on blood and vitals then they send me to chemo room. Is this the "normal" protocol?

Sorry - just read Vickilynn's post re Winnie the Pooh quotes and wanted to share this one too - I actually read this elsewhere on the BC forum and printed a poster of it for my study because I just loved it so much:

Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh: 'Promise me you'll remember... you're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

And ditto to Toni's query - where are some of the ladies we haven't heard from for a while? Chinablue,  dogsaver, Vicki, Karen, Mari, Delaine,Bettye: are you all doing OK???

An Ode To October

Oh October, your first letter as round as my head

Oh October, half of we Sisters feeling half dead

Sisters are we, our road has been long

Dear Sisters to me, wishing October was gone

Oh October, be finished, enough said!

Ode to the Head Covering

Hair no more, gone to the floor, oh the options abound

Be a scarf or a hat

a wig or a cap, or just some old sock elastic lying around

Style never cast aside

We wear our head coverings with pride

They keep out the chill, keep us from getting ill

and they cover the thing we can't hide!

Ok, I'm off to bed.......good night ladies! 

Oh all of my dear SOSisters, how I have missed you!  I am okay, just life busy, and butt kickingly tired!   It is 5:42am, and I have to start getting the kids up soon and get going myself, but I got up a few minutes early so I could at least get a short post out to all of you.  I read the thread since my last post last night, and I swear I dreamed about all of you.  I can't fully explain why this group is so special, we are some how more bonded than just our bc, or just going through chemo at the same time.  I think many of us must not have real sisters, or something.  What I know for certain is that we are kindred spirits.  I care about what is happening to all of you, but with not much time to write, I wanted to convey a couple of ideas vs, writing to each of you so bear with me.

1.  I believe that there will be a way for us to have our get together.  I believe that someone will want to hear our story.  I agree that maybe one of the Morning shows might like it.  One time GMA did a story about a group of ladies, 13 I think that went together to buy a very expensive Harry Winston diamond necklace.  There were 12 friends who had the idea, and when they approached the jewelery store manager about it he gave them a discount on the necklace so that they could buy it if they included his wife.  Each lady got physical custody of the necklace for one month at a time.  They lived all over and got to be really good friends, etc, they wrote a book, and got on TV.  My point in telling you that story is just to say that I think we should write about our story, and maybe submit it as an article to a variety of women's magazines.  Maybe between all of our talents we could come up with something that people would want to read and we would advance our cause.  Has anyone else read, Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips?  If you haven't she has a posse of friends, and they give advice and have bios etc in the book.  I think that would be a format that could work.  Okay if yall think I'm crazy I won't pursue this idea, but I think it could work.

2.  The pendant, Oh Melinda!  I cried... I love the idea.  I read the Pooh quote about the river and bridge and some how I saw that as the theme.  I don't know what that might look like, but us on the bridge with the river...hmmmmm.  Just a thought.  I do a fair amount of artsy stuff, so I will see what I come up with.  I just love that you would do this for us, and I second Jane I will help with the cost.

3. I honestly think we could become a model for support through adversity, and that we can make a difference to other women going through bc, and other challenges. 

 I love you all, and I am thinking about you, and praying for you everyday.  I have a kid crazy weekend, and might not get to post again until next week, but I will if I can, and I will for sure read all of your posts.  I hope you are all as fine as a fiddle, and feeling frisky for the weekend.

Love, and Hugs,

Susan

PS If I can get one of my teachers to take a pix today, and I have time to post it I will let yall see my bad bald head. OMG, I am going to have to rush to get ready NOW!

Susan...great ideas! I created a carved piece of a tree with a stream pendant out of clay...I will work on the idea of the bridge and river and then on the back the SOS with the ribbon idea....everyone please keep throwing out your thoughts here...maybe we can also come up with a card to match.  I have so many people to send thankyou's to, I would love it to be something special like this as opposed to a generic card from the store....Susan, keep the ideas and concepts flowing!  Please share what you're coming up with.  

China you're amazing! 7miles wowowowowo! I'm with you on the wig...I wore it yesterday, but it kept itching my face and felt like it was moving, blah blah blah!  Look at Target in the men's section. They had some pretty cool scarves in good tones ...Don't know why they were even in the men's section...but I guess that's the new style for guys...scarves...go figure... Also, I found terrific bandannas at Walmart ladies accessory section...lot's of color combos, plaids etc...not just the regular old look and not too tacky...for only $1.00 each.  Also, I found some terrific corduroy lined hats at Ross..for $5.00 I'm making some felted flowers and ceramic button combos to pin on to dress them up somewhat!  

Neece, I had a similar hairless moment yesterday...I was walking out to the barn free and natural, as the telephone repair truck came up my driveway.....I ran as fast as I could around the back of the house and in the back door, threw on my wig and ran to the front door as fast as I could....Think he wondered why I was breathing hard...heehee.. I panicked....I'm not sure if he saw me running...but he never let on if he did...  

Loving all the heads...guess it's time to present myself as well!

Hope everyone is doing well today...especially you Thursday girls...thinking of you all! Sending fresh country air and a big BEAR hug to each of you!

Melinda 

Hello SOS sisters!! 

I am at work, as always on a Friday. It is a  very blustery, rainy Michigan morning, but your posts from last night just left me so happy I had to say something!!

Toni, Neece, Pamela, and VickiLynn, You look simply Stunning!!! You are all beautiful inside and out!! My hat is off to you all, no pun intended.

Susan-I think you are right, I think there is a reason we all came together in this thread and it means something more than just here and now.

Melinda-I love the idea of a pendant-maybe the bridge could be some artistic representation of connected bc cancer ribbons? Like Jane mentioned the ribbon in there might be good. You are so creative and sweet. I am sorry about the black bear. All we have behind our house is fox and occasionally wild turkey.

Amy/Ame I am glad you got your port to work.

Chinahope your meds work better-nausea sucks.

Jane-I love the fact that you, and Pamela, have brought the sisterhood along with you guys to tx. We are with you in spirit too. You can show us your head whenever you feel ready Sweety-i am sure you are beautiful.

Toni-you sweetheart you are always in my thoughts. thanks for the encouragement. What a beautiful photo-love it, love it.

Barb-I can't wait to see your head! Just remember Pamela has cookies.

Vivkilynn-that quote from pooh was phenomenally, very zen, i loved it and think i will read it to myself as I head into my first tx. I have always loved pooh too, especially Eeyore. You have a lovely head, it is stunning. 

Pamela-I hope your mouth and poo are better, I love your poem. Love your photo, you are beautiful.

Neece-I love your description of the quolls-how interesting. I have to google an image. We have foxes too, very red ones slithering through the woods. But no chickens. I hope you are well and you are lovely.

Onty-I think that may be protocol. In my chemo care class they said something about having blood checked before all chemo appointments.

My arm, with the new port, is getting less and less like a t-rex arm, (short and close to the body) but the bruise looks like someone hit me with a sledgehammer. Thank you to all of you for the advice, and support.

Love and hugs to all my September sisters-may you all feel good, and be nice to yourselves.

Barbara

I'm gonna sculpt a tree out of cernit clay and put pink jewels on for the leaves, in honor of us.  I think I'll make it look as though it is leaning into a stiff wind (for many reasons, not the least of which is the HORRID gas this stuff gives us, but also because we are strong enough to bend and not break.)  I put faces on these trees, and usually I use moss to make "bangs" or "beards", but this tree, this special SOS tree will be bald  It will not be, I am certain, anything nearly as beautiful as Neece and others can make, but it is what it is.  I like tree's.  I like to climb em, lean on em, listen to em.  I like them almost as much as clouds!

SUSAN!!!!  You are ravishing sporting your skintop!!!  And look at Melinda!  Gorgeous as the landscape!  Have a cookie!  I've got chocolate chip, white macadamia, peanut butter nutter butters, oatmeal and pecan sandies.  Yes, I do have all these, and yes, I will eat them.  I just buy bigger pants.

Good luck and much love to everyone today.  It's raining here in southern Indiana, but all is cozy and warm in the house.  DH is snoozing off the last of the nightshift nods on the couch, he's so cute.

Vickilynn,

You look fabulous. Remember we can't have any bad hair days now....