Starting Chemo February 2009?

Funnily enough, it is not fun! Thought I would be happy about it, but, no, I'm not....

  Just checking in to see how you ladies are doing.  I think the weather and time of year have a lot to do with moods and feeling down.  It was not a normal summer in OH and the leaves are not as beautiful and we have been getting a lot of gloomy rainy days here (don't know what it is doing elsewhere).  However, once we get through this month, there will be Thanksgiving and Xmas to look forward to.  I love Thanksgiving and always have liked it more than Xmas, although I absolutely love decorating for the holidays and baking cookies to give away. If you have children who still believe in Santa, Christmas is a lot of fun, but without kids it has always been a stuggle to come up with gift ideas since everyone gets to a point where they don't need a thing so then it is just buying to be buying.  I like to get gifts that I know people need or if they don't need would be really thrilled to get because it is something they like but might not buy for themselves.  I often find something and think Oh wow, this reminds me of so and so and buy it then.  Problem is I put it away and sometimes forget about it.  Chemo brain? 

   I don't get dizzy which many of you have mentioned, but do often stumble, especially when I first get up, since my feet are still numb for the most part....toes seem to be coming back to life.

   In general life is good post chemo....have lots of silver gray hair growing in which I get compliments on from people who do not know it is growing in and not a haircut.  I can taste everything which has drawbacks since I went on an eating binge and some kind soul said to me last week, You've gained weight, haven't you?    My nails are still ugly, but no longer infected and you can see the new growth.  And I am almost back to normal energy wise and the edema is now only when I am on my feet too long.  However, I find that I cannot manage to sleep more than four hours per night even if I am dead tired.  Have no problem going to sleep, but do not stay asleep.  I am going to have to see if this is a SE of aromasin.  If it is, I don't recall from before.

      I have had diarrhea ever since I got my flu shot almost 2 wks ago. .  I do not really think the two are related, but it has gone on long enough that I am going to call my GP and ask. 

      Re breastless.  I only had the one removed and had immediate reconstruction.  I often wish I had done both since now they don't match (gravity and weight gain) and it is a week long adventure trying to find a bra that fits.  But things could always be worse so I am not complaining.

    Hope you all have a painfree, stressfree weekend.   

Mary:  Hi!  I missed your post, lol.  Good to hear from you!  You sound really good, I am happy you are making a recovery, albiet a slow one, from chemo. 

I totally agree...I love Thanksgiving.  Maybe because it is relatively stress-free...no gifts to buy, no running around at the last second....just good food, wonderful smells (I bake the pies, lol)....and family.  It's the best.

I find it hard to buy gifts for my own kids, lol....even the 12 year old, he never even knows what HE wants himself!  And it's always difficult with our budget...this year will be the hardest yet, we're so broke.  But we always manage somehow.  I do love the decorating part, and the feeling of Christmas.  Could just do without the stress!

I'll be curious to hear what your doc says...now that I think about it, Julia had diarrhea after her flu shot, and she hardly ever gets that due to her medical condition of chronic constipation.  Hmmm

Have a great weekend

Judy

a current hair pic.. i just cut the straggleys

i had my last chemo July 5th.. i had a bit of sparse hair at the time.

click on the tr next to the smiley face.. paste the url address into the top box, click the size box for a second and the size will appear and then click insert.

Hi guys!  Kerry, it's wet and cooold here too, yuck!  So not ready for this weather.

Had Michelle's family party today for her birthday.  It was nice, she loved all her gifts.  I'm pooped out now.  I woke with a lot of pain in my legs this morning, and my back hurts tonight.  I will assume it is because I have been running around the mall the last couple of days shopping for her present. 

Well, I'm off to take a hot shower, lol

I say it all the time. My kids say it!Is

I have a sore back too Judy, think it is just muscular, but....you know.

Made a lovely Turkey Soup last night out of our Thanksgivinbg Turkey carcass - that is one nice thing about this weather - good soup weather! 

Anyhow, hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. 

Apple I love your hair.  It looks awesome.

Judy~ Glad to hear that your back is feeling better.

Kerry aka Suzy homemaker.....lol....

BORING BOOB UPDATE~I go back to the PS on Tuesday to drain the new boobs (rolling my eyes).  They are growing again so they need to be drained again.  I am hoping that my PS comes up with a good plan to make it stop.  ENOUGH ALREADY....  After my next surgery I am keeping the drains for as long as safely possible.  I am still waiting to hear from NOLA I want to find out what the deal is.  I am impatient and it's getting worse.....

I was not dizzy for a couple of days which was great but today my sinuses started acting up again and I felt off.  Another ENOUGH ALREADY... 

I have been busy working on my website which always drives me crazy.  I can't back off enough to be objective.  I also am pretty clueless when it comes to web crap so I stumble thru it. 

I did take team pictures of my son's soccer team this weekend which was easy.  I think I may try and see if I can take pictures for spring soccer for the teams in the area.  I love doing it and even though I would make less per family then what I normally do it only took me 10 min. to do the entire team.  So I could make some $ and have some fun.  The kids are adorable and I may have 2 family sessions just from my sons team so it's good publicity.  I am getting back in the swing of things. 

Has anyone here been able to get the H1N1 flu shot ??  I tried to get my flu shot and or H1N1 shot the other day and I was told I am not high risk ???  So now I need to call my primary care doctor and find out when I can get these shots. 

I also dyed my hair last week and it looks silly......   Well at least to me...

Off to bed...I hope everyone starts their week off right

Good morning Furies! I wanted to share with all who are not on FB my halloween picture. I call it Freankenboob!

Good morning Kerry, good morning Jaimie!  Sorry you're sick, ugh.

good morning Cheryl and Apple, hope you're both well. 

Sitting in hospital, they just took Julia back for her j-peg....they didn't let me back, she hates that, she's so scared of being alone in the hospital.  I'm sure she'll convince them to let me back there, she always does, lol...

I'm glad she's getting this done today, it's been almost a month with no nutrition now, and she is so weak.  While her potassium is fine now, I'm sure other important things such as vitamins, iron, magnesium and phosphorus are very low.  She sleeps most of the time, and can't walk across a room without getting racing heart and short of breath (sound familiar?)

Anyway, thanks for  your support, it means so much to us.

Hugs

Judy

Hey gang!!!!  I'm still doing great--2months out from rads!!!  Hair is curly and growing like weeds. 

I'm due for my first scan in 2 months.  What should I be on the lookout for?

twice? 

shudder..

 prayers again for you Judy and Julia.. 

 hope you all are well.  A good friend of mine, one of my tenors died Sunday.. He's was diagnosed with cancer almost 20 years ago and had one of the nations first kidney transplants.. he's had a rough year.  Anyway, i'm (me and my group) are doing his funeral Saturday.. sigh.. busy on that and tons of things to attend and tend to.

Jaimie - happy happy birthday!!!! Hope you have a fantastic day!

So, its my "cancerversary" today. I still remember the BS saying so casually "yeah, it looks like cancer to me...." Man, what a nightmare that was..... Onward to better years, eh!

happy birthday Jaimie!  have a wonderful day

and Kerry.. have a great day too.