November 2009-Starting Chemo

Shara,,I love ya....you have the best attitude and I presume a lot of patients..What ever you decide to wear I am sure  you will be glamorous and beautiful..

Perhaps they will mess up and you will get a margarita...you must think positive.

Shar - I love your posts, you are hilarious. A friend gave me a book to read when I started chemo, I think the humour might be right down your alley. Its called Cancer Vixen. Get a copy if you can.

I've just come home from tx #2. This one is already hitting me a bit harder than the first. Is it possible that my mouth already tastes like metal?!!  I'm dizzy and tired - welcome to the club, right?

On a non-bc related topic, I found out today that while the computer geeks were transferring data from my old laptop to my new desktop computer, my hard drive crashed and I've lost everything! Guess who the idiot is who did not have anything backed up. Eight years of photos of my children and our lives, plus all the other files (that mean nothing to me in comparison) gone. They've sent it off to a specialist in data retrieval, but I am not holding out a lot of hope. I'm totally devastated. Gals... backup your photos!!!!

Just posted a new photo of me minus my hair...how weird!

Number 3 is out of the way. 3 down; 1 to go, then 12 THZ tx. I cried all the way to the car and cried when they were putting the port in. After that, I was fine. I like my early morn appts. when I don't have to think what is coming. I go on the 29th for my next one. Can I go at 6 a.m.?

I feel pretty good! Just a little tired. Ativan does it's job, for sure. I could have slept till noon. Now if I could only sleep tonight from the steroid hight!!

Brenda & Sherri; Love the avatars!! Warrior Braveness!

Nette & Alicia: Congratulations on last AC!!!!! Keep us informed on the Taxol.

Mabelle: I too had the funky metal taste after round 2, but about a week later btwn treatments it eased up. i'm sorry about your computer. Sometimes a computer has an instant back up drive (drive D). If you are able to get the computer up, it may have saved it. Keeping my fingers crossed!

For the ladies who have finished AC, you are the light into which we glow. You are the pioneers that clear the path. Some of us are almost beside you while some are just now finding their way. I am holding all of your hands and giving big hugs (((HUGS))).

Good Morning all you Beautiful Warrior Ladies!

I've been busy past few days but I've thought of you all every day (several times a day!) and hope everyone is okay.  (in the new meaning of okay we all have).  We had Christmas dinner on Sunday at my niece's house, my family was worried I would skip out on them on Christmas Day since I'm scheduled for chem on Dec. 17th.  I only bought presents for my son and two littlest nieces....everyone else got  money in the Christmas Card.  Even the quick trip to the store to get those presents was overwhelming.  I feel so thankful to be doing things but I can't seem to enjoy them for feeling tired and just so-not-myself.  I have read all the posts and am up-to-date....you all are the greatest!  I always alternate between laughing and crying when I read...sometimes both at the same time!  I still wash my head with the same shampoo just less of it...the funny thing to me is that I still wrap the towel around my head after the shower!!!  Just can't NOT do it!!  When I look in the mirror, I find myself thinking about how I look like I always did and try to pretend there's still hair there.  Then the towel slides off while I'm putting my lotion on and the gig is up....oh well!!  My head actually got a little dry too, so I used that Neutrogena exfoliating face wash on it to and boy did it help! 

I went to my son's homecoming basketball game Monday nite....got very tired, but oh so worth it!! I find myself crying most when it is something to do with him...I looked really silly I'm sure, sitting there sniffling and blinking, but he was so handsome escorting his little girlfriend.  I'm just glad it was a day that I could go...the first week and a half after chemo I'm useless/worthless and couldn't do anything even if I wanted to.

Mabelle, I loved your party story and SharaD, you could write a book you're so creative!! And Alicia, I loved the stay-at-home in the pjs idea....my son is so busy with basketball practice and games, I can't wait for week-ends when I get to be with him and catch up.  His Christmas break starts Friday, so I hope I'm able to enjoy the next few weeks some. My DH will be taking me to my #3 chemo Thursday, his first trip.  I think he is dreading actually seeing the whole process, but it's so routine already to me.  They always bring both my TX bags at the same time...one nurse reads the bag desciption and the other verifys my chart entry and my wristband ID.  Last time I had the lab people put the IV in for blood draw and leave it so I wouldn't have to just go downstairs and get a second stick for the TX.  I, too had a vein blow with 1st TX and I didn't want to go through that again...first TX IV was put in the back of my hand and that hurt!

2nd TX, I was waiting at the reception desk for my co-pay receipt and the lady was writing Evelyn...I said "that's not my name" and she said "Oh, sorry, I was looking at my computer screen and not your chart".  Well, when I got downstairs, the nurse said "Hi, Evelyn, as soon as we get your labs, I'll have a chair for you.".....uuuhhhhh, "I'm NOT Evelyn!!"  "Oh, sorry, they just called from upstairs and said Evelyn was on her way down!" Well, then a few minutes later, the nurse came out laughing and said "I'm so sorry, but your labs came in just after EVELYN'S and we put her in YOUR chair, but we should have another one real soon!!"  Well, DAMN-IT!!!  I never did SEE this Evelyn, but she better not EVEN be there Thursday...she does NOT want to mess with me!! DH has got to get back in time for son's Bball game this week and I will not be in the mood to be NICE!!!

Does anyone have alot of eye-watering?  I noticed last week my right eye was watering and then I noticed a nerve twitch in right eye-lid.....this was on Tuesday and I still have both symptoms in right eye. Left eye waters some but not like right and no nerve twitching....weird.

My MIL surgery is scheduled for Dec 30th....will be a big surgery...please continue to pray!! I appreciate it so much!!!    LittleBird, glad you are doing better!!  And Alicia, I'm praying for you and your family......Love to all!!!

Thanks for checking in, Evelyn...glad you could make it to your son's homecoming game. Hi Brenda, are you ready to conquer the world today?



Good morning everyone, 6am and I'm just about to hit the sack, been up on a Decadron high all night. Cleaned the fridge, fixed a lampshade and waxed the floor. Called my ex at 3:30am and told him if I don't get the child support check soon, I'm gonna drop clumps of hair all over his front porch and pee a big brown circle on his front lawn. (Did you know that our pee can take out a flower garden in two minutes flat? Just another handy dandy chemo tip from Shara! Next week: how to use your bad breath to move quickly ahead in the supermarket line.)



My 3rd TX went okay, I had to wait two whole hours while they got things straight but once they got everything cleared up it went more smoothly than the first two. My White Blood Cells went from 3.6 last week to 5.8 this week, so I guess the bloody marys for breakfast and the margaritas for lunch are doing their job. I think I'll start adding a bottle of Merlot at dinnertime and REALLY start to set their statistics on fire. You can expect to see it soon in the medical journals, "women with well-stocked liquor cabinets have better prognosis per Mayo Clinic".



Hope everyone has a good Wednesday!

Hi Boxer Sue....are you taking Emend or Zofran? They both cause headaches, especially the Zofran. On the Zofran site it says "to prevent Zofran headaches, get plenty of restful sleep". Yeah, right, like that's gonna happen!

Good luck with the MRI...it's great that your doc is being thorough, and a clean MRI result will give you some peace of mind.

SharaD:  You crack me up!! (sounds really 70's doesn't it, I said "you turkey" to my son one day and he said "what kind of stupid 70's saying is that?) My husband had to check on me I was laughiing out loud so much!!! Chemo-breath, indeed!!  I brush my teeth and tongue so much, it's no wonder my mouth is sore...!!!  Hadn't thought of the holistic liquor treatment method but damn I sure have been wanting a beer!! Have you ever read Janet Evanovich's, Stepanie Plum bounty hunter novel series?  That's who you remind me of...she has these hilarious, random thoughts.....that's a compliment!!!  Write 'em down and publish!!!!

BrendaSharon, thanks for the well wishes and warm hugs...you're a special lady and we're very fortunate to have you!!!  Didn' know Zofran causes headaches....hhmmm!!

Love, Evelyn

I take Zofran, but don't get the headaches from that. Mine are sinus headaches, but they only last a few days I think from the Cytoxin. We went to an hour, and that was a lot better.

I forgot to mention, he did take me off of the Reglan. It made me soooo tired and hyped up to the point where I couldn't function. He is switching me to Compazine. I know some of you ladies use that. Does it work for you? How do yout take it?...I was told as needed. And, does it cause you to want to drop over?

Thanks! Congrats Boxer Sue. You and I are ALMOST at the finish line. You make me happing knowing no Neulasta!!!!

Ladies: My eyes water like crazy. As soon as I leave the house, the waterworks open. I can barely drive at times. It's just a rxn.

Shara: You are so funny!!! Unfortunately, I don't get that steroid high. I get steroid breakdown

Hey there BWL's:

sitting here waiting on the 6:00 news...I'm in KY, but I figured if there's a bald, psycho chick peeing brown spots on her ex's yard it'll make local & national news.....be like one of those connection games....I KNOW HER!!  SHE'S MY HERO!!

Just wondering, too....what's the hecks a "muggascan"? and do I want one? Don't wanna go back & check if I got that right, I'll lose my post. 

Mabelle:  I never did get another period since that Nov one....but i sure have been having hot flushes....at that homecoming game, I was worried I'd have a breakdown and more than that "cranial prosthesis" would come off!!  Glad I thought to layer, but I was startin' to run out of layers!!

Kay, keep building that strength, we want you to post...

Shara, didn't see you on the news so can assume your X didn't call the police...can't wait to get up tomorrow and read your next post...don't do anything we wouldn't do...Ah what the hell go crazy, we like to live through you...Whizz away...make us proud.

Night ladies

Hello girls I have been out of sorts this past week, my count were really low so had to cancel all christmas holiday parties and shopping stayed in bed all week and weekend. Cramed all shopping on Monday before last a/c tx. Wow I am so glad to be done with the RED DEVIL. Onc says Taxol doesnt affect blood counts so hopefully energy will come back. My eyes water as well onc. says because possibly losing lashes but I still have them??? Wishing you all a good day.