November 2009-Starting Chemo

hello and happy holidays! I have a urinary tract infection! Yippie! So "Levaquin" is added to my list of medications. Actually it is more like an encyclopedia of medications now.



I just did the math! If we took all the November girls, and lined up our prescriptions side by side....they would stretch all the way from Boston to Honolulu! Aloha! Let's see if we can get into the Guiness book of world records! No wigs allowed when they snap our photos, agreed?



My son says he is getting me a bong for Christmas. I hope that means he is also getting me the stuff that goes in the bong, too. I'm ready to try anything to get rid of this nausea, even if it makes me crave mcdonalds french fries. I hope my bong is in the shape of a penis, because I would probably be willing to smoke it more often.



(Hey, it's the drugs talking, we can say whatever we want! We just can't help it. People understand. Like the other day in the drugstore, when I told a mommy-of-the-year that if her little hannahMontana didn't stop screeching I was gonna kick her ass......the mommy just smiled and left the store ever-so-politely! ) Dammit, when I was a kid we believed in Santa Claus. Nowadays kids go to Toys R Us with the parents, I just don't get it. Maybe it's the chemo brain but I can't wrap myself around the concept of kids shopping for their own christmas presents. Call me old fashiond.



Anyway, I'm sure you can't wait to hear about my new bong. What do you think doronet, should I bring it along to my next TX? And Psalm, could you let me know if there's anything in the Bible prohibiting a good smoke on Jesus' birthday? I really don't think he'd mind. But I've been wrong before. Like I didn't think he'd mind when I farted in church... since I was on so many meds and everything. But that ended up going over like a .....well, you know.



It's going to be a Merry-Jane Christmas....I'll let you know how it goes!

SharaD - Once again, you never fail to brighten my day with your posts!  Hope you enjoy your Christmas...and make sure you let us know what your bong looks like and if you got the stuff to go in the bong

Mouse - I feel your pain.  Got my shot yesterday and my daughter is sick also...aaaah, it's going to be a great holiday I can already tell.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!! 

SHARAD ~ you are too funny.  I am jealous of your Christmas present.  LOL 

Toyah, Mouse, Micheleboots ~ so sorry your kiddos are sick.  I hope they feel better and that you don't get it.  I have a cold, no one else in my house just me.  grrr...  AND these tearing eyes constantly are so annoying I don't look bad enough?!  Claritin doesn't even help.  Oh well. 

I'm off to the Outlaws today for Christmas eve, and then my brother's tomorrow.  It is the first time in 20 years I am not doing Christmas day.  I am a bit sad and so are my kids ~ but it is too much and I am hoping there will be many more Christmas days for me to do FEELING good in the future. 

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas.

HOLIDAY HUGS TO ALL ... LOVE YOU ~

Alicia

Weekly Taxol ladies...not to worry!    I'm on TX#7 of 12 weekly Taxol's and it doesn't have nearly the SEs of AC.   I haven't had any bone pain, no nausea, can do pretty much anything.   Expect to continue to feel tired but so far I haven't had to spend days on the sofa like I did with AC.   As for the nueropathy (numbness, tingling in fingers and toes) I started to develop some and my Onc reduced the weekly dose by 20% which prevented it from getting worse (and some seemed to go away).  This may be unusual but my hair is actually growing on the Taxol!!  

Patty

I may be from Kentucky, but, I've never smoked, cigarrettes or bongs filled with something special.  Having said that, far be it from me to protest what anyone else wants to try to alleviate their symptoms!!  This nausea is wearing me down, so smoke a bong, I'll eat a pickle.  Yes, a pickle!  I thought it was stupid, too, 'til I tried it after having suffered from nausea all day yesterday.  Guess some "old wives' tales" have some truth to them, after all.  Or maybe relief is in the mind of the believer?

Re: Hair, or the lack thereof:  I have noticed that I no longer have to pluck that one aggravating little hair that kept coming up on my chin!!!  Momma never told me about that little side-effect of the 40's!!!  But, I sure don't miss shaving, ANYWHERE!!  May even see one of those laser specialists when I'm all reconstructed and a totally hot babe!!!

Anyway, you Beautiful Warrior Ladies all have safe trips in visiting the Ins and Out-laws, Love in Abundance, Bountiful Joy, and a Blessed Christmas!!

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills; From whence cometh my Help; My Help cometh from the Lord; which made Heaven and Earth"  Psalm 121

I hope that everyone has a wonderful safe and healthey holiday...what ever holiday you may celebrate..

Shara,, love the bong idea...never did anything like that, but more power to you...right now I would smoke anything that would make my bone pain go away.  Tomorrow is my last neupogen shot so I am hoping that will be the end..

Yes Nette ~ just read Patty's post.  THAT is promising ~ woo HOO I'm hoping the same for us Taxol ladies starting soon.

Again Holiday Hugs and Blessings to all ~

Alicia

 ok you guys here is my dilema. my med onc sent me for a consult with rad onc, who says they can improve my 10 year survival by 3% if I have radiation after my chemo. She thinks it is not worth it and is not recommending it, but says ultimately it is up to me and she had me sign a consent to begin.  She also said that compared to chemo "it is a walk in the park" Down side is it can really mess up my TE and future implant. Not sure what to do.  (My current statistical model says my 10 year recurrence is about 12%.) Anyone else dealing with this sort of thing?

I don't have a bong of any shape but I did get some pot so I am ready for round three! I think I will have it after the Zofran and befor the Phenergan!

mjs:  have you read the info on this home page under Radiation: When Is It Appropriate?  It has some good information.  I was under the impression that practically everyone should get radiation, so I thought it interesting how many on this thread have mentioned not getting it.

Mouse6694:  thanx for the questions to Patty re: Taxol and the mouth SE's.  I was wondering, too.

I just started feeling like myself, as much like myself as I can be without hair, etc, on Christmas Eve.  Spent most of Christmas day and the next in my pj's just cuz I could.  My taste buds are coming back, though not fast enough.  Prob. just in time for them to leave again after my Taxol TX on Tuesday.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas and are continuing to feel well into the weekend.

Alicia;  Thanks for being our Taxol mission warrior person. You are doing Taxol x 4, is that right? One more month and then you are done!!! (I am doing Taxol and a surprise x 12 weeklies).

I hear you on the pre-chemo jitters. I am up tomorrow also. I try to get everything ready for a few days hibernation. But the house is trashed, laundry is overflowing, I just don't feel like dealing with it.

Taxol and mouth SEs....I was told my taste buds would come back on Taxol and although that is largely true, there is a day or two every week when everything tastes like it has been brined in salt!  It goes away but then comes back after the next weekly TX.   I don't have any mouth sores though, no GI problems and can pretty much eat whatever I want. 

I was really freaked out before my first Taxol TX because of the potential for an allergic reaction.  They start the infusion really slowly and watch you carefully for the first few minutes.   I read that if you are going to have a reaction, the vast majority happen in the first five minutes...so if you make it that long without one you are probably home free.   Although my TXs are now slightly shorter than when I started the weeklies, they take about 3 1/2 hours because they always start the drip slowly and build up to full speed.

Good luck to you ladies!   The Taxol is still chemo, but I think you'll find it a lot easier than the AC!

Patty

Hi Girls, I had a wonderful Christmas. Stuck to soft drink but ate everything that was offered. The weather was milder than usual, so that was good for me wearing my wig. I get my next TX on 29th two days early because of the public holidays.

Shara - My GP told me that in some countries pot is legal if obtained on Dr's prescription and used for medicinal purposes. He seemed to think it was a good idea.

It's not legal in Australia but probably a lot of people here have tried it legal or not.

Michele ~ The Biotene mouthwash says it is for dry mouth, maybe give that a try.  Also try the popsicles.  They help me sometimes with the rotten taste in my mouth.  YES, I have to take 5 decadron the night before.  I will be swallowing them shortly.  ugh...........

Patty ~ Thanks for the info on the Taxol.  I will be holding my breath those first few minutes of infusion.  I am so nervous I am ready to give myself a panic attack already !!!!!!!!!

Kayh ~ Nice to hear you had a Wonderful Christmas.  I am glad. 

Shara D - You go for it girl -anything that works is fine with me - my nausea hasn't been that bad BUT I have the worst eye "styes" -  very painful, swollen, etc - my PC gave me some eye o intment but so far I have had 3 in a row even when using the ointment.  Have my 4th AC Tuesday - this last time the fatigue never went away - at least the headaches did after 3 days -

weird stuff this chemo - affects all of us in different ways but similar -

Christmas was exhausting but thrilling to have the grandkids, adult kids, and friends all around -

Let's hope that 2010 is a MUCH BETTER YEAR FOR ALL OF US - keep us posted on the Taxol- I start that also in January after the AC - any comments on Herceptin?

Love you all and appreciate you more than you will ever know

Thanks Toyah. Let's add Cat60 and Cafelovr , I think they are up today also.

Alicia: good luck on the Taxol, let us know how it goes.

Toyah: I'd call the onc regarding the sinus crud and see if they want to see you. That would just seem easier than trying to update your regular doc on everything else going on.