Starting chemo January 2009?

Had a nice chat with Holtbolt, and Bev.  For those who had a night out on the town and went to great dinners, movies and parties......Have a Happy New Year!!!   2010 has got to be better!!!!! 

I had my first of 8 tx on Dec. 16 - 8tx every 3 weeks.  Have to say...other than constipation days 4-5, I have had no side effects.  Hope you do as well as I did.   A few strands of hair came out this a.m., but other than that, nothing else so far. 

Sorry I missied the chat room toast last night.  I was at a party with no web access.  Wishing you all a much much better year than last.  May we all be able to ring in the next decade together as well.

I was at a party last night and today.  I enjoyed myself but I am getting tired of telling people how I am and of compliments on my hair.  I guess most people feel that since I now have a thick head of hair I have a style nice enough to compliment me on.  But I think I was some how more comfortable when I was mostly hairless.  For most of last year I wore the label of person in chemo and that was fine.  Now I am past chemo and mostly back in my "real life" but I have this weird hair that I don't associate with me. It is not a style or color of my choice, it just is.  But of course only those who know me know that it is not a choice.  It is just weird some how.  I don't know ifsome people really think it looks good or at least fine or if they are being nice.  I think I may color it this month just to see if that make me feel more comfortable.  This is not a huge thing for me, just something I am noticing about myself and trying to figure out.  

Wednesday is my next 3mth check up.  I am not thinking about it.  

jillyG: little boys rock!!!   Mine is 21 now.   You look great!  

so do you Renrel.   I hear what you're saying about this "new look" we have..  I have a hair appt on Monday -- a little reshaping and am thinking about highlights.  Mine came in finer and as straight as before -- as a matter of fact, I was thinking about a perm at some point -- when it's long enough -- how different we all are. 

Here's one for the "stupid things people say" list -- my boss asked how I was coping in the cold with my "man hair" ----  I was speechless but managed to say "better than last winter".....   ya have to laugh!

Had to look up the date of my first chemo (this coming Fri).  I knew it was this week, but couldn't remember the date.  For months last year I could tell you the date and the hour of each infusion.  Have to say the beginning of the forgetting is feeling good.  Had a few long talks with DH this week.  This is the first stretch of time off that I've had since going back to work after chemo.  I can't believe how good I've felt and how well I've been sleeping.  I'm dreading the return to work and feeling like crap again.  I was happy to be back working and thought that it was good for me, now we're wondering how much it is worth it.  It wouldn't be easy, but we could get by.  I'm just too frickin young to not be working.  I guess I'll slog along for awhile longer and hope things get better. 

Oh Jess, sorry you came across scary stats.  Ignore them, keep coming over to the motivation thread with us and picture that tamoxifen scrubbing away any future problems.

Wow, out of curiosity just popped in on one of the Healthcare threads.  Feel like someone who just slowed down driving by the scene of an accident. Didn't really want to see what I saw and feel guilty.  I'm going to sit hear and enjoy this thread for a moment.

hotbolt and Jilly G, that's why I've been sticking to this thread and the motivation thread, maybe some of the recipe threads except when I have specific questions. 

kmmd- what is the name of the motivation thread you frequent?  I have not found myself posting alot but do check in with the January Jewels as I get an email whenever one of you post.  That way I do not have to actually go to the thread to keep up on the news, but  the big drawback is I always think I should respond to this or that and I never get around to it.

 Well anyone- HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.  I too was hoping to make the chat room toast but did not work out for me.  I planned on having a few neighbors over and ended up being more that I expected so we party into the wee hours of the morning.  Was fun.

KATHY - I like your new picture.  I recently updated mine too.  Looks to me like we are all growing our hair back at about the same rate.  That "man hair:" comment has to be the worse one I have heard so far. I think I would have burst into tears if someone asked me that.  I do agree with you Renrel about the I love your hair comments.  I always think "sure you do?"  I hate it this short so I am sure they are just saying it to be nice.  Well, whenever I feel like I hate my hair I go back and look at a bald picture and they I love it again.

Renrel - Will be looking forward to hearing how your checkup went today.  Hope all is well.  I go in sometime at the end of the month to see the onco dr. but got an all clear on my mammo a few weeks back.

JillyG I remember the picture your had up when I first started coming here and your hair was long and straight in it.  Wasn't as dark either I don't think.  Isn't funny how different the hair comes back on some.  Mine is coming back with a lot of wave which I never had and gets curls up on the ends when it gets long.  I had mine cut a few times hoping if I gave it some style I would like it better, but I don't.

Jess  Stick to the January Jewels thread. I avoid all other threads because I always see something that makes me start worrying and I am one who HAS to believe the cancer is behind me forever!!!

Well been fun catching up.  I do follow alone as I said even when not posting.  Thanks to all of you for being here and I hope we all enjoy 2010.  Are we ever going to do the get together?  I would still like to meet some of you in person.

Well, I have to say the comments about the hair are quite abundant lately.  I was walking through a middle school to  a meeting and one of the students leaving the detention room yelled out " Who is the dude with the dress?"  That is my favorite.  I also got from an a fellow martial artist- someone with whom I travelled for three weeks to Korea- who said my hair looked like a 12 year old boy.  That probably irked me the most becuase she knew better and she knew about my cancer.  THe 12 year old has a chance, the 50 something lady, well not so much of a chance. 

I gotta say the comments about my hat were the impetus I needed to go bald.  I did it through the summer- a lady asked if I was gay , I was asked if I was hindu and then I got the usual " Oh I  wish my head was shaped like yours....."   Okay, then shave your head and let's see what it looks like.....!

Love you all.  Whew, that venting feels so much better.

 When we going to NAPA!!?  Okay, so i can only drink 3-5 glasses of wine.I'll save it up!  LOL. 

editing to correct grammar and spelling!  sheesh!

Congrats Renrel

Jess, don't know what to say, those comments are unbelievable. You're right the 12 yo has a chance, I'd like to stand the 50 yo by the curb then drive by fast into a puddle of slush and salt to spray her with.  (seemed a better choice then boinking her on the head for you--trying for a non violent approach)

Haven't posted in a very long time.....my first chemo was a year ago on Jan. 15th. Last one was April 30.....What a year! I had Stage 1 of DIEP reconstruction on Nov. 5. It was tough but I recovered well and was back at work 4 weeks later. I scheduled Stage 2 today for April 23. 

I like my new hair. I think I'm just happy to have hair. A friend of mine told me about a product called Pomade by Pantene. It gives you that sort of "spiky" look. I timed how long it takes me to style my hair with it and it is 1 1/2 to 2 minutes!

It is good to read most January Jewel are doing well......

How spacey can I be?  LOL KMMD!  (from your comment about boinking the 50 year old duffus who had to make a snike remakr about my hair)

About a week ago I was running on the treadmill and omigosh my heels started to hurt, as if I was running on tiny needles.  From then on if ever I stand for about 10 minutes, it starts up again. ANd I started to lose another toenail, could the nueropathy startup this time 9 months later? 

I lost two toenails during chemo--had taxotere and fec- and black streaks down my fingernails.  The streaks stopped after chemo, but the toe nails seem to be ongoing...they turned white, get gooey and start to fall off.  The pain in my heels, however, if definately new.  Very strange.