Starting Chemo Feb 2010?

Found this on another thread and thought since we are now starting to have "Hair Issues" it would be appropriate.

Ode to my Hair

 Oh how I love my short black hair

To be losing it now just don't seem fair

But how can I complain about mere hair

When the Lord sees fit my life to spare

But still as I watch the strands come out

I laugh, I cry, I cringe, I shout

I see more of my scalp with each passing day

And know soon my hair will be all gone away

The wig I chose is actually pretty good

It fits my head just the way that it should

And I got a few hats that make me look sassy

Plus a silky black turban that's really quite classy

I hear that when it starts growing back

It may come in blonde instead of black

Now that would certainly be a sight to see!

Would anyone even recognize me?

All in all, I will try not to despair

Over temporary loss of my short black hair

For the loss is merely a small sacrifice

For the blessing of living a long healthy life

Toni, I'm sorry you've had so much to get thru but am glad to hear you're making progress. Hope your stomach is feeling better. I think you're wise to explain to your oncologist all that has been happening and how you feel, and hopefully you'll be able to work out something with the chemo start date. Here's to hoping you feel stronger every day!  And congratulations on the job!

Christine, hope you're still feeling well after your second treatment. I'm glad buzzing your hair has given you a sense of control. I think it's interesting how we all handle the hair issue. I've taken a different approach, stubborn to the end, making the hair fall out on its own. I saw the doctor yesterday, and they were a little surprised at Day 21 that I still have hair. They told me there are a few rare people who manage to keep some of their hair throughout treatment. Although that would be nice, I'm expecting this second treatment to knock it. I had more in my comb this morning than I've had the past 3 days, but no outright bald spots, just wispiness. My goal was to have enough hair to get through my second treatment, silly I know but a personal triumph and little mood booster. We all need those!

Verene, please let us know how you're doing, and I know it is hard not to be able to respond to everyone. The important thing is letting us know how everything is going with you.

Faithfulc, thanks for your update. When I got my period the week after my first infusion, it really slowed me down. I had some of the typical down feeling, mentally and physically, that I always get with periods.  I'm big on ibuprofen to feel better while on my period, but my onc said no to ibuprofen or any blood thinner while on chemo. So, I took some of the percoset my plastic surgeon gives me for my expander soreness, and that helped a lot. I felt a lot better once the worst of the period was over, about 3 days in, so I'm hoping that happens for you. It took a little time for my energy to come back, but I'm 9 years older than you, so that may account for it.

I had my second infusion yesterday, and it went so much better than the first! This one was a little under two hours. It only took two sticks to find the perfect spot, I didn't have any reactions so they were able to speed it in, and I spent the whole time reading a great book. I even stopped to grocery shop on the way home and picked up a pizza while I could still taste.  Now it's waiting to see how I react to this one. So far so good except for flushing from the steroids. Off to drink and pee, then repeat often, then onto a shower. Like others have said, the chemo seems to leak from the pores making more showers a necessity.

Be well, or as well as chemo allows. We're getting there!

Cindy

Colleen, are you a smoker? Or have you been around second hand smoke a lot?

I know that when I was a smoker (in my younger days) when I finally quit for good, my lungs was sloughing off a lot of the mucous that it had accummulated around my air sacks and bronchial tubes to "protect" against the cigarette toxins that I was inhaling. So when I quit, the lungs started to dislodge that mucous and I had what felt like to me the worst case of bronchitis EVER!

I hate that you are going through this, because I know how miserable I was! I was exhausted simply from all that coughing!

I really dreaded round 2 with my DH out of town, but so far, so good.  Loading up on water the days before and during seems to have helped a great deal.  Not nauseated, but taking zofran on schedule.  My onc discounted my feelings that the neulasta brought on head cold type symptoms the last time, but I feel it happening again.  Now I know it won't last long, and can deal better.

Love the stories of the snow in NJ.  That is where my son is.  He was bummed that a planned trip to the Met had to be canceled yesterday.  Out here in UT we are having what amounts to a spring-type weekend.  Hope to feel up to going out and walking puppy later today.  Yesterday, a friend came over with her granddaughter, and I had the young girl go outside and play with the pup.  That really helped me get some rest later.  

Someone mentioned a friend not being in touch, and feelings hurt.  I have two close co-workers who have not said word one to me about this, but what really bites is my younger sister.  I see she what she's up to on fb, but she can't even pick up the phone?  We lost an older sister to brain cancer 12 years ago; you'd think she'd realize this is serious stuff.  On the other hand, there are folks who have really surprised me.  A gal I knew in grad school and haven't seen in 25 years sent me a care package.  Emails and cards from others.  

Was trying to tie scarves yesterday and found a neat video at coveryourhair.com.  I'd seen the Sikh turban (not my style) and some Islamic sites; of course there's an Orthodox market for head coverings, duh.  

The hair on my head and my pubic hairs are in a race to see which can fall out the fastest...but the eyebrows and eyelashes are not budging!  Weird, huh?

And at Day 16, I suddenly have a nasty metal taste in my mouth I can't get rid of!  ugh.  Tastes like I've been chewing on tin foil.  I know I'm not drinking enough fluids, but water tastes really disgusting right now.

I got my period about 3 days after my first treatment-dang!  I was hoping it wouldn't come.  Weird thing is I'm still spotting.  I read that the chemo can stop your period completely, slow them down, cause strange spotting, etc.  But this is just plain annoying!

I don't have the chemo smell yet, but remember it all too well from when my mom went through it...and then when my mother in law went through it, I couldn't stand to hug her.  I'm not looking forward to smelling it on myself!  I'll have to Febreeze myself-LOL

I had my first AC treatment yesterday and it went pretty well, not as scary as I thought. I made the mistake of not eating enough before and after treatment. I felt pretty good right after I got home and took dog for walk/run. Shortly after that I dwindled and had mild to moderate nausea. Took compazine and drank ginger ale until bed. Today I feel foggy headed and stayed close to my bed until 1pm. Had Neulasta shot at 3pm. Is is ok to take Claritin with dinner tonight or do I take it sooner? How many days should I take it?

wow, i didnt know the Neulasta shot cost so much in states cos here in Singapore, its S$2k per shot.

today is day 12, definitely better, strength is back and am going for walk starting this evening btw, is anyone losing weight fast? i can lose 1kg a day so ONC asked me to drink high calories milk before bedtime, drank some sample packs given by him and its just awful, too concentrated for my liking. daily, am eating every 2-3hrs with 2 servings of fruits + biscuits + wholegrain bread and 1 big plate of steamed vegs or noodles or cod fish or steam/grilled chicken/beef/pork for lunch and dinner and glass of low fat milk twice a day to maintain my weight. in between lots of water as well. this diet makes me clear my bowel at least once a day.

coming wed is my blood count check, keeping my fingers crossed!

michele--i think everyone experiences it different.  because it depends on which bones in your body get prompted to start producing more cells.  for me it initially hits in my left thigh for some reason.  call it what you want, stabbing, throbbing, aching...it hurts...plus if i bend that leg it almost makes me pass out.  then on day 2or3 it hits my back.   right side no boob & still painful, left side throbbing port, left leg aching, back aches.....chronic neck & foot problems....lets see doing inventory here...wear glasses,   constipated, hair falling out....hmm...yeah, i guess my right leg is still good.  gma always said it's either an ass or an elbow.

tata

Hi - just wanted to relate something to everyone so you don't freak out like I did.  I had noticed a bruise on my surgery side arm - a bit below the armpit and on the inside of the arm.  Just figured I bumped it - don't know how you bump that part of your arm, but that's what I thought.  Anyway, yesterday in the shower I felt a big lump right above the bruise - scared the living s*#t out of me and I just about passed out.  I automatically jumped right to me having a huge cancerous lump in my lymph system and that that's it for me.  This also stems from my eighth grade science teacher saying - ladies, if you ever feel a large lump under you arm you can kiss your butts goodbye!  That will forever be imbedded in my brain.  Anyway, called my surgeon and she asked me to describe it explicitly and she has assured me that it's something called a seroma - you can see a description of them on this site if you search the word.  Anyway, it's basically a fluid filled sac that forms when you overdo it - not lymphedema, though.  It goes away on its own and you just have to watch what you do.  I have an appointment to see her first thing tomorrow just to be 100% sure (because, like I said, I almost lost it), but after reading everything, it's a good match for what I have.  Soooo, the long and short of this story is that if any of you experience a similar thing, don't assume the worst like I did - that probably took ten years off my life just by me freaking out.  That's the beauty of this board, I think, so that we can help to alleviate each others fears.  Anyway, hope no one experiences this, but just in case - breathe, call your doc, and don't assume the worst.  Off to second treatment Wednesday.  Hope everyone who's having bone pain and other SEs gets better soon.  Take care - Mo 

I shaved my head last night (really, the husband did it), and I do not look good bald...not that any of us do, I was just hoping for a pleasant surprise for some reason.

I laughed while we were doing it, and now I'm miserable.  I haven't been able to buy my wig yet (lack of $), so I'll be going to my second fill appointment tomorrow with a baseball cap on.  Humpf.

My dogs were fine with it, but the cat freaked out?!  And my kids are freaking out-not helping!

Donna,  I started the tingles in the figner tips the day after my first TX.  I immediately called the Dr and the pharmacist there told me to go buy Acetyl L-Carnatine.  It's at GNC or any of those places.  I take 500 mg twice a day, between meals.  Works like magic.  I have no idea what it is, but it worked.. I was to the point where I had trouble typing!!  

Burley - check your private messages - it's at the top of the page - Mo

Today day 4... Feeling like a whole new person.. Yesterday aches, neck pain. bone twinges. Head was very foggy... Today much better I even walked a mile... Not much but I'm not pushing it. I do want to go back to work a little but not sure how much I will be able to handle. I guess I play it by ear... I still need my fills for my breast too.. How did we get into this position?

Thanks girls for being there for me... Don't know what i would do without you girls.

HUGS-

Donna