November 2009-Starting Chemo

Alicia - Sitting on the porch relaxing in the sun with a good book sounds like just what the doctor ordered!

Mouse - Thanks for letting me know your SE's with Tamoxifen.  That doesn't sound too bad, hopefully those of us that have to take it will be just as "lucky".

Hope you are all doing well ((((HUGS)))

Going for 6/12 Taxol/Herceptin today. Finally hitting the halfway point! Yesterday, we shopped for three hours and I came home and took a three hour nap. Yeah, that is a reasonable lifestyle. (rolling eyeballs). Speaking of eyeballs, the eye doctor finally discharged me after my weird eye accident (that I don't know how it happened). He told me to do 5 more days of steroid eyedrops and gave me some lube drops and said to keep doing those until the end of chemo since my eyes are so dry. They don't feel dry, but he said they are, so I will take his word for it.

I have had some episodes of sleeping hand, I guess that is neuropathy from the Taxol, I hope it is not bad enough for them to change the plan. No weirdness in feet.

I am surprised at people who think I shaved my head for fun. I have had several people surprised that I am doing chemo. That amuses me. I realize I look really good bald (lol), but I didn't know I put out a Sinead O'Conner vibe. There is nothing stylish about me, I can't believe that people actually think I am making a fashion statement.

Yesterday, I was at a fast food place with the security cameras, my fuzz showed up nice and dark on the moniter, the kids laughed at me for looking at my nice fuzz. Today, the kids I babysit for informed me that although I do have a lot of fuzz, it is very gray.

I like the camera better.

Hope everyone is well.

Melinda, hang in there...remember you are tough and you can do this..you have some so far already...big hugs

Thanks ladies, I talked to the kids last night, told them how bad I feel that I can't parent them. Little boogers said they are fine about being un-parented.  

I feel better this morning. Researching my plastic surgeon options (Alicia has inspired me). Turns out there is only one PS within a 50 mile radius that takes my insurance. I talked to one of nurses about how many reconstructions he does a year, they had no idea since it is so many. But the receptionist said he did her tummy tuck last year and is doing her boob job next. So I guess that is a good recommendation if the people that see your work and see how you are with patients want to use you.

I just find it odd that the state breast cancer insurance has one breast cancer surgeon on it's policy and I live next to the capitol of the state, I am not in a rural area.

Melinda ~ Hang in there, I am sure even your idea of un-parenting is better then most !!!  You will make it up to them.  You are doing the best you can.

 Brenda ~ research away.  I am very happy with my new foobies, if anyone as access to the picture forum they are up there.  Wouldn't want to scare anyone and post my foobies in a post !

Hugs ~

GrandmaMickey: Is it abraxane? If so, what I read was it is used for people with too many Taxol SE's. There is a website : http://www.abraxane.com/ . If I have the wrong drug, sorry.

Just went for my 6/12 Taxol/Herceptin today. I'm halfway through this round as well Melinda - it feels good to say that!!! Still feeling pretty good with the weekly doses. I've been back at work for a week and a half now, and things are going well. I'm tired at the end of the day, but its manageable. The hot flashes are the worst - I wake up at least 5 times a night, and it takes minimum half hour to get back to sleep. Makes for a long night. 

Alicia - I'm so happy to hear your exchange surgery went well and that you're happy with your foobs/noobs. Can't wait to be in your shoes. I'll have a look at the picture forum (is it the Timtam one?)

Melinda - I hear you on the parenting thing... I feel like such a lazy ass mom. I haven't been doing an eighth of the stuff with my kids that I used to do. I've got my husband here, so at least they're getting some parenting - but that doesn't really make me feel less guilty. Soon this will be over and we'll have more energy! I hope!

Michele - what's up? Any news? I'm thinking about you and sending positive vibes your way!

Hooray to all of you doing so well in your radiation treatments! Nette - I hope your thrush gets better. Is that a common side effect? Is there anything we can do to avoid it?

Well, I'm exhausted and going to bed!

Hugs to everyone!  

mabelle:  Apparently, thrush is a side effect,of the chemo-thing, though not common.  Guess that's why it doesn't appear on the list of SE's to be aware of.  There's nothing you can do to avoid it, that I'm aware of.  I kept my mouth rinsed, moist, clean, brushed, flossed...you name it and I still got it.  I read that SE's from Taxol can stick around for 2-3 months and I'm only at a little over one now.  Hopefully, it will get better with the newest med or time.

What's TimTam?  I was asking Alicia, too, where those pics were.

I have a friend taking me to rad today for a  change from me driving.  Looking forward to visiting with her.  (She also took me to a chem session: an  Awesome friend.)

Happy Thursday.  Nette

I had thrush with my first treatment..the meds were worse than the thrush..they lasted for ever. 

I was at work yesterday and a lady came in who had cancer as well.  We chatted for  quite a while.  It was nice to talk face to face with someone going through the same thing...it is so funny how cancer bonds people..it is like a secret club...we were chatting about all kinds of things like poop, periods, etc..

Well I am done my rads...Yah me.  I am starting to blister now...boo hoo...oh well, i guess I will call and get some cream.

Missed radiation yesterday - Machine was broken - Had #8 today. I think tired is the only SE I'm having. I almost crashed today when I drifted off behind the wheel and woke just before the gaurd rail got my attention. Ak!

 Hair is coming in on my head and falling out in strange places. My eyelashes have continued to drop off - primarily the lower lashes and I noticed today my arm hair has disappeared. Strange since last chemo was Jan 26th. It's funny because though my head hair has begun to sprout I feel more self conscious now than when I was 100% bald. 

 Still having hot flashes. Rad's have been ok so far, a little red, but it was red before I even started. 

Anyway  I'm more than a little down. Having issues with my son (14) talking about moving in with Dad who moved to Canada a couple years ago. I just read my diary from when I was 13,14. Wow, how naive I was! I was reading it to gain insight that I may have been able to impart to my son, but instead just got wrapped up in how silly some of my entries were.  

I'm reading the posts even though posting has taken a back seat to life and work. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. 

littlebird: I, too, am growing hair on my head but continued to lose eyelashes and now have about 7 eyebrow hairs left on each side, even though my last chemo TX was Feb. 16th. And you're right, I almost feel more "bald" without the eye hair than without head-hear.   I have discovered how to "draw in" eyebrows...put some liner pencil on a finger pad in long-ways and then drag your finger across where you want the brow to be.  (I found this much easier and more natural-looking than trying to draw the brow directly with the pencil.)  I also use lots more eye liner on my upper and lower lids (with a smoky-effect on the bottom) to compensate for the lack of hair there.  Glad you "woke up" driving before anything horrible happened.  If I don't run errands after my rad, I come home and can fall asleep in the chair almost immediately...no doubt due to the rad, as I know a SE of rad is fatigue.

philippa:  sorry to hear you got so sick.  Glad you're better.  How many more taxotere TX's do you have?

Hi girls...

Cindy ~ so glad you woke UP before you crashed...  Please be careful and rest when you can.

Philippa ~ sorry to hear you got sick.  Hope you are feeling better soon.  Hang in there.

Nettie ~ I too found it so hard to lose the eyebrows and lashes!  It was truly worse then losing the hair.  I think it just really made my look scream "I have CANCER".  But I will tell you my last chemo was 2/8 and I have eyebrows coming back in and a lot of short budding top eyelashes.  Still none on the bottom, strange?! 

Hi Michele ~ hope you are feeling good.

To everyone else I hope you are are doing well.  I am still really in pain from this darn exchange.  Hoping I didn't make a mistake with saline they are hard!!!!!!!!!

Hugs ~

Alicia

Eyebrows, or lack thereof, scream cancer. I was in a restaurant with friends. I always wear a pink bracelet now. The owner of the restaurant asked if she could ask a personal question...she asked if I was undergoing chemo. I said yes and asked if she could tell I was wearing a wig. I thought that was the giveaway. She said no, my eyebrows gave it away, and she couldn't believe I had a wig on. She lost her eyebrows too when she went through treatment in 2006. I could get used to having thin eyebrows. Easier to maintain and face it...it's painful to wax and tweeze. I haven't had to shave my legs since December. I could get used to this!!!

Alicia, hope you get some relief from your hard breasts

Cindy, Philippa... (((Hugs))) Michelle, any news yet?

My fingers are now constantly numb. I did get 2 Taxols after having 2 weeks off. It hit me like a ton of bricks! Severe joint pain in my hips, knees, and ankles. I've noticed a tingling feeling in the toe beside my big toe. Does anyone get a feeling like a string is wrapped against their legs? Like a funny sensation of something wrapped around them? It's confusing...one minute I'm off Taxol, then I get it...are they waiting for the surgeon??? I'll find out on Tuesday when I meet him and Wed when I see my onc. Why do I only think of these questions AFTER I leave the dr office???

Love to All!

Hi Girls,

I'm back from the beach. I only went down to the beach once while we were away as I still can't walk far. At least I could see it and hear it from where we were staying. My legs ache so much when I try to move around even when I wake up in the morning. I guess it will take a while to get this poison out of my system.

Can't wait to see my onc on Wednesday for my herceptin tx. I have 3 numb toes on my left foot and they are driving me crazy. I want answers. I'm sure he'll just shrug and say nothing bless his heart.

Brenda - love the new pic.

Michelle - please let us know when you get checked out. I've been having sharp pains in my left boob - the one that had the cancer. They aren't there all the time so who knows what's going on. Maybe ghost pains.

(((((HUGS))))) to everyone else - I missed you!!!!

Sue