Stage III

Dawn's right: LOTS of progress over the last 30 years. I too worked during treatment. In fact, I actually accumulated time off instead of running out of it. You may have some diminished energy but I'm here to tell you that I'm feeling great now and have the energy to do everything I was doing before diagnosis.

Kelli,

Sending you lov, hugs and strength.  You can do this!

I hope you get some encouragement from seeing all those pink spatulas, mixers,etc. and ribbons.  Because of that awarenesss there has been so much money invested in cancer research, and breast cancer especially, that treatments have improved significantly.  That is for bc as well as other cancer.

Know you aren't alone and can come here for support and info.

Yo

Kelli - just want to welcome you along too. Sounds like you are ready to kick some cancer butt!

I have small kids too, they were 3 and 5 when I was going through Chemo last year. They did fine - in fact, I think they helped me, as I wanted things to be as normal as possible for them, so I just kept on going for them. 

As for the taste, well, I wish i could help you. I had it the whole time. i couldn't drink water, Gingerale was OK, so I stuck to that. Also hard candy sort of helped.  

Anyhow, wishing you well. The Stage 3 group is awesome - best support ever! 

Hi Kelli... looks like you are going to be a survivor a few weeks before me   I will be starting chemo May 11th. It is encouraging to see all of these stage III survivors in here!!  If I find anything that helps for the taste, I'll come back and let you know

Kelli, welcome!

I found that with every chemo, I could eat/drink different things. The only thing you can do is experiment (I can't be as helpful as I'd like, but it is what it is). I found stronger flavors were better for me than mild. I also found that I craved salty things (I'm a year out of chemo and still eating things a lot more salty than I was before) and I couldn't stand hot liquids - they were disgusting. That took almost a year also. Glad I'm past that since I missed my tea!

I wrote a thread called "wig advice" that you might find helpful since you're going wig shopping. By the way, does anyone know how to pin a thread? I'd like to pin that one.

Kelli, best of luck. May you be a bc survivor of many more than 33 years!

Leah

try sucking on ice cubes.  you can even put a little fruit juce in the water...or gingerale....i also craved fresh furit...papaya and strawberries...it was some kind of craving during chemo but disappeared after chemo.

 gatoraid is good too for the mouth.  also, sensitine mouth wash is good; there is no alcohol and keeps your mouth from drying out. 

 we have your back**

Hi Kelli!  Welcome to our little group.  Sorry you had to join us.  You've gotten great advise from these ladies.  My son was 8 when I was diagnosed.  Now (4 years later) he says he barely remembers it.  You'll get through this...and we'll help you.  Come here often to vent...we get it.

Hi Kelli,

Welcome to a great group of women.  My children were 8, 6 and 4 when I was diagnosed over 4 years ago.  I was a stay at home mom at the time also and really, my kids are what helped get me through treatment.  I mean, who has time to freak out too much when your kids need help with homework or a ride to a playdate. 

At the time I had two children in full time school (3rd grade and 1st grade) and one child in half day preschool.  One thing that helped most was to try to sleep as much as I could when the kids were out of the house.  The days that I did not get a nap in ended up being very hard so I forced myself to rest.  I also made sure to limit my time talking on the phone when the kids were there.  Although they knew what was going on I did not feel like it was necessary for them to live through it over and over again when people would call to see how I was.  If I wanted to talk to people I would get back to them when the kids were either asleep or out of the house.

I never got a metal taste in my mouth but did lose some taste.  Also not a healthy choice but Mountain Dew was and is still one of my favorite drinks-although I try to only indulge once in a while.  While in treatment that was something that always tasted good and had caffeine.

Lastly-my middle daughter's name is Kelly (with a Y).  I love the name Kelly no matter how it is spelled.

Hi Kelli, I am, coming up on 5 yrs  stage IIIC BC.

You've alread been through the fight, I think you're gonna be fine w/ this one.

For the nasty  taste in my mouth I used  a citrisy minty toothpaste. I think Crest made it?

It doesn't last forever sweetie. Come here often for support aassurance, the ladies here are phenomenal. and there is nothing that we haven't been through.

Hi Kelli,

Although Stage 2, I most likely had the same chemo protocol as you are having.  If you can exercise at all, it should help you big time with side effects.  I realize I am a fanatic on this, but Melinda Irwin is doing the same thing at Yale.  There is a great video on this.

I found that things tasted odd during AC, and less so during Taxol.  Gatorade was a great one and also just seltzer.  I ended up eating very salty foods towards the end, then couldn't believe how salty the stuff was once on Taxol.

I did try to eat a reasonably healthy diet though.  One thing that helped was getting lots of protein as per the ACS recommendation.  I tried for 80g per day, but didn't always get there.  Eggs were a godsend.  I think this helped me manage energy and got fewer sugar crashes as a result.

You got through the first chemo years ago, and think you will be just fine this time.  In fact, as others have mentioned, suspect you will be just stunned at all the treatment options available.

BTW - I went the cheap wig route.  Have two that way, and both look sassy, the one with red streaks, more so.  Think I will do pin-on red highlights even after my hair grows back.  Good luck! - Claire

p.s.  The one post I have made on bc.org is about the little things that helped me get through.  You might want to read it for ideas.

Good evening ladies,

 I've been a lurker for quite some time.  I was originally diagnosed in April 2005 with DCIS and ended up having a mastectomy and chemo.  Things were going well until April 2009 when I discovered a lump under my right arm pit.  Had biopsy and result was Stage IIIa.  Oncologist and Surgeon couldn't decided whether it was the original cancer, or a regional recurrance.  Underwent total lymph node removal and began TCH in June 09.  Have been on Herceptin since November and have been doing well until the past month.  Have had pain in my left arm (non surgery site) and just assumed it was neuropathy.  Had my check up with Onc today and herceptin treatment.  Told her about my pain in my left arm.  Had a blood draw before treatment, and just got the results via email.  My liver functions have risen dramatically since my last blood draw in March.  During my March check up, my Onc. was pleased that my liver function were returning to the "normal" stage since the end of chemo in October.  Now with this new pain in my left arm, and the elevated liver functions, I'm scared to death......I have a CT scheduled on Thursday and I'm not sure how I'm going to make it till then. I know intellectually that it is probably nothing to worry about, but I'm scared nonetheless.  I'm just sooooo tired of being scared and sick.......

Kelli-

My children were 16, 7, and 5 when I was diagnosed and now I am so excited to be here to see my oldest graduating and heading off to college in June.  My youngest was still in preschool at diagnosis and it is true they do help us keep focused and push on during chemo. 

I did get on the elliptical daily.  I figured that I wanted the chemo to get into every cell in my body and that exercise would be the way to do it.  SInce then I have read numerous articles about exercise and its efficacy with chemo so hit the pavement walking or get to a gym if you don't have equipment at home. 

As far as hair goes I bought a high quality real-hair wig and wore it 100% of the time around my kids.  I didn't want them to associate me with the cancer and create lasting memories.  When I went wig shopping I put it on and couldn't tell my hair from it at the ends so it was a great match.  I locked the bedroom door at night so the only one that saw me without was my husband.  I really even avoided the mirror without it on so I guess I played a really good game of denial.  It was funny because after my hair had grown back enough I stopped wearing the wig and a lot of the people that didn't know I had been going through chemo commented on my new haircut.  I told them I had decided to "lose the long hair".

Folk imp-  The docs follow your liver in particular because a lot of the meds we take can effect liver function.  I'm praying that is the case for you so stay calm (yeah I know right) and keep hoping.

Prayers to all in this boat full of $%*@.

Welcome Kelli and Folkimp!

Chemo sucks - no doubt about it.  I loved marking off the weeks.  I have been so amazed how quickly the body can bounce back once it's done. 

Food issues can be really tough.  I just experimented to find anything that would taste good and latched on to it.  It was more important to get the food in me than worry about the nutrition.  I also tried to think "out of the box" and try things that I normally don't like.  I'm not big on sweets but that was the last taste for me to lose so I ate a lot of pancakes smothered in syrup, fruit cups or anything else that had a lot of sugar.  But it didn't help with olives -- I thought I'd give those a try since I never liked them before.  Still didn't like them on chemo.  Don't understand people who love 'em (like my DH)!

This will pass -- life will get better!