May 2010 Chemo

Hi Ladies!  Will have my second AC chemo treatmment on June 10.  Was diagnosed in April and have been on the fast track since.  My first chemo made me very nauscious - although I think the compazine made it worse.  Day two with the Neulesta injection was uneventful until late that evening when I felt like I'd been hit with the worst case of flu.  Was in bed for two days. Days four through seven (today) improved everyday.  Tired.  Could sleep all day. 

Having my head shaved prior to the 2nd AC...bought a wig and scarves.  Some people have asked me why are you going to shave your head before your hair falls out - I guess I need to take control of something - LOL!!!!  Sinead O'Connor move over!!

The tips are great and the sense of "sisterhood" on this site is remarkable.  I hate having breast cancer, I hate that I have to go through this treatment - But I'm thankful for so much more.

 Peace and support!  Kathy

Packjen, thought of an idea, maybe some ‘shell' shaped candy, you know - We shall beat this!  Love how creative you are and know that the center you go to must love to see you! My husband not working, but I am, thank goodness.  I do agree it is nice to come home to a home cooked dinner and a great husband who is doing everything possible he can for me.

Day, I wouldn't worry about addressing us, we are all here for each other.  I read everything and don't mind if you mix me up with anyone of these ladies!  I did have a UTI. 

Redbarb, hope your treatment went well.  Just finished my second on Tuesday.  Teeth hurt again this time, did last treatment too. So, I guess that is what I have to expect. 

Not sure if this is okay and I usually check everything out first, but didn't this time.  But here goes, I had two mouth sores after my first treatment, I dipped a q-tip in iodine and put it on the sores, not enough to drip, didn't swallow anything. It burnt a bit, but they healed right away and have stayed away.

Irishtess, good sense of humor and we need that.  Good luck with the next treatment.

Summer, you have every right to be emotional, it isn't always fair, but you will get through this and your daughter knows how much you would love to be with her. Hang in there.

JennyB, I hear it is called ‘chemo brain' or something.  The other night I told my husband I needed to take a Lipitor before I go to bed to make sure I get a good nights sleep, I meant ambient.....I don't even take Lipitor.

Sacphotomom,  I love the phone story.... CRAZY!

Drim, so happy the penguin caps are working, wish I had time to arrange it, but didn't find out until too late. 

If anyone has nothing else to do...The Gainesville Sun, our local newspaper, did a wonderful article about my staff wearing the scarves to show support.  It can be read at sunone.com. the write up is something like "Staff Show Support for Principal" .I only agreed to it because it showed educators in the nicest way.  So many get a bad rap now a days.

Kathy, welcome on board!

Sorry so long, wanted to catch up with everyone, love to all!

testing

Experiment: I was reading through another month's postings and someone figured out how to post photos.  I can tell you how if you want to do it.

Jen

Jen: I would love to know how to do it.  I still don't have a picture up because I have no clue how to do it. 

Barb

RedBarb, to post an Avatar (the picture that shows on the side of all your posts) you select "My Home" at the top of this page.  Then select "Add a Photo" and browse your desktop or hard drive to find the one you want.  Then "Save"

I was able to do the other way (post a photo in the middle of a post), but now I can't re-create it!!!  I started by posting the photo to "PhotoBucket" (google it), then copying the link to BC.org in the Insert/ Edit image.  I did it once, but now can't do it again.  I could keep trying but it just gives me posts I need to delete and I don't want to fill up the logs with my mistakes.  Maybe I'll try again in a few days.  Sorry.

Jen

Hi packjen, thanks for the heads up  on the picture.  I couldn't sleep, so was up reading and decided to try it.  I uploaded from my Iphone, then went to my home and was able to do it - I think.  I will see when I sign off....wish me luck.

Hi All - Checking back in after being MIA the last few days.   I went back to work on Weds and haven't felt much like turning back on the computer when I get home at night.   Seems I am short on energy these days.

Sacphotomom - I love the phone story!  I have been doing absent minded things like that ever since this whole ordeal started.  Just can't seem to focus on details these days.

nanof2 - great photo!   So nice of your sons to shave in sympathy! 

Summer - so sorry you missed a fun weekend with your daughter.  I've filled in for my brothers with their kids on school stuff before, so from the "Aunt" perspective, we are sooo happy to help!  It's a fun treat for those of us without kids to help out every now and then.  I'm sure you made your friend's weekend though I am sorry you were disappointed.

mnlinda - thanks for the info on the anovulatory periods.  I think those describe exactly what is happening to me

The treatments and hormones got to me today.   I tried on a couple of different outfits this morning but nothing fit due to my lovely water weight gain.   My poor BF was beside himself as I stood in the closet in my underwear crying over my clothes.   I've been doing the cold caps and am happy to have my hair, but it looks like a haystack since I can't style it right now.  So between the clothes and the hair, I felt like a wreck this morning.   Fortunately, he said the right thing and I eventually found some old pants so disaster was averted.   But seriously!  I cried!  It was pathetic but I couldn't seem to help it.  Ugh.  Hope these hormones settle down soon.

Happy weekend everyone!

Day 4 after the 2nd tx. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I was a wreck. Very, very , very dizzy (like I'm dreaming) and with no strength at all, pain in the hip and femural bones (Neulasta) and on top of it all, I don't think I slept more than 3 hrs in a day due to the steroids I had to take Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Finally last evening I asked my boyfriend to get me some beer, I said I don't care if I get sick, I just want to sleep. It worked, I slept for about 7 hours, I feel half-decent and like a human not like a zombie. I had to go to the endocrinologist yesterday, I don't know how I made it.

No real nausea to speak of,  or anything else, except for my tongue. It feels like it's burned. It LOOKS like it's burned. It started feeling like this Wednesday afternoon. The edge all around, and especially in the front, looks like someone has pinched it to make it look like the edges of a ravioli. A red ravioli. I don't taste much (you know how you can't taste when you burn your tongue). It's not bleeding or anything, it's just exceptionally uncomfortable. My throat too feels sore. Sorry I haven't been online much - hopefully today I will be more, unless I manage to sleep more lol.

Hugs all

Day

For urinary discomfort, there is an OTC product called Azo Standard that you might want to try.  It doesn't treat infection, but has an analgesic effect that soothes the burning.  Target has it shelved with their feminine hygiene products.  You take it three times a day for a couple of days - usually the problem resolves on its own within two or three days without treatment.

I started rinsing with hidrogen peroxide. I do that then I do a rinse with biotene.To be honest it starts looking more and more like thrush, so hopefully thehidrogene peroxide will be abel to take care of it - it's Saturday and can't really get a nystatin prescription anywhere.

I am pretty sure my sensitivity in the nether parts wasn't a UTI. The skin (where it got "naked") was sensitive in the first 3 days after the tx. No other symptoms.

Water tastes bad right now. I used some Propel to flavor it a little bit, but propel tasted even worse.

Orange juice tastes bad. If it wasn't for the caffeine, I'd try that Lipton green tea with lemon. It's really really hot here today, so I guess I'll be just hovering aroudn the house. Feels good to be a little bit better than a zombie. I still have pains in my bones, but I was able to wash dishes and even do laundry (and I got it outside on the laundry rope, I love laundry dried outside).

Hugs all

Day

My taste bud are so out of whack since the 2nd chemo ..at a Thai restaurant yesterday  I discovered ginger tea with honey ,  I can taste it and it sooths the tummy too...just a thought...I just want to taste something....not just texture!

This has been an eventful week.  On Tuesday, I started my period.  I had no warning and it had been 18 days since the last one.  It was crazy heavy and no cramps.  Worse than when I had my children.  I called the onc. to run it by them and they sent me to the gyno.  He did a endometrial biospy.  I think it was my ovaries having their last stand as one of us posted before.  They just wanted to make sure I guess.  I am getting real tired of doctors and tests. Oh and by the way, as soon as I went to the gyno, my period went to a trickle.  

This morning, I noticed my hair was falling out big time.  It started 2 days ago, but it was bad enough this morning that I had to either shave it or get ready to call the plumber to unclog the shower.  My DH and both of my girls took turns giving me a mohawk.  We took a couple of pictures and then they took the rest off.  The first thing I thought of when I saw myself in the mirror was Tim Gunn (from Project Runway) saying, "That's a lot of look."  

My next A/C treatment is Wednesday.  I hope it goes as well as the first one.  I will be thinking of you all this week and hoping we are all SE free.

Day, I got the shot this past Tuesday, didn't get the bone pain but it felt like I had the flu all week long. Spent most of Saturday in bed and really sad, also I've been getting muscle spasms in my chest and lower back, the onc said that wasn't a side effect, started taking 600 mg of advil, seemed to help a little bit. I hope you feel better soon.