Starting chemo Sept 05

Tina
Good luck with your chemo today,, I hope it goes better than last time. Hows the hair doing today?

Cheryl,
Are you going to "buzz" your hair before it starts moulting everywhere? I did and feel much better for taking control of this.

Peggy

Well done, sending your photo on the bald pics site.
I hope I too will be brave enough when all the hair is gone, to send mine.

Have a good day everyone

Maxine

Maxine - as soon as I get home and can locate some clippers (all I have are cat clippers) and find someone to help me I will be "buzzing" it off!! Took a shower this morning and couldn't believe the hair. Everyone was right about it being "day 14"!!! I have to laugh though...the people I work with are great and they knew when they saw me this morning with a bandana on (I decided to wear one to keep the falling hair under control until I get home) they knew! I put a big note on our board here that my hair was falling out with a sad face. Heck there's nothing we can do about it so I decided to make it funny even though it's a bit hard dealing with it when it actually starts happening.

back to work.... again I say "HAIR TODAY GONE TOMORROW"!!!

Cheryl

Ok I am wearing a wig for the first time today. Feel really wierd about it wonder how my students will react? My husband says you can't tell but I feel like I have an animal on my head! This should be interesting.
Penny

I am in the rough spot of second treatment but it is much better than the first treatment. The eating every 2 hours helps even though I feel nauseous. Who'd have thought the chemo nurses new what they were talking about when they told me to do that the first time.

Calico,
I was sick too right after my treatment and the compazine did nothing for me but make it worse. I was changed to Zophran (melts in your mouth, tastes like yuck and is expensive) and more decadron for home and they seem to work very well.

I do not have a prescription plan and therefore am not covered for Zophran nor nuelasta. However, I am on what is called a compassion plan that is through the drug companies for people with no coverage. If any of you are having trouble affording the drugs see if you can get into these plans but it is through the drug reps. I had a couple people inform about them and it goes through my oncologist center. Really gave me a better attitude about these big drug companies.

tried a chat room today for the first time. I couldn't keep up, it gave me a headache and nauseous. That must be the wild and young group.

Cheryl,

You are making me laugh! Your sense of humor is clearly not being bashed, and that is so great! Though smoothies are addicting, I think it is a good addiction.

It is great that your co-workers are being so supportive. Somehow you must be helping them feel comfortable; another sign of your generous spirit!

Good luck with the buzz..........

*susan*

Peggy,

I am still smiling about your 'head thoughts' on Back To School night. [And I am very thankful that I will never have to go to another 'back to school' night.]

Your photo on the baldwomen site is beautiful, really. Now, not the beautiful you want, [that you had two weeks ago] but your smile shows great strength and intelligence.

Wearing the 'animal' to dinner with your MIL is a great gesture. Is the wig kosher? :-)

Happy New Year to your family. Enjoy your celebration together.

*susan*

Horsewoman and Peggy,
pleased in a weird way to hear of your responses to neulasta shot. I thought I was coping OK until then - and it laid me low. Aching everywhere: legs, hips, arms, shoulders, neck. Not very happy. All I was told was to take panadol (paracetamol) and rest.
I am actually quite bored with resting. Can't focus to read, watch TV, sit at the computer, and sleep is fitful.
I hope my white cells/mutraphils stay up next time so I don't need the neulasta.

I don't know the drugs you are all talking about. Whatever decadron is, sounds fantastic. If it gives you a high, I'd be in for it right now.

I think they might have gotten my meds down better this time around. Emend (one hour before chemo), pre chemo -azumet, decadron, and ativan. I also ate breaskfast before I went and they fed us an early lunch (sandwich, apple, juice and graham crackers). I also felt like eating a little more when I got home as I only at the sandwich and juice. So far so good. Last time within 30 minutes of taking the compazine I could not keep anything down.

They sent me home with nexium (since I already have a horrible problem with acid reflux and this has aggrevated it)decadron for the next 3 days. From a previous experience I took amitriptylin (helped me sleep very good without the hang over feeling - used them when I had a bad bout of migraines - like 3-4 a week). The doctor agreed...so now i feel like the pill factory.....oh well..at least I feel better...

Now on to the hair thing...If I touch my hair its falling out (day 14 and also second dose AC). I asked my SO to give me the GI Jane look and he said no not until you have patches..LOL

I got invited Sunday to the 10th annual Champagne Brunch & Auction for the local Breast Cancer Resource Center. It is a huge event and tickets are 75 a plate...(I am glad someone liked me..LOL).

There is going to be a few guest speakers...sounds interesting anyway...it looks like if things go as planned then I will not have to worry about being sick that day..
Tina

Back again after treatment 1(day 6), I have been experiencing fatigue like you wouldn't believe. Yesterday was the longest I have stayed out of bed, about 4 hrs and then was so exhausted that I had a 3 hr nanna nap. It's School Holidays in Australia this week and next so my mum has been here watching the kiddies while I sleep.

I found myself yesterday thinking what the hell and I doing this for? They got all the cancer with the surgery and how could I let them do this to me. How can I sit there and let them pump this crap into me, how can I go there willingly. how can I feel like crap and go back for more?

But we all know the very sensible answers to these questions and will just have to bite the bullet and do it.

Aussiemum,
It seems in Australia that Panadol (paracetamol)is the universal cure for everything. After my surgery I was sent home with panadol and anything that might go wrong take panadol first call later...lol

I would also agree that the U.S drugs sound much better and that I to have the can't seem to focus thing. (Aussie drugs) that's why I havn't posted more often, just can't focus.

Hope everyone is well today
Best wishes
Nicole

Susan,

Not sure but I do have a nice suit I can wear (I might be wearing my new wig too..LOL).

I cannot decide...lime green...dark navy or I have a few others to choose from.

Tina

Nicole,

Hang in there... day 6 is the worst, and now you should start rebounding a bit, though the afternoon nap isn't a bad idea.

Yea, sometimes it is hard to believe that we let them give us this stuff, but I am going with the science here. Fighting with everything I have with the hopes that I never have to do this again.

So glad your mother is able to help with the kids. I can't imagine managing my own illness and active children. And so many of you are doing just that.

Take care,

*susan*

Today I have decided that I need to throw a party. As I look into the future I see weeks of radiation and years of aromotese inhibitors before me. It makes me weary so I am thinking that the end of chemo deserves a celebration; a marking of time. Being surrounded by those that have supported me in so many ways, eating good food, being able to drink a glass of wine again while laughing.

Does anyone else find that they want to mark the time between the different phases of treatments, and if so, what are you planning?

*susan*

Dear Prayer, I really like your log in name. It is just so vital in all aspects of this treatment. Are you a teacher? I am a paraprofessional in a self-contained special education class. We have 8 students from 1st-6th grade, none who are severe. During all of my treatments, I never missed a day of work except when I had my surgery, and that was for 9 days. I had 5 treatments of chemo before surgery and 4 Taxol treatments after with 25 treatments of radiation. I would have to have the nuelasta shots after every chemo treatment and sometimes the red blood cell shot. I also had to have 1 blood transfusion and 1 plasma transfusion during the middle of my chemo treatments. I had my 24 year old son shave my head for me when it started coming out after about 14 days after treatment. By the time he finished, we were both laughing. You would just have to know this son. I am still taking nuerotin for the numbness in my hands and feet and also for my hot flashes. Nuerotin works miracles for the hot flashes. I am not planning on reconstruction of any kind. I have always felt that I could lose my hair, my breast and that it would not be nothing compared to what Jesus did for us. I have also never thought God, why me? Instead I thought "why not me". God has given me strength through all of this and I thank him for that. I hope to hear from you and others. Do you know of anyone who is also hormone negative?

Hello Teressa,
Yes I am a teacher...love it. Although you wouldn't know it by my spelling. I have often asked God why me? But I know the lesson is not neccesarily for me and that He does not give you more than you can handle. I have to remind myself of this often. I have a very negative experience with BC. My mother was diagnosed when I was 18 and only lived 4 years. I honestly thought I would never get it but God has other plans and I know that I am to take something away from it.

Bubbles....you and I are at the same place in our treatments. I get AC #2 Friday. Are you having 4 cycles? If so then after tomorrow you will be half done! Good luck. I will be thinking and praying for you.
Penny