Starting Chemo Feb 2010?

Writer thanks I really love hearing of other womens success especially when you have been through so much. I expect you looked great but know how you feel about wigs. I've had mine since 2nd chemo but never worn it. I finally got it styled yesterday and put on make up for the first time since diagnosed. My husband said it was like having the old me back again. maybe you could do a book on eating for cancer, taking account of all of the SE's especially the taste one. I am 3 weeks past 6th chemo ( I never refer to it as last as you never know may need it again) and my taste varies by the day. Even chocolate is tasteless which is really serious ! 

Burley, choc chips are on the shopping list. I wonder if maybe I have thrush as the whole of the inside of my mouth feels coated. Slept for 3 hours yesterday pm just couldn't help it. One day we will all get back our strength and confidence. I love all the smiley faces on the list of names. Who puts them there ?

No heart problems, but in the middle of my chemo I needed two wisdom teeth pulled. I didn't want to be put out so he used a local. OMG never again!!

My Oncologist's office provides pastries, doughnuts, cookies, crackers, etc. for the patients, so if I brought anything it would end up out there.  The nurses aren't allowed to eat in the room they're in because it's right off the room where they mix up the drugs.  So I'm not sure what to do.  I wish I had the same nurse each time, or knew each nurse's name so I could address a card to them.  I definitely like some nurses more than others!  Especially the way they would poke the port.

Mo-sorry to hear about your heart issues, and all the things happening at once.  Sometimes it seems like we definitely have enough issues to deal with with all of this cancer crap, chemo, rads...I know each of us is going through our own issues, so please rant if you need to!

I've been having serious IRS issues for two weeks now, including the week I had chemo (well, we've been having them for a while but the problems just ramped up lately.)  I've played the chemo sympathy card with the collection agent, but not sure if it had any effect.  I figured, why not right?  I had to send her copies of all of our bills, so I including my $100k bill from my surgery, my $7800k bill from my biopsies in December, and a copy of the statement from my Oncologist's office to show that I'm actively receiving chemo.  Heh

It's my official countdown to my last chemo...7 DAYS!  Yea me!  I'm gonna have a big glass of wine : -)

I went in today for my rads "dry run." Instead of a simulated radiation tx, they informed me that I will not be getting radiation treatment! I was totally stunned. The radiologist said that because of my anatomy, there is no safe way to treat me with radiation. According to her, this could decrease my survival rate 3-4%. It sure seems like it would be a higher number. I'm a bit nervous, of course, but am also relieved that I don't have to have the treatment.

On taking food on the last day--I didn't, because I know food handling laws in this county are strict, and anything baked would have ended in the garbage, I bet.  I found out the names of each person in my rad team, including the receptionist, and made each a card with a personalized note.  I would have liked to have done more.  My chemo & neulasta nurses were different every time, and I never felt the connection like I did with the rads gals.

Yes, things are tougher when they come in multiples and when we are so worn out, and the issues you all have mentioned are by no means trivial.  Enough to make a person feel unglued.

Came home this afternoon, sat in a lawn chair in the shade under a big tree, drank an iced coffee and watched the puppy play.  I saw my onc today, and so far, so good.   Follow-up mammo tomorrow.

 Riley, congratulations on finishing! Kshep, an early congrats for finishing next week!

Swiftbird, that's great news from the radiologist! Not being able to see the tumor anymore is so exciting. 

Kim, I'm glad your lips are finally healed. I know it had to be a major pain to deal with that.

Mo, I am sorry you have all of that on your plate right now. It's tough when the dam bursts all at once and it always seems to happen that way. I hope your scan went well.

I finally met with my plastic surgeon the other day, and it went well. He's scheduling me for my exchange surgery as soon as possible. I was surprised he recommended a saline implant, because his nurse says over 95% of the time he uses silicone, but he gave me good reasons. I'm kinda relieved because saline implants last longer and have less maintenance -- no MRI scans every two years to check for rupture. He's lifting my real breast at the same time so I don't look lopsided, and it will be strange but nice having perky breasts again. 

Next week I go for a mammogram on my real breast, something I am dreading and actually had nightmares about last night. Today I go for bloodwork at my oncologist's. They never ran any tests after my last chemo three months ago, and I want to make sure all is well before going back under anesthesia. I've been feeling lightheaded, which may be because the anemia never went away or it could be sinuses. We'll see, but at least I'm making progress.

To everyone still having chemo or undergoing rads, I hope all is well. We haven't heard from so many who started out with us, and I hope that's only because everything is going great. Take care, all.

Cindy 

Retrievermom....yes, my nails are giving me trouble also. I went thru chemo fine, and tomorrow will be 2 mos since my last Taxol, and NOW my nails give me trouble??!!  Not fair. It's like they're peeling away from my nailbeds. Crap. I dealt OK with all the hair loss, but I just wanted to keep my nails...... 

Well, hair is coming back--in fact I have it all over, like peach fuzz ALL OVER. My head, my face, my arms, my stomach, my shoulders...you can really see it in the sunlight. I feel like I should go skinny dipping in a tub full of Nair (leaving the top of my head out of course, wanna keep thathair).... I hadn't had to shave for so long and now I look and its like OMG, where did those long hairs come from, how long have they been there, eeekk, and I gotta quick shave.  I know, minor problems compared to what some of you are still dealing with...Burley sorry about the lip sores, Mo sorry about your heart issues, and everything else that has just happened. CinD- good luck with your mammo and surgery, I am sure it will all go smoothly.

For those of you still undergoing chemo, what a difference a few weeks makes. My neuropathy is still there, but my heart rate is much lower and I don't feel as tired, no shortness of breath, no lump in my throat, no bad taste in my mouth, no joint aches, my color is better, and I feel and look normal except for my bald head. Almost done radiation (3 more treatments to go) and its been a breeze compared to chemo.  I am getting some more hot flashes, esp at night, but they haven't been too bad (yet).  I also have not had my period since week 2 of chemo (in Feb), and while I am now 50, I was getting regular periods up until chemo started. I am on Tamoxifen now and still haven't had anything close to a period, so keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't come back. I guess thats something I can ask my onc when I see him later this month.   

Riley- congrats on finishing, YAY!!   Have a great weekend girls!!!

burley,

   I can relate to your SE of sores. It's been my worst SE. I've had it all - dry mouth, terrible taste, burnning tongue and mouth sores. But FYI --  if you have anymore mouth or lip sores try vit. E oil. It worked for me and anytime I think I'm getting a sore I start with the vit. E. Another help is L-lysine taken daily (500 mg) and twice daily (at 1000mg) when you have active sores. And the magic mouthwash helps too. Hope they don't come back. I read somewhere where it's an autoimmune def. problem and can last after tx.

   So glad your finishing up. I still have three tx's to go then rads.

hi, have been busy baking and finishing up thank you cards for the doc and nurses as i have 4 more taxol to go, hurray!

cant wait to move on to rads and close my chapter on chemo

have a good day everyone!

grdnslve- Seems like I have had this discussion with my onc about every other week. Last week he offered to give me a medication to reduce the symptoms- but I just did not want another drug on board. I have not reduced or skipped a treatment. It is getting worse each week tho so I am thrilled that this will be the last one on Weds. If the finish line were not right here I would have taken the extra med or reduced/skipped a treatment. My palms burn from about Friday- Mon every week and this week my feet are burning too. However, it has not affected my balance (feet) or my dexterity in my fingers so that was the deciding factor to just keep going.

I'm having Taxotere instead of Taxol, so I haven't had any neuropathy-thank God.  One more side effect I can do without.  I'm sorry for those of you going through it!

3 days until my last chemo-yea me!  I'm going to take my kids out to dinner that evening (husband will still be at work), and have a beer or glass of wine to celebrate.  A restaurant of my choosing-even better!  Then one last Neulasta shot the next day, suffer through 3 days of achiness from that (Claritan doesn't help), and hopefully smooth sailing from there.  I'm getting my head shaved on the 20th so that the new hair can start fresh.  But again, I'll probably have to shave it a couple of times until the hair right in front starts to grow-weird.

Good luck and few side effects to all of us, chemo or radiation.  Have a great day!

Bloodwork today, and I'm praying the counts are good so I can get my final treatment on Thursday-fingers crossed, praying, etc.  I've got myself all excited to this final one, so I don't want it to be extended now.  I seriously wish they would call and let me know if they are too low for treatment instead of me having to go all the way down there.

Starting to wonder what else is next-besides my exchange surgery, port out, etc.  I'm wondering what kind of scans are in my near future, and distant future.  Seriously, how do they do a mammogram on someone with implants?  I certainly don't want them to rupture!  Stuff I probably shouldn't worry about, but I'm a big picture kind of person.

Missing all you ladies that are off doing rads and such-I hope you're all doing well!

I have finally finished chemo on 07/06 - yeah!!! Just got back from MD Anderson, surgery is scheduled for 07/28.  I just wanted to thank all of you for your support, knowledge and encouragement over the last 6 months, I have laughed and cried with each and everyone of you.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for getting me through this. Mandy