Starting chemo Sept 05

Aussie, i wish we could send ya some hereptin! Cant the company that makes it give ya some??"

Hi everyone, Marg here.

I got over my cold, only residual occasional cough and some stuffiness. The onc nurse told me to take OTC Clariton or Sudafed.

Penny, How are you doing? I think about you often. I see you went for it and buzzed the hair off. Good for you. My buzz cut started to come out and I looked like a bad baby chick -- my husband gave me the close shave and now I have a smooth bald head. Somehow that statement doesn't seem right does it -- "my husband shaved my head". Anyway, Congrats bald sister -- I know it was hard for you.

Aussiemum -- love the happy face on your head. Can you be any cooler? I think of ways to sneak you into the USA to get you on Herceptin. Maybe by the time you are done with chemo and need Herceptin- it is already approved. If not then there is plan B -- how to sneak Aussiemum this way!!!!

Cheryl -- congrats on the big buzz too!!!

I am off to Houston tomorrow and will have my 2nd AC tx on Monday. Also will get my implants filled some. I am a A cup now ( I use to be a double D). Not one mouth sore yet -- when do they start? I have been rinsing with the baking soda and water all day like I was told maybe that is what is helped me.

I am having a great time with my wigs, hats and bandanas. I got a shoe organizer, the kind that hang behind your door and have 12-15 pockets, anyway there is where I have all my caps, hats, bandanas, wigs etc... When I get dressed I can see all my stuff and get to pick out what goes best with that days outfit.

I having been feeling great this last week, almost back to normal. I am not looking foward to the next week but oh well, gotta do what we gotta do to beat this !!!!!!!

Susan -- where are you in your tx -- I forget?

Love all of you and as usual I pray for us all

Marg

Faith instead of Fear

Morning all!

Peggy my jaws still swollen. I don't know what it is whether it's my tooth or something else. I just got off the phone with the doctor on call. I had some Keflex left over from an infection from my 1st surgery and they told me to start taking them right away which I did. They also said if my WBC was down come Thursday they probably wouldn't do my next treatment. I really want to get the treatments over & done with and really don't want any delays. Guess there's not much you can do about it. I'm going to call my regular doctor tomorrow & see what she says.

My daughter will be here for as long as I need her. Could be 2 months or 6 months. She was in California then decided to move to Texas and doesn't have a job or place to live so she's coming here to drive me to my treatments and doctors appointments when I can't drive. I've been relying on the people I work with & friends to help me getting to surgeries & doctors so it will be nice to have her here for that.

I vacumned my head again this morning (LOL). Really works pretty good!

Cheryl

constancediane,
A similar thing happened to me three days after my second dose of Taxetere. I was fine in the morning but towards midday I felt jittery and shaky. Next thing I knew I had slipped to the floor! I was fine afterwards and have had no further episodes of this. So, unless you have a repeat performance, I would just put it down to another weird chemo effect. And goodness knows, there are plently of those!

Love Taff

http://www.cancersupportivecare.com/chemotherapy.html

CD, what would make me afraid is that you could not get ahold of an onc or even a good nurse! what a slacker place!

My hair is coming out in clumps now, three days after my second AC. Dont know why i was hopeful i would be in the 1% that kept thier hair. Even though i have hats and my wig i still cryed for about 15 minutes. Then I took 10 MG of Valium and watched a movie and felt a little better.

Prayer,
I too felt I wanted to quit after the first treatment. Now I have a sinus problem that is turning into a nasty cough. I want to quit and then I also don't want to delay my next treatment. My chemo mind is off. But it is nice (and a bit sadistic) to know that others are having a hard time with this too. I feel like we are warrriors together. I made my cheat sheet of names on this board and pray for each. Sometimes we feel alone in our homes but remember your friends on 'the board' are with you in many ways.

Well I have spent all last night catching up with the posts following my break in Scotland. I left a little piece of me in each place I visited – a couple of strands of hair. My hair is (was) pretty thick so I think I may still manage the weekend without putting an animal on my head – still haven’t found the courage to buzz. I had a poodle so that I didn’t have dog hair all over the place – now my hair is appearing everywhere!!

Susan – although still a ‘newbie’ I have been thinking about throwing a party at the end of treatment and invite everyone who sent me best wishes and cards – I have had 120 cards and have thrown the last of my flowers away today – I feel blessed to have so many people who care about me, although the telephone calls and visits can sometimes be tiring now, although in the beginning kept my spirits high.

Nicole – I watched the movie and shed buckets but agreed I may have (or had) C but it hasn’t got me – thanks for the link, it is now in my favourites.

If it is any help I was advised by my dentist to get Difflam oral rinse to try and avoid mouth ulcers it is Benzydamine Hydrochloride. I went straight out and purchased a bottle which cost me £7 and then the hospital issued me one free of charge. I also find good old TCP liquid good, just a quick dab with a cotton bud, initial sting and hey presto.

Well I chilled out (literally) in Scotland but feel a little down now that I have come back to reality. Hospital tomorrow to have Hickman line flushed, Tuesday is my 2nd treatment with Epirubicen and yesterday, besides my scalp feeling very tender and my hair appearing everywhere except on my head. Norine I have also started my period! This was the one highlight (besides beating C) of having to go through the treatment – possibility of no periods. I wasn’t entirely surprised though as I had read a lot of us still do, despite being warned that they may stop.

Thank you for allowing me to view your photo gallery Marg – love them all – beautiful family. I am particularly into sunsets and loved your sunset photograph.

I don’t seem to read many who are on Epirubicin or is it known as a different name? I am having this for 4 cycles and then move onto CMF. My onc has mentioned me having Herceptin (I think this is the correct name??) as opposed to Tamoxifen as she said funding will be through by the time I need it??

Peggy/Carol I had 21 nodes removed and yes I am still experiencing discomfort in my arm – if I stretch it can be painful and although I can’t see anything running down my arm it does feel like a tight ‘cord’ in my arm that goes right down to my hand – I am going to mention it to onc on Tuesday when I go for 2nd treatment but in the meantime will try the exercise routine mentioned on the board – thanks for this.

Cheryl I am glad you asked about abbreviations. Are you on Epirubicin too?

Cassa – I am going for treatment No 2 on Tuesday and I know the ‘want to run’ feeling cos I am experiencing this also.

Bubbles, just thank you. I am going to my 2nd treatment with a positive outlook and will consider how I can help others. I have already helped a lady who is 2 weeks behind me and it made me feel really good.

Can you please tell me where I can find the place you are all posting your bald photographs?

Hey folks – before I finished my reply to you all I decided to take the plunge and text my hairdresser friend to fit me in to buzz my hair – I plucked up the courage to do this after reading all your postings on the hair thing.

Speak soon – thoughts and best wishes to you all.

Sandra from the UK.

Well is has been an interesting day to say the least. The "gala" had about 1000-1200 guests and we ate all kinds of "strange" food to this meat and potato kind of gal...the motivational speaker was a gentleman who is a physician/psychologist who was a 3 time survivor of Hodgkins and his wife is a 2.5 year breast cancer suvivor. It was very uplifiting and a celebration of life ans survivorship. It did me good to go but the three hour ordeal required an equal 3 hour nap when I got home...LOL

I will have to catch up on all my reading later as I feel out of touch...my computer had an issue so I am using one of the other ones in the house...maybe if I feel up to it I will fix MINE..LOL...get that...MINE...tomorrow...(after being in computers for years repairing/fixing ect..you get a little possessive!).

I actually still have some hair left it has stopped falling ot for the most part but I am sure by the time the next treatment happens it will be gone ...never thougt I could get so cold! Strange feeling with no hair..LOL...Now I know what all them "bald" ol men feel like and why they always have hats on...never was much of a hat wearer but sure becoming one now...since everyone in our house likes the house BLISTERING COLD!...LOL

Anyway..just checking in and will write more later..have a great week everyone..

oh and Susan...your a great inspiration to us all withyour attitude!
Tina

Morning Sisters!

I have spent the last three days NOT being a cancer patient. My daughter called last week, the same day I buzzed my hair, crying that she wanted to come home. Of course you can come home, I assured her, but not to take care of me. This is always your home. Well, in the intervening days, she decided she wouldn't come home because she wanted to attend a conference, or visit a friend. Friday she came home! [For those of you who don't recall, she is a freshman in college and LOVES it!]

Then on Saturday my sister arrived to spend the night. This sister is not known for being connected to her family, and well she drank enough for both of us, but it was fun. We all sat in the garden talking, ate several delicious meals, and laughed and laughed and laughed.

This is my 'good' weekend, so I had enough energy to keep up. Lauren [daughter] and I managed to do some much-needed errands including finding a winter coat.

Wednesday I will return to the Chemo Bar for my next treatment. "Give me a double," I might grumble. :-)

I am definately having a periodontal flare-up and am thinking I might have a yeast infection. Never had a yeast infection before, so I am just going by those horrid tv ads for symptoms. Unfortunately, I have had periodontal disease since I was a young kid [darn genes,] but my normal mouthwash is off-limits. Another question for my nurse.

My baldness is at about 80% now. I had thought the hair would be all gone by now, but a few stubborn hairs continue to cling to the mother-ship.

Today is a perfect New England fall day. This makes three in a row. It is so much easier to be optimistic when the sun is shining and the air is crisp.

Take care all,

*susan*

Hi all

Just popped in briefly - tonight's the night - my friend is sorting my remaining hair - I am soooooo nervous. I have been and got myself some big earrings as I think they will look 'cool' with headscarf.

Speak soon.

Sandra from the UK

Maxine,

All the best for your second treatment today!

You'll be able to show off the 'new do' to your onc nurses. I, too, hope I don't lose the eyebrows. I've never plucked or shaped them, but they do help give our faces their character. Have that pencil ready!

Sandra,
Did you get your hair 'sorted'? How did it go? Laugh, cry or a mix of both?

I too got some big earrings, at the suggestion of a few people. Son 17 says I look like a pirate! Daughter 13 says I look like a gypsy! I'll spend my home time saying "Arr me hearties" while dancing and tapping my tambourine, just to stir them!

Aussiemum – I did it and boy do I feel sooooo relieved. When I fathom how to put my piccie up I will put a post one with and without my wig.

I have got the big earrings in but they don’t look ‘cool’ with the wig – I am going to wear these with the headscarf. My daughter thinks the earrings are 'awful' but likes the wig.

I wouldn’t let me friend show me in the mirror but I did ask her to take a photograph of me and I have looked at that now haven’t seen it for ‘real’ as we speak but that will come when I go to bed. I haven’t shed a tear – the time was ‘right’ and I can now look forward to not getting hair in my mouth and ears.

My friend is picking me up for a Sainsbury’s teacake and we are going to see who spots the difference – I am quite well known in our local Sainsbury coffee shop (lol).

Thanks for your support – another major hurdle beaten.

Sandra from the UK.