Starting chemo Sept 05

Welcome Candi and PSA. So sorry that you needed to find us, but this is a wonderful group of people!

As to hair, as you will read, we have all had surprising ways to deal with the short hair loss. Vacuuming, cat hair removers, cat clippers, and electric razors. Personally, I think the vacuum idea is the most creative.

I am on Day 3 of my third A/C round, and fatigue and low grade nausea are an issue this time around. Plus, my anticipated decadron energy rush isn't kicking in. I had so many magazines to organize and my pantry needs attention. This was the only good thing about breast cancer... getting my house organized. And now, I am not even getting that side benefit!

But enough kvetching, my daughter is home for her October break and this time she brought her roommate with her. Too bad they are seeing me during the 'down' week, but they have a bunch of things to see and do. Her roommate is from Alaska, so Boston is a totally new and different place. She is enjoying the exploration.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

*susan*
a decadron-inspired posting

Hi all, Sorry have not been on here for a while, am tring to deal with my elderly father. Took him to nephrologist for second time yesterday.

He has Multiple Myeloma and now the Dr says his kidney function is only 10%! That is off the charts low. It is either dialysis or death in 2-3 months, the Dr laid the truth out to him in a good way. The Dr also said if it was his dad, he would not send him to dialysis, the problem is that the Mult Myeloma cells will continue to make toxic proteins to clog his kidneys as well as cause other problems so all that dialysis might buy him some time but who knows how much time. Maybe a year at the most.

So my dad has to make a decision. A hard one. I drove back home yesterday crying though I know I can handle ANYTHING after this hard chemo. Dad is 81 and I would not blame him either way he decided, hospice or dialysis.

Everything seems to hit me at once. But today i know i can get thru it all. God always helps me and I have no doubt HE will be with me helping me again. It is just sad.

Pat,
My answer to the hair removal issue (what was not being handled by the chgemo) was to get a good friend to do the electric razor shave. I hope you found someone to help you.

Ellen,
I noticed palpitations and occassional chest pain, I was a little worried that AC could cause this so early (I had only one chemo so far).

God Bless

Dear Barb,

A virtual hug to you {{{{{{{{{{{{{{}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}. I know how hard it was for you to give up the daily care of your Dad. And now this setback.

May you and your Dad find the strength to make the decision that makes you both comfortable. Either way, know that we are all sending you whatever extra strength, thoughts and prayers we can.

Take care of yourself too.

*susan*
a decadron-inspired posting

Hi all
hope every one is well.
My friend has been coming over to see me and she told me yesterday that she has got the measles,now im worried im gunna get them too.
On the countdown for a/c #3 and getting nervous,trying not to think about it.
With the hair mine has come to a stand still too,I have a thick patch right on top of my head looks funny,with the vacume cleaner thing I didtn do my hair with it but after i seen it i thought i would do the cat shes a ragdoll and its spring here now so its all over the house,she didnt like it so guess i gotta do it the normal way oh well thats what i get for trying too cheat.
love to all
carol

Good morning ladies! 3rd day after my 2nd treatment Thursday & I really feel pretty good! I'm starting to wonder if this chemo is working or not (ha ha). No headaches, no nausea (so far) and NO HAIR!!! I had an appt yesterday with my onc and to get my neulasta shot. I talked to her about my tooth problem and she said if it needs to be pulled out I should have it done 1 week before my next chemo treatment because thats when your WBC is the highest. I'm going to call my dentist Monday and talk to him. Well the veins in my left arm are gone. They tried taking blood yesterday in 3 spots and couldn't get it. They had to call another nurse in to take it from my port (2 pokes within 2 days). Boy am I glad I had that port put in!!! I asked my doctor if I was going to get anything else with the Taxotere for my last 4 treatments and she said that was all I was getting. She also said the Epirubicin, Cytoxan & Taxotere are the 3 strongest chemo drugs they use. I didn't know that. I guess my decatron is working pretty good today because I've been awake since 2am. Looking forward to my "nap".

My daughter is getting a bit bored sitting around this dinky town so she joined a gym. I didn't even think Okeechobee had a gym but they have 3!!!!

Susan - My daughter made the best smoothie for me yesterday! Bananas, pears, vanilla yogurt and frozen vanilla yogurt. She also put some kind of protein powder in it. IT WAS SUPER!!!!

Cheryl

HI Pat I had trouble getting anyone to buzz my hair. It was hurting just to be out in the wind and I was drowning in it every morning. Finally I took the clippers, sat in a chair, and bent forward and clipped my own hair. It took a couple retries until I got it all but boy did I feel better. Welcome to boards. Don't you love that all the smily face Icons are bald too!!!

Glenda and calico, The palpatations could be from the steroid Decadron. I found I was having heart palps right after my treatments and for the next few days while I was taking decadron at home. One other thing to consider is the pain in your chest could actually be heartburn. However you should definitely be questioning the heart issues. I had a MUGA test before I started and another one after my second treatment. I will find out monday if my heart function is dropping. I started at 84% heart function so it is a concern for me.

Hi y'all. My Dad is still trying to decide about dialysis, i told him today that i would take him to the center to see what they do if he wanted to to help make the decision. I have come to accept either way he wants to go on it. If he does do the dialysis, the Myeloma could end his life in a worse way then if he did not do the dialysis. He has to decide, what a hard decision.

About my hair though, like Susan said there were some longer strange strands hanging to the mother ship! But i looked like a radiation accident victim because of that hanging hair!

I got the nerve up last nite to ask my husband to use the "pet" clippers and clip it about 1/2 or 1/4 inch all over! Wow i feel much better and my scalp does not pull or hurt anymore. I slid my wig on really easily without the hair in the way.

I feel like i have "arrived" like most of you! The hair thing takes a while to accept to say the least but once we accept it, wow. He was proud to clip me (i was surprized) and vacumed up the "remainder" on the bathroom floor.

Then he told me he got me a gift, the magazine, MAMM, all about breast issues, etc. I sure appreciate him.

So i hope all of you are doing great today. Just one day at a time! And we will be thru our trials before we know it.

I am taking it easy because my back spasms started coming back again and this time i popped a bunch of Valium to head them off. Think i caught it in time....Will be resting today. Funny the spasms are the same day as the last chemo session, DAY 10. But then i remembered i carried stuff out of the truck like I did the last session around this time. So it is no surprise.

I have to remember to be careful for my back when taking those neupogen shots since I read they aggravate any inflammation you already have in your body. You be careful too, you all!

Teeth, my teeth seem more sensitive and harder to get dental floss thru than before. I am sure chemo is hard on our teeth, just look at heroin addicts or meth head's teeth. I am counting the days until my chemo is over!

I am almost looking forward to the hair cut partially because I can't stand the smell of shampoo anymore. I just ditched my old one, bought another one (did smell test at store) and washed my hair, OMG, I could run from myself...

Chemo sure does a turn on the nose...I ditched the dish soap too, my husband is NOT allowed to eat garlic, even though I loved garlic until chemo day (he said I was a hound dog in my former life ). I am at wits end with the smells, I even add lemon to my water to make the water (which is filtered and good by the way) smell better....

Sure glad when this "side effect" is over

God Bless

Good Morning (?) ladies.
Seen this?

http://www.thesurvivormovie.com/

Good morning Cheryl!

It is actually about 6:30 pm EST Australia.
I hope the tears are bitter sweet (smiles through the tears = rainbows)

Tina- Sorry to hear there have been complications--I've been looking for you on this site for 3 weeks now I think I have hit the jackpot!! We worked together for Camino Real MHMR-Please tell me I am correct!!Sent you a PM let me know how you are

Hi everyone
1 more day till a/c #3,Im starting to taste it,going to buy lollipops today to suck while im having it 1 more a/c to go after tommorrow woohoo,then on to the tax wonder what the side affects wil be from that.To top it off I got my periods right on time again Im as regular as clock work.
Hi to all the new ladies here.
Hope everyone is going ok with the hair thing,mine had come to a stand still till last night when i started losing the rest of what hair I had down below the head hair is very itchy and my eyebrows are falling out now,was hoping to keep them because Im not a makeup person and I cant draw a straight line to put eyebrows on.I was thinking about going and gettin a henna tattoo to replace them they usually last for a few weeks longer if I dont wash my face.the pubic hair doesnt seem to be worrying my partner,what is it with men and no hair below.Well at least I wont have to get a bikini wax this year,but Im worried about summer I live in a small holiday town on the coast I dont want to go swimming without a boob I know you can get them to go into swimmers but what if your swimming and your boob floats out or i cant go under the water because my boob will float like a life jacket Im a e cup in a bra so alot of bouyency there, well its a bummer because if theres a spunky life guard there I wont need him to help me if I drown.
I read every post and feel for the ones that are having problems with the chemo or with sick family members I think this teaches us that life goes on even though we are all going through hell and back,but at least we can all still joke and laugh about our situations.
well enough of me rambling on
love to all
carol