April 2010 starting chemo

Hi kad22 - I was teaching Grade 5/6 but had to give up my grade after term 1  (only just made it to the holidays between surgery and other appointments).  I'm hoping if everything goes to plan I should be back in some capacity in term 4 (early oct) so should see out the end of the year.  I've been back to see them a few times (but have been careful to keep the distance a bit as the teacher who took over was a graduate teacher so had to give him time to settle in and for the kids to get used to him) they keep coming up to me saying they want me back (so heartbreaking!).  I was ifnally brave enough to show them my bald head last time - they loved it! They want to see my wig next time so I think I'll go see them with a novelty wig on first - maybe bright pink?

I'm down in Victoria so it gets pretty cold down here but only snows in the mountains. I'm pretty close to them so we get the wind chill from the snow.  I'm so ready for spring (means this year is getting closer to the end!).

Hi all - Made it to the fair and didn't melt - stay hydrated!! Had cheese curds, corn, potato, and cream puff - oh yeah and fudge!!

 Arubajan05 - glad you made it through your first rads good! I hear tamoxifen can really change those moods. I won't be on it because of being triple negative but my mom was on it and she swore by it!

 Had my 6th Taxol treatment today - half way done!!!!!! Pretty uneventful - thursday will be my day to lay around! ;-) Keep up those positive thoughts!

Kelli

I'm done with chemo.  WOO HOO!  GIve me a smiley face!  Now I need to work off the 6 pounds I gained during chemo.  Still waiting to find out if I need rads.

Just came home from my last chemo!!!  I want that smiley face too.  Now I just have to make it past the next couple of weeks and the SEs and then I can begin to start feeling normal again.  I also had my PICC removed, oh happy day.  Can't wait till tomorrow for my first real shower in three months, I treated myself to some nice body wash, I just might never leave the bathroom.

I hear you, Lexie.  I have to work off the 5 pounds I gained during chemo, and then work on the 35 extra pounds I have been carrying for the past 20 years.  What can I say, that baby weight can be stubborn.

Farfaith, glad to hear that the surgery went well.  Heal well.

Have a good week everyone.

Hi Ladies, hope you're all enjoying your summer and winter (DancerMel28).  I am now 8 weeks PFC and my hair is about 1/4 of an inch long and looks like what it did when we first shaved it back in April.  However, it's way more grey and definitely a lot darker than what I was expecting.  (I used to have blond streaks so looked more blond than brunette).  The bad news is that almost all of my remaining bottom lashes fell out last week.  I am shaving my legs and armpits on a regular basis now and my pubic hair is also growing back.  I am planning on using an organic hair dye on my hair in about another 4 weeks so I hope the colour takes....I understand that sometimes the dye won't work on the chemo'd hair.  I'm an excited to even think about colouring my hair....

Last week I was fortunate enough to have my DH take me to Bermuda for 6 days while I'm waiting the results of my 2 new biospies tomorrow.

Although I wore a baseball cap most of the time when I was out (with a lot people doing a double take) I did have to bring out the wig for dinners in restaurants etc.  Some people at the hotel then got to see me with both hair and no hair and really did a double take, but who cares...I'll never see them again.  Bermuda (and the break from being a cancer patient) was heavenly.

I hope my results are in my favour tomorrow and that I'll be joining the RADS group soon.....

Hey Shelley, I've been thinking about you.  Good luck tomorrow.

I'm doing ok so far, major hot flashes from the Dexamethasone, and a bit fatigued, but not too bad.  The tough days will be on the weekend.

Thanks for the good wishes Farfaith, I hope your're doing ok.

Shygal, fingers crossed for good results tomorrow.  Sounds like the Bahamas was a wonderful respite from all the BC madness.  Your DH sounds like a wonderful guy.

Wow look at us finish!!

Shygal - good luck and so happy that you had a great vacay!!

Oh boy is it hot here in Wisconsin!

Just checking in! Have a great day!

Dutchgirl6 - Hi K

Bermuda? My kids were both born there when DH was stationed there. Beautiful place, would love to go back some time. However, British Airways discontinued their direct flight from Tampa about 5 years ago. We need to take the kids back to see their birthplace. Someday. Have a great time! Wonder if they still have the pink busses?

I'm having a hot flash right now. I'm getting them about every 2-3 hours, ugh. Do you think it is from the steroids? Maybe they will go away then. I though it was from chemopause and hadn't really thought about it being from a specific drug.

I'm feeling sleepy now, will take a nap. My low days will probably be Tues-Wed. Take care on the weekend, get lots of rest.

Shelley

I am 3 weeks PFC and had Herceptin #7 today.  Feeling pretty good, lots of energy compared to the last 4 months.  Hair started growing back all over about a week ago and seems to be really coming in.  Hair on legs and underarms slowly returning, but no nose hairs.  Who knew that nose hairs did so much?  I'm hoping they will cut down on the constant drippy nose if they ever come back...

Hot flashes seem to be occuring less frequently, but still wake up every night at 3:30 and throw off the covers.  I just want to sleep through the night without waking up, is that too much to ask?

Hope everyone has a great weekend!  Try to stay cool...it's 99 degrees here right now and supposed to be 100 degrees tomorrow.  I'm ready for snow...

Jennifer

DancerMel - Thanks for the article - If you don't mind I am going to share it on the May Chemo group too.  Did you have your surgery to fix your stomach scar or some other scar?  I will have to have one to fix my stomach scar after all the issues with "infections" too.   I am glad yours went well.

I just finished my last Taxol today so I am in need of a smiley face too!  Still waiting on my Rad's decision will hopefully know in the next 10 days.

Congrats to all of you who have finished!

Great to hear about all of the vacations.  It is great for us to take the time to get away and do some celebrating.  My husband and I are going to Toronto in a couple of weeks to spend a few nights at a hotel and take in a show.  It is only a couple of hours from home, but I am really looking forward to it.  We are trying to get in a little holdiay before the grind of back to school starts. We are both teachers.

My hot flashes are much worse with the Dex as well.  I am always burning up for about 3 days afterwards. Best of luck to everyone beginning with Rads and congratulations to all of you who are finished Chemo.  I am following slowly behind... 6 weeks to go, but who's counting, right?

Have a good night everyone.

Yippee....both of my biopsies were benign...I am so relieved not to have another surgery and even possibly more chemo....whew....now I can focus on getting into the radiation queue again and hope to start that late this month after we get my planning session done next week.

Thanks for everyone's positive thoughts....it obviously worked.

One other thing, yesterday at the hospital there was a notice about a controlled study for Hot flashes as a result of chemo for pre-menopausal women.  I called today and I'm going to try to be added to the study.....anything to help sleep through the night....I'll let you know how it goes and what they give me.....

Cheers with a glass of wine (or 2) tonight and have a great weekend everyone - hoping for cooler weather in the days ahead.

Shygal - Congrats on the negative biopsies.. glad to see some good news come your way!