March 2010 Chemo Start

Heather - I'm sorry about your neuropathy!  I only had a little neuropathy around #3 and it went away.  Is it in your hands or your feet or both?  I had it mostly in my feet. By my calculations you made it through 3/4 of the entire course so you've actually done really well. Even though you didn't make it totally through chemo you still have rads and tamox in your future, right? So there are a few treatments left in your arsenal. ;-)

Angi - Yeah! It's great to be done! Congrats!

Well, I've got almost as much hair as Ana does in her avatar. I can't believe we actually finished chemo on the same day. I'm so far behind in hair growth.  I'm still bald on the very top but eyelashes are finally growing back.  They are too little to put any mascara on but they are growing!! Woohoo!

Charley

Dear Charley & hereandnow; 

Thank you for your words of encouragement.  I have an appointment on Monday to see if there are other options like lessening the dose so I'll keep you posted.  My neuropathy is primarily in both feet and is pretty constant.  I have some in my hands that seems to fad in and out.  I guess I figure that since all has gone so well up to this point that I should be able to sail through the remainder of chemo.

Charley, my hair is growing but is also extremely sparse on top, male pattern baldness is my current look!

Heather

Dear Angi; 

I spoke at length to my onc and we have decided to forge on with my last 4 treatments.  He has already moved me onto Abraxane which is from the Taxane family and used for Stage 4 cancer.  It has less side effects.  I'll deal with the neuropathy.  Congrats on finishing all 12 treatments. 

Heather

Heather - my best thoughts are with you - gutsy chick you are. I'll be sending you good abraxane vibes each week til it's done.

and Marilyn - last week I did an afternoon where I stood up still for about 6 hours - I had pitting edema of my ankles - freaky hey? But mine goes away when I put my feet up, and until this has settled, I'm wearing my elasticised stockings for any long periods of standing/sitting, have you tried stockings?

Also, for any fellow tamoxi babes - the flashes have been driving me caarraazzyy. jumper on, jumper off, doona on, doona off -  ssscccrrreeaaammmm.  Last night I took 2 panadeine (acetominophen/codeine) and an ativan - and I slept through without waking once in a sweat. I will experiment tonight with plain acetominophen but will be delighted if I've discovered a cure for night flashes. fingers crossed. 

The day I've been waiting for is finally here!! I'm leaving now for my LAST chemo!! I'm so excited. Strange...this is the first time I've been happy to go to chemo. I made my nurses a beautiful cake and will have my husband pass a piece out to all the patients and nurses (I'll be hooked up so I can't do it) and we are going to celebrate and have a party! Hopefully I will see all those people again under different circumstances.

 Lisa: I take the same medication at night and haven't awaken to a hot flash yet. It has been months. I only take the pills at night so I still have a hot flash or two during the day but at least I sleep the whole night through. My oncology doctor told me to do it. I was afraid I would get addicted and he said no. He wants me to sleep and he said he knows what he's doing. So, I trust him.

 Okay girls! I'm off!

I did it! Chemo is over!! I am so happy! I danced with my husband after chemo was over. The nurses put on some music and it was wonderful. I said good-bye to them all and wished them well and hoped that we wouldn't meet again under these same circumstances. I had made a cake for the celebration for the nurses, patients, doctors, and volunteers. I got to pass it out and say a special goodbye to each person. I made a HUGE cake and only had 3 pieces left. Probably fed at least 30 people. It was a great day. So all I have to do is wait for the chemo to kick in, ride out a few SE's for a couple days, and then BAM! All done. I actually made it!!!

Congrats Yes!   It feels great doesn't it??

congrats Yeshua4me - it's so good to be done!

Marilyn - I was in peri-meno prior to treatment, had had two periods in 6 months - one last June and another this past December.  I actually bought a pregnancy test in September - holy cr*p PG at 50?  Thankfully it was negative and I got a Christmas blessing lol.  I haven't had a period since then.  Anyway, onc put me on tamoxifen not arimidex.  And hoo-boy am I having the night sweats!  Lisa, I may try your acetaminophen trick, thanks.

Although it's greatly improved, I also still have some ankle edema.  It's worse at the end of the day, or if I don't hydrate enough.  Walking is good - except I could not do it those awful hot humid days last week - but deliberate deep breathing while walking really seems to help.  I believe it helps stimulate the lymphatic system, another reason I signed up for a yoga class, to learn deep breathing. 

Take care everyone!  {{hugs}}

Hi Ladies,

WOW!  So many strides have been made!

Angi and Yes:  congratulations on finishing chemo!

Marilyn:  Half way through rads.  Way to go. 

Heather:  So Sorry to hear of your trouble.  Glad your neuropathy has lessened and you are able to continue on.  Only 3 more to go!!  The end is in clear sight.  I love the idea of the photo diary of "Wanda".  That would have fun to look back on and to see how strong you were through this whole ordeal.

Charley:  Thanks for the input on the TE. I wanted to be bigger than i was, but not too big.  And it is very difficult to tell since I only have one  foob.   I have the same size as you and decided last week's fill to be my last. (I could have one more)  I am very glad I did, as I was in sooooo much pain after the fill.  If I was going for one more that would have put an end to it anyway.  I don't think my body could handle any more.  And of course my liver has been acting up again and I was extremely limited on taking any pain meds. So I suffered!!!  Of course, I will have to do it again on the other side after rads.  But I'm not going to think about that now. 

Lisa:  I love your rant against cancer.  You go girl!

Stacey:  Congrats on the weight loss!  Keep up the good work.

Well, I was unable to have chemo the last 3 weeks due to my liver enzymes.  Needless to say I was very frustrated with the whole situation.  I have an appt to see a liver Dr. at Jefferson for a second opinion on the 27th.  I am so far behind the original schedule.  I still have 9 more chemo to go!  Of course I am at the beach this week and am able to go tomorrow.  But by next week, my numbers will be back up over the limit.  Is anyone else still doing chemo? 

I also have hot flashes but I'm not on the tamox..  Does anyone notice a flash after you finish eating?  Charley, I too whip the sheets off, flip my pillow as I can't stand it hot when I'm flashing,  start to doze, wake up again because I'm freezing.  My husband said I was huffing and puffing during a flash, which was waking him up, so I am careful not to let any verbal annoyances slip out. 

Keep celebrating everyone!!!   You are always in my prayers, Michelle

hi guys, hope everyone has had a reasonable week - kayne I'm sorry to hear about your liver enzymes, that must be very frustrating. I hope the liver specialist can give you some answers, and you can get this bloody thing over with soon.

I was getting flashes before I got on the tamoxitrain - they just got worse especially at night. So for the last several days I've had a couple of acetominophen and an ativan - and have slept all the way through. I haven't wanted to stop that combo because the sleep has been so nice. I feel like I've got 5 months worth to catch up on.

Hugs to everyone - have a good week-end, Lisa

Congrats Marigunn! I take it a picc line is a little different than a port?  The site where my port was removed is still a little sore ... 4 weeks post op. Got the ok to start exercising again on Thursday. RFC only 4 weeks away!  Hopefully exercise will help with some of these sleep problems ...

congratulations marigunn, I hope you're not having too many SE's from the last one. It must be nice to finally have a shower without the PICC line. enjoy.

And Charley, I hope your port site settles soon.  How's the hair coming along - mine is pretty short all over, thicker on top, and so gray.It's not quite long enough to colour yet.

Congratulations marigunn!  Way to go!! I hope you are feeling well. 

My hair is short all over, with more on top as well.  I'm not really liking the look right now.  I hope it improves.  Still sporting bandannas except when I'm home.  I spent the week at the Jersey Shore with my children and my sisters.  It was alot of fun and very relaxing. My DH was not able to join us as he had deadlines to deal with. 

 I was able to have chemo on Wed.!!  Wooo Hooo!  4 down and 8 to go.  Hoping for good blood results on Monday so I get the green light for this week.  I am getting concerned with too much time between treatments.  Always something to worry about!  I go on Friday to the liver spec. 

We formed a team for the SG Komen Walk for the Cure on October 3rd.  Our team name is             "Nu Nockers".    I have never participated before, looking forward to it.  Now we are working on designing our shirts and fund-raising. 

badger:  I have just signed up for my first Pilate's class.  It is given by our Breast cancer resource center and is only for women currently diagnosed or in treatment.  It starts in Sept. 

Did anyone have joint pain while on Taxol?  My hips are very achy.  I am slow to move, feel like an old lady. 

Wishing  everyone a good week!  One week left and the kids go back to school.  I'm not looking forward to that.   Michelle

YEAH Marigunn - Congrats.  It is indeed great to be done with Chemo.  

 I'm still plugging along with rads - 23 down / 12 to go!!  I know this is TMI - but I"m just letting in all hang out - my boob is slathered and airing out.   So far it is just pink, but starting to get a little raw.

I had lunch with a friend who has been on Tamoxifin for 3 years.  I know this doesn't sound hopeful at this stage in the game, but she said the first year is the hardest, but by now she has very few SEs - some leg cramps here and there, but nothing major. She also said it took her about 11 months after treatment, but one day she woke up and felt no trace of any of the brutality we've just been through.  As we each get stronger day after day, we need to remember that one day this will be behind us and we will continue on with our lives.

Warm hugs to all.  Marilyn 

Hugs and prayers for all.  

When looking at the board today, it hit me how far we have all come since joining.  March chemo start date and here we all are six months later. I don't know about you, but back in March, August/September seemed to be an eternity away!

I did something yesterday that just thrilled me - I got a haircut!!!!  It was just a trim of the nape and a trim to tidy up around the ears. My hair is still super short, but getting a haircut made me feel so normal.  It was great!!!  And I feel like this short short do now has a little style....it doesn't really, but I feel that way.

Does anyone who had a lumpectomy have a lump at the site?  My radiologist and onc have assured me that it is a hematoma, but it still worries me a bit.  I also am have twinges of pain in the breast.  Just wondering is anyone else is experiencing this.