Calling all TNs

I'm glad I didn't get A either I had enough SE with the ones I got.

Glad to see you're feeling so good and looking forward to your pics.

Had Taxol #4 yesterday and feeling ok today 8 more to go.  The dose got lowered from 150 to 140 due to he neuropathy starting in two toes on each foot.  Feels so wierd, like they are asleep.  I keep wiggling them thinking they will "wake up"  Hoping it does not spread any further.  Anyone else have had that, does it go away after a while? 

 Hope60 -sorry you have to be here with the rest of us but glad you found us. chemo is a scarry thing but the only way to kill this crap running through our bodies.  You can do it and we will all be here to help you through.

Jen

JenC,  I have the toe thing also, so far one toe on each foot, and like you I'm hoping it doesn't spread.  I hit a wall of fatigue on my fourth day after the fourth Taxol treatment, so unexpected because I had felt fine after the others. I'm in the Avastin trial, and may have also gotten the Avastin when I got the Taxol. I hope you feel good this week.

My RBC is low and I wonder if there is anything I can do about that? Is it okay to take iron? I was a vegetarian for ten years before getting this disease, but if eating red meat will help the RBC and energy level I will become an eager carnivore. I've tried a steak now and then and my body does seem to really want it. 

 hhfheid, how are you feeling these days? I'm a horsewoman also, and I'm back to riding but I can only have the energy for short rides and not what I did before all of this. I'm with you: F**** cancer. I hate that word cancer. 

I had my first 12XTaxol last wednsday and my kidneys are aching and my urine is brownish.  I went to see if I had an infection yesterday and they said no. They hurt so bad I'm taking pain pills for it. Has anyone else had this kind of pain in their kidneys from Taxol. My Onc won't be available until Monday.

Yeah, it's hard to know what to say. I usually end up with so far, so good.

Mitymuffin, I was anemic when I was on AC and asked my oncologist if I should take iron.  They gave me a blood test and then called and said no, iron would not help my type of anemia.  So you might want to ask them about this test.  I thought iron always helped, and I definitely think you should eat steak if you feel like it!  I also craved meat during that time.

Kad 22, I finished my 6th Taxol and was really sleepy a couple of days last week.  I couldn't figure out why, but now I wonder if the fatique if starting.  I will see how this week goes.  I have been lucky and havn't had too many SEs yet.  Your retreat sounds like fun!  I would like to go to something like that.

Laurajane, I'm sorry you are having kidney pain.  I havn't had that, but I would try to increase your fluids and see if that helps any.  Hope you can talk with your onc early on Monday. 

There you go MBJ! That is exactly what I mean! I know I said denial, but I am not sure that is correct either. I am one of those who believe in manifesting and the power of suggestion. So I choose the positive thinking route. Not sure if that is exactly denial. It doesn't matter. It is what I have to do for my sanity.

Titan, very clever of you to convince your husband he was the master griller. I do think everything tastes better when someone else cooks it. 

Lynn18, thank you for the information on the blood test for iron deficiency. I suspected there might be a reason they weren't suggesting iron, and that may be it, but I will ask about a test. 

I just got back from bringing my youngest daughter to college - the house is going to be quite.  I know it's a good thing for her and I'm really, really excited, but I am sure going to miss her. 

Laurajane - thanks for taking the time to get the information on hotflashes - I would be curious to know more.  Sorry to hear you're suffering with Taxol pain.  I'm sure you're already drinking a lot of water, but I'm sending you a reminder to drink, drink, drink.  I suffered with low back pain during the Taxol infusion, then no pain for another two days, then terrible pain in my muscles and bones all over by body - worse with each infusion.  Strangely enough when I did feel better, it was much better than the AC. 

Workmother - I didn't do dose dense Taxol, but did find that the effects were cumulative and that I felt more exhausted as the treatments went on.  I found that the Taxol had different SE's to deal with and as bad as it was, it was better than the AC. With that said some women do wonderful with the Taxol.

Man, you spend the day out boating and come back to a ton of posts! It's hard to keep up.

"So far, so good" is my typical response. I don't use the word Survivor or Remission. Both make me feel jinxed. I also don't wear my "survivor" clothes for the same reason. I'm sick of pink and the whole pink ribbon subject.

mitymuffin,- I drive a father/son 14.2h AWR Sport Pony pair (as you can see in my avatar) but take time off in the summer to switch to boating. I showed CT, hunters, fox-hunted side-saddle (all pretty low-key stuff) and now just pleasure ride/drive. Just got back from a month in Acadia with them.

I have a pinto Oldenburg (Art Deco bloodline) and pinto Paint/Arab cross also. Two weeks ago someone dropped off a 35.5 inch mini in my yard. So, I guess I have about 4.1 horses now.

How about you?

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Ok, we also sent our youngest daughter off to college last fall. Just like you, Titan, I was an emotional wreck. I couldn't even go with as I was in the middle of chemo and my onc didn't want me to travel that far away, Minneapolis to St. Louis. THAT was tough. Thankfully, easier this year, she just left this weekend as well. 

Yes, the house is quite and I have heard from so many people that it's easy to get used to, then when they come home it's noisy and something to get used to again.  Her roommate seems to be extremely nice and very much like my daughter - they met during prep and changed their rooming request to be together.  I think it'll be a good match. 

I feel awkward wearing a t-shirt or pin and I don't know why because I am willing to talk to anyone that has questions, support and sit by someone who needs support, but don't like to wear something that says I have/had cancer with the exception of the pink ring (much like the bracelet).  I wish I could explain the feeling, but I can't.  I don't hide from it, but am uncomfortable in the clothing.  Maybe by the time October (pink month) comes around I'll feel better and wear something while doing volunteer work. 

Meece - I'd love to have a magnet on my car, but it seems that we have magnet thieves in our parking garage at work.  Very frustrating.

Have a great Sunday.

I have pink ribbons (some magnets, some cloth) on my vehicles, (including my carriages). I have a pretty Italian silver ring I still wear occasionally with a tiny rose gold pink ribbon dangling from it's band. I have another ring that reminds me to take "One Day at a Time".

These items quietly support the subject. I am a peer mentor. What I am no longer (as) willing to do is wear the stuff that essentially says:

LOOK AT ME--- I HAD/HAVE BREAST CANCER. I'M A WARRIOR/SURVIVOR/VICTIM/ (name your adjective)..... you get the idea.

I looked good in scarves, had tons of very attractive ones, and will probably still wear them on occasion; I viewed my look more as a "style" than a diagnosis.

And yes, I still say f*ck cancer!

I have read on some of the posts on BCO that if you had implants put in that we should never go without a bra for any length of time as there isn't much holding it up except skin and maybe some Alloderm unless you had a lat or some other type of reconstruciton.  Even though you build some scar tissue underneath it could cause problems going without.  You might want to check out the thread Bras or Post Exchange Bras.