May 2010 Chemo

Hope you don't mind me popping in here. I read a lot of the posts in your group, and feel like I know you, but I hardly post here because I'm from the June chemo group.

Because i am having neoadjuvant chemo, my group doesn't have the answers to some of my questions, but I know that there are a few people in this group doing neoadj chemo so maybe you can help me with these questions?

1. How long did you wait after chemo before surgery? my onc says no more than 2 weeks, but my surgeon says he wants to wait 5 weeks. i'm not sure what to do...

2. How long did you need to wait after surgery before starting rads? I'm just trying to work out when I can start getting my life back a bit...

Thanks :-)

Welcome Chris!  I started TC on 5/13 x6 tx - just finished last week.  Going to start rads in about a month x 33 tx.  Glad you found us!  ~  Daiva

Greetings everyone.  Welcome to the newcomers and congratulations to those of you who have finished the chemo part of the journey.  We made our trip to NC over the weekend and I got to meet my bullrider.  I told him what an inspiration he was and how he was helping me get throught this rough time in my life.  He autographed my PBR calendar with "one jump at a time".  He also signed my cowboy hat.  I got a chance to meet his mother.  She is a BC survivor of 8 years and she shared her story with me.  She gave me strength and hope and I am still filled with excitement from actually meeting JB.  My last chemo is Thursday.  I am going to march in there wearing my JB shirt and my autographed hat and I am going to ride that chemo bull.  I am going to kick butt!

Welcome Chris & Latte, Glad you found our group!

Leanna, I'm soo happy you got an appt. with a good PS - I was getting a little worried! In the end, what it is you will see everyday is going to be important to you and you deserve only the BEST! Last day...Last day...Last day!

Wellsey - I can "feel" your positivity through your post, You go girl!!!!! So happy for you.

Daiva - I usually just wear my Buffs around the house just for that reason... I do look like a cancer patient. LOL They are really cozy and keep my head nice & warm on chilly nights or when my DH has the AC really low! That's awesome that you get to have some input on redesigning the office - you should feel good about that. It will make a big difference for those coming up behind you.

Hugs to everyone, hope all are feeling well!

Hi ladies, wow, so many posts since my last visit! Welcome Chris and Latte, this is really a great group to be in! As for surgery, I'll have it at soonest three weeks after the last round of chemo, but am not sure what is the longest waiting time - I still am to meet my surgeon. Wellsey, thanks for sharing the funnies thread, I might have some ideas to add into it :-). I hope you'll ride your last chemo bull gracefully ;-). Patricia I was born and live in Prague, capital of Czechia. A lovely historic city, so if any of you ladies plan a getaway to Europe and my hometown, just PM me, I'll be glad to help! As for me, I'm still hesitating where to go - it'll depend on if I have rads or no. If no, I might go somewhere south in December - Tunisia or Egypt, I missed this summer holiday (I usually go to our countryhouse to escape the city but it has no heating, so a winter stay there is out, although I'd love to spend Christmas there...). Tess where in Ireland are you going to? I went to Dublin two years ago on business and enjoyed every minute of it!

Did anybody have cold hands and feet after Taxotere? The tingling stopped but I find it hard to keep my feet warm at moments... this bugs me as the weather is going to get cooler now...

(((Hugs))) to everyone!

Ladies, I know some of you were waiting for access to the private photo forum. It is hard to go back and re-read almost 50 pages worth of posts, could you please PM me?

Denise - Yes, I just had that conversation, again, with myself today... I keep going back and forth about going to work on the same unit (nursing)... considered getting into oncology, and talked myself out of that today because I just don't think I could... thought about only working 2 days per week (normally, I work 3 - 12 hour shifts)..... or changing where I work altogether... it's a fair assessment at this point in our lives, and I think warrants serious consideration.  I think I'm going to try and return to the same place only working 2 days while I ponder things... of course, that won't be until December, or the first of the year, depending on my recovery and feelings!!   

Hi everyone! Leanna  poor blood circulation might be it - I found out that when I lift my feet, they get warmer. Once they got cold because I forgot myself working at my computer for too long and wasn't getting up often enough. A warm bath helped too. I need to start exercising again, I couldn't now because I was taking antibiotics... When we're done with all this you're welcome to visit - Prague is really worth it! Sacphotomom I only have cold feet, my head gets warm flushes from Zoladex, so I feel like this is a strange kind of torture :-). My Mum has similar symptoms to yours (cold nose and forehead) only without Taxotere. We all probably have low blood pressure at those times. Oh well, I guess it's never late to learn things about our bodies :-). And tell your daughter to get in touch with me if she ever comes back to Prague (and tell her to take you with her too ;-) ).

Best

Hi All,

I've been trying to keep up on my cell phone, but I admit I am a few posts behind!  I finished "regular" rads today and start my "boosts" tomorrow.  1 week fromm today I will be done!  yay!  I was doing really well with rads until this week.  This week I have some burning and pain in the areola area.  I had been using aquafor, but switched to pure aloe this week.  When I showed my doc, she gave me "miaderm" and some burn ointment.  It's better now, but since my tumor was very close to my areola, my boost area includes that.  So, I will be using lots of lotion this week!  For those of you who have not yet started rads, you might want to check out miaderm.  My doc really likes it but says she doesn't tell people to use it unless they have to because its pricey (about $30 a tube).  Unless you live in MA, you petty much have to order it online.  But, she says its really good stuff and I have to say it has helped my situation.  I was also hit with fatigue this week.  It's not too bad, but just definitely feeling it.  By the time I get home from work, I am whipped! 

Irishtess- I am sooo excited for you and your trip!  Ihave a cousin who lives in Ireland and I looovve going to visit!  It's such a nice break.  I'm very jealous and so glad you get to go!  Start using lotion now so your skin is nice before rads.  I was told chemo really dries out your skin, so the more hydrated you can get your skin before you start rads, the better.

Leanna- 1 more, 1 more!  So glad you are feeling better!  Here's hoping you are so excited to be done that you barely notice the SE's this last round!

Welcome Chris!  Glad you found us.  And welcome back, redbarb.  We missed you, too!

I know I am missing most everyone, and I am sorry.  Just was so excited to be almost done wth rads that I wanted to take a few minutes to post.  Today is a good day!!!  Hope you are all also having good days...no, make that GREAT days!

Barb - Welcome back!!   I'm really sorry about your cousin!  I hope they caught it early.  One of my FB friends hooked me up with her GF who was just diagnosed, so she would know someone, and we've been writing and it's nice, but I just cry and cry when I get email from her... she is my age... IBC.. Stage 4, liver mets....   This disease sucks!  How are the rads going for you... are you really tired, taking naps, or sleeping longer at night? 

Magda - YAY for warm feet!! 

Tess - Glad you got everything set in stone!  I'm so excited for you for your trip!!!   LAST chemo is on Tuesday!!!  So, we'll have a good weekend.... Ryan's (8) football jamboree is on Saturday.... and I need to figure out what to do Sunday morning... we have football practice again Sunday at 4.  My 17 year old will be here this weekend, so maybe I will do a movie with her sunday evening and have DH take both the boys to practice.  Again, find myself overdoing it also, and wearing myself out!!  Just no energy... not running or exercising... a bit anemic... etc.  I hope I get my stamina back to where it was before!!  I'm thinking of doing some painting/decorating around the house after my last chemo while I'm waiting for surgery to start.  I only have a few things I want to do outside... maybe 2-3 days to get all of it done (and a lot more rubber mulch).  So much to think about doing! 

GG - Thanks for the great tips on rads!!  I will be going to eBay and seeing if they have some! 

I don't remember if I told you guys, I ended up ordering 4 buffs (I think I did), and I had to order the one BC buff! 

OH, and if anyone on here wants to be my FB friend.... send me a PM or just search my name on FB.... I don't have a common name... just send me a little message (because I don't know any of your last names!!).  I posted some cute pics today... some more bald ones, and don't worry, I'm not one of those gamers that will post that stuff on your wall!!! 

(((HUGS)))  Leanna

GolferGirl:  Your info on Miaderm is too weird in terms of timing!  After researching lotions for radiation, I ordered some & it arrived yesterday!  You're right ~ it's pricey: $28.80 per tube.  I decided to bite the bullet & order it because I'm really fair-skinned, get sunburned easily (I never go out without a sunscreen), & I'm anxious about rad burns.  Ever since my bilat mast, I've been slathering Vit E oil & other lotions all over my chest, so I should be ok getting started.  You sound so excited about seeing that finish line.  Hope the last week of boosts don't cause any more problems.

For anyone interested:  According to the website, Miaderm was developed by rad oncs.  It contains calendula, aloe & hyaluronate, all of which have been shown to improve the condition of radiated skin.  Here's the link: http://www.miaderm.com/about.html.

Leanna:  I'll be thinking of you on Tuesday.  It will be a relief to be done with that phase. Enjoy your weekend!

Barb:  Also thanks for the info and tips.  Doc didn't say anything about bras, but I had already decided that I was going to stick with my men's cotton tank undershirts and not wear my prostheses while going through rads.  I've found they fit better than women's tanks, which assume you have boobs!  The end-of-treatment party is a terrific idea ~ no wonder you sound so excited!  I still have some eyelashes & some eyebrows ~ never lost either entirely.  Fingernails, however, are another story.  Just lost one (left thumb) & several others are literally hanging on for dear life!  Apparently, this is a Taxol SE. 

Paxton:  I know it's easy for me to say, because I haven't been through this before like you, but try to take it one day at a time, "one jump at a time" as wellsey's bull rider says!  You have lots of ladies here pulling for you.

Yikes ~ I didn't realize it was so late in the am.  Got to get to work.  See you all later!

Happy Friday ladies!

Patricia - I hope #9 went smoothly. Leanna - I love your Walmart image. Just walk around with your Ipod headphones in and pretend you don't see or hear them. LOL I'll look for you on Facebook - anyone else on there? One more to go.... SO happy for you!!! Denise - I have the work conversations with myself everyday, then I feel guilty because the company I work for & all of my co-workers have been so wonderful and supportive through all of this. Redbarb - Welcome back! I'm right in the middle of that emotional time between chemo and rads, it kind of caught me off guard. I'm so sorry about your cousin but I'm glad she has you for guidance. Tess - I have my rads "dry run" on the 17th and start on the 20th so we'll be close. My rad nurse told me I'm pretty much guaranteed to burn pretty badly because of my fair skin. Yup, I look like a cancer patient and/or a fat bald man! Wellsey - YAY for being done! Golfergirl - you're almost done! Thanks for the info on Miaderm, I'll definitely be looking into it. Paxton - One Day at a Time, we're all here to support you along the way. Do you want me to put on my cheerleading uniform? Don't dare me I'll do it....just wont look as good on my new "fat bald man" physique.  {{{HUGS}}}

wow I have missed so much.. I was beach house last weekend...aaaaahhhhh..was so nice. Had friends and family down. I actually sat outside in the sun. Weather was picture perfect ...70's and sunny.  All my friends I did not forget about the weekend for all of  us.... September is slipping by me. Next weekend I am doing the baby's 1st birthday party. She was actually one in July but I was to ill to do anything. The following weekend I have renters in the house so it looks like we have to go into October. I also work every other weekend of the month. I work at the YMCA.  so my target date would be weekend of October 16th.  So check your calendars ladies and let me know.  so sorry.....I know it will be tad colder but we can put a log on the fire at night...how does that sound?

I missed so many posts and my computer went down so I am typing from work.. Good luck to all who are going for last treatment....HURRAY for those who are finished....

and yes redbarb I did loose the rest of my eyebrows and eyelashes after my last taxol treatment. Rats!!!  I am 3 weeks out and my hair or lack of feels the same (lol)

My onc. says I will feel better each and every day up to six weeks then you plateau...from then on some good and some bad days. takes a full 6 mos to a year to feel normal she says.. Don't know how true that really is but that is what she told me.

My bone scan came back the same as before..they cannot say 100% that I don't have mets. I have to wait until I can get a MRI which will be after November when I do reconstruction.... 

RIght now I truly believe it is just arthritis and I am going with that theory.

Have great weekend all!!  Missed you all here.. hopefully computer up and running tonight

Hi Ladies,

I've read everyones posts (okay, I actually check my phone a ridiculous amount to see if anyone has posted) and I continue to be amazed at all the strong women on here.  Wellsey - I love how you have found such an inspirational passion and that you were able to meet him no less.  Barb, I am very sorry to hear about your cousin...it's strange how our cancer radar is affected after our own diagnosis.  I find that I often see people now with head scarves etc, that I don't know if I even noticed before, and I hear so many stories of others with cancer.  BTW, the mom of one of my students was diagnosed with Stage 4 with mets in 2007...and today is technically cancer free.  No doctor will ever say she is in remission (it was that bad) but she doesn't have cancer at the present - so hopefully you can still feel encouraged by it.

So...today I met with the BS.  Very interesting!  He said that he couldn't "feel" the tumor at all (pretty good since when I saw him in May he had a hard time covering his shock at the size of it.)  He was very pleased with my response to chemo.  YEAH!!!!!  His words were "it won't be me that saves your life with surgery, the chemo has already done that."  OMG - I had the biggest smile ever!  My DH was actually able to take the day off to come to the appointment with me , and we had a wonderful kid-free day shopping for new furniture (our house flooded in May, two days after I started chemo and the same day our then almost 2 year old ended up in the hospital with a concussion.) We enjoyed drinking lattes and mochas, and smiling stupidly at each other for the better part of the day.  It's like I feel I have a new lease on life even if I'm not done chemo, haven't had surgery, and haven't started rads.  I'm an optimist by nature, but it's still relieving to hear.  I'll go for a modified radical mastectomy around November 17th, with no reconstruction at the time.  In Canada, they actually don't recommend reconstruction at the same time as a mastectomy, but prefer to wait a year or two.  I have to wait to hear from the geneticists office whether or not I carry the gene... if I do then I can say goodbye to both girls, but for now I'll only get the one side done with the standard net of lymph nodes.  I must say, I was pretty surprised that I only have to stay in the hospital for one night, and in some parts of the country, it's day surgery!  I was shocked - I thought I'd have to be in the hospital for 3-4 days for sure.

Jean - I agree with your theory about the arthritis - I hope you get any suspicions laid to rest in November.  I would so love to come and meet everyone in October, but as I don't have a passport, I don't think I'd get into your country  I've never bothered to get one, as I always that my Crohn's disease was too "bad" for me to travel.  Needless to say, I'm a little sheepish to admit that Crohn's is a walk in the park next to cancer!  Please, please, please make one of those biscotti martinis and have a toast to this for me:  To surviving, to friends, and to strangers brought together by a common goal...to just get the *bleep* through this!

Night ladies, have a good one.

Jenn