Oklahoma girls (or guys) out there?

How are my Oklahoma sistas?  Cowboys and Sooners are playing, perfect timing for a distraction from this stupid disease!!!  Sending hugs and love to all of you.  GO SOONERS!!!!!!!!

Peace and laughter, with crimson and cream!

Cheryl

Hi gals! I only now found this thread!

Midwest City here. Diagnosed last year end of August with DCIS in the right breast through mammogram and stereotactic biopsy. Due to the extent of the DCIS I opted for bilateral mastectomy - good thing as I had DCIS, LCIS, IDC and ILC in the right breast and the left was on the verge of becoming DCIS too. Had positive SNB (3 mm tumor). I had immediate reconstruction with Latissimus Dorsi Flap.I went through 4 doses x 3 weeks of Taxotere and Cytoxan. Last chemo on 27th of July. Had a level I axillary lymph node dissection on the 20th of August. PET/CT scan after chemo was clear. Axillary lymp nodes came back clear. I am now on Arimidex as the chemo pushed me into menopause.

My Breast Surgeon is Dr. William Dooley with the OU Medical Center - absolutely awesome surgeon! 

My oncologist is Dr. Gregory Parker with Cancer Specialists of Oklahoma - great doctor, and they have one of the best chemo rooms and nurses!

My plastic surgeon is Christian El Amm with OU Medical Center - not happy with him at all.

I wasn't able to get out of the house much, loooong recovery after the BMX and the LD flap surgery and then I had the chemo while we were going through the horrendous heat wave - and I just couldnt' stand it.

Now I have a "mild" (it still hurts real bad) axillary cording from the ALND in August. I am doing stretching exercises and will start some PT soon.

Dont' you just love this cooler weather?

Tori,

as a piece of advice for the chemo: there is an older nurse, with a shortcut mostly white hair. Try NOT to get your treatment done by that one! She's the only one who is totally out there, she doesnt' seem to care a bit, and doesn't do her job too well. There are two male nurses, they are the best, and of them two, Ryan is the best of all. You can go in and ask for a specific nurse to administer your treatment and watch you - that's what I've been doing.

They have ice chips there, make sure that you get that going on at all times. Get some frozen peas bags for your toes and fingernails and use them when they start with the Taxotere. Also, I had used the sucking on the ice chips method when Taxotere was administered, I didn't have mouth sores, but still had the "burned mouth" thing. At the last treatment, I said, what the heck, I won't be able to taste anything for a week, so I went ahead and asked my boyfriend to get me some fries from teh nearby McDonalds (it's a little bit down the road on Portland, a couple blocks south on the west side of the road). And I ate my fries while they were starting the Taxotere. I didn't have any burned mouth!

Ask for them to start the Taxotere on a slow drip and increase it slowly - when they put it fast, you will most likely have a nasty reaction. 

Tori As I mention in an earlier post I also did my chemo at the place you are going but different doctor (56th street and Dr. Toma).  I liked all the nurses there, did not have any problems with any of them male or female.  I liked the chairs near the back of the room less traffic going by and closer to the bathrooms (however farther away from the ice machine and snacks).  Since I was trying to not gain during chemo, a common side effect, I thought I should not be within grabbing distance to the cookies and crackers.  I brought fruit to snack on as you never know how long it is going to take and sometimes it  goes past lunch.  Good Luck, use the stuff they give you to use for SE's and look at the list on here for other ideas.  Kathleen

Nice meeting more Okies. Born and raised in the Sooner state. Have lived in Broken Arrow for 54 years. First masetectomy due to inflamatory cancer in 2004-----#2 masetectomy 2007.  Its been a long road but we Okies are tough and we will make it. (or at least that is what my husband kept telling me)  Bettis

Tori, Dr. Toma did suggest I put my fingernails in ice water during the taxotere part and I did so as much as I could stand.  It must have worked, I had no nail loss but did lose my big toenails which I did not put in ice water.  Very glad I took the suggestion on the fingernails.  Kathleen

Hi fellow Okie sisters,  Out 48 hrs from first full dose of chemo.  Slight nausea but using ginger chews from the orginial market in OKC.  Works great! 

Trying to rest and let others help.  It is hard, we Okie women are tough and we are taught to be the caregivers. We are tough women!

Time for some fun!

Cheryl

I am glad your first T/C is over.  The unknown is known, which makes the whole process less scary.  Drink lots of water to flush it out, I ate lots of watermelon which tasted better to me than the water did.  Let us know how you do.   

  Kathleen 

Hi Ladies,

I started radiation on Monday, so as of today...3 down, 31 to go!  Luckily the Cancer Center is only a few blocks from my office - so am only missing 30-45 minutes of work per day.  Everyone tells me that radiation will be a breeze compared to chemo...no problems yet.

I am about 6 weeks out from my last chemo (TCx6) and my hair is starting to grow back!  Can't wait to ditch the wigs, but looks like it's going to be a while for that.  I have MAYBE 1/4" of stubble now.  I took some pictures of my totally bald head during chemo and plan to take a picture every week or two so that I can actually SEE the progress. 

Tori & Cheryl - Good luck with your chemo, before you know it you'll be DONE!  It really did go fast for me.  Keep drinking that water!

Teri

Hi Tori,

I had the Neulasta shot after every chemo, and blame that for most of my side effects.  I took Claratin (recommended by ladies on this site) and I think that helped.  My chemo was on Thursday, Neulasta on Friday - always felt good on Saturday, but the bone pain/tiredness started Sunday evening.  What I think helped a lot was making a list of what I had taken at what time.  My chemo brain would forget when I had taken ibuprofen, etc...so the list really helped.  I alternated every few hours with ibuprofen and tylenol, and Claratin twice per day plus the anti-nausea, steroids, etc. as prescribed.  I think it helped to take the pain relievers BEFORE I started hurting, rather than try to catch up with it.  I missed one day of work (Monday) with every chemo...didn't feel great on Tuesday, but tired of laying on the couch by then!  Overall, it wasn't fun but not nearly as bad as I was afraid of!  If I can do it, anybody can!

Teri

I have some hats I knitted last year, if anyone wants one, send me a pm with your addy.  Hope everyone is doing well.  Those bald head to get chilly in the winter time.  hugs

Hi, I was at home in OKC and felt the earthquake and my husband was at the OUHSC and he felt it more than I did.  We were on the phone when it happened so we could compare.

 I have my six month mammogram tomorrow morning on the right breast, always a stressful day.  I am trying to stay in a positive frame of mind about it.  

Kathleen