Chemo June 2010

HI Gang,

I am back from my NJ run.  Made out ok but feeling a little worn this afternoon.  Of course I had to leave the hotel at 5:30 am to catch the 8:30 flight becuase of traffic.  Last few nights have been bad hot flash nights.  Woke up in a sweat several times.  I had my blookworkd done as soon as I got off plane because tomorrow is Taxol #7 treatment.  Veins are looking really pitiful.  I gave them a pep talk today and asked them to hang in there for 6 more.  I even promised to send them flowers if it would help

As for the question around the MRI for the BMX - when I saw the BS last week I questioned him and he told me no mammo and only an MRI if I developed a lump in the minimal tissue I have left.  I did have a BMX with immediate start to reconstruction.  I had 20 tumors in the right breast and 2 in the left.  The left was benign but had cells that demonstrated some tendency to change.  BS medical recommendation was MX on right, lumpectomy on left but he told me he would support my BMX decision.  As it turned out good thing I went that way - left had started to change cells and was headed down the path.  Because of the type and stage I have both BS and med onc have explained in detail that my chances or reoccurence are more likely somewhere else in my body (if at all) but there is a % (which I dont' remember now) of a reoccurrence in the minimal tissue I have. 

So.......rad is a must for me.  Even if the rad onc says he doesn't recommend it (not likely since I had 4 lymph nodes involved) I am going to push it.  I only had .5mm clear margin from the tumor closest ot my chest wall.  I will take any help I can get to knock this beast down.  Because rads is so concentrated it does improve the power of killing the cells left in specific sites. 

Either way, good luck to all my sisters here with your chemo and your rad tx's tomorrow and Friday.  I am so excited to be winding down on the Taxol.  I just want to give my old veins a rest!

Hugs!

I had Taxol this morning. Toward the end of the infusion I started to feel like I was going to vomit. They stopped the Taxol and gave me an anti-med, then started the Taxol back up to finish it. Do you think its OK that it was stopped and started like that?

RS711 - I don't know if the start and stop is OK, but I did it once too, so it seems to be standard practice (and probably better than the alternative of throwing up everywhere during tx!)

RS711 - it is stanard to stop and start like that if you have the reaction you did.  They probably started it slower and will watch it.  The good news is you probably won't have a repeat performance either.  Funny thing about Taxol often when you have that reaction often it doesn't happen again.  Bizarre but it would be a good thing if it didn't right?

I had my #7 Taxol today.  Made out ok.  Because I gained weight they recalculated my drug amount and increased my dosage.  I actually had a bit of burning for a few minutes this time in my hand which was new.  But I kept a hot pack under my hand and the burn didn't last long. 

TMarina - my med Onc recommended that I definitely do rads and he sent they rad onc a note advising the same.  I meet with the rad onc on Monday so I will know the plan then.  I will keep you posed.

kittycat get teh adivan its very nice

I had an MRI on Tuesday (I am all done Chemo now) on my left breast (right one had the mastectomy) and I don't get the results until next Thursday when I go see the Onc about Tamoxifen. I am nervous to get the results and I hope everything is clear. Does anyone know what happens if it isn't clear? When I got my original ultrasound and MRI back in February the MRI caught something in both breasts but the biopsy only saw cancer on the right side. They want to keep an eye on the left side to make sure everything is okay.  I just want this whole cancer journey to be over with and move on to reconstruction! Has anyone started Tamoxifen yet??

Woohoo!  Friday finally here!  Work has been kicking my butt this week!  Boost #2 today, then off to a dog show this weekend!  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Julia

Hey ladies, nice to be back on.. I have been having a tough time with everything, go figure and my treatment is over..Life for me emotionally has been a complete HELL. I am glad for those that are doing well and almost complete.. Hang in there it is almost over.. I hope that it becomes easier for those that are having a hard time.. I am sorry I am not responding to everyone individually.

mimi-  So sorry about your struggles and SE.  I know it will be hard to be away from your family, but perhaps you can use this time to totally focus on your needs.  Rest, read, relax, meditate on being healthy!  Perhaps the hospital hostel has skype and internet service?  If you don't have it on your home computer, webcams are quite inexpensive ($25).   Skype is free.  If you got your home computer system set up before you leave for rads, you could visit and see your family via skype each day at a certain time.  I hope you have an easier time with rads than chemo.

Hi Ladies:

Hope folks are doing okay - Vicky - sorry you're struggling.  I had my MRI this week- the tumor shrunk a little, not a lot - that's what the onc had expected, since I'm ER+.  The surgeon thinks he can do a lumpectomy and that the breast won't look too bad.  After surgery, I want to wait a while before starting rads - why do they want you to start immediately? I would like to get some energy back.  Anybody with a recommendation? Toni

I'm so sorry that some of you are still struggling. This journey never seems to end. I hope your SEs subside over the weekend and that you get some enjoyment in the next few days.

Today I had #9 of rads tx. 17 more regular tx to go, plus 7 boosts. Nothing too uncomfortable yet.

Saw my wonderful BS yesterday and don't have to go back for 6 months!  Yippee!  Even though I adore him, I'd rather not see him often.

As horrible as this all is, I'm feeling humbled and grateful tonight. I got a call two hours ago that one of my former clients, a young woman in her 30's, had an auto accident today here in town and is now paralyzed from the neck down.  As of right now, the prognosis is that she will be a quadriplegic for the rest of her life, if she pulls through. I would rather deal with this cancer than that situation any day. If you have time, please say a prayer for Sherri.

Bon-I'm with you on the "we have so much to be grateful for" belief.  In spite of this torturous treatment, I wake up every morning truly grateful.  I open my eyes and say "I'm here"!  I will pray for your friend Sherri.

Mimi, hello!

I just wanted to hop in here a minute and tell you that there are steps you can take to help lower your lymphedema risk. Many women set up an appointment with a well-qualified lymphedema therapist before rads, for baseline arm measurements for future reference, personalized risk reduction tips, and fitting for a compression sleeve and glove or gauntlet (fingerless glove) to use during rads. The garments encourage lymph flow. They can also be used for exercise, travel, and any strenuous or unusual activity. 

Here's more risk reduction information:

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/riskreduction_for_lymphedema.htm

http://www.LymphNet.org  (see their Position Papers on Risk, Exercise and Air Travel)

And here's a page to help you find a well-trained lymphedema therapist in your province:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htm
(the link to the Therapist Locator on that page is especially helpful!)

I'm really sorry for all the hassle and struggle you've been though already, and really hope this next bit will be smoother sailing!
Binney

Sherry9316...I'm so sorry that you are being delayed with your Taxol tx and that you're hurting. I am so fortunate as to have had Neulasta after each Taxotere tx. It kept my WBC up the whole time. And my RBC didn't fall farther after tx #1.

I learned while on Taxotere that the SE can appear at almost any time. That terrible rash I had started on day 12 after a tx (once every three weeks was my schedule) and the manufacturer of Taxotere side it was from their drug, even though my onc didn't think it was possible after so many days. Taxanes are nasty...maybe lifesavers, but still poison and their long lasting effects include the good and the bad. So could be that the aches and pains are really from cumulative effect of taxol.

Actually, I am finally starting to understand that I have neuropathy in my feet. Yesterday I had a pedicure and honestly couldn't feel her working away on a terrible callous.  She kept asking if it hurt and I to say that it didn't. I wasn't willing to say that I couldn't feel anything at all. I do have twinges of pain when walking...feels like pebbles in my shoes and electric shock all at once. And that's 5 weeks after the last chemo! I've known about the neuropathy in the area of my scar where the nodes were removed during surgery...and near my port. This week when the BS massaged that port area to break up scar tissue, I almost jumped off the exam table in pain. But there are areas right around that port where I can't feel a thing.

While I was waiting to see the BS on Thursday afternoon in a packed waiting room, I met a lovely woman who is 10 yrs NED.  She was very encouraging and told me how she was going through this at a time when it was std. procedure to do chemo, rads, and then more chemo. She said how terribly sick the Adriamycin made her but that the Taxol was the worst for her. She remembered it like yesterday but said how she really doesn't think about it every day now and has been able to reclaim her life. In fact, one of the things he did while in treatment was to make a 'bucket list' and she made good on some of her dreams...one of which was to open a bathing suit store where she specializes in suits to fit women with different breast sizes and mastectomies. She is very successful here in sunny Florida...partly because of the need for that and I'm sure, partly because of how genuinely lovely she is to everyone. So....my bucket list items fall far short of that type of goal, but still, I'm trying to get myself to realize that this is all there is and I need to make the best of the rest of it, 

My hopes for a positive weekend for you all. Bon

Workmother-->  Yay to being done with chemo!!!  I will be having my simulation around the same time as you--haven't made the appt. yet, but that's what doc and I talked about.  My last chemo will be Tues.  What did your rad onc say about heart and lung damage?  Mine said that nowadays there is no heart damage, other than a tiny bit of scarring that won't ever be noticeable.  He said he's never seen anything worse than that.  And a little scarring on the lung that will only be noticed on an xray or ct scan.  He's knows how worried I am about doing rads again (had it last summer for colon cancer and had a lot of problems!), and I felt like he was being honest with me, but I still worry!