2005 ROCK-TOBER CHEMO GIRLS

thank you everyone for your support, and hugs to everyone having chemo on the same day!
I am on this forum 24 hours a day.. its been such a blessing. Hopefully i will be posting tomorrow to report a safe return from chemo trip!! And later asking about some weird side efects.. and maybe even giving someone else same encouragement and useful advice you all have given me.
Trying to drink lots today.
Didnt have a nerve to buy a wig or have a short haircut yet..
hugs to you all sisters!

kate - i've decided, as soon as my dinner contains more hair than food - i am shaving it all off. Have toyed with the idea of a pixie blond cut, but decided to save my money.
Scarves and hats actually suit me much better than all the wigs i have tried so far.

Amy: I just saw your post about how to think of this in a positive way, the chomo drugs are our allies, and to tell the nurse if you are scared to death. I'm not sure why, but every time I sign on to this discussion board I get a different page and when I come back later there are posts I never saw before. Anyway, I printed your message out and have put it in my journal to take with me to my first chemo on Halloween. I have two messages from No Surrender in there already; I read them evey night before going to bed because I find they help me. I know you are right, but the fear is really killing me. I have been through a surgical biopsy, an MRI biopsy, a bilateral mastectomy, DIEP flap reconstruction all since June 15th, and this upcoming first chemo has me on my knees more than any of the above (maybe not as much as the diagnosis itself, though). Coming here really helps, especially reading your honest, but encouraging messages. God bless all of you. When I lie awake during the night and try to use my visualization techniques to no avail, I think of all of us and pray real hard.

Anna

Amen, sherryhaire!

I haven't posted (or read) in about a week. Second treatment was last Tuesday (10/18) and it has totally kicked my butt! I was off from work the rest of the week and was thankful that Wilma cancelled work on Monday this week. Still had to leave early yesterday - 7 days out from #2! Finally got something from the onc for the heartburn - Yea! So, other than trying to figure out what to eat and drink, and when to eat and drink it, I'm okay. Went to bed at 6:30 last night, alarm went off at 5:15 this morning and I'm still exhausted. "Halfway through . . . halfway through . . ." - my new chant.

I will be thinking of all of you who are starting treatment this week or getting another one. You will be in my prayers, as you always are.

BTW, my 1/8" hair is non-existent now! Took a shower on Sunday and clogged the drain with little hairs! All I have now is a little "5 o'clock shadow" on the back of my head that seems to be hanging on!

Good luck to you all, and hang in there! We're going to kick bc's butt way worse than any chemo kicks ours!!!

I have a date for chemo - November 7. I thought I would be an October starter. I had the laproscopical assisted hysterectomy two weeks ago. I should be grateful that I had breast cancer, because of it I discovered ovarian tumor - it turned out to be borderline or pre-cancerous, but is gone now.
I decided not to join the Xeloda study because I might not get the Xeloda and the other treatment will be shorter. Second guesses?
The onc. thought I should not consider driving myself to treatment but it is difficult for me to make take one of my children away from work to drive me. Do you all think it is doable to drive about twenty minutes to the center?
I can knit so I printed out some of the chemo hat patterns and plan on working on that while doing treatment. Maybe I will have one done before my hair falls out. That new fuzzy yarn is beautiful but I tried to make a scarf out of black to match my black and white coat and it was too hard to see the stitches because of the fuzz and my eyesight's not so good anymore.
MRM-8/23/05, 3.3 cm tumor grade 2, stage 2,er pr+ her 2 -, 0/11 nodes pos.

Greetings OctChemoPals,

This is my first post to this group because I was too sick before. I'm on day 6 after my first AC dose dense treatment. I am feeling almost human after a week of feeling like I had a horrible case of flu with nausea.

But yesterday, I could eat chips and today I made a real breakfast! I still can't read more than a paragraph at a time, or focus for long, but still I'm hugely improved.

I think I'll be better prepared for next round because I know what meds to take when. My major symptoms were nausea from the chemo - for which I take decadrone, zofram and compazine and the flu-like symptoms (can't get comfortable, muscle/bone aches, chills) from the neulasta - which I now know to treat with percocet (for me tylenol and inbuprofen don't touch it). I take them on schedule and have learned not to wait for the twinges to increase.

Anyway, just wanted to let those still suffering know that I
am feeling better and that you will too. I actually excited that I only have 3 more of these AC treatments before I get to change symptoms (o goody) when I switch to paclitaxol.

Thanks everyone for the support I found here while lurking. Hang in there!

I have an IDEA!!!!! A pumpkin with a hairy cat stretched out and around its top!!! I have sketched it out and am off to the fabric store to see what I can do on a black sweatshirt!!!!

MamaJunk... What a great idea to donate the hats. I have lots of yarn too as mother designed and sold all her own sweaters and had a shop with all these really creative yarns. I am, in no way, as creative as she was..she had this sweatshirt that said: "The one with the most yarn dies last!!!!" She was a real die-hard in many ways!!! *lol* And it would be such a great legacy for/to her for me to do such a thing as well! Hey...we could start a movement/business here!!!!

love & hugs,
kate

I am glad to hear you are feeling better.........It sounds like your first AC treatment was the same as I experienced.... Are your treatments every 2 weeks? I finally gave into the sleeping pill last night and I am feeling better.......I can't believe 5 more days and I have to do this again....Like you I can't wait until the AC is over....I have 3 more... I am going to be getting Taxol after this......I am hoping I do better on that......Just think, someday this will all be behind us.....

Hi, Gracie. I had my first chemo yeasterday afternoon. If you are really anxious, they will give you Ativan before. I was in a private room for the first-timer. There was even a toilet in the room, and they did everything they could to make me comfortable. They should have blanket, pillows, etc. I wore jeans and a loose-sleeved shirt. They started me with a saline drip of dexamethosone and Zofran. Then they pushed the A in the line. That took maybe 20 min. I have good veins and needles don't bother me, so this was nothing, just a little cold--and they put a heating pad on my arm for some of it.

I then had the C. That took a little less than an hour. I got some congestion and a runny nose. At some point I started to burp and had very slight funny tummy feelings.

The nurse was great, checking back frequently to see how I was. My husband was in the room the whole time. I'm not sure he was any less nervous than me!

I was sent home with Ativa, Zofran, and Compazine. I had a headache (almost gone today) but was able to eat--even fix dinner! Small amounts and not too spicy. I don't feel great
and I would not have tried to work today, but I don't feel terrible. The Ativan helped a lot with sleep, but I am a bit spacey--more than usual. And my nurse just called to see how I was. The care folks have been awesome.

I had very long hair, too. I cut my hair quite short a few weeks ago. I like it, and have gotten lots of compliments. I don't regret cutting it. I have a wig and some caps. Not happy about that, but think about 6 months with no hair! The standard treatment, as you probably know, used to be dragged over 6 months when there was no Neulasta. So, that's a positive.

I'm kind of babbling on. Blame it on the drugs!

Let us know how you are doing. I am convinced I am doing O.K. because I am slavishly following medical advice and advice from the people on the boards.

Take care--especially good care!
Susan

Hello gals, I just got home from outpatient-port placement surgery. So far this is the easiest thing I've experienced in this whole ordeal. I start chemo tomorrow. Katie, I just bought really cute, hot pink jogging/lounging "outfit" from Target (my favorite store)that is sooo comfy...that's what I'll be wearing. My kids are at my mom's tonight and my husband is at a dinner program so I'm all alone and loving the peace and quiet. I think I'll pretend to sip some wine and read a little to forget about all this for a while.

I love the pumpkin with a hat idea...very cute! I haven't had the nerve to cut my hair real short yet but have spoken to my "wig lady" (a hairdresser friend of a friend) and she wants to see me sometime next week to shave my head and show me how to do the wig thing. Still very surreal.

Hugs to all of you!!!!!!!

RoseMarie

(((Katie)))

Welcome!!

I have a daughter in Boston actually and I spent most of my life in CT!!!!

hugs,
Kate

A pumpkin wearing a hat. I vote for that one.

I drank 2 beers last night with my friends. We saw a green flash while the sun was setting!!

oh dear.. you guys wont believe it... but my chemo is now delayed till 6 nov!!!! I have problems with my expander that needs to be fixed asap requiring an incision, and my onc doesnt want it to happen during chemo. So, i am going in for another op (minor this time) next tue, and the whole thing is delayed as a result!!!
as much as i hate the idea of chemo, i just wanted it over and done with. Now - more waiting.
hope i can stay i October group though?
Paula

I said it before and I'll say it again. All November chemo girls who want to join the October pumpkins are welcome!!

Paula, Sorry to hear they are delaying your chemo until Nov 6......Don't worry you are still in our group, you are stuck with us....We are sticking together.