Chemo June 2010

Cheyenna have to you had the BRACA test? The you can find out if you have the genetic mutation that put you in danger of getting ovarian cancer. Perhaps if you get that test and find out its negative you wont feel the need for the surgery.

Latte...YOU DID IT!  HOORAY FOR YOU!!!  Can you hear us cheering for you all the way over there in Israel?  Yep, that's us. It is a bit scary to be done with chemo...leaves you feeling like the fight isn't on any more. But it is...this chemo is in your body for ages afterwards and your surgery is the next tx step. Good luck with whatever decision you make about the surgeries ahead.

Sherry...So glad to hear that you're feeling better and that your trip to Texas is on. Nice that TX has another meaning besides "tx for treatment".  Enjoy yourself to the max!

Am now on 4 meds for cough and congestion. Primary ARNP isn't convinced that the whole thin didn't start with rads tx but she is handing it and even did an EKG because my pulse was high. It was abnormal so I need to have a stress echo on November 15. So this whole health nightmare continues. Am looking for that light at the end of the tunnel and fearing it is a train.

Hope you all have a great SE free day!  Bon

latte-  I am doing the happy, happy dance for you girl!  Breeeeeatheee for a few weeks and get strong for your surgery.  We'll be right here waiting to hear how it all goes.

cheyenne- I agree with latte.  You can't just keep taking out body parts "just in case" they might get cancer (though many doctors are happy to oblige beause they get big bucks for it).  Jeez, they would just wittle away our Cheyenne to nothing! Not to mention the risks of hospital infections etc... Genetic testing might ease your mind.  Also, perhaps taking some of the proactive lifestyle steps may give you reassurance.  Walking 5 X a week reduces chances by 30%.  Drinking no more than 7 glasses of wine a week reduces it by 30%.  Making sure your vitamin D levels are normal.  Drinking two small cups of green tea daily reduces it by 50%. Reducing or eliminating sugar, white flour etc...  There is lots of good information on the "natural girls" thread. I figure if I keep racking up these lifestyle benefits NOTHING is going to be able to catch me!

Bon-  Oh you poor dear!  You just can't get a break!  I am praying they figure out  this latest ailment.  Like you, I am SO over this ordeal. How's your acid reflux?  Has that settled down?

My rads hospital is operating with only ONE machine.  Of course they did not tell me this before they signed me up.  SO!  Any time a hospital patient needs the machine or the rads doctors need to do a special procedure, we all get delayed.  So far I have had two appointments and both have been nearly 2 hours late.  They also keep changing my appointments the day before, so my times are all over the place.  This is going to be a VERY long 6 weeks.  And guess who is starting to get a bit cranky? Here is where DH starts saying "uh oh, here comes the Pitbull with lipstick"!

Hey ladies so good to hear about everyone.

LATTE!  HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to say, my little rinky dink rads place is sounding better and better.  They only do rads from 8 am to noon.  They have one machine and take people one at a time.  I do think the mahcine is dedicated to outpatient cancer.  The regular radiation is done upstairs.  I have the 8 a.m. slot and open the place up.  I wait maybe 5 minutes at the most for my appt.  I then go straight to work.  The bigger place my ONC initially wanted me to go to said I could possibly wait an hour for my appt.

I have some interesting "discharge" which I think is due to tamoxifen or maybe a mild urinary thing,  I asked the rads Onc what I should do.  She said the Medical onc ( the one I left) should have had me have a gyn exam prior to Tamoxifen to set a baseline for my reproductive system so they can monitor any changes.  So, another doctor appt to make! 

Two and half days done at work.  The place is a real germ factory so I am washing my hands constantly.  I am very very tired when I get home.  But, I work with a really nice class and teacher.  I am glad to be out of the house and a little productive.  I am reminding myself that I should take a sick day if I get too tired.  In some ways the hardest part is people are still welcoming me back and I see them get tears in their eyes.  So hard!

%$&*+$@ Rads!  Okay, time to vent!  I am at the hospital where I am getting rads, rushed to get here on time for my 6:15 appointment (which they changed yesterday evening!).  Upon arrival, they tell me they have a special procedure (someone with neuro planning that must be done) and she hasn't even gone in.  Therefore, my 6:15  appointment won't even get underway till around 8:00 p.m.  I just called DH and told him to cancel his meeting tonight because I don't want to leave my son home alone as he is feverish.  All the very nice staff are just sort of resigned to the fact of the ridiculous inefficiency here.  There is no "fix" for this situation as they only have one machine and must see emergency patients too.  I am trying to get all "Zen" about it and just go with the flow.  NOT!  I did get the techs phone number and I told them I will NOT leave home until I speak to someone confirming my TRUE time from here on.  I think what bothers me most is that I fear this is what medicine in America will look like shortly.  Already I am finding fewer and fewer doctors who will take my insurance.  Thanks for letting me vent.  As I have a couple hours to kill, I'm going to go walk over to the Time Warner Center and bump around the expensive stores.  No shopping for me, but maybe looking will cheer me up.

latte-  Sorry, didn't see the UTI problem.  I'm hoping it was caused by some serious whoopie-making!  If not, just make believe it was!  Drink your cranberry juice!

Designermom--I would be soooo frustrated!  You should definitely call before you go in every day.  I agree with Bon, you shouldn't go in too stressed.  I don't know how you can possibly do that, but I hope you find a way.  I guess like everything else we've gone through, you just have to say "it is what it is" and pray times flies and you're done before you know it!!

Thanks to all my cheerleaders!  They got me in at 8:00 and I was out of the building by 8:15....after waiting tw hours for my appointment.  The person in charge of scheduling asked to speak to me privately.  She was very nice and apologetic, it's not her fault.  She gave me her direct phone and told me to call every time before coming in. I found out she has a real girly girl 3 YO.  I told her I would bring her a special tutu I designed.  You bet I am NOT above bribing!  I guess that is the best I can do.  I'll get the swing of this "non schedule" schedule somehow.  Okay, now comes the weird part.  As I am on the table getting set up, I am staring at these shelves on the wall and see a skull.  I said "wow, a skeleton, for Halloween?"  She  said "no, that's real.  He lives there".  Don't you think they could give us something a bit more pleasant to stare at?  Jeez!  They need to redecorate!

Taxol #8 done - 4 more to go. Wondering why some of you are getting steroids in your Taxol. My onc is not giving me anything extra- no puffy face here. Is it to prevent allergic reactions? I had my 3rd UTI right before I left for Hilton Head but got the meds and it went away. Also developed an eye infection ( I have roseacea and it occasionally affects my eyes - of course it happened while I was away but there was a CVS who had my meds in their computer, so it was easy to fill that prescription. 

Other than those 2 bumps - it was a fabulous vacation. I actually got to put my feet in the ocean and sit on the beach and read. Had lots of great dinners (and desserts) out and the best...I could forget that I had cancer!!!! Except, of course, when I looked in the mirror.

I am hoping to get at least 3 weeks out in Phoenix b/w my last taxol and the start of my rads. My DH is going out in mid-November and I would like to get out there to help him pick out some wood floors, tile etc. that we are doing with that house. Hopefully,  he can get all that done while I am back in CT getting my rads.

Need to talk to my onc today - not sure when he starts the 3 week hercepton tx. If it is the week after Taxol then I may just get 2 weeks out there. 

Happy for all of you that are finished - wasn't too thrilled  when the rads Dr. went over all the possible rad long term complications but - it is better to get those recurrance rates down.

BTW - my hospital has a seperate rads/onc section. Hopefully I won't experience the long waits that some of you have to deal with.

Off to NYC to see a play on Saturday.

Hugs

Liz 

Hugs to all 

CONGRATS RS711!!!!!!

Today I only had to wait 15 minutes for rads and was thrilled!  We spent the day celebrating my son's 12th birthday.  Such a joyful, festive happy day.  God gave me this greatest joy....and today he kept his eye on the clock for me too!

kittycat-  You are going to be just fine going through rads.  We'll get through it together!

RS711-  Whoo hoo!  You did it.  You finished chemo!  I'm doing rads at St. Lukes Roosevelt on 59th Street.  The staff is lovely.  It's just that they are in the final stages of replacing one rads machine, will be finished end of December.  As they have only one machine, emergencies and inpatients screw up everyone's schedule.  I will call to confirm every day, that will help hopefully.

Finished Taxol #10 yesterday.  Was also unblinded in the Avistan study.  I was in Arm B so I was getting Avistan.  Yesterday was my last my Avistan treatment.  Only two more Taxol #2.

Blood work was good.  I hate to look a gift horse in a mouth by my WBC has been climbing.  Doesn't that seem odd?  My WBC was 3.4 for the first 8 taxol's and now it is 4.2 & 4.7 respectively.  I am glad I am in the "normal range" but it just seems really odd to me that the count would climb so far into the chemo.  Seems backward to me.  I have been more fatigued over the last two weeks as well.  Does anyone have similar counts? 

 Congrats to everyone who is finished up with chemo!  I am sorry for those of you having delays on rads.  I am probably not going to start rads until the week after Thanksgiving.  Rad Onc said we could do my simulation and tattoo's the week of Thanksgiving. 

I have a MUGA scheduled for 11/8/10.  Making progress ladies! 

Julia2: I hope it is "nothing." I also had an MRI and biopsy in my other breast 6 months ago and the biopsy said it was a fibriod. I had an MRI after chemo as well a couple of weeks ago and the fibroid has shrunk but there are "satelite" dots on the MRI result that are "probably nothing" as well. They are too small to biopsy. So i can continue to have MRI's ever 6 months for awhile or I can get a bilat-mastectomy... which is what I Am thinking of doing and then get implants in both. I already have my right breast removed so if there is concern in the other one then they can have it. I did the breast cancer gene test back in May, but it takes awhile to get the results back here in Canada... almost 9-12 months! Iam going to see my breast surgeon again on Monday to discuss options. My plastic surgeon thought it was a good idea to remove the other breast and I agree too, I NEVER want to go through this ever again..and being so young (im 25 years old) I have to keep my bases covered!

I am finally feeling back to my normal self again 5 weeks post chemo. My hair is SLOWLY growing back but it is super thin and I have hair on the sides but the top is all peach fuzz!! How is everyone one else's hair doing?

Have a fantastic weekend!

Hi All-  It does seem like there is always something to worry about !  Hang in there everyone.

Well I completed 4 days of work.  It was stressfull but doable.  I get up early have 8 am rads and clock into work at 9 am.  That's a half hour after I am supposed to be there but the Principal has OK'ed it.  I am working in a new building, with a new grade and a new teacher.  I am responsible for a diabetic first grader and she had a low blood sugar episode Friday with no school nurse around.  It was frightening for me as I was the one most resposible for her.  Happily we all survived.

I am getting whacked by hot flashes, chills and night sweats.  I plan on calling my GP for an increase in effexor because I am on a constant thermal rolller coaster.  It's exhausting.  Work is making my neuropathy worse.  My hands and feet burn at the end of the day.  Also, I have some sort of mild UTI discomfort and I forgot to call the doctor last night about it.  It may be a long weekend.

No SE's from rads and the nurse says my CBC is good.  She will retest me next week.  We are both concerend it will drop and I'll catch one the jillions of viruses floating around the classroom.

Having done all that complaining I have to say I am glad to be working.  I really feel like I can survive this now.  The mental boost I am receiving from work is huge.  I don't feel as much like a cancer victim any more.  That is huge for me.  It is also so great to be able to vent to you ladies.  Thanks for being there to listen! 

Joan

Sure is quiet 'round here!

Skd--I am 3 weeks PFC and starting to see some of that "peach fuzz' on my scalp.  I can't wait for it to grow back!  I am still using Nioxin shampoo, conditioner, and scalp treatment.  Some have said it helps the hair grow faster--my hair guy uses it for his thinning hair, so I thought I'd try it.  Supposed to help keep the scalp healthy--can't hurt to try!

Bon--its always something!  Hope your arm is ok today.  I refused to go out at night all summer because I was afraid to get a mosquito bite on my mx side arm!  I'd be worried too!

Ginny--Sounds like things are going pretty well for you.  God is good!

Joan--Hope you are rested up and ready to go back to work!  Keep those hands clean and don't touch your eyes, mouth or nose!

Hoping (praying!) for a good week for everyone!

I have only had one tx of the four TC I have to come and I have a question for those of you now done with your tx. 

How long after your last treatment before your wbc are normal and you are feeling like your old self again? My last tx should be mid December and I am thinking of going on a very strenuous road trip mid January. It is to a car show so it's a ton of shotgun driving ( my husband does all the driving) towing a trailer, probably two or three days 10 hours of driving a day. Then when we get there I will be selling in our booth for three days, 10 hours days, then the 2-3 day drive to the next show with selling for 3 days 10 hours a day, then 2-3 days driving home.

Do you think that I am being unrealistic to think I could do this?