Chemo June 2010

Sherry: Yes,  I have a little hair growing - not much. Short on the sides and top, a bit longer in the back.  I am 2 months post chemo and hoped I would have more by now but oh well. It started coming in white (as did my lashes) but now the color is returning.  Good luck with the scan.

Gin - sorry you are having to deal with the dementia with your Mom but what a great attitude you have!  I am glad you can find humor in her stories.  Hang int here my friend.

Sherry - yes I have hair coming back.  I have been told I look just like Jamie Lee Curtis because it is very short and very grey.  I asked the onc last week about how long before I could color it and he said I should probably wait about 4-6 months.  It is getting darker every week so hopefully it won't stay all grey.

As for the sore bones and joints.  Geez I feel like an old woman.  Whenever I get out of a chair I have to walk flat footed for a few steps to get the joints moving.  I have been walking the dog a lot this weekend trying to stay active.  It seems to help some but at the same time I am still struggling with fatigue too.  What a journey we are on, huh?

Yesterday I dyed my 1.5 inch long grey hair and I dyed it PLATINUM. Its a little too wild and punk for me, but fun. I think I will have to do somethingmore conservative.

I'm back! Into surgery at 5.20PM yesterday and discharged at 8.30am today. so quick! anyway, i'm a bit sore and swollen, but otherwise OK (and my throat got bruised from the tubing). Movement isn't too restricted. breast is blue (from SNB dye - apparently last night my face was blue too), and breast looks OK (but is taped up so can't see much). incision where nodes were removed is still quite weepy and I am using a sanitary pad to collect the excess, i don't have a drain... (the nurses said the amount of discharge is normal). The surgeon did a lumpectomy, and removed the sentinal node plus a few more (I couldn't pin him down to an exact number for some reason, but maybe the pathology report will say?). the sentinel node looked clear, but still need final pathology to be sure. I have been told to take it easy for the next week or two, no driving, and to do whatever else i feel i can do but not if it hurts me.

about hair etc - today i plucked out my last 3 eyelashes  - i decided they looked silly!

latte--glad you ae back home and doing well.  Make sure you follow the doc's orders! 

Latte- glad to hear from you and glad your surgery went well.

Interesting to hear what everyone is saying about hair and dyeing it.  I don;t know what I'll do.

Funny story.  I work in an elementary school with First grade and have been wearing head scarves all the time.  On Friday I was showing the kids a picture from two years ago.  I was in it along with a wild turkey that showed up one morning as the kids were getting to school.  The kids thought the turkey was interesting.  The funny part was that they told me I looked weird with hair!    I'm glad they can accept me as I am.

Ok ladies, I am heading out to NJ for the last trip before radiation today.  Anyone want to bet how the TSA screening experience goes this week?  Even our Columbus OH airport has the new full body scanners.  I am thinking I will just tell them going in I have implants/expanders under the skin and they are going to see them.  I hate this even more today because of the "deflation" they did last week.  Ughh.. 

 You have to love my son though his outlook on this was precious.  He says "Mom I just think God wanted you to have the full experience.  This is your chance to see what 80 year old boobies would look like since you aren't going to have 80 year old ones.  Remember Mom when you are 80 yours won't be for 40 yet and will still be perky!"  Out of the mouth of babes (even if they are 24!) 

 On the hair topic - I was so tempted to try and color it myself last night as I have completely abandoned the hats and scarves now and the staff in NJ hasn't seen me without them yet.  I seriously have the Jamie Lee Curtis look going on.  Honestly it isn't a bad look and I just don't have the energy or the gumption to color my hair.  Who knew I was this stubborn?  LOL.  Anyway, I am going with it this color for now and will see where it leads me. 

Designermom, let us know how that hair dye works for you. I looked at that brand and wondered about it. Like you, I like the all natural aspect.

Still didn't dye my hair, but think I will try it this weekend.  I'll let you guys know how it goes.

About those scanners.  I have read statements from a couple cancer survivors who say they will NOT go through the scanners because of the radiation exposure.  As many of us have already had SO much radiation, we need to all be vigilant about avoiding unecessary scans, dental x-rays etc...  I will be choosing the pat down instead of the scans.....maybe I'll get lucky and get a cute, free thrill!  The enclosed article was a real wake up call for me explaining how Americans get way too much radiation exposure (often so doctors avoid lawsuits). Too much cumulative radiation puts us at risk for getting cancer.

AMERICANS GET MOST RADIATION FROM MEDICAL SCANS

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/14/radiation-health-american_n_611035.html

Hello my friends. As I write this I am waiting on my daughter to come get me and take me to the hospital.  Had a very rough weekend with much pain in left shoulder and rib area.  Difficulty breathing - low grade temp.  Had my bone scan yesterday and it came back clean.  Onc called me at noon to tell me and then asked a bunch of questions about my new symptoms.  He said he was worried about a blood clot in my lung on left side, so i had to go back to his office and have a CT scan of my chest.  No blood clot but he discovered quite a bit of fluid collecting just underneath my left lung.  He told me he was puzzled by that and concerned as to what it is and what caused it.  Today I go to the hospital to have the fluid drained and sent for biopsy.  I told my onc that he deserved a big raise because he has to have me for his patient!

Hi Gals,

Latte, so glad the surgery is over and done.  Keep us posted on how you are doing.

Sherry, take care and let us know what is happening with you.

I had an emergency appt at the lymphedema clinic and now am bandaged from fingers to shoulder.  It felt so good to have it massaged and hopefully clear the extra fluid.  I have 2 more appts at the end of the month to learn self wrapping too.  21 down, 4 more plus 5 boosts.  My skin is looking like fried bacon but it hasn't (hope hope) broken down yet.

Love and Hugs, Mimi 

sherry-  You just can't get a break!  I am praying for you.  Let's just hope this is another one  of your "unique" delayed SE from chemo.  Let us know how things go.

Rads were delayed 1 1/2 hours today.  My normally cheerful self is about to get up and leave!  I'm getting cranky....at least at the rads center.

Praying for you Sherry!

Sherry,  I am so sorry you are having such a hard time with all of this.  Chemo is truly as frightening as having the cancer.  I pray that your Dr. will get this figured out and cleared up quickly and you will start feeling better.

Welcome LLL to the Crazy, Nutty, Insanely Bizarre June Chemo Girls.  We have all gone through so much that we do not recognize ourselves anymore, but,hey, we have a bunch of new best friends.   This is truly a club that is necessary to survive being a survivor.

The latest on my Mom and her dementia.  She is now putting her Depends on the outside of her clothes because she says it is much easier.  I keep trying to explain to her that she is now wetting her clothes when she does that.  She said she might just start wearing the depends only and boy what a picture that gives me.  She tells everyone that she owns a Huge estate and is friends with George W. Bush.  She did write him a letter once.   Last week we went to the orthopedic Dr. to check her femur fracture and when he asked her why she was there to see him/ She answered, I came to get a pedicure and kicked off her shoes to show him her toes and toenails that do need some work.  Well, I will post more of Julia's shenanigans soon.

Jackie,  I hope they don't do body cavity searches on your airport jaunts.  That could get really messy.  

Last Friday I was having a really bad day and told my DH that you know you are having a bad day when even your wig is having a bad hair day.  Honestly, I could not do a thing with it all day, but Saturday it behaved nicely.  How strange!!!

DMom,  Please let us know about the Henna Hair Dye because I really need some help.  My hair is coming in pretty fast and is almost all white with about 10% dark.  It really looks strange beause I have not seen any gray in it for a long time as I have been coloring it for about 16 yrs since it first starting graying.  I hope the natural works because I do not want to put more chemicals in my body----Chemo was enough!!!!!

Latte,  So glad you have made it through surgery.  Heal fast and feel good my friend!!!!

Yesterday was my last rads treatment and we had a party at work and some of my co-workers showed up after treatment when I went to ring the bell.  They have all been so supportive and wonderful to me.  I am trying to get back to normal at work as quickly as I can so I can help more.  We are incredibly busy at the end of the year each year.   My DH and I are going to the coast to Brookgreen Gardens to see the Christmas lights the weekend of Dec. 10th.    Can't wait to do somethings that are more normal.   We have a big family meal Thanksgiving also that will be fun.  Happy Thanksgiving in advance to all of you!!!!!!

Well, gotta go now but will post back soon.  Ginny

Designer Mom,   Thanks for the recognition.   Laugh all you want with Julia and her craziness.  She and I laugh all the time.   It is sad that she knows she isn't right but for the life of her can't figure out what is wrong.  I am thankful that she is doing as well as she is because so many with this disease are so much worse.  She has a great appetite,  gets around good,  and still knows everybody but can't keep anything straight and gets so totally whacked when trying to do the simplest thing such as taking a bath.  I am putting her clothes out daily for her because she can no longer pick out clothes.  She puts on 3-4 pairs of pants and 3-4 shirts whenever left to her own devices and then puts the depends on over all of that.  It really kind of looks like a weird Halloween get-up.