Chemo June 2010

Bon

I completely get now why the Onc originally said he hesitated to do scans because they often led to areas of concern that were hard to distinquish.  I am actually comfortable waiting for another (3) months and seeing what changes (if any) happen.  What I know about mets is that if it is mets the pain will progress.  Not that I want pain but I am ok waiting and seeing.

You guys are the best. 

I started chemo today 6/2.  Port placed yesterday

AC every other week x 4; Taxol every other week x 4. radiation to follow

Sarah T-  Welcome.... we all know what you are going through and send you our best wishes.  Any questions you have feel free to post.  We want to help you !

Chey and Jackie AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!

That is the sound of me screaming from the shores of Long Island.  I want the world to stop beating both of you up ! 

Jackie- I believe you are just full of non cancerous holes and cysts and nodes.  I believe your next scan will be clean.  But, I believe 3 months of waiting is h#ll.

Chey- I don't know how you survive the pain of the loss you and your sister are suffering.  But, I believe you are a strong creative woman who will find a way.

oh Chey---I just don't know what to say. I am SO sorry!  Your family has been through so much already.  I am lifting you up in prayer--May God wrap His arms around you and your sister and carry you through this difficult time.  Love you!

Jackie--sorry you didn't get definite answers, but glad you are ok with the waiting.  I think you are ready to just get on and enjoy life!

Sarah--we all started chemo a year ago this month, and would be very happy to help you in any way we could. You have the same chemo I had, and I had rads also.  Please ask any questions you have, and you can send me a pm (private message) also!

Love you all!

Chey my dear - I am so sorry about the loss of Rick.  We wil keep you and your sister in our prayers.  Remember that the wind on your cheek is really the flutter of angel wings.  Now that you both have a special angel feel the wind my friend! 

Sara and Birdy - welcome to our group.  We certainly understand where you both are in the process and will lend any support we can.  Just remember that healing comes with the process so getting through it is important.  Keep your outlook positive and your smile on and remember that each day is a new chance for sunshine!

As for my situation - I am convinced it is all good.   I think God is teaching me a lesson that when Onc says he avoids scans because it ends up leading to more questions than answers he is right.  I am good with the waiting game and determined to keep smiling! 

Hugs!

BirdyRobyn-  I'm an ILC gal also.  It takes a long time to figure our all the doctors are telling you.  When it is all said and done we all ended up with similar treatments even though we are from all over the world on this group.  My two big pieces of advice are take whatever anti nausea meds the doc prescribes for chemo, keep a notebook and write everything down and drink more water than you ever thought humanly possible to drink. 

Dmom-  Does not sound like a great vacation.  Good luck getting the place back in shape.

My daughter will be going on date #2 tonight.  She still won't talk to me.  She wants to join a gym this summer and take Zumba classes.  She has suggested I join too.  So, I will be Zumbaing in order to try to bond with my daughter.

Dmom you're right.  She may not want to talk to me about her dates.  But, at least she is willing to be seen in public with me.  There is hope

Update on the life coach plan.  I try really hard to avoid spending money so the first thing I did was research life coaching on the internet.  I got 5 free life coaching lessons from a Leslie Gebhart sent to my email.  I have printed them out and tucked them away for later.  After reading the first two I became anxious and depressed.  So, then I knew I had to try to slay those demons before I could move on to life coaching.  After doing more internet searching and spending alot of time looking at book exerpts and book critiques on Amazon I picked up the book What You Can Change...and What You Can't.  It talks about what studies have shown as effective forms of self improvement.  I have read it through quickly and will try the anxiety ideas as well and the depression ideas.  The life coaching idea is on hold for now.

Hi Renee !!!  So good to hear from you !  I always wonder how the ladies we don't hear from as often are doing.  I have curly grey hair too.  I did dye it brown and it needs to be done again.  I think my hair is averaging a quater inch a month.  It will be a long time before I have as much hair as I want !  Glad you are staying away from the cigs.  That must be tough.  I am on Tamoxifen and don't really notice any changes.  How has the weather been for you this Spring ?

Hi girls!  Long time, no talk.  I hope you're all doing well.  I've been busy, working and doing stuff.  I had my bone scan and CT scan of my abdomen last month.  Everything came back clear!  YAY!!!  The pain in my leg has subsided.  I really wonder what all this chemo and rads did to our bodies.  I'm sure it will take a while to get back to "normal" ... whatever that is anymore! 

We did the Susan G Komen walk in Las Vegas.  My survivor friends and I had about 35-40 people on our team.  One of my friends got stuck trying to fly back to Vegas and didn't make the walk.  There were a ton of people there.  We had these really cool t-shirts made up for our team, The Pink Ribbon Mafia, "Going Gangster on Cancer!"  My mom and cousin took the short cut without telling us and ran into some reporters.  They got on the news.  Afterward they kept saying that they wanted my husband interviewed because he designed the shirts!  WHAT???  Even my husband thought that was the most ridiculous thing he's heard.  It's a breast cancer walk and I had breast cancer... TWICE!!!  And I've done public speaking for Susan G Komen.  Oh well, whatever.  I had a lot of friends there that walked for me and that made me feel really great.  Even our friend Joe walked with his neck brace (he broke his neck a few months ago).  He had surgery and is doing better.  Thank God he's alive!!!

One of my survivor friends here in Vegas has taken a turn for the worse.  She has stage 4 BC (triple negative).  She's had BC twice and has liver mets.  She's been struggling since last November.  Our onco has put her on every chemo imaginable.  She is no longer getting chemo and has hospice coming to the house.  I am sooooo sad for her and her family.  She is a wonderful person, very graceful and composed.  Her husband doesn't think she will last much longer.  I hate cancer!!!!! 

I was supposed to have my hysterectomy/oopherectomy on May 18th.  2 days before the surgery, my obgyn's nurse calls and says the gyn onco got "called out of town" and they needed to reschedule my appointment.  It wasn't an appointment, it was surgery!!!  So, I did the crazy patient thing and went to the gyn onco's office to confront them.  They offered me nothing!  Ugh!  I had already gone to the hospital twice to do paperwork, labs and x-rays.  They wanted to reschedule it for June 6th, but I pushed it out to July 20th.  We have a vacation planned for July 4th and I don't want to cancel it again.  I've canceled the same trip the last 2 years because of breast cancer. 

It's good to get caught up with everyone (although I must admit that I need to read the last 3 pages).  I have to go to bed because I'm seeing my plastic surgeon in the morning to deal with my poor hardened foob from radiation.  I'll probably need surgery to fix it.  I'm going to ask if I can have it done while I'm under for my hysterectomy.  Doesn't hurt to ask. 

I love you gals and miss you!!!! 

Hi Sisters: Just checking in to say hi. Caught up on the ups and downs of everyone - what a CRAZY year it's been, huh?  I was at a meeting today with two survivors - one for 29 years and one for 32 years, so I was inhaling their good karma and I send it your way.  My hair is back - it looks old-ladyish but what the hell, I'm not complaining. Otherwise I feel great, healthy, knock on wood.  I have gotten active with National Breast Cancer Coalition which is pushing for a cure by 2020 - about time, huh?  For the newbies on chemo - my advice is: take any drugs they give you and don't be a heroine.  You are ALREADY a  heroine, so you don't have anything to prove!

Kitty!  Toni!  So good to hear from you!  You both sound like you are busy getting on with life.  Good for you!

Renee, toni, kitty--good to hear from you!  Hope more ladies check in to let us know how you are doing.

My hair is getting some of it's blonde color back!  I got it cut a few weeks ago to shape it up better.  Mostly straight, but some weird waves that are hard to tame down!  A while back I lost some eyelashes again, and then they all grew back, and today I lost a few lower lashes!  I was hoping I wouldn't lose any again!  Hopefully it was just those few.

I still don't sweat as much as I used to--must be a menopause thing?  I can get by with a cheap deodorant, when I used to have to buy the expensive clinical stuff.  Also the hair on my legs takes longer to grow and is more sparse.  Just weird little things that have changed!

I have been searching for a mastectomy swimsuit. Land's End has some, but of course they are too small.  I hate to order from a store I can't easily return to, but I might have to.  Monday I'll call the place where I got my bras and prosthesis to see if they have any my size. I remember seeing a small selection there.  I don't swim often, but I'd like one for the hot tub when we go on vacation in July!  And I might start using the pool at my daughter's apartment building--good exercise

My grandsons are doing great!  I'm not needed as much for babysitting so I have had some time to do other things, like volunteering at church again.  The children's pastor is a friend of mine and I help her with her copying and such.  I have also been getting out for lunch with some friends. I'm not looking forward to going back to work in Sept.!

Please say a prayer for my dd's best friend.  She is 19 and waiting for biopsy results for Melanoma.  The first test took several weeks and they think it might be melanoma, but needed another sample to test. She had more removed from her leg on Monday.  She is leaving in about 2 weeks to go to Asia for a month on a mission trip.  I'm praying for B9!!

Take care ladies!

Tina

My husband started treatment June 8th. TC (taxotere/cytoxan) 4Tx-3 weeks apart. Yesterday was his first at home neupogen shot and last night he was in such immense pain all over his body that he had to resort to thy oxycodone which he hates! Tomorrow is another neupogen shot and I hope it is not as bad! He says this is the worst side effect so far. I am not sure if it is bone pain or just joint pain? I see some of you recommend claratin. His onc never mentioned it. Today he is so fatigued, he is resting.

Happy Birthday!



Thanks for the advice, I have been reading about it in the threads and am going to pick some up this afternoon along with a NEW toothbrush for him! </p>