April 2011 chemo

Has anyone every heard of receiving Herceptin for a year after the six chemo treatments and receiving it through the port for an entire year? I laid down and went to sleep after my appointment today. Before sleeping, I left a message with the oncologist nurse about what the doctor said about the port. My husband says she called back and said that I needed the port fixed because after my six treatments are done, that I would be on Herceptin for a year every three week through the port. This is the first I have heard about this.

OMG, I thought I would be getting that in pills, didn't know it was through the port.

Does herceptin even come in pills? I feel so stupid. Chemo brains I can't remember them telling me this or reading it. Thanks Windlass, and I will check that out.

Carla, that was brilliant.  My husband was in the french foreign legion and watching him holding it together for me moves me to tears. 

Artiecat!  YAY!!!!  I'm SO glad to hear it!!!! 

Carla, lovely.  I teach writing, and I just think it's so wonderful when we can sit down and get some of our feelings out.  You did just a lovely job. And, thanks for sharing it.  Loved it.

Ah, there's more to respond to, but I read last night and now can't recall all the details.  Chemo brain!  I"ve also been totally naseous.  I don't get it.  I was FINE for 10 weeks on Taxol and Tykerb, and now I'm getting sick.  I wonder if it's just because it all adds up.  ugh.

Ciao for now,friends!

Merilee~ my infusions are about 4 hours too, so no difference there. I'm glad you have the veins to take that many "sticks", I had one bad port week and the IV was a nightmear for me.

I don't mind my time in the chair too much. I have a really busy life working full time still and taking care of my daughters so 4 hours to myself is a good thing even under these circumstances.  I bring my laptop, sometimes for work/sometimes for play.

 Yesterday I had someone in the room with me on her first TC treatment. She is my age and started getting random headaches which led her to the Doctor. She had a brain tumor that came from Lung Cancer she didn't know she had...non smoker healthy life girl. We talked a lot and I told her how well i'd been doing on the same drugs.When she left...(well before me since I still had the neverending Herceptin drip to go) she thanked me and said she felt much better after talking to someone who's already in it.

I didn't get the quiet time i'd come to covet...but I got something better. It was a good day.

Today...the nasty nulasta. I can't wait to be done with that one!

Happy dance back atcha Merilee...you are almost there....ROCK STAR!

Sue

Windlass, found some info on the movie (Living Proof, 2008) on the Lifetime website.

Link:  Living Proof 

Site says no air dates in the next 6 weeks, but it does show as available on Netflix.

Hope everyone is hanging in.  It's been an decent couple days post treatment, but get my Neupogen shot tomorrow...so we'll see.

I picked up a copy of a magazine called "Cure" at the onc's office.  Has some interesting articles.  I subscribed.  There is no charge for people in chemotherapy.

www.curetoday.com

Hi Windlass

Thank you for letting me know about the drug Herceptin not being in pill form and about the movie.

Livingproof  is a movie that  I must check out, thanks CarlaB76 for the link.

Thanks Artiecat for letting us know about the magazine. I love this site, I have learned a lot from you guys. You guys taught me more than my chemo doctor. The walk sounds good I could use one.

Yesterday I thought I was freaking out. I cried all day. Went for blood work and it was fine so #4 is on track for Wednesday. I asked if I could do it early maybe Monday or today and they said no. I think I am just weary of always thinking about cancer and what to do to stay functioning.

Anyone else have a day where they just cried all day? The trigger for me was picking up a scarf my daughter had made for me and I could smell her on it. It reminded me of when she was an infant and I would rock her in her sweet little jammies. I started wishing for the old days when the kids were babies and life was easy. Well, not easy, but easier than this.

Wow Louis - emotional baldness is such a strong image!  And so accurate! 

I had #4 TAC this week.  Actually feel better physically this time than after the others (fingers crossed that it lasts through today!).  But yesterday I had a teary day too.  Not out and out crying, just teariness at silly things.

I too recall rocking my little girls - now my older daughter is "rocking" me through this experience.  It is funny to think about what we think as easier times.  Merilee, you are right they werent really easier - just different and more "normal" - (I dont like to use that word dont think there is such a thing!).

So - we are all together in this warrior women! We can do it!!!!

Hi everyone,

Emotional is just not a big enough word to describe what we are all going through.  I think it's totally normal to cry, to cry all day, to not feel well.  It's a hard pill to swallow.

On a lighter note: I know people have strong opinions of Lady Gaga (positive or negative)...but did anyone see her performance of her new song "hair"?  She performed it bald.  It was pretty powerful.

Taxol has been very kind to me, I am doing it weekly, and so far (fingers crossed) it has been much more manageable than the dreaded AC.

Cheers, KG

I hear you  pawprint girl...I bought the things that tasted good last time and none of them are working this cycle.  Ugh!

Geo-thank God for SSDI for you that is fab. I am appying and the paperwork is taking me forever to fill out because I'm so dingy. Any tips you can share on getting approved?

Emotions- Acts of kindness make me ball, thoughts of it even. Just about anything seems to set me off.

Blood work was good on Fri. So it looks like #4 will happen Wed as planned. Crossing my fingers for an easy one.

Happy dance for all who have completed #4!  Surviving that is an accomplishment!

Fresh fruit, nuts, veggies, organic eggs, Organic oatmeal, Ezekiel bread. All of the above fixed in a variety of ways.