February 2011 chemo pals

That's hilarious, Michelle.  I'll try to keep that in mind when they take mine off, too.  I think it's the Taxol that dries us out, spinach helps me, but it's still kind of a pain a lot of the time.  GG

pejkug: I got a couple nice little inspirational books, my aunt made me a really nice relaxation box that had lavender soaps and sprays and relaxation tea and relaxation cd's in it...that was a fun gift. Willow tree angels are very nice too, some of the smaller ones are entitled healing and things like that...

I gained about 13 lbs, can't get motivated to start working it off either! Nerves over upcoming appts and surgery...Also I am stuck 2 hrs away from home with son in hospital in Erie...the wound from his surgery when he broke his leg got infected. We are here until Wed and I have to leave here and go to Buffalo tomorrow fro MRI and mammo...I am nervous bc it is a closed MRI...i am claustrophobic and cant get medication bc I have to drive myself since I am going from here...feeling very misplaced right now!

Have a head a grey fuzzy hair growing...missing the blonde, but I guess that why they make loreal...didnt miss the underarm hair though, that could have stayed away!

Done!  Last TAC yesterday. Just got to crawl back in and get my Neulasta shot this afternoon and then I can hit the bed.

Gah...unexpected news at the RO today.  I posted about it here:  http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/70/topic/770333 

I'm trying to cram summer into three weeks.  If I go get to do rads, I'll start July 5.  SO we're off to the pool tomorrow. 

Doing good with SE on this last round, dropping a bit of weight from the Big D but I'll expect that to return in a couple weeks.    Man, I'll be glad to be done with chemo SE!

pejkug3 - I couldn't get your link to work, but from your comments, I suspect you need RADS when you didn't expect it.  I will be having rads after chemo too.   

Taxol #9 for me tomorrow - also final got insurance approval for the BRCA test.  No relatives on either side of my huge (really) family with BC or OC so MO didn't think it was necessary b/c I have little to no risk.  Really?  Why wouldn't I want to make sure?  No, I'd rather not have more surgery if necessary, but I was only 40 at DX so let's just make sure for crying out loud!  B/c my anxiety isn't already off the charts  ... UG!

I didn;t get music with my MRI. I started counting. I counted to 1000. I thought, it surely can't last that long. I made it all the way there. When I told the tech that I did that, she laughed and said, no one had ever done that before.

I for sure, would have loved some Greed Day!

Happy Birthday to me! I'm 27 today. It feels good to have a birthday. I hope for many  more. 

I hope your chemo goes well tomorrow MamaV!

Happy Birthday, Melanie!!

About my rads - I knew I'd need rads.  But when I saw the RO yesterday, he told me that the usual kind of rads they use, he couldn't use for me due to me being large breasted and the location of my scars.  My heart is in the way.  He said that he may be able to use IMRT, but he wasn't sure.  And if he couldn't miss most of my heart, I may have to skip rads.  HUH?!  I certainly didn't see this coming.

My tumor was officially sized at 0.5cm, 3 o'clock position, 15cm from the nipple.  Certainly others have had similar placement and had rads. 

Now, I have been thinking this over - he much have some hope for me since he has me going for a mammo on Tuesday and returning to his office.  So maybe I'm overreacting?

Anyone else already have another mammo?  The fateful mammo that changed my life was on January 5.  The MO said annual mammos were fine.  The RO said he wanted them every 6 months to monitor changes, not really look for cancer.

OK, so I thought I would post separately about the exercise and weight loss discussion.  Should I go ahead and start a separate thread?  I lost almost 20 pounds at the end of last year and just about all of it is back, and there is no flippin way I am going to stay this way, cancer or no cancer.  I so get that during chemo we can't worry about the weight gain, and obviously I kept that in the back of my mind since I just about gained it all back.

 But post chemo and even during rads, I think most people can start working on a plan to lose any weight they gained.  You don't have to be a runner or start taking classes or starve yourself, but maybe we can put a group together than is committed to making small incremental changes each week.

Example: everyone go get a pedometer.  Start with no changes and see what your average daily steps are.  Then set a goal of 10% improvement each week.  So if you typically take 3,000 steps a day, you now shoot for 3,300.  And if you're not there by the afternoon, then go walk around the block, take the long way back from the mailbox, whatever.  We could make similar commitments in terms of food.

Let me know what you think!

Alison 

Happy Birthday, Melanie!!!!!  May it be your best ever!

You have the cutest avatar; beautiful smile.

I had a breast MRI on Tuesday but was advised to take Ativan prior to the procedure.  That's because the previous two MRIs  I'd had caused me severe panic attacks.  I am not the type person where I thought an MRI would ever bother me, but they really did.  I think one reason is I was in the  position of lying face-down.  Anyway, after taking Ativan this time I practically fell asleep and everything went much quicker.   

Happy Birthday Mel! 

Alison, please take the inititive. I will be joining, although I do still have surgery to go yet so I'll keep up with the things that I can. My legs aren't broken. This year started so badly I would really like to get a jump on next year.

Taxotere #2 is behind me, it was so much better than the first one. The longest SE is the mouth/tastebud thing I've heard you all complain about. No neuropathy this time and much less pain. Still feeling pretty energized so I'm going to try and catch up on some dusting and weeding.

Have a wonderful day chemo troopers! 

Good luck today MamaV!

I started Tamoxifen yesterday and the initial SE brought back memories of A/C after effects that are still so fresh in my memory... 

Hoping for a good week for you with no side effects! 

Hang in there those finishing up. I am glad to be done w/ TCH. It's now over 2 wks out and gets better each day. Almost got my taste for food back- my legs are weak at times. It is getting better.

Got my first 3 wk Herceptin yesterday. I was a little tired- but nothing like TCH.

I need help on nutrition and exercise too. I did contact a nutrionist for help and information. Trying to build up my hemoglobin now to get my exchange surgery in 3 weeks. 

Hope yall are having a good day! Hang in there fellow warriors!

Lisa

Thanks for the birthday wishes!

Start a new thread Alison! I'll join! I lost about 15 pounds after diagnosis but have gained it all back. =( So I'd like to lose it again. Sounds like a good plan.

For now I'm getting a mammo every 6 months. I had one a few weeks ago and it came back as BI-RADS 2. It showed surgical changes and that was basically it. I did ask at my last follow up for a repeat PET or MRI sometine in the near future. My ONC was fine with it, but wants to wait at least 5 months if I'm not having any symptoms. He said radiation would just light up the whole screen. So I'm ok with that. I also go back in November for a repeat mammo.

I'm 4 weeks out from chemo and starting to feel pretty good. My legs were so shot for about 3 weeks. I was so weak. But I'm starting to get back into the groove of everyday life. Now I'm just dealing with Lymphedema which is no picnic. And I start radiation next week, so back into the throes of cancer world. 

Good luck today MamaV!  You can do it! I would say..only 3 more! But I hated when people said that to me, so just pretend I didn't say anything. It will be tough, but I believe you will make it through. Then we'll all be here to celebrate with you. 

dragonfly- i still have taxotears too! Ugh...I always feel like people think I'm crying all the time. haha. Hopefully that dries up soon. 

Oh and my radiation is on my right side, so he said we don't have to worry about the heart. And that's all that was said. He just told me about damage to the lung. I hope it works out for those facing that decision! 

MamaV and Mel I also find it annoying now that I've finished chemo that people at work all make comments implying that I should be absolutely fine now as if all the effects are gone the minute you finish chemo and you should be completely back to normal now! Hmmm, excuse me but I'm still having side effects from chemo (just look at the taxotears streaming down my anemic face:), I've been put into menopause at 41, I'm beginning radiation and soon I'll be put on Tamoxifen with another whole set of side effects that I don't even want to think about. Some days I feel like I'm just going to throttle someone!!! Honestly, it's a wonder we all stay in control through all of this. I was driving to work today in Long Island traffic and had images of Kathy Bates from "Fried Green Tomatos"...Remember when she reached her breaking point and starting ramming her car into another car after someone stole her parking space? Don't worry...I'm in control. In fact, I think this journey makes us superhuman when it comes to handling stress...