anyone starting chemo in Nov 2005

I forgot-Kaye, you are simply an amazing person, and I continue to pray for you and your family. I truly love and respect you, just as I do with all women on this board. Thank you for your honesty and your courage.
Debbie

Odalys~ It is so nice to hear that your friend went on ten more years. I hope I do the same!!

I don't know if I posted a response to the person that asked me if I was doing alternative, like meditation, etc.
Yes, I am....I try to meditate daily, not much room in my travel trailer for that. (don't know if I mentioned that I live in my travel trailer)I listen to New Age music, I love Cusco, Nicholas Gunn and Enya.

Today I went to the Indian Casino, had so much fun and since I am getting some strength back, managed to stay for about four hours. I ended up coming home with an extra $68.00.

I like the idea of a younger boyfriend......lol....I have an older boyfriend right now, that can't think of anything but drinking beer...and I hate that. He is 60 years old. We have been friends for over eight years. Good thing we never got married because I wouldn't be able to stand his beer breath every day.

Since I am single, I often worry about getting into a new relationship because of the mastectomy on my left side. I never had reconstruction, just wear a silicone prosthetic breast. I think it would be really awkward telling someone I am missing a breast?

Hope all of you are doing well......Hugs, Kaye

Good morning everyone. Hope you are all having a pain free weekend. I am couch bound with the aches and pains from this last Taxotere treatment and Neulasta shot. Hopefully start feeling better tomorrow or Tuesday. It stinks that my down days are on the weekends and we always have so much going on and I don't stay home like I should and rest.

Nancy, I know what you mean about the Neulasta commercial, but it works. I have on my refrigerator the ad where it says "I'm ready", I'm ready to fight my cancer, I'm ready to take on chemotheraphy, I'm ready for a family vacation. I look at each every day and think about our Disney trip in Sept.
Odalys-I believe it that the Taxotere/Neulasta shot laid you up for a week. You have a great attitude that nothing is going to let you down. We will come out winners. I do get the nose bleeds and crusty blood. It is very annoying. I don't know about the blood in urine, although I did spot when I first had Taxotere. Can't hurt to call Onc. on call.
Liz- glad your cold is getting better. I do feel the same way with the steriods. I go from high to low very easily. I feel sorry for my husband and kids. LOL!! They just leave me along then.
Debbie- I talked to my onc. about the energy level and he said I am borderline anemic and to take iron pills. Do you take the iron pills. The constipation is pretty bad from them, right? I know what you mean about the light at the end of the tunnel. I am not seeing that at this point. When you have metastic disease it gets more complicated. I just hope this Taxotere keeps the lung spots inactive and shrink this mass. So who knows how long I will be on chemo. But I will get there, we all will.
Who is having treatment this week?

hugs to all
Kim

Hi everyone:

Good luck to everyone having treatment this week.

Odalys, did you call about the blood in the urine? In the past, when I've had bladder infections this was one of the symptoms along with burning and frequency of wanting to go to the bathroom. I hope you are feeling better.

Wed. will be treatment 5 for me. Last week had low white blood counts (neutrophil # .4), got Neupogen and hopefully my WBC will be high enough for treatment.

All the best

Oh that was too cute!!! "Special Kaye!" My students used to call me that because my last name starts with K.

I feel really good and am EXPECTING to feel as good on Thursday with Taxol/Carbo #4 on Thursday. That's right!!! I'm GOING to feel GOOD!!!!

Mary Lou-Hope you are on the road to improvement-will pray for you especially hard tonight!!!

Kim-I have to get iron through my port every week!!! ICK. I guess it makes me feel better, but I just wish I didn't have one more thing dripping through my body. And yes, it sure does constipate me!!! YIKES!
Love and prayers, Debbie

Hello everyone

Kaye, I'm glad you are feeling better.

Kim, I hope you are feeling better.

Anna, I hope your treatment went well.

Gee Mary you've been through alot lately. I wish you a speedy recovery.

Debbie, all the best to you on your treatment day.

Love to all

Mary Lou- Hope you feel better soon. Taxotere has turned out to be quite a powerful drug. Sending many hugs and positive thoughts your way. Together we can do this.

Sorry to hear you had to go to the hospital, Mary Lou. I hope you are feeling better.



Thank you, Glyn. I went in for that second treatment today and it went okay. Much dozing all day long (Benadryl induced) and now I'm up for the duration (Decadron, I guess).



I taught my daughter to knit while she was visiting over the holiday and I have been knitting ever since. That's all I want to do these days. I have made scarves for everyone in my family and then some, and I am thinking of knitting a throw. I'm going crazy with the knitting.



It's not like I don't have enough other projects I could do with my hands. I am an avid quilter and do everything under the sun, piecing, applique. I have enough ideas to keep me busy for many many years. I also love to watercolor paint. Something keeps me away from my paints now, though. They make me sad.



But right now knitting feels right. No brain power involved. Just comforting repetition. Warm, soft wool. Pretty yarns. Knitting takes me to a very gentle place.



Lucky951, I am on the same program as yours (4 A/Cs, followed by 12 weekly Taxol/Herceptins, followed my multi Herceptins). Feel free to IM me. The Worried About Taxol thread and the HER2 girls thread on the Help Me Get Through Treatment forum are good reading if you want to prepare. Up to now I'm finding it even easier than the A/C. I say even bec. I took EMEND during A/C and never felt nauseous. Queasy, yes, but the Compazine helped there. My nurse asked me all the "have you had any side-effects" questions this morning and when she got to the question about joint pain and I said none yet, she said she doesn't see joint pain with those who get Taxol weekly and who don't get the Neulasta shots. The trade-off is the extra weeks we have to go in. I sure hope she's right about the joint pain not being an issue, though.



I found the effects of A/C cumulative, namely, the fatigue was huge starting after #3, and the desire to hurl whenever I caught sight of those popsicles became overwhelming.



What has been really hard lately, though, is the mental stuff.



I should stop here.



Kim, how are you feeling?



Good luck and my prayers are with you on Wednesday, Glyn, and with you on Thursday, Debbie, and with all my sisters who are going in for treatments this week.



Anna

Are you getting any help for the leg pain, Kim?

In terms of nutrition, I really want to get off the rice, yoghurt and pining for almond toffee plan. I think it's more important to try to stick to good fats (olive oil, etc.), good fibers (whole grains, etc.), lots of veggies and fruit and some key supplements. You don't want to get involved in a plan that's too terribly complicted.

Our local hospital system has programs for cancer patients, all free of charge. There are not only workshops on nutrition for living free of cancer, but also one-on-one sessions with a dietician. Check into your local offerings. Wherever you find cancer support groups should be a good place to start.

Anna

I saw the onc today and he has changed me to Taxol, and back to the every 2 weeks schedule. DD, and back to the Neulasta shot. He thinks the Taxotere was to much for me. I think so too.

You all were speaking of eating better, I have returned to Weight Watchers, they have a core program that is very good. I eat core foods, but count points. I just can't stop when something tastes good.

It is easy and works.....I have many friends that have lost 100+ and 200+ lbs. Check out the wwfamilyforum.com and see for yourself. Scarlett Bee is a friend of mine and also Freemefromfat is another. Moolissa37 is also a great buddy.

Carla, (free me) does the infomercial for the firm now. Weighed 251 and is now at 137, she is a wonderful person. Moo, Moolisa37 is on the 3aday.org site, and has lost I think 116LBS. She is a cool girl too.

And Betty, ScarlettB is a big inspiration, he DH died on the table from GBS. Check out her story too.

I have been back on program for about 3 weeks and have 6 lbs gone so far. I think I was using the cancer as a crutch, and I knew that I needed to fight this from getting me again. I will be as healthy as possible from now on. I have learned a big lesson.

Sorry to go on and on, I just get excited!

Thanks to you all for the well wishes. It really has been a rough few days. I need to know how the Taxol will be, any idias?????? I hate the unknown part of this whole journey.

I have been a cry baby too, glad I did start back on weight watchers, takes my mind off of all this, and makes me feel a little better about myself.

I need to have something in my life that I can control. I want to get ready for my life after cancer, and I don't want to be fat anymore.

If I want to be my best, I must do my best.

Good luck to you all this week sisters, and a big hug to you all....

Special Kaye, if I could I would give you a great "BIG" ((((((HUG))))))

ML

Mary Lou, I hope the Taxol treats you much better than the Taxotere did.
Debbie, it is funny that you asked that question about the lump. According to my PET scan my lump was 5cm. But OMG my boob is huge. I know 5cm is big, but to tell you the truth I don't feel a change in the lump. Onc. said I could have a lot of dead fatty tissue there and that is what I could be feeling. He didn't seem worried I still feel like this thing is huge. Worries me though. Also, when you have mets like I do, they are more concerned with what the medicine is doing to the mets spots.

I'm curious, how big were all your lumps?

hugs,
Kim

Kim, My lump never got an official measurement. They thought originally that it was 2.5 cm, but when I had the breast MRI, they found that it extended to my chest wall, and is anywhere between 5-7 cm. They won't give me a measurement. I wasn't feeling a difference in the lump until I started the taxol/carbo.

Mary Lou, Well, funny you should ask about hair, etc. My hair is growing back on my head and legs (BUMMER about the legs!!), but I noticed today that my eyelashes are going?!?!?!?!? ACK. Also, my fingernails get progressively more and more icky each day. But you will FEEL better!!! Remember that!! I'm willing to have icky fingernails in exchange for feeling normal, and having a now insatiable appetite!!!
Gotta go-Daniel is awake (about an hour too soon!!! Gheesh, the kid just doesn't nap anymore!!!).
Love and prayers, Debbie

It's been weeks since my last post - dealing with depression and anxiety. I am also having alot of pain on the mastectomy site (surgery was 10/28/05). I received 4th treatment of ACF on Jan 30 and Neulasta shot on the 31. I am scheduled for bone scan & MRI tomorrow.
I do find strength in reading everyone's posts.
Thanks to all!!
LAT56

Well, I am late to the party. 38 yo, Stage II, multi-focal, mastectomy, 5 nodes, er+,pr+,her2+++. I started my 4 rounds DD AC on Nov. 15th. I am now on week 3 out of 12 taxol plus herceptin. Definitly easier than AC. Starting rads next week. Will see if both together will be too much. Are we having fun yet?

Best wishes to all of you! Sometimes this is so hard. Relaying all of these experiences sure helps take the sting out of it.

Hi ladies, I'm feeling pretty good this week. Even went to a Rolling Stones concert last night (bought the tickets before I was diagnosed). Had my 3 mo follow-up with my breast surgeon yesterday. He said my temp implants look really good and the real ones will look even better. We discussed whether I should have radiation after chemo. He doesn't think I need to have radiation but I am still on the fence. My radiation oncologist said I am in a gray area but has no problem with me also getting radiation. I am going to ask my oncologist next week for his opinion. I just can't decide whether to have radiation or not. I will probably end up going with my gut which will be to error on the side of caution and get radiation also. Anyway, I am not having too many side effects from the Taxol the 2d week. The first 4 to 5 days after treatment seem to be the worst with body aches and pains. I am scheduled for my 2d Taxol on Monday. Hope everyone is doing well with their treatments this week.