Is there a July 2011 group?

rabbit...I got your friend request.  I am 30.  I had a breakdown on my birthday because I was no longer going to be 20 something and blah blah blah.  I laugh about it now because now I want to get older.  I keep hearing myself tell people...hey..Im ONLY 30.  So I guess cancer helped that part out with me. 

I am doing good!  I picked up my wig today but I dont know how often I will wear it but I have it just in case.  All of my SEs have been gone for a while.  Looks like I will have a bad week and two good ones!!  Thats what I hope for anyway.  I am losing hair in lotsa places.  I buzzed my head when I started having alot of stray hairs but the lint roller only seems to be getting a few here and there.  Maybe all I was going to do was shed, lol.  We will see how this week goes.  I def have hair loss "down south".  Very interesting, lol.

Hope everyone has a good day!!!!  And I agree...lets all kick some cancer butt!!!

Hi,

 I am starting chemo on 19^th (A/C 4 times every 2 weeks followed by 12 weekly Taxol).

I will use the Penguin Cold Caps to preserve my hair (so far struggling during practice to fit the caps on schedule), hypothermia gloves and slippers aid to preserve my nails (onycholysils), and a freezer full of healing meals from Rebecca Katz's book The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen (Dealing with Taste Changes during Chemotheraphy)  Anyone with similar plans?

Hi Ladies - glad to hear you all are managing your SE's, I'm hanging in there and am back to my normal work schedule.  Just a few on the minor league SE's hanging on but will get through them.

To all of you out here that are having problems sleeping, Melatonin is a great supplement to add before bedtime and it will not make you feel poorly the next day.  at least 5mcg, I take 10mcg

also another alternative is the medicinal marijuana edibles.  I know I'm lucky I live in California, but truly   they help with sleep and nausea.

Allenan, not sure why, but before they started my chemo, my onco requested a bone scan and CT scan .... all clear YEAH, but I guess each onco does it differently. I've been injected with so much radioactive crap in the last month I probably glow at night! 

I'm having major headaches and starting to wonder if I shouldn't press for a brain scan, I asked my onco after the CT if it covered the brain because I was having lots of headaches and he said I shouldn't worry about that. I was just debating when I go in tomorrow to ask his PA when I get bloodwork, if we should look into that more, headaches are really bad lately. Probably stress, chemo, the 100+ temps here etc. but better safe than sorry. 

I think having BC makes us all a bit of a hypochondriac, but rightfully so. It's scary knowing our bodies can produce cancer cells, it sucks! 

Snoopy 73, definitely lets meet up. I work for myself in Stoneham. Having lousy Se's- thrush that is gross, joint pains, bone pain, face pain, jaw pain, neck pain, headache, heel pain...etc. HAve percoset and it helps but not as much as I would like.Going to read the screenpaly "A Fish called Wanda" to distract myself. I need to get my wrok ready for open studios this weekend but I jsut can't do it today.

I know people may have posted this but here are 2 places that send you free scarves...

http://www.heavenlyhats.com/heavenlyhats/request+a+hat+package/default.asp

GoodWishes <goodwishes@franceluxe.com>

the good wishes one had dupioni silk scarves too...jsut look at their websites.

Mybest..hoping tomorrow will be better.

Susan

Good evening everyone!  I had my first chemo yesterday and it wasn't as bad as I expected.  I had the TCH combo and sat in the chair from 9-4:30.  Just way to loooong!!!  The nurses were fabulous, but the other patients were how do I say...rather rude.  Not friendly at all.  I was really surprised by this.  I smiled at a few and they either looked away or gave me the stink-eye!  I wanted to compliment a woman who had a beautiful turban and scarf combo - because I'm gonna be just like her (hairless - yet hopefully not as miserable) next chemo and figured the h*** with it! It's gonna be a long year.  I'm 50 yet I felt like a young person there. 

I couldn't sleep at night, but I woke up rarin' to go and went shopping for half the day.  Felt great.  When we got home, I received a phone call that the center had been trying to reach me that my counts were already low and I needed a Neulasta shot NOW!  Oh well...now I'm starting to feel yucky.  Kinda hard to swallow, heartburn, achy, tired.  SE's starting to settle in I guess.  I was really on a high for a while.  What a roller coaster ride.....

ps...mommaof4 ....hey.....massage, accupuncture, cold mitts....I am so jealous.   Enjoy every pleasure and comfort - you are intitled to it and deserve it! 

Take care fellow pink sisters and wishing all....pleasant days with minimal SE's.

Hi mommaof4- day 1 of chemo was ok.  Day 2 was still ok until evening when I was hit by sudden drain of energy.  I was reading on the sofa and my body went limp and tummy felt so bloated.  Could not have dinner until 9 pm when I forced it down.  Went to bed at 9.30 pm.  But sleep was no good as I woke up 5 times to go toilet.  Day 3 this morning - still feeling tired but at least I can eat something.  Pray yoou have minimal or no SEs

I just have to share what happened to me at work today. I work for an hourly wage at a good sized non-profit. I ran out of leave and have been subsisting on fewer hours hoping that short-term disability would help out. They said that if I am working even one hour then I obviously don't need their help. My HR person contacted me today to discuss further options. She said that I could stop working and short term disability would pay me 2/3 of my paycheck or we could ask my coworkers to donate sick/medical leave. I went with option two thinking that if a good number of people donated a day or two each then I would be set. HR called me about 30 minutes after sending out the email asking for their help and she was in tears. The outpouring of support astounded her. I am so lucky that I work with such great people and by how much they care. I even cried a little and I've been so happy-go-lucky that they were a bit surprised. I didn't even cry when I was diagnosed or after having surgery. But this got to me.

shineypop, you just don't know how many people care for you until you need a little help.  Congrats on the outpouring of support.  You also may wish to file a case with the FMLA - Family Liberal Leave Act.  My husband has had some experience with employees at his work with extended ilnesses like us. This law protects you in case you need additional leave possibly with/or without pay.  It guarantees you a job when you return.  I hope this helps.

Hi everyone.  I started neo-adjuvant chemo on July 5th.  Adriamycin and Cytoxan.  I have 16 weeks every other week.  It hasn't been as bad as I was afraid it would be.  A little nausea, a lot of fatigue.  I haven't lost any of my hair yet, but I did go and have a Pixie cut last Friday.  I felt more in control that way.  Looking forward to getting to know everyone!

Good day with side effects turning into a weird night... I started feeling really down and overwhelmed tonight. My house just seems so chaotic and out of control I have a tight lump in my throat/esophogus, and my body just feels achy and strange. I took a couple of Ativan to help me sleep... Thinking of All you inspirational, strong ladies... you're truly giving me the hope of getting through this </p>

Mommaof4 I felt terrible last nite too n just dropped everything and went to bed.

Good luck to everyone who has chemo, port placement, or other procedures today.  We are strong and will get through this together!

 Can I start a totally random conversation here?  What are you reading/doing during chemo/recovery?  I'm reading "Connecting Kids to History through Museum Exhibitions" and a couple of totally fluffy mysteries and sci-fi novels.  I've got my shawl, socks, books, and tunes almost ready to go for tomorrow!  I can't wait to get this show on the road so I can be better and my poor husband can have his surgery.

 Cheers!

TeriAC- just relax and take a breather. I am sorry that I can't say that I have started yet but I will on Monday. Just remember you are just getting started and you have already been through sooo much in your life that this beginning of chemo is not going to get you down. You will make it through with flying colors. I can't wait to hear you say just like so many that have started already on this july board say "It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought"

So hears to wishing you a Good First Chemo Day!

TeriAC - They did tell me I might have a reaction to the Taxotere. They have to warn you of it, but I don't think it happens that often. If it does, the nurses know how to handle it and will get you through safely. I actually did not realize they had started the Taxotere until I was 10-15 minutes into it, which helped me to not feel so anxious about it.

shinypop - love the story about your coworkers helping you out. My company does not have that kind of program, but everyone has been very caring and helpful in other ways. I am just sorry it is not the same for everyone.

A couple of other things - I think we are all looking to see how similar or different our situations are from each other. I don't have a port - the IV into my arm went fine last week. I'm sure each facility/Dr. has different policies. I also have not had a PET scan or CAT scan. Was never even mentioned. Again, different places, different policies. I did have an MRI and MRI biopsy prior to mastectomy, though.

What a ride this is. So much information and so many experiences in such a short period of time. I still feel like I am adjusting to the whole idea of BC - but having to go through all of the treatment at the same time. Be kind to yourselves and surround yourselves with people who love and support you. Those are the things that lift me up.

Ah - as to the reading question - I completely lost my ability/interest to focus on anything more complicated than a magazine article. Hope I'll get back to reading a real book one of these days. Oh, a friend sent me the most fun/unusual gift - a couple of Wonder Woman comic books!

Ann