February 2011 chemo pals

Add me to the Albino hair club!  Had to shave my legs this weekend for the first time in 6 months! And the hair on my head looks ridiculous!  All white and fuzzy and stringy.  What the heck is that?  Probably all fall out when 'real' hair comes back in.  Starting to itch under my wig though - boo.

Saw the RO today. He said I was too skinny and wants me to eat!   Yea - me too!  I lost almost 20 pounds on A/C and really didn't have any to lose - (didn't lose any more on Taxol - so he was ok with that!)  Told me to go home and eat cake   Also told me no more sun this summer (We have a pool in the backyard so I'm a little tan - oops!  Said if I start rads with a sun tan, I'm really going to cook.  Ok - so a t shirt it is in the backyard.  He did make me feel a lot better about rads (of course, that's his job), but said anyone who has had chemo says rads are a cake walk.  Also, b/c I only needed a lumpectomy and no node involvement (only had a micromet in one sentinal node - oops I thought it was two) I will get the minimum rad level and shouldn't suffer too much on the skin or with fatigue.  We'll see won't we?  I go next week for my 'mapping' and then start either July 28th or August 1st.  Says I will do 36 tx max - includes boosts.  Yuck.

 On a positive note, I arrived at work to a huge chocolate cake with a huge pink BC ribbon on it.  When I walked into the breakroom at 9am to tell the manufacturing group to enjoy it, they all stood up and applauded!  It was a congratulations on being done with chemo cake!  Too bad the Boss is an SOB  - at least everyone else in the company is supportive.  (Oh - and don't you bet he came in a few minutes later to have a piece of cake - what a jackwagon!)

Hope the final few finishing up chemo finish soon and with mild SE - let's all get done with this!

 Vicky

I was wondering - since people get varying doses of rads, what is the maximum/minimum treatment does they can give?  Does anyone know?

About hair - I have to laugh at all the comments about albino hair.  My Dh called my hair fishing line hair.  He's so weird.  I retained some hair through chemo and when that stuff started coming out, the ends of it were like fishing line.  It was weird.  My hair is normally very dark and the fishing line stuff was thinner and almost clear.

I have a 5 o'clock shadow over my entire head now.  It's a little thin along the sides - kind of like a receeding hairline.  I'm about 4.5 weeks PFC.

CHARLOTTE'S MAMA Michelle, I love your avatar too, so sweet, your eyes look like mine... I got up at my normal time this morning, at last, came in here to visit this forum, all set to read, and I could not see a thing!  I had to wash my eyes out really good, they swell and get mooky tears in them overnight.

MAMA Vicky, did your radiation doc tell you what lotions to put on?  I have read in other forums two kinds that kept popping up, Aquaphor and Miaderm.  Burt's Bees Honey lotion seems to kill the pain best on my red neuropathy arms, but might not be suitable for breast skin, I just don't know yet.  CONGRATS on your surprise party!  I'm glad you got your cake, just as the rad man ordered!  I'm wondering if you're coming out from under SOME of the worst of our last chemo FX.  I am, but still suffering enuff to cry, but haven't taken my usual mid-morning pain pills yet.

DRAGONFLY, I enjoyed the poem you put about getting older.  When I left hippie days, I actually used to do my hair and makeup and jewelry without fail.  After I got disabled from my car wreck, I was in my 50s then, I kind of gave up.  But until recently, I did at least brush my hair, plus I'd almost always put on lipstick and shadow.  I wish I could post a photo just before my hair fell out, but have had endless trouble getting one to even go on my profile page, or I'd share it.  I don't want to change my avatar to it, either, it identifies me, the pup sleeping and dreaming, crying out like we do, which here's a link to his video, if anyone missed it before:  http://www.americablog.com/2010/10/cutest-sleeping-puppy-ever.html

PEJKUG, I also am curious about rad max too, in particular whether a person can have three weeks instead of six weeks of rads, like a choice.  But mine aren't until late August.

Well, LADIES, I have tried to keep my post shorter, deleted endless stuff before I got to this last paragraph.  Only news is finally my surgery is scheduled August 2, I think, just over three weeks out from last chemo, rather than the two my doc and I wanted, so I guess I cannot complain, I'm on the cancellation list, tho.  I'll stop now.  Love to ALL my sisters here, Gail

Just catching up on how everyone is doing. I am doing my 23rd dose of radiation today. I may have said this before but compared to chemo, radiation is almost "pleasant". The technicians are pleasant and gentle and aside form getting ready every day and driving in I don't mind rads at all. It's all a bit tiring but compared to the fatigue of chemo it really seems like nothing. I'm still trying to recover from some of the nasty chemo side effects but the radiation treatments have gone fast and I can hardly believe I am almost done. I have 33 total..the last 8 are boosts.

Still have neuropthy in my feet, taste buds are not great yet and some weakness in the legs. My nails don't look great and lymphedema got worse a week before radiation. Hair is just peach fuzz still but I FEEL better mentally.

Yay! Last one!

MICHELLE xoxoxo Glad your unexpected but very important chemo is done, just one more round with FX and you're a free woman... already down on the beach, ohhhhh, I love to hear it, dear one. GG

mamaoftwo - how great to do a triathlon - I hope you have a great time.  Have you been able to keep up with any training during chemo?  I walked off and on with my next door neighbor who is an ironman (ironwoman?) and it was so sweet of her to tone down her exercise on those days to walk with me.  She probably went out and ran a half-marathon and biked 50 miles as soon as I went back in my house!  She was so cute, always texting me about whether or not I wanted to walk that day.  It was a nice opportunity to spend some time together and get to know each other better.  She and another neighbor took me out to breakfast after my last chemo to celebrate.

I have just received a call from the breast surgeon about the pathology report from my lumpectomy on July 8 and learned I do not have a clear margin on the skin side.  I am scheduled for a post-op visit with her next Wed and she said she'd discuss at that time when I could have a second surgery.  The news has not made me happy.  It seems I cannot get a break this.    I try to be a trouper but for the love of God, this seems never ending.

mamaoftwo - she is very inspiring, she has done multiple ironman races, and always finishes smiling.  I actually watched her cross the finish line online and the play-by-play guy commented on her big smile.  I have run half-marathons before and want to do it again, but it has been awhile.  My husband is a former marathoner, did a bunch but now has had one knee surgery.  His ortho doc says the next stop for that knee is a replacement and the other knee occasionally flares up.  I think he might enjoy distance cycling, or maybe sprint triathlon.  My son is just buying his first expensive bike, ran cross-country and swam in high school, both all-district.  It would not surprise me if he ended up doing triathlons.

Special K- sounds like you have a lot of running blood in your family between you, husband and son!  Your neighbor sounds so cool.  How great is that, to do 140.6 miles and still have smile muscles left? 

MICHELLE, loved that tune by Mumford and Sons, I identified with their uplifting song and message.   The trees and paved path reminded me of the park whee we used to walk our dog Gandalf.  He is spending a few nights at the vet hospital, he cannot walk now, but we're hoping it's this terrible diarrhea he has had for a couple weeks has just weakened him, as he's had hip dysplasia for a long time, just never this bad.  He's 14 years old.  Sorry about your anti-climactic chemo room departure, but love your attitude about it. 

DIVINE, so sad you must have a second surgery, but thank heavens for labs who can find these problems.  You reach and reach for the end of treatment, and S*** happens.  This cannot possibly help your nerves.  My nerves are still shot, I'm a week and two days out from last chemo, and yet I had a meltdown just yesterday, altho that haunted feeling I carry around has left me finally. 

SPECIAL K, I'm so happy you have found a new friendship with your neighbor, how kind is she!  That is the way people should be, but it takes a special spirit to become so giving.  BYE ALL, Love Gail

Charlottesmama - YEAAAAAHHHH!! Congrats to you!