April 2011 chemo

thanks ladies...mine nails have the darkness from ac. i put nail hardener on to try to prevent the drama...we shall see. anyways, thanks for writing....btw.we were dx'ed at the same time....i was march first like you profbee and paw was march 2nd...not something to celebrate, but i just noticed that.

thanks again:)

I ADORE Harry Potter.  I'm rereading it as my comfort books going to bed at night.    I haven't seen the movie yet though--no opportunity with sitters, but hoping to soon.  Hubby and I are watching Game of Thrones on HBO--so good.  I hate reading books along with a show that wrecks it--I picked up the first True Blood book and I felt like I was reading the tv show and then it would ruin it.  But I have heard the GOT books are really good.  

Determined--ah, early March!  Hard to believe it's been nearly 5 months of this!  CRAZY.  Are y'all feeling a bit over this lately?  Like, I know it takes a while to get through all this, but shouldn't SIX months be enough?!  Oh well...can't rush the curing cancer I guess.   

yes! yes! YES!!!! i am so over this! i normally feel pretty human this week, my 3rd week before i get chemo again but not this one! i am so greatful that my daughter was here to help with grocerys yesterday because it took everything i had to just put them up since she brought them in.so tired and my friend doesn't listen she just says one more!! only one more! ....i want to slap her everytime she says it!!! one more cycle of feeling like total crap!!!...sorry just had to get that out!!

yes harry potter!!! i want to see the movie and then maybe read the books! my husband watched the game of thrones but i missed it. some of my co workes are reading the book and that is nice so we will have something to talk about.i watch true blood but i haven't read the books.i'll have to check out the GOT books.

and yes, march 2nd.....sigh.....the day our life changed for ever....

I'm just getting started, so I can't say I am over it. *laugh*

I am however, growing a lot from this experience, and I think I may even be improving as a human being. What a concept - that something good could rise from these ashes. I got a guitar today and plan to start lessons this week. I have always wanted to be able to accompany my voice on the guitar. And our family refocus has done wonders for my house, which has never been so organized.

And I have a huge bit of good news! I get tested for heart function once a month as part of my clinical trial. TDM1 can wreak havok on the heart, but I am allowed to stay on the trial even if my heart function drops. When I got my echo on Wednesday, my jaw hit the floor. My heart function had IMPROVED 10% since I started chemo. I was stunned.

God is good!

ok - so...last night was the first time I had to dress up for an event. At first, when I found I had NOTHING that fit in my closet, I was sad...but then, I became determined not to let cancer win! So I went shopping for inexpensive dresses, found two (and boy! Was that a struggle - to find ones that fit over my foobs and completely differently shaped body (I had TRAM and chemo has added on the lbs!) but felt so accomplished to be out and dressed. I felt like I had won yet another voctory over BC!!

Merilee: Good luck tomorrow at your first radiation treatment!

We'll be thinking of you.

Report back and let us know how it goes.

RangerMom -- thanks for sharing that hilarious link (you know you're a cancer patient when.....).  It's great to start the day with a good laugh! 

Thinking of you Merilee.  Good luck today and let us know how things go.

Windlass -- great news on the heart news!

So far I have my fingernails and toenails, but I'm getting really terrified of losing them.  It sounds so gross and horrible.  When does it start happening?  I've completed #3 of Taxotere with #4 this week. 

Thinking of you all as we begin a new week.  I think I will go out for a walk now.....while I have the energy.

Suzy: I am doing four Taxoteres starting at the end of August. Can you tell me what to expect? I've already been through four AC's (adriamycin/cytoxan) so if you've also done that and can compare it, that would be helpful.

I think all our poor friends losing fingernails are on 8-16 doses of Taxol, right? Anyone losing fingernails or getting nail problems on 4 doses of Taxotere?

Windlass -- My onco said that the Taxotere would be much easier/milder than the A/C.  However, I'm having a tougher time with the Taxotere.  I really didn't have too much trouble with the first 3 A/C -- some nausea and fatigue but nothing unbearable.  On the 4th A/C, the Neulasta didn't do its job, my white count botttomed out, and I picked up a nasty infection and ended up in the hospital for 2 days.  Then I had to take a little break to recover before they would start the Taxotere.  The first Taxotere was okay -- a little bit of mild nausea a couple of days later.  The second Taxotere was brutal.  I had it on a Weds. afternoon.  By Friday evening, I was having excruciating abdominal pain -- doubled over in pain -- and spent most of the weekend in bed in agony.  At my third Taxotere visit, they gave me a prescription for Bentyl, which I took this past weekend and only had very minimal, tolerable abdominal pain.  I go for #4 Taxotere (of 12) this Weds.  I think I will continue with the Bentyl because I don't want to experience that excruciating pain again.  I'm feeling pretty nauseous today, too.  Had so many things I wanted to get done today, but I think I'm going to go for a nap instead.  My onco did warn me that I might lose my nails on the Taxotere; I hope he's wrong.  I don't want to go through that.  Don't we have enough crap to deal with??!

Rads was a breeze today, first day.Thanks for the light

Windlass- I have done 5x taxotere along with the A/C and have one more to go.  I can see a change in my nail beds and my nails are growing like crazy - but not the icky stuff the others have described.

 Congrats Merilee!  You are on the road! One more step!!!!

Yup, this is my last chemo drug, Windlass.  Will be so happy when it's over.  9 more weeks of Taxotere.  Then a month "break" and then 6 weeks of rads.  Keeping my fingers crossed that you breeze right through Taxotere without any side effects. 

Yay, Merilee!  Glad you're moving forward and that #1 rad was a breeze!  Hang in there and keep us posted.....

So I got a guitar and started lessons today! It is really fun!

Something new to keep my mind off of cancer.

Windlass, that is funny you say that as I have been thinking it is time for me to get a used piano and  learn to play it. Something I have always wanted to do.

I am also starting a yoga class, that will happen directly before  my radiation treatments 3 days a week. And yes, it feels good to be thinking of something besides cancer.

Yay pawprintgirl!  What kind of questions are on your list?

I go for #6 tomorrow! 

IT is nice to hear people talking about fun things.