Day 2 of first A/C and I'm doing okay. Woke up this morning feeling good and went for my CT scan. Manged to keep the yucky stuff down. It was very cold in the room, but it has been so darn hot this summer that cold almost felt good. This afternoon, the home care nurse came and showed me how to self-inject the Neulasta. It actually went better than I thought.

Grimbol, hope your CT scan went well.

Summergirl, you will be fine! Together, we will all get through this!

Kasi, so glad you're feeling better.

Michaela, it does feel good to have the first one out of the way!

Ipswichmom, plastic boobs - LOL! Kids really do say the funniest things. My eight-year old DD first told me that I'd look funny with no hair. Then, when I asked her if I should get a blonde wig, she said "well that would just look stupid". I wasn't sure what she thought of my new short do, but the other day she told me that when my hair grows back I should leave it short because it looks really good. She's pretty stingy with the compliments, so I was happy to hear that!

Welcome, Eekwine! Ybrooker1 is right. Once the intiial shock wears off, a sense of determination kicks in. Everyone keeps telling me they can't believe how calm I am about everything. I have my moments, but I'm just trying to stay focused on getting through this and being well again.

With all these Irish folk on here, we'll have to plan a St. Patrick's Day "Cyber-party" for March 17, 2012. By then, I pray we'll all be either at or nearing the finish line on this journey. A glass of Guinness always goes down well on St. Paddy's Day!

Wow -- tomorrow is really "Chemo Day"....I wish everyone who is starting peace and minimal SE's.

I've just had my good friends who were here since Saturday leave to travel back to NH. I miss them already. It's been a busy few days with a big party on Saturday and NYC yesterday. I guess I now have to settle in to reality that I start chemo at 9am tomorrow. Already took my first course of steroids this morning and the second tonight....

I had therapy early this morning and my therapist thought I was "numb". I told her I've been busy since last week preparing for my party and my houseguests that I didn't even think about it. She thought maybe I was stuffing away the inevitable start of chemo emotionally. I really don't feel that way - I really was BUSY! LOL

In any case, it's hitting me now and it's surreal. I hope I will be ok (and all of you too).

Cool Thought of the Day,

My shiatsu massage therapist told me today that there is a study with 3 groups of cancer patients receiving chemo and side effects. The first group received their chemo and had many side effects; the second group received their chemo but had someone bless it before they received it, they had fewer side effects; and the third group received their chemo and blessed it themselves and experienced even fewer side effects than the first 2 groups.  So instead of thinking of my chemo as poison they're putting in me (which I do think), I'm going to bless my chemo on the 24th and see if I get fewer side effects!  Can't hurt!!!

Day 15 after treatment had a reiki session today made me relaxed but now i've been crying ever since I came home.My hair is falling out like crazy but I cant get the courage to have it cut off .Not having a very good day im feeling sorry for myself aches and pains everywhere.

Sorry for the ranting I hope Everyone else is having a great day

Oh sandy115. I wish I could give you a big hug. Sometimes when we have relaxing treatments done they unlease feeling that we have managed to hide through nervous energy. The only bit of comfort I hope I can give you is to tell you to let it all out... I'm in Ireland and my numbers are 0035316103876 (h) 00353868508553 if you feel like calling me tomorrow I will try and cheer you up. Hair loss as we all know is THE hardest thing to deal with but my mother and kids have a mantra that they repeat to me regularly... They want me with no hair for 6 months and with them healthily for the next 30yrs minimum



Please don't ever think that you are ranting - Its a perquisite to join this group and at this stage we have enough people started, strarting and about to start to share a whole heap of hints a tips to make us feel better



Love to all



Michaela

Home again and no barium, yay!!  Mind you it could have been a mistake - my appointment wasn't on the schedule - the girl who made it 'forgot' to put it in the computer.  So we had to wait while they got some more of the drug, they 't keep it at this site.  Everthing else was fine, but I didn't mention the barium and neither did they.

 Welcome to Kim and Eekwine. I also had my port fitted on Friday and begin chemo tomorrow.  But I am getting different stuff, plus Herceptin.

 Hopefully we'll all be back on here again in a couple of days relieved the first one is over and we've survived.

Thank you so much to all you wonderful girls who are so encouraging.

Hi Chrys, I packed a bag with the following: light snacks, water, reading material, kleenex, my medicine (probably won't need them next time but I had a teaching session with the pharmacist before my first chemo). You could also take a blanket, although the volunteers at my hospital will bring warm blankets if you need them. Next time I'll probably take my iPad so I can read books or watch movies.



I started drinking lots of water the day before chemo. I took a big reusable water bottle full of ice water and drank it while I was there.



HUGS! You will be okay.

Capinva, I had my first dose of A/C yesterday and I'm feeling pretty good today. I felt pretty nauseous last night but took some anti-nausea meds before bed and was fine this morning. A bit of light nausea this afternoon, but I'm feeling fine now. I think the red devil name is strictly due to colour, and the fact that you pee red afterwards. I drank a ton of water the day before and the day of, and my pee was normal colour by this morning.



The Neulasta shot is usually given if you are doing dose dense A/C (every two weeks instead of every three). It helps to build white bood cells as your body doesn't have the longer recovery period between chemo doses. I am also in good health but this is the regimen that my ONC recommended. You can ask your ONC about it.



Good luck on Thursday!

I have an appointment on 8/16 for my game plan.   I had surgery July 5th,  and Brachytherapy radiation with the Savi catheter 7/18 thru 7/22,  now on to chemo.   I am more terrified about chemo then I was about anything else.  

Hello all, 

I have my first AC treatment this afternoon.  Is anyone here doing neoadjuvant chemo? 

Just curious b/c i actually CANT WAIT to start treatment and pray that it works!  

TO EVERYONE STARTING CHEMO TODAY:  Pray over your chemo before you receive it, you will have fewer side effects.  Can't hurt!

Eileen 

Sandy115. I hope you will feel better soon I cant imagine what it must be like but will go through this myself in a few weeks , and as everyone keeps telling me YOU will still be YOU even with no hair. and people love you for YOU. hang in there and we are all here for you. (hugs)

Michaela: so glad you got through your first session and you sound like you are doing really well thats great, text me anytime day or night. xx

TO EVERYONE ELSE: love to all who have started tx and those who are still waiting anxiously.

I am feeling a lot more positive today, TG .I miss my daughter a lot she lives in Philadelphia but she is coming home in October to be with me , cant wait she is also expecting her first baby" My first Granchild "so exciting !!! this will keep me going on this journey. and my DH is taking me out tonight for our anniversary looking forward to that .

Hugs to all and have a happy day !!!!!

also wanted to add if anyone out there is a facebook addict like me, look me up my FB  name is Carol Kitrell (same profile pic) we can chat .