anyone starting chemo in Nov 2005

Hi Ladies-
Been awhile since I checked in, but rest-assured, I've been keeping up with your posts and you all continue to be in my thoughts and prayers with your ups and downs.

I finally got back on my dose dense treatment schedule (Taxol) today -- missed a whole treatment, so 2 weeks behind. Had a clot caused by the port, which stopped treatment; had to have the old port removed from my upper arm and a new one put in my upper chest, just under my collarbone, which I think is the more common place to have one. Now I'm taking Coumadin and Lovenox to thin my blood. The good thing about the chemo break was that I felt really good -- got back to walking longer and further, went into work for a few 1/2 days (mainly to socialize and have lunch :-) !!) So that made me feel like once chemo is done, it won't take long to get back to normal -- I hope!
A little concerned about the fatigue that effects some with rads, since fatigue has been a real issue for me on the dose dense chemo -- time will tell!
Chins up!
Lana

Hello ladies. Its always so great to catch up with all of you. It seems like I don't have much "me" time either these days and I apologize for not being with you more often. Sounds like you are all moving your way through this phase of chemo and many of us will move on to rads soon. Debbie, I hope your WBC resolves itself soon, it must be driving you crazy to keep getting delayed. Delighted to hear about your extra special V's day treat.

Mary Lou, I too am having all those crazy leg aches--not excrutiating as it was with Neuprogen, but relentless. Have 1-1/2 to 2 days per week when I feel fairly well, otherwise feel "fluish" and bone aches that interfer with sleep. More than anything, though, I am so out of energy. Spent last 2 weekends under the covers and when I sleep, I wake up tired. Still trying to work, but minimizing travel and training for now. The good news is that tomorrow is T/H #4 and only 8 more to go.

Debbie, forgive me, but like Anna, you can't count on me right now, but I love the idea.

Kim, my thoughts are with you. Hopefully, it is just the temporary effects of T and nothing more. Please let us know.

Anna, so sorry to hear about the lymphodema--that is just rotten. One of my friends uses a pump for 1 hour per day to keep everything under control. She said the up side was that it forces her to stop and have a quiet hour each day taking care of herself. She is such a dynamo that it took something like this to get her attention.

Dumbest thing I've heard lately---"how much time do you have?" Tried to find an excuse for this person, but just couldn't come up with anything -- some people are just rude, insensitive, cruel, or just plain jerks.

Hope your treatments go well this week.

Nancy

I'm hoping Kaye is on the road.

Happy Birthday Anna. I'm so glad you said that about the bare tush, I thought I was the only one. I have wanted to ask that, in fact it was today that I thought about posting. I hate that is just goes everywhere. I feel so nasty.

Good to hear from everyone. I need a good nights sleep, have treatment in the morning at 9:00.

Michael always takes me to breakfast before we go. I will be there for about 4 1/2 hours. Just can't eat while having treatment.

Happy, Happy Birthday Anna. Celebrate your glorious life and don't let those goofy steroids get you down.

My onc said the same thing about "one shot to cure, otherwise we manage the disease." I'm banking on the cure for all of us--enough is enough.

Funny about the hair thing. I like my naked tush--baby soft. My fella thinks its a little kinky. He's always made me feel sexy and gorgeous, even when I'm wearing the world's ugliest sweats, a hat that looks like my great-grandmother abandoned, and a slightly green complexion. I am so grateful that he is with me. My heart aches for you, Liz, and anyone who has to deal with major relationship changes right now.

Mary Lou, I'll join you in treatment in a couple of hours.

Nancy

Hey Liz, I think the lady that people were sending well wishes to was cojadeb. I peeked back at old posts, too, and she is expressing some sadness over what is going on in her marriage.

Everybody, I GOT FULL TREATMENT TODAY!!! Gotta go, Daniel is irked that I'm not playing with him. PS-I have to get neupogen shots every day next week as a trade off for treatment today. I don't care. I GOT TREATMENT!!! PPS-Daniel is sick, and trying to make me ill, too. I'm fighting it off with Levaquin.

Love and prayers, Debbie

Hi girls, I had my treatment today! Got so sleepy. Came home and slept for hours. Now I'm up doing laundry and catching up before the Neulasta shot tomorrow.

And then on to the roller coaster of pain and emotion. I have 15 mg of Oxycodone and it works wonders for the pain all over.



I'm so glad to have the husband I have . He will be taking off for the next 3 days. He went to work today late, first time he has left me through all the treatments.

I knew I would just sleep. He worries about me.

He says's he hates to see me cry, I tell him it just goes with the journey.

I have my "LAST" treatment March 9th !!!!!!!!!!!!! I just can't wait, I really am almost to the end of this part.

I have to meet with another Dr. before my next treatment. A female this time, We will be talking about the Rads. And my breast reconstruction.

I'm concerned about damage from the Rads. I don't want to mess up the tissue. The one treat in all this is new boobs. And smaller boobs at that!

If you look at my web site, link at bottom of page. Under skinny in 2000, you see I'm all boobs at 145 lbs. That was 34 DD in that picture with the white shirt on. Have had a full bust since 11 years old. I was a 36 B in 7th grade.

I want to work really hard to get back down to that weight again. I got the okay to start lifting my small weights today. He said just to watch the "BAD" side.

I haven't felt up to the tread mill yet. Just am so weak. Not feeling much energy at all. So I'm going to let it be till the last treatment is over.

Then build from there. I want to return better that I was before. I have done this before several times in my life, so I know I have it in me.

And after all this, You're dame right I'll be the best I can be! I may get down, but I will bounce back as always. I have that strong will deep inside.

Now, I will have to come back and read my own words in a few days.....because the three faces of Eve will be coming , ( my husband is waiting for my head to turn all the way around on my shoulders.)

I know it won't be pretty.

My poor Michael

Love to you all, BIG ((((HUGS))))

Mary Lou - Glad to see you found some pain relief. I too take Oxycodone for the pain crisis on days 5-8 and it's the only drug that works. I've learned to take it at the first sign of pain before the pain gets out of control and I feel miserable.



Hugs...

Don't forget that I'm taking names for our exchange till the 1st of March!

Love, Debbie

Thank you all for your prayers. I got the results from the brain scan and all was clean. No evidence of metastic disease. Still don't have exact answers what is causing the blurry vision but it is most likely due to the Taxotere. One scan down, 1 to go on Wednesday. (PET Scan)

hugs,
Kim

Deb-I'm hoping and praying that everything turns out well with your marriage. Cancer certainly has a lot of power over us at times, doesn't it? Stupid disease....also, don't worry about not doing the exchange. Next time, right?

Kim-YAY!!!!!!!!!!! Cause for celebration!!!!!!!!!!! I will pray for your PET scan coming up.

I have to go in every day this week for Neupogen. My son is sick, and I have caught it for sure. Darned WBC!!!!!!

Well, we have Daniel at a babysitter, so I must take advantage of the time and go sleep a bit.
Love and prayers, Debbie

Hi Ladies
I haven't been on this thread in a long time - I'm the one doing CMF and really not having many side effects,etc. Been mostly on a thread for CMF. Tasha was asking about hand/foot problems that she was having over on the "Get me through treatment" discussion board. I recall that you both had been having the same problems previously - I sent her this post - hope you don't mind

"Hi Tasha - I haven't had that experience but 2 ladies from the November chemo thread may be able to help you - Debbie (thebandteacher) and Odalys - maybe you can PM them if they don't see this thread.
Debbie and Odalys - hope you don't mind me passing on this info.
take care"

Even though I haven't posted over here in awhile - I have been reading and keeping up to date on all of you. Love the pink ribbon exchange idea - however, I kinda have a bad habit of forgetting to do things like that - it would probably get lost in my house! And I'm sorry that you are having such a hard time getting your treatments, Debbie.

take are all of you!

Hi Marcia, I am so glad you included Odalys, because I couldn't really help Tasha that much-we had different symptoms it turned out. Odalys had a brochure that she forwarded me-maybe that could offer Tasha more help.
And not a problem about the exchange....next time, right?
Gotta go get ready to go and get my Neupogen shot (first of 5 this week).

I hope you are all feeling well. I actually feel decent today. Horray!!
Love and prayers, Debbie

Hi ladies.

The board has been quiet for a few days and I am wondering how everyone is doing. Hope WBC’s are up, treatments were received as planned, and everyone is having a pain free week.

Kim- you’re in my thoughts today. Hope all goes well.

OK, I’m finally counting down the days until my last chemo… 2 days left. Yeah!!!!! Life goes on, thank God for that. This week I had a RADS consult and on the 24th I go in for my simulation and tattoos. I’ll be receiving a total of 5 weeks of high density RADS and 2 weeks of Boosts. Just when I thought I understood all the terms relating to my treatment a whole new set of terms and acronyms get added. Oh well, they should keep me busy for a few days.

Take care ladies. Hope to hear from you soon. Hugs...

I am still hanging in there. 7 of 12 taxol + herceptin done. I agree about the nuepogen Debbie- yuck! I have been getting shots 3x week and I hate the bone pain. Tylenol helps, but it is a drag. My counts are up, so we are trying 2x week this time. I have the first inkling of neuropathy- a pin that migrates from my palms to my big toes.

Onward! Kill the beast and be done!

Hi everyone,
I wanted to let you all know we found the source of my blurred vision. I have a detached retina and it is serious enough that I am having surgery tomorrow!!! My oncologist says that that is the best of the bad news. It is not cancer related and not caused by the chemo. It won't effect my treatment either.
PET scan today went off w/o incident. No problems. Just waiting for the results now.
Debbie, can you hold off on me for the excahange, if it didn't go out yet to me. The next few days will be very hairy here and I don't want to hold it up.

I will update when I can.

hugs to all,
Kim