Is there a July 2011 group?

Hi Ladies- jumping on a plane in few hours and had to check in before I took my "cancer free" week   Misswim-glad things worked out.  We all know he didn't mean it, but that say it didn't hurt a lot.  We all we're sending big hugs.  I'm secretly taking you with me on my road trip so you can have a "cancer free" week as well.  All of you will be there in my mind and heart.

I too have had shortness of breath and a bit of racing heart.  Definitely SE, I guess that's why they always ask me if I have thee problems.  Not until my 4th did i run across any of it.

sending big hugs, and hope of low SE's this week for everyone

I did my mind good and went to our local farmers market- only one loop around as anemia has got me EXHAUSTED. But it was so good to be in the fall sun, buying local veggies, seeing life go on, and realizing that (by the grace of god), I'll be there next year, with hair , enjoying myself again. So tired I could take a nap after sleeping until 10- but it was a good day. Going to load a silly movie into netflix and put my feet up, eat some fresh baked bread, and have a non-cancer day!

Hi ladies...I'm catching up after almost a week of being offline. I had to get back to work again on Wednesday and was swamped. And treatment #7 (Taxol #3) is coming up on Tuesday. Just 17 days away until my last chemo treatment! Just curious, has anyone lost their eyebrows on Taxol? I haven't yet, but I know it doesn't mean I won't....I heard so much about people losing their eyebrows or nails on Taxol and so far nothing....i'm not complaining, just curious. Oh, and my hair has been growing back! I have a few longer ones that are at nearly an inch now....but most are about 1/2 inch. How is everyone else's head?

 Yooper - Welcome to the group....I hope your next Taxol treatment goes better than the first one did. 

Dexxy - Thanks for your encouragement! I agree water and walking are very helpful! Of course, I don't always feel like water and walking through the pain isn't easy, but all we can do is try our best! Oh, and have fun on your road trip!

Paulamati - Saying a prayer for your friend from Chile and for her daughter.

Ellenquilt - I also never had trouble sleeping before and have had my share of sleepless nights. It should get better though. I believe my sleep issues lasted for about a month after finishing chemo for the molar pregnancy, but then I was sleeping pretty well up until my bc diagnosis and it all went out the window again! And you never seize to crack me up.....anytime I need a good laugh, I enjoy reading your posts.

 Rabbit - I'm glad you were able to get some relief about the port situation. Now let's get you done with chemo!

 Allenan - Yay for your last treatment coming up! I'm right behind you!

Ana - Awesome about your mindset changing! I also haven't been able to do much reading during chemo, but I think I'm going to try to pick up that book I left unfinished and see if I can get through it now!

Paintingmywaythru - Grrr for the bone pain! I am down to just two more times of it! As for working, well, things are starting to improve. I finally got paid by the state after a month of nothing! And I think my supplemental coverage is going to pay soon too. So things are starting to get a little easier again (I hope!).

Misswim - It's always good to see others who are doing well years later. It's good for us to hear those stories because it gives us motivation to get right where they are! As for your son, I also said some terrible things to my parents growing up but still loved them. Just like everyone else, I think your son is letting out steam that he has built up about the cancer. He hates cancer and not you, I truly believe that. As for anemia, I also have experienced all the symptoms, though it has gotten better since moving over to Taxol. Hopefully you won't need that transfusion. 

Frances/J-Bug - Sorry you have also had some trouble with kids acting out. 

J-Bug - How long did the bone pain last for you? I had my Neulasta shot on Thursday and was in pain until the following Monday/Tuesday and since then it's steadily declined, though my knees still hurt at times. Anyways, down to the last 2 treatments. Can you feel the finish line approaching?

Shinypop - I hope your 3rd treatment went okay. One thing at a time and you'll be done before you know it.

Snoopy - Sorry to hear about your friend. Did she have a recurrence? Saying a prayer for her and her family. Please remember we are doing everything we can to prevent our own recurrences. It really affects me when I hear about people losing their battles, but we have to stay as positive as possible about our own outlooks. 

 bcisnofun - It's good to see that you're doing well 3-4 weeks out from chemo! I find I'm doing better just knowing I'm 2 weeks away from getting my last chemo! Can't wait until I'm actually done! As for the port, mine is just above my left breast (opposite from my cancer side). My clothes hide it well, though the line that goes through my neck is much more visible since I have such a tiny neck to begin with and you can see it raised....

rossileo - I'm not doing radiation, but I know where I'm getting my treatments, they are offering this. Are you thinking of doing it? 

mavinbook - when are you done with chemo?

Krista - Congrats on having had your last chemo! I hope this weekend finds you SE free.

 Sandy - Good to see you! It does seem like everyone around us has been touched by breast cancer in some shape or form. I was at the dentist on Tuesday to have them check out my molar tooth which chipped last Tuesday and the lady there told me her mom and aunt had it at the same time a few years ago and are both doing well (one was stage 1 and the other stage 4) and both are cancer free. 

Phillybird - I'm heading the CHAIR on Tuesday too. Let it be kind to both of us.

Pinkpalette - I'm sorry your 4th treatment was so hard on you. I really hope the last two are much easier and that you're done before you know it.

For all of you who have experienced the rapid heart rate, I have had this as well with DD AC and with Taxol (though not as bad on the Taxol). I also think it's related to my rbc count and hemoglobin. I do feel like I'm recovering a bit better with Taxol than with AC though and I have been increasing my exercise the last few weeks and I think this is helping with my energy levels. My hemogoglobin is at 10, so not as low as some of you, though I am very sensitive to a drop in my hemoglobin. As far as exercise is concerned, only do what you can and don't overdo it. It's good to get in walks if you can, but just be happy with whatever you CAN do. 

I'll finish my post with a kind of funny dream....yesterday my mother in law was telling me I should put coconut oil on my head so that my hair grows back strong. Last night I dreamt that I went to bed after putting coconut oil on my head and I woke up with hair down past my butt! Some strong stuff eh?!?!  I woke up this morning expecting to find hair and ran my hand over a hairless head. Well...actually, my hair is growing back, but you know what I mean....it's by no means ready to be unveiled. Going to try the coconut oil today haha!

Susan - I'm sorry about your tongue. I have had some bad sore throats during chemo to point that I had trouble swallowing anything that wasn't liquid and even that was painful. I can't imagine having an ulcer! I hope you feel better soon.

Thank you. I hoped it would be gone by now since I've had it since Monday but I guess I am going to work with it tomorrow.

Ellenquilt...lucky I think you have a quiet week at work. Love your sense of humor.

allenan and KK11...Congrats on your last treatment and last 2 treatments coming up!

Misswim: So devastating to  have your child say something so potent but children of age 11 don't really know what death means and although he upset you terribly, I agree with others hthat it is a reflection of his worry and fear. Also, he now knows he has become very powerful if he uses those words...something he is too young to have.

kk11 I agree the rapid heart beat has to do with anemia and weird blood counts but I found that day 3 and 4 after TC I would get it a lot. Probably all the stuff going on, the neulasta working, the chemo and both messing with blood counts.

Pinkpalette: Hope you are feling a bit better. So hard ot remember the mantra of lots of rest and then some exercise. Well, I hope everyone has a lovely Sunday. I am going to try not to talk at all and see if that helps.

bcisnofun - interesting about your friend that lost eyelashes and brows AFTER treatment. I guess I can't count my lucky stars just yet! And the coconut oil is supposed to help according to my MIL, but it didn't make me wake up with long hair this morning lol. I'll let you know in about a week if my hair seems to be growing faster. For now, I have a few antlers on my head that are longer than the rest hehe.

 Susan - I have also come up with another theory for the rapid heart rate.....It only happens to me AFTER my Neulasta shot. It's listed as a side effect if you look it up, so maybe Neulasta has something to do with it?

Hi,

Trying to keep up, but falling behind.

Heart rate issues: I have A Fib, so I'm used to occasionally having palpitations.  It seems in the last week or so that I've been having them more than usual, which could be from the Herceptin or just my AFib kicking in. I'll bring it up again when I go to the spa on Friday.  It's an annoyance more than anything, and unless I have trouble breathing or pain, I just wait it out. I find it's worse when I'm really tired, which these days, is a lot of the time.

JBug, I hope you feel better soon. Transfusions on top of everything else. Not fun.

My eyebrows and lashes have gotten thinner as I go along.  I figure by the time I finish chemo they'll all be gone for a while. Good that I learned to draw them in early on. LOL

I'm finding that I am increasingly tired as the weeks go by.  I don't know if it's cumulative chemo or just lack of sleep.  Either way, it kind of sucks.

On a more positive note we had the adjuster and the FEMA guy here.  We lucked out with the FEMA guy -- retired, freelance, and "no dog in the fight" so he was very generous in his assessment of my damage.  I still have to put together the detailed inventory of lost contents and replacement costs (tried to do some of that today, will finish and fax tomorrow I think).  He was a real slow talking guy which made my NY hyper adjuster jumpy, but he also said that we lucked out.  I'm reserving full judgement until I see what the settlement will be.

The fun part now will be juggling schedules with contractors for estimates.  I have to get an Environmental company in here to remove old asbestos tiles. Not covered but I can use the contents advance to pay for it. I hope.  I also have to get a sheetrock cutter to open all the walls and remove the mold. Yuck.  I think I'll be taking some time off from work to make sure all this gets done.  I also need to get the estimates from the plumber and the electrician and the carpenters for framing and sheetrock.  I'm pooped from thinking about it.  

I'm suffering from Irene Fatigue.  That's probably why I'm so tired. Nothing to do with chemo at all. LOL.

Hope everyone who's feeling rotten feels better and that the rest of you remain SE free.

khs113: I notice with Taxol that the pain shows up in areas that were biopsied or a blister on my foot, any injured area - most or first. I haven't had surgery yet, so I can't compare to that.

yooper - my heart issues didn't so much make me feel like I was going to pass out, but more than I had to sit/lay down.  Once I laid down, my heart would really keep on going pretty fast like I had just run a marathon when I only walked a few steps.  One night I really considered going to the hospital thinking I was having a heart attack.  Fortunately I didn't go sit in the ER for 10 hours and pay $150 to hear nothing was wrong.  we stopped AC at the same time, and I'm not having the problem anymore so I wonder if it was the neulasta like kk11 said. 

ellen - I'm exhausted just thinking of all you have to do.  I'm glad you had a good adjuster.  Hoping you get everything you want. 

Spent my Sunday at the er and then short stay getting a transfusion. We shall see if I am ok today.

misswim - thinking of you!  Hope you feel better soon.

Misswim sorry you have to have trasfusion thinking of you. Ellen glad the ajuster is being fair to you wishing you the best. Everyone else having S/E I hope you have a better day tommorow.I am having a S/E free day just feel very emotional had Theraputic Touch this morning and cried.

Misswim: Sorry you had to go through the tranfusion. Hope you are feeling better as a result.

Bad SE day today -- I had NO sleep last night but instead a raging migraine that lasted all through the night.  I took the day off and tried to get some sleep, without much success.  Then I had to see my surgeon for a post op visit -- all is well.  She said to figure on a mammo about three months after I finish radiation, so in March sometime we figure.

I am so tired and achy -- it feels like flu without the fever.  I got absolutely nothing concrete done, but did manage to make some appointments for repair estimates.  That used up my reserves today.  Hopefully some sleep tonight so I can return to work tomorrow.  

misswim: I am sorry you had to get the transfusion. I am very nervous about those. I need to do some more research, but I think they screen the blood really well now without any reason to be afraid, but I still am. Maybe it's just something about someone else's blood going into my body… I am glad to hear you are feeling better! It really sucks to feel that low all the time. Since Taxol is not supposed to hit the rbc's as hard, maybe you won't have any other problems through the rest of chemo. Good luck Wednesday!

My solution to low hgb this weekend was since I was already eating lots of spinach, to add red meat. My husband picked up a couple of nice steaks. I cut them in half and I have had a half each day. Then I have been eating roast beef sandwiches. On Saturday I planted my butt on the couch and did not move, well hardly, just changed a few loads of laundry and ran the dishwasher. I felt so much better at the end of the weekend. I can't wait to see if it brings up my numbers on Tuesday. The doctor said on Friday that some other numbers were down and they wanted to see if my body was absorbing iron properly - so this weekend was my personal best test to see if doing things the way the doctor has been telling me would work. I haven't exactly been compliant on all doctor's orders before. 

Major catching up to do..I have been in a funk. I had a hard time giving myself my lovenox injections, I've done it fine from the first day until a few days ago. I have to give myself 2 shots each day in the stomach, and for some reason a few days ago I stopped in mid air and couldn't stab myself. It took hours of going back and forth to the shots..finally I got it done.

Was fine the next few days, then today, gave one shot and boom, on the second one I stopped in mid air again, just froze up. I had to wait til my sister got home and had her give me the 2nd shot in the thigh. I pray tomorrow I am back to normal and can give it with no problem. I have no idea why, the needle is tiny, it really doesn't hurt. It stings when the lovenox goes in, but no big deal. I think it's all catching up with me, just a bit bummed lately.

I broke down at the GS appointment I had last week for the 2nd opinion of the clot. First time in weeks I really cried over this crap.

Congrats to all who have finished chemo:

ANA424, khs113, FrancesC (today woohoo), Paintingmywaythru (didn't you finish?), Snoopy73, if I forgot someone, sorry!!!

pinkpalette, hope you did ok today

Phillybird, good luck tomorrow

kk11, good luck tomorrow as well!

misswim, I sure hope you are back on track and feeling good, went back to work already?? Please take care of yourself!

sandy115, what is Theraputic Touch?

bcisnofun, that is adorable with your son

Everyone that is asking about the tachycardia, I get SVT off and on, have since I was in my 20s..was put on beta blockers for a few years, weaned off of that and for about 6 years now, it's been very much under control.

Stress does trigger it, and sometimes when I am in an intense exercise session it starts up for a seconds or minutes. If it lasts longer, I take an ativan, it fades off easily. I noticed that during the steroids I get little bouts of it and sometimes I get it well after the steroids, I had a small bout of it a few days ago and my last chemo was 19 days ago. So I tend to think that chemo definitely triggers it, along with the stress we are under!

The eyebrows...I have had 4 FECs and they are thinning pretty bad now, almost a pencil thin line and they were pretty thick before. I have 4 rounds of docetaxel to go and am expecting them to be completely gone soon....

Hi to dexxy, yooper, Ralston, ellen, J-bug, allenan, shinypop, izzy, 4honey, mavinbook, jamie and everyone!!!

So sorry I am not on as much and if I forgot to mention anyone I am sorry

I am in the chair Wed. good luck to me, lovetorun, Luebbsgirl, cshell and rossileo18 (I think that is the 9/21 group!)

Until next time xoxoxo to all!