April 2011 chemo

Wahoo Kiwimum!! That's great news.

i have been away for awhile since i sleep in every morning. too tired these days. but only 4 more rads visits!!! hopefully i will get my energy back soon!

YAY!! kiwimum!!! so excited for you!!:)and for everyone that is done!i am planning a get together.we are doing the susan g. komen race the 15th and that night i plan on celebrating dinner with friends and a few drinks!!!

i am on the tamoxifen and so far no se yet.. unless me being tired is fronm that instead of the rads??? only time will tell! i do have twinges of pain in my overs strange. i was gonna tell them or my gyno since i made that appt too. everyday i get off i spend at the dr!! really tired of that but i have to get my teeth cleaned! yuck!!

who else is done or almost done?? i still have herceptin til april but i really don't count that since i don't have se now that i'm off the chemo

Yay, KiwiMum!!  So happy for you!!  I did that same happy dance!

Well, we made it to Nashville on our RV road trip.  Have a beautiful campsite right on the lake.  But so much for getting away from doctors, etc.  Have had bad swelling and pain in my right leg for a couple of days.  Spent the entire afternoon (5 hours) in the ER today -- ended up having a DVT/blood clot.  The huge bummer is that we had tickets to the Grand Ole Opry tonight to see Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Randy Travis, and a bunch of others.  Never made it.  Bought the tickets over a month ago, and it broke my heart to miss the show.  But what are you gonna do??!!  At least I didn't have to be admitted to the hospital.  Now I have to give myself an injection of Lovenox in the belly twice a day (might let DH do it.....not sure I can handle it), take Coumadin, and wear a compression stocking 24/7.  Tomorrow I have to get fitted for the compression stocking.  Thursday I have to go back and see a vascular surgeon, and he will let me know if we have to cut our trip short and head home or if we can keep traveling.  Feeling a little sad right now.     

suzy, i'm very sad for you.  what a horrible way to spend your RV trip.  how long did it take you to drive from merritt island to nashville?  i hope you get good news on thursday. and YAY for a beautiful campsite on a lake.  it's so beautiful up there.

Articat-I hope it stays that way for you too. Sending only positive thoughts your way

Hi,

I will be starting chemo soon and am concerned about the ability to continue to work.  I now work about 50 hours a week and sometimes weekends.  My Dr. said that most women continue to work full time.  I find it hard to believe.  Any feedback would be welcome so I know how to plan.

Susanella

Thanks for all the love, guys.  I appreciate it. 

You're right Profbee -- I need a little retail therapy to make things better.  Think I'll do that!

YaYa5 -- it took us 3 drives to drive up here.  It's only 750 miles, but we don't like to "push it."  Of course, the doc says sitting in the RV for 3 days probably contributed to the blood clot.  Had to disagree with him on that because I sit ALL DAY LONG for my job (medical transcriptionist) -- in the exact same seat in the RV that I sit in when we're traveling. 

KiwiMum -- Yes, it's a good thing we caught it early before it had traveled out of the leg to more "serious" parts.  Hopefully it will get fixed relatively quickly, and that will be that.  Just another "bump in the road" on this crazy journey we're all on.

Susanella -- I continued to work through chemotherapy.  But I'm lucky in that I'm self-employed and work from home.  I did have to find a few extra people to help me out for a little while after my BMX and also on days when I was wicked tired or felt like total crap during chemo.  I still have one girl working for me part-time and one girl on standby, and I was able to give them extra work this week when the DVT came up.  My onco did tell me way back in the beginning that he thinks working during treatment is really beneficial because it takes your mind off your troubles and lets you focus on something else.  But you also have to listen to your body.  Will it be easy to call in sick when you're really tired or feeling like crap?  Or find some extra help during those times?  And, like Profbee said, it probably depends a lot on your chemo regimen, too.  Wishing you all the best.  You've come to the right place to ask questions, get support, gather info, speak your mind.....whatever.

Kiwi mom Congrats on getting that port out, that is awesome.

Susanella-what kind of chemo are you going to be on? Also what kind of BC do you have and how advanced?

Yay on the port removal, KiwiMum!  That IS another step in the right direction.  It must feel good to have that out. 

Hi KiwiMuM

Congratulation on port removal.

Must feel wonderful to be done with chemo, congratulation.

I started radiation on Tuesday. Next week I must start rehab for lymphedema. I have it in my arm,breast and back. Sick of it all.

I'm in chemo (AC this time!) and my MO said today that I should get the flu shot.  I think we're all probably in a higher risk category--and just think of all the hospital visits and the germs that go around.  So, I think we probably all should ask about it and get it. 

Suzy, hang in there!

Pawprint--so sorry about your friend.  One in eight--I think we'll all be helping someone through this at some point.  Sad. 

I'm going to call our doc about our flu shots now!   

My doc said Flu shot is okay - but I am finished with chemo.

I worked through the first 3 of 6 TAC treatments...just too exhausted after that.

 Thanks, Merilee!!!

Hi Pawprintgirl

I agree with you about the pain 0f 2011 and make that 2010 for me also since that's when they told me I had the big C. So sorry about your dog. Off to radiation, everyone have a wonderful weekend.

pawprint, so sorry about your dog.  I adore my animals and it is so hard when you have to lose one.

I have a question for y'all.  I don't waant to jinx me or anything BUT...I had the second of 4 AC treatments yesterday. I'm taking the anti-nausea stuff, but I really haven't felt anything.  I mean, I'm TIRED, but that's it.  You don't hear me complaining, but everyone had said that this would be the worst of it and I'm not feeling that way.  I'm all thumbs up about it, but I do have this sneaking "is it working then" thought that creeps in.  Does it add up like Taxol and get worse as you go along?