Is There A September 2011 Chemo Group?

Yay Bluejay, Terry & Kimberly!!! Congrats for being done! I'm doing my happy dance for you .

Belleeast - Sorry it's been a crappy day. I hate those!! 

I have a stye in my eye and it makes me want to cry!!! It doesen't hurt, but it may cause my chemo to be delayed. Delayed chemo means I won't be done by the end of December as planned =(.

On the upside, my middle son graduates Airborne next week. My husband is going up to watch his jumps and graduation. This leaves our youngest in charge of getting me to chemo and keeping his eye on me over Thanksgiving (he's 18). I just texted him my schedule and said I know it's a pain in the butt. He said "not for my mother" and "I love you" He's such a good kid. It made me cry.

Hugs to everyone. Time to close the computer and put the stye goo in my eye. 

kelli that is awesome, my son has came to my last 3 treatments with me he is 20, Hubby came to every one and every Mo app, surgeon app, Picc line insertion app, echo, hes been there every step of the way, my daughter went with DH to meet my chemo nurse before I even knew her name LOL, she has came to almost all my neulasta injections with me, she is limited to the app's she can make as she has my beautiful 3 yr old grand daughter who cannot sit still for any real length of time, you know 3 yr old ahahahahaha..... DONE last treatment today, did the HAPPY HAPPY dance... No bells and whistles or anything but we did have cake :-)  and BIG HUGS

Belle: all I can say is (((hugs))). I'm right there with you (my last day is Jan. 10) and it seems especially long and impossible on these bad days. You can do this and we will get there, all of us, together. Hugs and a tear for you my friend.

Bluejay, Kimberly, Terry, Jersey, and Rockymm: so incredibly happy for you. I can't wait to start reading about some of your SE's disappearing and your hair coming back. It's a great reminder that this does end.

Kelli: Your boys are so sweet...when we are well, I'm going to pick your brain for parenting advice for my son He's sweet now, but he is only 12.

Good Morning up early and dreading the day. #4 today at 9am at least it will be over quickly appartently the Taxotere only takes about an hour. I a really nervous about the SE's with this one espicially the potential swelling or allergic reaction. The good news is the Onc told me not to take the Emend anti-nausea as she was pretty sure I wuld not need it.  I woke up feeling yucky, I felt sort of yucky all day yesterday I attributing it to the steroid I had to take yesterday in prep for today and a difficult time sleeping.

Nurse came to draw my blood yesterday and checked the PIC. She said the PIC is forming a barrier or scab around the opening and that it is irritating the opening. She reports it is normal for a body to do this similar to the crust a earring hole forms. She did not remove the the scab yesterday said the nurse at the hospital today would remove it and it would stop hurting. 

Took my blood into the lab and ended up in a argument with the lab tech for half an hour as I had forgot my health card in my Chemo bag and she did not want to take my blood. I finally in a low moment said "Lady I have to go for Chemo tomorrow, I am tired and  bald and not wanting to drive all the way back home with my four year old son in tow to retrieve my health card when I know you can make an exception and just pull it up on your computer." I felt bad using the Cancer card but it worked with a huff she did take my samples and continued to remind me of the importance of bringing my card as if I did it on purpose. 

Congratulations to the ladies who are done. I am jealous and happy for all of you.For those of you still on the journey Hang in there we will make it through I have faith with all the holiday's in the next 6 weeks we it going to fly by. 

Have a good day with minimal SE's everyone

Sarah

2 days post AC and just a little nausea...not bad though.  Just got some good news...my BIL does not have cancer...he is the second BIL since i was dx to go thru testing and they both are negative!!..So happy for him and my SIL who is more like a sister to me.  I am just laying around today in my bed and have no desire to do a thing.  The bug guy comes today at 5 so hope the house isn't too messy..haha

Belle---{{{HUGS}}} to you...it has been a  rough road for you for sure. 

Maggie

RJ: glad you are feeling better...too funny...yesterday I went to IHOP and shopping too and it lifted my spirits as well. 

So today went well. The taxotere is a much shorter infusion only an hour and I was out of there. Had a good talk with the Onc. about all the possible side effects. Not looking forward to the possible bone pain or the potential swelling. The nurse cleaned up the pic and is is feeling much better. I am still feeling really good little to no nausea so far. Hooray! Only 2 more rounds to go!

Bluejay- I am actually on Taxotere. The Onc told me that swelling is a possibility but also said since I am only receiving three rounds it will be minimal. I am taking dexamethasone for one day prior plus day of and one day post to help. Thanks for the heads up though I will defiantly be watching for the swelling and apparently bone pain as well.

RJ- I am glad your family is receiving such good news. 

Have a great Weekend everyone!!

Sarah

SCPMadi, so glad to hear your picc feels better and you have knocked out one more round!

RJ, relieved to hear Colby is doing so well. Also, it is encouraging that you are starting to get peach fuzz!! I actually went out a bought a wig after my last tx yesterday because i have to start meeting again soon with clients in my suits and i just can't find a hat or scarf that looks good with a suit. Maybe now that i broke down and bought a wig my hair will come in faster:)

Hope everyone has a good weekend! 

Hi strong ladies, happy Saturday!

First of all, CONGRATS to everyone who finished their treatments.  I am counting the days on the calendar, and I tell you I would NOT want to be the person to deliver the message to ME that they were going to tack another one on the back end.  Uh uh. 

I have been off the radar for more than a week.  Tx 4 kicked my butt.  They said the fatigue would be cumulatively worse with each tx but I seriously underestimated that.  My blood counts are still so low even a week after the Neulasta shot, my onc used the "transfusion" word for the first time Friday.  Ugh.  I am just exhausted beyond words.

Instead of cancer and its crappy side effects that rule my days, I am trying hard to focus on December because I will have both my sons home for most of the month.  My oldest, Casey, is a computer geek for the Navy (stationed in Japan) and he just got promoted  to E4, so he comes home for Christmas a Third Class Petty Officer.  We are so proud!  He will be home 12/5 thru 12/26.  I have tx #5 on 12/1 and #6 on 12/27 so I should be "good" most of the time he is home.  Yay!  (I am thinking positive and assuming the sale!)  And my youngest, Max, will be home from OSU most of the time Casey is home, so I am excited for a month of happy noise at our house.  We are all musicians and play together as a family, and I will have my drummer and bass player home, and life will be as good as I can possibly make it for 3 weeks in December.  Screw cancer!  I can get some normal family actiivity and enjoy my boys.  I am so effing sick of this, I want my life back!

Re dosages ... I feel so stupid I do not know my dosages, but it is on my question list for next time.  I do know what I take tho ...

2 Decadron tablets twice a day the day before, of, and the day after chemo (steroids for nausea)

In my infusion I get:

Benadryl

Pepcid

Emend (sp?)

Aloxi/Decadron

Adriamycin (Red Devil; accompanied by a popsicle)

Taxotere

Cytoxen

I have Zofran I take 2x/day the day of and after chemo (for nausea), and as needed.  Plus I have a rx for Phenargan (fast acting nausea and puts you to sleep!) and Xanax (stress and sleep aid) - better living thru pharmaceuticals!)  I have little to no nausea, they throw the kitchen sink at it and whatever the combination, it works.

Then Neulasta shot the day after chemo.  We all know that is a blessing and a curse.  The claritin/aleve regimen does seem to help with the bone pain.

After the 1st tx they cut the TAC back 20% and the dosages have remained constant.  (The first treatment damn near killed me.)

I have my BRCA blood test scheduled for 11/30.  My niece was BRCA1+. 

I want my digestive tract back.  I used to joke about beer being mashed potatoes in a bottle.  I have traded mashed potatoes in a bottle for mashed potatoes in a cup (so my weight has remained constant since day 1).  Hey, those Bob Evans mac & cheese and mashed potatoes in individual serving size cups - well them's good eatin', yessiree Bob! 

I made a pumpkin pie for Max when he was home from college two weekends ago.  it was too spicy for me, I could not eat it.  I would die for some Chipotle right now.  I dream about "real" food.  I know how the ghost captain from Pirates of the Carribean felt!  You want to eat everything and can't!  

I never had much trouble with constipation that a couple Colace would not fix, but for some reason this past week I got really backed up.  Took one of those Senecots you guys talk about, and holy Jesus it was like the scene from Dumb and Dumber where the guy gets slipped the laxative.  Never again.  More fiber drink, more water, more salad.  Oy!

And how about having to pull out the C card to get a little consideration at the hospital.  Really?  C card, B card, whatever works.  My favorite line from the move Dolores Claiborne is "Sometimes being a bitch is all a woman has to hold on to."  The C card is last resort, but I totally would have played it too. 

A friend was whining about nothing on her FB yesterday, and it took everything I could not to post "Kristina, whatever is wrecking your day is not cancer, so put your big girl panties on and deal with it."  But I didn't.  People just don't hear themselves whine about nothing.  I have said for years, to give people perspective ... "An INCONVENIENCE is a lump in your oatmeal.  A PROBLEM is a lump in your breast."  I have heard women quote that back to me over the years, and NOW when I say it they REALLY get it.

Girls ... we are gonna get thru this.  Just hang on in there.  When the spring flowers bloom, so will we!

Find some joy in the day.  Love you all.

Debbie 

Hi Babsbrink,

For what it's worth, I don't think you sound weak at all. It sounds to me like you are having a very sane response to the horrible stuff that has been thrown at you and you are bravely wading through it. I hope your Thanksgiving is a good one, and I am right with you looking forward to that cancer free future:) 

Okay so I am day 3 post #4 Taxotere and I am feeling great. Has anyone else taken this drug? When should I expect all the swelling, bone pain and fatigue to set in?  I am sort of feeling like I am cheating. I guess I should be gratful for a the couple of good days. What a huge difference between this and the Red Devil.

Hope you are all haveing a good weekend. 

Sarah

Thanks Cooka, I have been living on edge wondering what it might look like this week. I start neupogen tomorrow for 5 days so hopefully can avoid and infection. I wish I was as motivated as some of you I should be doing more exercise. Thanks again.

Sarah

scpmadi..i just told my husband that I too feel like I am cheating my way thru chemo.  I finished taxol and started AC last Wed and my side effects are so minimal I almost feel guilty. 

Maggie

Good evening ladies,

Well, true to my word, I'm not skimping on the Percocet for this last round of treatment.  Just had one 1/2 hour ago so feeling somewhat human instead of like roadkill.  When the Perc wears off, ....oh, never mind. Y'all already know. 

Babsbrink - I wish there were words to comfort you and help you get through it easier.  I think the best we can do sometimes is let you or anyone voice it out loud how miserable it is.  For whatever reason, we don't always feel free to tell our friends, family what this really feels like, either to protect them, or it's too hard to explain, or feeling like an old broken record because this goes on for so long.

Maggie and Sarah - Don't feel guilty if you feel better than expected.  That's great news and we rejoice with you.

RJ - I hope the chili benefit was very successful.  I hope it's not too personal to ask...but have you been going through all of this without insurance?

Belle - Glad you are still able to enjoy Christmas season fun with your family.

Debbie - I want my effing life back too:)  Sounds like you are going to have a good December.  You go girl.

Kelli -  Is the medicine for the stye helping?  I know you are so proud of your son.  Maybe you could share a picture of his graduation with us when your husband gets home?

Tomorrow is the last chemo tx!  Since I finally had my taste buds back the past two days, I've been eating everything in sight.  Went out for Mexican food on Friday night and it was sooooo yummy.  Of course I forgot the possibility of heartburn so there was a price to pay.

RO appointment in two weeks and I'm a bit nervous about it.  Don't want any permanent tattoos for the alignment.  I also want to want until January to begin.  Hope she agrees.