October 2011 Chemo group

Awnooo.. It's never to late to join us. Welcome, and you have found a great bunch of ladies here. I also found that article to be very helpful. Great information. Thanks...



WIM... Glad to hear your echo came back with good results. It's so hard to have to make these decisions but if it's helpful, I found my 1st AC tx to be the worst. The second seemed to be a bit better as I think my body adjusted a bit to the meds. Just had 3rd on wednesday and so far so good but my meds will be done tonight so we will see how the weekend goes. After the second tx i was alot more tired and i think it affected me a couple days longer then the first tx. I know everyone's different how they react and you certainly haven't had an easy go of it yet. Good luck with your decision.



cfdr.. Good luck today with your treatment today



Have a good day everyone!!!,

Good Morning and Welcome to Awnooo- we are an invincible bunch! and are getting through this with everyone's help and support.

Perts-I don't have weird dreams- but I do lie awake at night with things going through my head that make no sense and are a waste of time. I think these drugs do strange things to your brain- I hope my returns to it's semi normal state after this!

Tappy- I agree that this journey we are on changes your perspective. I look at people and things in a gentler,more compassionate way and I am going to try and do more good. I have always put family first and now when I see people I wonder what is going in their lives that they may be dealing with and don't judge their behaviour as much. Maybe there are life lessons to learn. I will also make sure I appreciate each day and the beauty it brings.

Wimusicmaker-good news on your heart echo. You have a hard decision on tx. There is always a balance needed and you have to weigh up the pros and cons.Do you have anyone to ask for second opinions or advice?Could the tightness in your chest be from fatigue or stress/anxiety...I sometimes get it from that.

Is anyone else sick of worrying about germs and germy people? I never used to give it a second thought and now I consider whether stores are busy and crowded and I spray my DH down when he returns from the stores- those darn dirty shopping cart handles! I think I'm becoming paranoid-just don't want to get my cold back or sick and have something else to deal with.

To all our U.S, gals- Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you all feel well enough to enjoy the goodies and celebrations. I guess this is the big kick off to your Christmas season as well- Happy Holidays to come!

Dia123-glad to hear you're doing well- me too.

To All - have a great day and hope you are feeling okay. Warm Hugs Juls

OOPs! I think I messed up- chemo brain strikes again....on second thought- the U.S Thanksgiving is next weekend right?  Sorry ladies,so just move the good wishes forward a week! Have a good weekend all. Warm Hugs, Juls

Juls - I was a germ crazy person to begin with - now I'm worse.  My hands are so dry from using the antibacterial stuff.  I went to doctor today and my counts are so low that they told me just to stay in this weekend.   Since I'm determined to go home to mom's for Thanksgiving I'm going to take their advice.

I hope you all have a great weekend. 

Good Morning Everyone!

Thank you so much for your support! I truly appreciate it. I have been talking to someone on staff at the hospital as it is a part of the treatment plan if you choose to do it and I chose it. She has been very helpful to me. The A/C was A LOT easier on my system than the T/C except for the breathing problems. I am feeling less pressure on my chest with each passing day. I can't help but feel like I am being played a bit. Somewhere in the oncologist play book is a chapter in "give the patient some control and it will make them feel better about chemo". My onco knows I will keep going. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't give this everything I can. So on Nov. 29 I will go in and get #3 and then I will see what happens and make a decision on #4 (which I will end up getting too). I am going to decide in my mind that I am done with ER visits and overnight hospital stays. I am stronger than this #%$%@!%@ chemo!!!!! I can keep 70 middle schoolers at one time engaged in their learning (I am a middle school band director) chemo is not going get me down.

I have become a mad woman about washing my hands, using hand sanitizer and yelling at people in my house for doing things like reaching into pretzel bags and cheese bags with their hands. I want everyone to use spoons or pour things into bowls!

Are you making plans-thinking about what you will do differently in the future? I am spending a lot of time thinking about this. Of course I have been thinking about being a better person, having more patience, stop worrying about things you can't control or silly things, and taking more risks but what else do you want to do??

I don't think I shared before that my husband and I planted over 300 bulbs in our yard in September. I can't wait for spring to see them open up! I also am thinking about places I want to travel. Over spring break just my husband and I are going to take a train ride down to Chicago and spend a few nights. Then I am looking at: Key West, Alaska, Bahamas or some beautiful islands in that area, Charleston NC, Hawaii, traveling up and down the east coast starting in Maine. Notice the water/beach theme?? Then with more time to save $$$-London, Paris, Austria, Italy. What are you planning??

I hope you are feeling well and have a great day!

California coast hwy 101 San Fran down to so Cal beaches, Disneyland:) In th spring/Summer when I get Chemo, SX, rads. Hope for some break in there:)



Sounds like Fun teavel plans for everyone. It's nice to have something fun to look forward to:)

Off-season NC beach trip in February, followed by scattering my mom's ashes off Long Island in March (she died 6 weeks before I was diagnosed). My husband and I have talked about trips to England and Belgium, but no real plans or budget yet.

The big change for me is in my business as a graphic designer and web designer. I've been working for myself for 7 years, and although it has many perks, it has been more stressful and less lucrative than I'd like. Add to that the crappy economy, serious price competition from India, Ukraine, etc., and I've have to do some hard thinking about how I want to make a living from here until retirement. Not really interested in getting a "real" job...when people want to hire someone who is creative and technologically savvy, they don't think of a middle-aged woman. On the internet, nobody knows you're bald. ;-)

Also considering if this is the time to make a big life change...try to do something more artistic, start a completely different business (I have a gourmet food line I've experimented with and friends have encouraged me to try and market it), or try to apply my skills to a non-profit cause that I'd find more inspirational.

Originally I'd planned to spend my time on chemo doing a lot of hard thinking and business planning, but in the thick of it I've found that I don't want to think about it at all...I want to be as happy and unstressed as possible during this time, and I am confident that when my strength returns I will have the enthusiasm to pursue whichever path shines the brightest.

 Anyone else contemplating major life/career changes after all this?

juls:Agree that I'll not complain about ever being "normal" sick again either! At least one could move around & be somewhat mobile. Amazing what we cherish now. 

My brain can't wrap around all those ideas either right now either.  My goal is to just get back to working 2-3 hrs a week:)  BUT I do plan to do more hobby like things: painting the colorful images I've had when I get tx. of the cancer being destroyed.  Anyone else have vivid images?  Then I'm going to do some quilting.  I just got an antique singer sewing machine (basic so its easier to use w/o all the bells & whistles of the modern machines:)

So tx gets worse as it goes:o  I just started cycel 2 last mon:o Oi. Well a day at a time.  

Well heres to another week down & another week of strength & minimal se. 

Juls - I did feel that Taxol was easier.  I had less of that "off" and nausea feeling, but I did have a bit of joint aches and pains on days 4 and 5.  And by that time, the fatigue had caught up a bit so I was tired.  And I really needed the Pepcid along with Prilosec.  I was lucky and didn't have any nail problems or neuropathy.  Don't forget to take the supplements to prevent it...Acetyl-L Carnitine, L Glutamine and Vit B-6. 

To be honest though, I got through AC pretty easily.  I had treatment on Wednesday and we went out for dinner every Friday night, even the ones after treatment, except one time when both DH and I were not feeling great. 

Every now and then my DH complains about something hurting or not feeling good and I remind him of just how tough I am and that he needs to just suck it up!!! He' not going to get much sympathy from me for a little ache or pain!!!

By the way, some of you have talked about Diet Coke not tasting so good during treatment. I am 8 weeks PFC and it's just now starting to taste normal. Not sure what it is that makes it taste so funky, although I got to the point where anything carbonated was off limits.

We don't have an RV yet. We camped in tents and popups for many years when our kids were young.  Then when we moved to the Kansas City area, we borrowed or rented RVs many times and went to lots of great places - Grand Canyon, Mt Rushmore, Badland, Zion, Bryce, etc. And when our daughter went off to college in Oregon and we were living in CT, we flew to San Francisco, rented an RV and drove up along the coast, into Oregon and Crater Lake, dropped her off then came back down through Reno and Yosemite. Can you tell I like national parks??? Our long range plan is to do RVing fulltime, as soon as DH can stop working for health insurance! Now that I've been approved for SSDI, it could happen in a couple of years.

Dia 123-me too! Actually took a couple of the extra meds but they made me tired and "drugged". My little ones from Westdale are coming for a visit this morning so I hope I can muster up. Hope you have a better day today, it seems like along haul these days.  Hugs Juls

LuvRving_ thanks for all the great info .I am going to write it in my journal- than I'll just have to remember where that is! I hope the Claritin works for me too. I have been lucky with the Neulasta so far. You certainly have a great attitude and an inspiration. We have tented,moved to a tent trailer- to a mobile trailer to a 5th wheel all over 40 years. Now we have a tent trailer again- go figure! It is a great way to see the country and relax.   Have a great day, Juls

stjude:I hope the holiday is as planned for you & the fatigue leaves you soon. Best wishes.



Happy Thanksgiving to all & safe travels. Gobble Gobble:)

-Malinda xx

Hope everyone hasa wonderful Thanksgiving - SE FREE !!!!

I am working pt 7:30 -11:30 this week. .   I am not super productive - but I am keeping up.

I have signed up for a look good feel good class in Dec - I hope I am feeling well enough to go

Everyone has told me how great they are.

One more AC treatment then on to the Taxol.

I told hubby we should go to Las Vegas w/ a side trip to the Grand Canyon for Mardi Gras  when I am feeling better.  Surely I am due for some good luck at the slots after all this  !

Still have a lingering cough from being sick...it seems to come in spasms - so I am thinking of asking the doctor about some inhaler type meds....I need to knock this out.  I dont know what else to do to get rid of it.

I am staying out of malls and shopping centers - trying to stay well.  But I really miss all the Christmas hustle and bustle even though I always complained about it in the past. LOL

So Friday I think I will try baking some bread and maybe taking it to some of my good neighbors who helped me out during this time.

Anyone have any tried and true easy recipes ?

Fran: I have been a bit reclusive too- go for rides but have been avoiding the shops etc.-even my grandkids up close- breaks my heart. My onc. nurse said before I started all this that "you have to live, you know"and I think she meant to carry on as normal as possible- although she never has been through chemo- and there's the rub! It feels good to be out-even in the car-but you're right- I do become housebound and sit a lot. My DH has been doing almost everything- I am very lucky in that regard.

Nice that many are looking forward and making plans for trips -something to look forward to. I have radiation after chemo so won't be finished till sometime in March so we will see what we do then-maybe just try and get back to normal!

Hope all are coping today- not so many posts- is everyone alright? Hugs Juls

I cried in PT today. I guess it was good to get it out some. It just feels like I'm in prison. I used to joke with my patients that came down to radiology to see us "what are you in for" at least in prison they feed you.   guess the holidays are getting to me. my mom is visiting and she's kind of driving me crazy. she can't help it. wants to everything for me. but then it seems I'm waiting on her. lol.

and then I have this thing on my tongue its a small white wart like thing and it hurts. I've been doing my majic mouthwash. Has anyone had something like this. my mouth is tender