Is There A September 2011 Chemo Group?
Comments
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Thanks for you post from mags20487 on 1/18/12. I just finished my 6th TC and was ready to start celebrating and my Onc called me 4 days later to tell me my CA27-29 was elevated (49). Evidently, the last time he checked it was after my first chemo, 3 months ago and it was 36. He is ordering a Pet Scan. Can I ask what your CA27-29 was ? I asked my Oncologist if the elevation could be due to inflammation, infection or chemo and he said no. Others, who have posted, are saying their oncologists say these things can cause elevations. I am devastated. Can anyone offer some advise? Has this happened to anyone else and turned out to be nothing.
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CJRT - Vent away! I had a lot of anxiety about my last big treatment, almost as much as the first. I also had major mood swings for 2 weeks following it (anxiety? hormones??). As much as I disliked chemo, I had a routine and met with my Onc every 3 weeks. Now what? I'm feeling much better and stronger this week. You can do it!! Keep your eye on the prize and know this will be behind you and things will get better. Sending hugs! xx
Khegidio - The pic didn't show up? I'll give it another try. Congrats on not needing radiation and good luck with your surgery! You are one step closer to putting it all behind you
. Wishing you a speedy recovery. xx -
LakeArrowheadgirl - I dont know much about the ca27-29 test, but I found this:
http://www.dslrf.org/breastcancer/content.asp?L2=2&L3=8&SID=132&CID=591&PID=0
I can't add as a link for some reason. Hoping your PETscan comes back clean and sending hugs! xx
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lakearrowheadgirl...my CA 27-29 was at 41. Before I started chemo but after my surgery it was at 17. She really did not seem that concered with it. Wish i could be of more help. It is terrible to live with this constant worry.
Just got back from my business trip to Vegas. Had a great time. Wore my compression sleeves to prevent lymphedema and so far my arms look great. Went for radaition mapping and got my tatoos today for it. The 35 tx start Friday...ugh 7 weeks every day is gonna be tough but will be over before I know it
Cjrt....I know just how you feel. We reach a point where it just needs to be over with already. Before I went for my last chemo I told my husband that I just did not think I could do it. Of course I did and now at almost 4 wks PFC I feel amazing. Energy back, food tastes good, digestion returning to normal. It will all be over for you soon. Hang in there girl. You can do it.
Belle--hurrray for the clean MRI! We have gotten some good news collectively here
Maggie
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Good evening ladies. Hope you are all well.
CJRT: I felt the same way you do right before my last chemo. I almost had to drap myself to go. I just didn't know if I could do one more. But in the end, it's over! That's what I kept telling myself is....this is the last one! Look how far you've come! YOU CAN DO IT! And I still see my onc every three weeks and probably will for a while. Hang in there girl! You're almost there.
I also feel very good even though I'm going through radiation right now. The hardest part for me is the drive back and forth every day. I think I've said that before! LOL! My RO says everything is progressing as it should. I have no skin irritation right now and everything looks good. I did mention that I had some soreness and fullness and my nurse told me that that was normal. The nurse and the RO both told me that if I needed anything creams or anything at all, to just let them know.
I also saw my BS today. He is also the one the put in and took out my port. Remember I am the one with the wonder woman thinking brain that shouldn't have been thinking! At any rate, he used stitches this time that are supposed to be left in for a month. WTH? He said that the port itself was VERY ready to come out and that I had a lot of infection in there when they opened it up. There is still some fluid in the little pocket but he thinks my body will eventually absorb it. It is not infection as far as we know. I am supposed to see him again in 3 weeks with strict instructions to call him if the site becomes feverish or turns red. Right now, it looks really good.
Kelliregi: That pic is so cute! That looks like my hair. I, too, have some kind of growth. Wouldn't really call it hair but maybe peach fuzz. And I tell ya, I ordered brunette and someone messed up my order! They sent GRAY! UGH! At least I know where the hair color section is at Wal-Mart! LOL!
LakeArrowheadGirl: You know, through all this stuff I've been through, I have never asked or been told what my CA27-29 is. I guess I always thought if it were important the onc would have said something. Maybe I'll ask next time I see him. I am wishing you the best and hope everything is okay!
Well, time to get busy for the evening. Hope you all have a great evening. Will talk to you soon!
HUGS!
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Well, my day ended with bashing my head on the corner of my mother's freezer door handle and having to go to urgent care to see if it needed stitches. Luckily the bleeding just looked worse because scalps bleed a lot, and it ended up stopping without stitched. The doctor there wanted me to get a tetanus shot just because I didn't have one in the past 10 years that I could recall and wanted to put me on an antibiotic to prevent a skin infection. I declined both until I could speak with my MO in the morning but did get an RX antibiotic ointment that should be safe to use until the morning. Guess it gave me something to focus on instead of chemo tomorrow!! Hahaha
Thanks, Kate, Kelli, Mags, and RJ. I really appreciate your support, kind words, and you guys being great role models. I know at most I will have 2 more (possible 1 if SE are bad this time), so I just have to make that my mantra!
Mags, so glad you had a great time in Vegas. Hope RADS go quickly and uneventfully.
Kate- I might not be on again before your surgery if my SE's are bad, so good luck! I hope your surgery goes smoothly. It will feel so great putting it behind you and with already fighting through all the chemo, I hope that you find the recovery as comfortable as possible. Though I didn't have the same kind of surgery, I was so pleasantly surprised at how much easier the surgery was than I thought it would be. One last major obstacle until you can put the worst of this behind you! You will be in my thoughts! Please keep us posted when you are up to going on the computer.
RJ- Great news RADs are going well. Hope the port issue resolves quickly.
Thinking of everyone and wishing you well! Hugs...
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Ugh CJRT, I'm sure bashing the noggin' wasn't the disraction you were looking for:( Rooting for you and hope you are feeling better...almost there!
Hair Watch- I have hair! sorta. It moved from fuzz to about 1/4 of an inch or so. Can't really tell the color yet tho. think I see alot more grey hairs than the one or two I had before.
Hope everyone is having a good week so far, Mags glad to hear LE did not rear it's ugly swollen head at ya on the plane:) kelli, I ordered the lotus dragon too, hasn't come in yet, glad to hear you liked the way it looked:)
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Pinkshirt, Linda: How are you doing post leg surgery? Take the pills, eat the casseroles, know how many people care, and heal. I pray that in another 3-6 months you are your old self (we never knew our old selves were so valuable, but now we do). I hate that you had interruption in treament, but you had the longest regimen of all of us, and I hope that was protective even with the interruption because you had such long and consistent treatment before the break and fairly good prognosis at diagnosis. I am not sure what the power of prayer is, but you are in my heart daily, that you heal.
CJRT- I hope you have great caregivers. I know the chemo regimen has been very hard on you but you are so young and you want to beat it back as hard as you can, really punch it in the nose, cancer, not just passive/aggressive, just a knock-out punch. Sometimes that knock-out punch takes everything out of us in the short term, but chemo will be over eventually and not that long away. Give cancer a really good punch on the kisser.
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Thanks, Cooka, and Kimberly. Did #5 of 6 yesterday, got a tetanus shot for the cut on the head, and am now on an antibiotic for 10 days to prevent a skin infection. Trying my best to focus on the fact that no matter how back the next several days might be, I will have good days when they end and then will only have one more treatment left. Really like your analogy Kimberly. I'm trying to conjure up the fight that was in me during my younger days as a competitive athlete. I can't let the cancer rob me of that! Hugs to you all...
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hi all, been reading. se from last chemo have hit hard, thinking of all of you!!! ( HUGS)
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It's a minor gripe, like my eyelashes falling out, but my toenails in the last week have become so grotesque. These are the toenails of a 90-year old man and simply gross. I hope they fall off and start over because that's just disgusting.
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hi all,
have had consult and simulation with RO, when i first talked to him, he said they wait to start rads 3 wks after last chemo. had call from office today, voice mail said needed me to come in mon. for films,would start rads tues. this would be 2 wks from chemo. i am wore out,still having SE from chemo, pretty sure i am neutrapenic.
called back,seems RO contacted my sub MO who told them, he thought i could handle starting rads 2 wks out from chemo. WTH!!!! told RO's staff i wasn't comfortable starting next wk, i needed time to recover, want to start feb 6th. i have to call back mon to talk to the lady who does the rad treatment but staff sees no problem waiting.
have i ever said how much i dislike my sub MO!!! LOL if i didn't have to have my port used i would call and cancel my appt with him on feb 8 and reschedule for when my regular MO returns!!! thanks for listening, needed to vent!
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I dislike you sub MO too belle...he really sounds like a butthead! Had my first rad today. Hope your se's go away quickly.
Maggie
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Hi Ladies.... I haven't posted for awhile. I have been checking in and reading your posts sharing your pains, challenges and celebrating the successes. I have been fairly fatigued and achy, so have just been using all my energy to keeping up with my kids and life as best I can.
Today marked my last week of chemo. 4 dose dense AC followed by 12 weekly taxol. 16 rounds total. Cant even believe this day has finally arrived. Its weird how when you look back it now somehow seems like it went fast. I am looking forward to getting more energy. My DH wanted to go out and celebrate, but I just didn't want to leave the house today. Maybe tomorrow night. It feels weird to be done. It was so consuming for so long. I do still have to finish the herceptin every 3 weeks until Oct. However, sounds like no real side effects with that. Also I'll be on tamoxifen for 5 years. My MO is one of those that doesn't believe in scans for my situation. Said by the time something shows up you are having some type of symptom anyway. I know a lot of you like the scans and the piece of mind it provides. At this moment for me, I am happy to take a pass on them. Sick of the Dr. appts. We'll see how I feel about it when my energy levels return.
Belle.. good luck with the SEs and the rads start date.
CJRT...sorry about the head injury. Good luck getting the chemo finished up.
For those of you in and starting rads, I hope it goes well and fast!
Linda... hope your healing is going well. We are all pulling for you and sending good thoughts.
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Thank you to those who are thinking of me after my surgery for my broken leg. The leg is healing okay although I still am not allowed to put any weight on it for several more months. I can't have my last 2 AC treatments because it will interfere with my leg healing. My MO wants me to have my breast surgery instead (I was doing chemo before surgery). The tough part is the the restriction on using your arms after a mastectomy since I need a walker to get around. I'm at a loss about how that can be accomplished. Any insight from you guys?
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Hello ladies.
Rads are going along just fine. Just finished 3 of 6 weeks on Friday. Whew! Time has really flown by and I hope the next 3 weeks goes just as fast for me. Not really anything going on. Have pink skin and some soreness and full feeling but RO says this is all normal.
PinkShirtNow: Thinking about you girl. I don't really have any insight, but just wanted you to know you're in my thoughts as you continue your healing.
Kimberly: I feel the same way about my nails, both finger and toe. They are gross! And it wouldn't bother me a bit if they all fell off and I could start over. I wonder if they will eventually grow back better once the dead parts grow off. I guess we shall see.
Belleast: I don't think I would like your sub MO either! At any rate, good luck with the SE's and your rads as they begin.
CJRT: Thinking of you too as you heal your head and go through the last chemo. Hang in there! You're almost done! Yippee!
Cooka: So excited for you about the hair! Can't wait til I move to the hair more than fuzz stage! A girl came in the store today and her hair was looking really good. I told her when mine got to bout an inch, I was ditching the wig too! LOL! She was starting to look "normal" again and I can't wait til I get more than fuzz on my noggin.
Hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the weekend with minimal SE's or better yet, none at all!
HUGS!
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Hi everyone. This will probably be the last time I am on for a while. I am having my sentinel node mapping injections this afternoon and then tomorrow, my BMX with free tram reconstruction. I have been looking forward to this because to me it means the final piece (hopefully no radiation). Now I am nervous as hell. I am going to have butterflies all day.
I wish you all luck over the next couple of weeks and I will be back on to see how everyone is doing after I get my new boobies and get rid of this cancer once and for all.
Peace and Love.....
Kate
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Good luck Kate!!!! The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter for you.
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yeeeeaaahhh, kate. one step closer to being done! good luck on your surgery, pray you have an easy recovery!!!
i start radiation on the 7th,go for blocking/films on 6th. not looking forward to having to go 5 days a wk, but gotta do what we gotta do!!!
hope everyone is doing well!!
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I have been laying low because of side effects but wish everyone well and I'm grateful for all the positive thoughts. Best of luck tomorrow Kate! it'll be one step closer to putting the worst of this behind you. It'll be such a relief to get it over. Sending positive thoughts your way. So great to hear from you Linda and hope your recovery goes well.
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Good luck Kate! Wishing you a speedy recovery!
HUGS!
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Kate will be thinking of you and praying for a speedy recovery for you. I am so glad that you can get it done in one step!
Belle- glad you get to start rads soon. Just went for #3 today only 32 more to go LOL! It is so much easier than chemo so far...hope that continues.
Pink--happy to hear from you and healing thoughts are on the way to you!
I am 5 weeks out from chemo and I feel great. Just waiting for the effects of rads to kick in next.
Maggie
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Good luck Kate and Linda on your upcoming surgeries, and all you ladies undergoing rads. RJ, what did you end up deciding for your rad schedule and what did you have to give up? Also wondering if Maggie ended up driving to another town and how that insurance battle went. Belle, hope you get some needed rest and recovery, it's coming!
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I am driving...it only takes about 35 minutes to get there so not as bad as we thought it would be. It is just an everday thing--that is what stinks about it.
Maggie
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Hello Ladies. Hope you are all doing well tonight.
Kimberly: I decided to give up my morning bus route. I usually leave my house at 6:05 to get to the big city (Little Rock, AR) by 7:00 a.m. Then I am usually out the door and on the way back to my office by 7:15 - 7:20 a.m. I usually get back to my home town about 8:00 a.m. which means I am only losing 1/2 day on my bus route and no time in the office. I knew that if I missed the office, I would have to come back in at night and make up some of the work. On top of that, I really couldn't afford to get behind. So far, it's working really well for me. I assigned a sub driver to do my morning route for the 6 weeks and few days that I will be out. I started week #4 Monday and I will finish with all radiation on February 22. I only have 21 more days to go. And time is really going by pretty fast. So far, I haven't really had any issues other than a sore boob and now quite a bit of redness. But no peeling or breaking open of my scars from surgery or anything like that. I do think that I will have to move to my sports bras soon as my regular bars are beginning to hurt me a little. My breast is also a little swollen and feels heavy. The RO and nurse have both told me this is all normal.
Maggie: I can certainly relate to the driving part. It does stink and I get so tired of doing it, but remember, this too shall pass. I keep trying to tell myself that this will be over soon. I also agree that this is much easier than the chemo. My stepbrother told me that after chemo, radiation was a walk in the park. So far, he's been right. He was diagnosed with colon cancer. Went through treatment and did well for a while. Recently, though, they found another spot. So here he goes again. My other stepbrother has a blood disorder (big long name that I will never remember!) but something about he either produces too much iron or too much blood. Can't remember which. But he and I have the same onc which I thought was pretty cool.
Other than that, I am hoping my hair hurries up and grows longer so I can ditch the wigs. I can tell its growing and so far it's coming in straight and gray! Still not seeing any other hair including my arms. I notice not too long ago that all my arm hair was gone! Took me this long to notice! LOL! Oh well. I am more worried about the growth on my head!
Hope you all have a wonderful day tomorrow. Will talk to you soon.
HUGS!
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I am laying in my hospital bed. BMX and free tram reconstruction done. Feel okay for now but is am getting pain meds every 2 hours and I am still very numb. I suspect tomorrow will be a much different story. The results look great to me already. So happy and so happy to have the cancer out of me. My surgeon had to remove two nodes but I have not spoken to her yet. I will speak to her tomorrow to get a better story of how the cancer looked. From what my family said when she spoke to them in the waiting room was that she was very leased with the results. Makes me happy. I cannot get any rest though cause the nurse is in every 30 minutes to check my flaps. That's frustrating because I am exhausted but I will get more rest tomorrow.
Kate
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Kate, I know you loved your surgeon. I wish you no cancer ever again, and a nice perky set via surgeon. I delight in you coming out of the tunnel, You are part of our team and we couldn't dance more. We are silly happy crazy and love you. I saw you changed your picture of your son. Nice pic.
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Yeah to you Kate. Take it one day at a time and try not to overdue it for your recovery. That is easier said than done with a toddler at home.
Can't wait to get my foobies after rads are over!Maggie
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Kate that is great news! I am so happy everything is going well for you. Thinking of you and wishing you a speedy recovery.
HUGS!
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Kate... so happy the surgery is behind you and wishing you a speedy recovery.
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