February 2011 chemo pals

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  • thefuzzylemon
    thefuzzylemon Member Posts: 2,630
    edited February 2012

    I agree.....feel very intimately connected to everyone here. I've explained to friends/family/doctors how special this is for me...but I know they can't fully embrace it. And, that's just fine...probably a factor in why its so much a part of my life.

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited February 2012

    fuzzy - For me too - I think sometimes my family thinks I am unhealthily obsessed!  Actually it is healthily obsessed - I offer help and accept it from others - that is what we are supposed to do in this world!  Plus, nobody else gets it...  don't we know!

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  • crog234
    crog234 Member Posts: 801
    edited February 2012

    So well said Fuzzy and SpecialK... I was just asking myself if I come to these boards to much.. Decided that I dont. I may not write a lot but I here everyday (more than once) to read what others have to say. I am going to need all your help in the next few weeks. Dont have a date yet but I will be having 2 more surgeries.. They need to go back into my right leg and do another bypass. Then I guess after that is healed then they are going to do something with my left leg.. For those of you who don't know... While I was doing chemo last year I ended up in the hospital with blood clots. Anyway I had had a bypass from the aorta to my legs back in the summer of 2009 and it was working great. I had no problems until last year.. Fast forward... He did another bypass from up near my shoulder all the way down my right leg. Well that bypass quit working and my first one took over. Problem is that the veins in my legs that that bypass is connected too are the ones that were getting all the clots so they are not working properly now. So he needs to go in from the groin area and bypass the old veins and connect further down in my leg. Hoping with better blood flow I will be able to walk again... So anyway when the time comes I will be asking for your prayers and good thoughts.. Does it ever end!!!!



    Cindy

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  • MamaV
    MamaV Member Posts: 907
    edited February 2012

    crog - we will be here for you!

    Hello to everyone else ... I'm sure we are all feeling the same ... why isn't my hair growing fast enough?  When will I feel "normal" again?  Will I ever feel "normal" again?

    So glad we have each other!

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  • crog234
    crog234 Member Posts: 801
    edited February 2012

    Thanks MamaV..

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  • jenn_h
    jenn_h Member Posts: 149
    edited February 2012

    Crog, good luck, you know you have our prayers behind you...

    GG, beutiful poem!

    Fuzzy, I know what you mean! I am constantly citing stuff I hear from others on hear or talk about conversations had. This website has been the most important part of my emotional treatment and even a lot of the questions I've needed answers for!

    Went to Pittsburgh Monday and the appt. was stupendous. The doctor explained things to me and I have a much better understanding of where I am and what CAN be done in the future. SHe was so positive unlike my doctors here who basically made me feel like I'm dying rather than surviving! I am doing the right thing right now with the arimidex, but at some point in the future it will stop working and I will go on to another drug...there are so many more things to do after the arimidex....I am planning to live through them ALL!!!

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  • Robarue
    Robarue Member Posts: 4
    edited February 2012

    Hi There!  I started my 1st trmt Jan 13 and had my second one this past Friday, Feb 3.  All in all it is going very well.  I have 4 rounds and 2 are done! I am receiving taxotere and cytoxan.  I have a book called "Eating Well Through Cancer" and it is keeping me strong!  It literally is the bible for getting through the trmts! It tells you what to buy and has sections for eating with every side effect you can imagine!  We all need LOTS of protein and iron during our treatments and lots of liquids.  I'm ok the first 2 days then the next 3 days I am in and out of bed all day and running a low grade fever.  But I keep up my fluids and protein drinks and it really does help.  Keep your meals light and bland prior to treatment and eat 1-2 hours before trmt.  Suck on ice so you don't get mouth sores.  If you do, use Biotene and also the regeman of 1 tsp of baking soda, 1 tsp of salt and a quart of water and rinse, rinse, rinse.  My dad was a dentist so my teeth are in good shape and I know the tricks of good mouth protocol. Remember your health starts in your mouth.  I take steroids day before, day of and day after and gain about 2-3 lbs. and I take Ambien on the 3 days on on steroids and I sleep 8-10 hours which is exactly what the body needs. I do not get any other steroids other than the oral.  Exercise is also key.  15-30 minutes every day if possible.  It truly will help you sleep better.  I've lost my hair and down to orangatang fuzzies but it is really cute but so are my hats!!!  Everyone stay strong, we will all get through this with God's help and the Dr.'s know how.

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited February 2012

    crog - be absolutely certain in the belief that we are all here with you, picture us in your pocket when you have this surgery.  I am hopeful that your surgeon can correct this problem and you will be on your way to getting around the way you want to!

    jenn - So very glad you went to Pitt, and so very glad you have a doc there who gave you some positive news.  That has to be priceless right about now!

    mamav - my new questions is what the heck is normal?

    robarue - just a heads up - you are posting on Feb 2011 gals, not 2012.  All these ladies have finished chemo many months ago.  Not that we don't want you, and if you need anything ask away!  You stay strong too!

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  • MamaV
    MamaV Member Posts: 907
    edited February 2012

    jenn - glad to hear you have a better outlook!  We are all here for you!

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  • crog234
    crog234 Member Posts: 801
    edited February 2012

    Jenn so glad you got some positive feelings from your latest Doctors visit....



    Cindy

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  • mamaoftwo
    mamaoftwo Member Posts: 267
    edited February 2012

    I also come back to this Board frequently - at least every other day - to read posts and see how everyone is doing.  I also feel connected to all of you.  We all went through a lot in the past year. 

    Jenn - you sound much more optimistic.  That's so great you got some good news and a plan of action.

    Crog- do you know when your surgery is?  Will certainly hoping this bypass procedure works for you.

    I have stage 2 of my reconstruction on 2/24  - same day as Special K's procedure- and will be glad when it's done.  

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited February 2012

    mamaoftwo - we can be surgery buddies!

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  • ruffy
    ruffy Member Posts: 141
    edited February 2012

    Crog, will be thinking of you lots and wishing you the best in your upcoming surgeries.

    Jenn, so happy to had a great consult with these new dr's. :)

    My biopsy results came in today and were negative. It was or is, a very bad infection so 2 more weeks on antibiotics. Thanks everyone for your support. You all are truly amazing and very special to me. You are all a very strong lifeline and I'm so thankful to have this feb group xo

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited February 2012

    ruffolo - sad that you have to be on antibiotics but glad the biopsy was negative!

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  • MamaV
    MamaV Member Posts: 907
    edited February 2012

    Great news ruff!  Negative biopsy results are the BEST!

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  • dogeyed
    dogeyed Member Posts: 884
    edited February 2012

    Ruffy, glad that little scare is over with.

    Cindy, I pray for you forever.

    Jenn, I am so relieved you found the attitude you need to be rid of this madness.

    Fuzzy, you are my comfort, my morning star, my sister.

    Vicky, you will reach a new normal and you will have more hair.

    Special K, you are my mentor, the one I look up to.

    All my chemo sisters, oh, when tears well up in my eyes, I come to my chemo pals, we went thru one of the worst times in our lives so we are forever together like soldiers in battle feel about their fellow brothers, thus too are we are our fellow sisters for life... life, go outside when it warms up next week and breathe it in deeply, feel the love all around you, hear the whispers we give you, and see every beautiful part of this wonderous world, and know that the sunlight dances in your hair and eyes and you are as beautiful as the earth and skies, because you possess life's full meaning, treasured spirits divine.  GG

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  • crog234
    crog234 Member Posts: 801
    edited February 2012

    Mamaoftwo. Nope dont have a surgery date yet. Have to wait for insurance to ok and sometimes that can take what seems like forever.....



    Rufo glad your biopsy came back negative...



    Thanks Dogeyed for the prayers....



    Cindy



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  • crog234
    crog234 Member Posts: 801
    edited February 2012

    I now have a date for surgery... February 28th.



    Cindy

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited February 2012

    dogeyed - such a way with words, you always say it for all of us

    crog - on to the next, glad you have a date and your insurance ducks in a row!  We can recuperate together!

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  • crog234
    crog234 Member Posts: 801
    edited February 2012

    Sounds good SpecialK.. They say I will be in the hospital for 4 or 5 days... Hopefully I will feel up to signing onto the Internet at some point...



    Cindy

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  • mamaoftwo
    mamaoftwo Member Posts: 267
    edited February 2012

    Cindy, Specialk- we'll all be recuperating at the same time.  Let's hope it's an easy recovery.

     Ruffolo- GREAT news about the biopsy. That must be a relief for you.

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  • thefuzzylemon
    thefuzzylemon Member Posts: 2,630
    edited February 2012

    Whoa...I missed a couple days I think and had a lot to catch up on! 

    Ruff - WHOO HOO

    Crog - Always here for ya sweetie!

    Special and Mama - Happy Healing :)

    GG - oh my heart melts at your posts ... ahhhhhh

    Jenn - YES YES YES!!!!!  You are living!!  So glad you are in the right hands!!!  It makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE!!!  I'm so very happy for you...truly.

     So, I had two procedures last night that I didn't know I would be having.  Good news and not as good news.

    1.  Can't do reconstruction until at least June...and I can't have anything done that would allow me to go with out undergarments for the rest of my life (I tried...LOL).  There is no such thing as a "light weight" implant.  Bummer.  AND...the months and months of therapy that I attended for my wrist pain (which has just gotten worse...and worse...) was all for NONE!  That was the not so great news...onto the good news...

    2.  I received a steroid injection into my wrist that should mitigate the pain!  WHOO HOO!!  Ok, one shot...it will hurt like hell for a few days...but then it's over!  My husband was finally comfortable enough to tell me that "I don't want you to change" (in reference to the "girls" and reconstruction).  That was not something he wanted to discuss until yesterday.  Yesterday!!  Imagine...this is what I've been looking forward to since...well, since I lost one!  So, I think his emotional wounds are healing a bit.  Also, I had saline injected into the expander (I have a tube/nozzle thing that has bugged the shit out of me since my masectomy - never knew what it was...it's a nozzle to fill the expander!)  All they had to do was take a needle, stick it in the nozzle thing, add the ingredients and VIOLA!  A bigger boob!  LOL ... sorry, meds are kicking in.

    Whoa.  Long post and it's killing my wrist.  I hoooope to write more and check out more tomorrow.

    LOVE AN SMOOCHES TO MY DEAR FAMILY.  LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited February 2012

    fuzzy - wow!  Lots going on for you!  Glad you will have a good wrist/boob!  Not together, that sounds a little Frankenstein-ish!  Lol!

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  • thefuzzylemon
    thefuzzylemon Member Posts: 2,630
    edited February 2012

    LOL!!! WRIST BOOB!  Ya know...nothing would shock me anymore....I'm wondering if I'll ever start hallucinating from all these damn meds ... LOL!  If I do, you know the dreaded wrist boob will show up!

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  • dogeyed
    dogeyed Member Posts: 884
    edited February 2012

    Gosh, Fuzzy, JUNE?  Sigh.  Everything with this cancer thing takes forEVER.  And I don't know how you work with that wrist thing, I really hope that shot works!  Maybe you should stick your wrist in the freezer... yup, just disassemble the thumb, pull off the hand, unscrew wrist from arm, and there you go.  Hahaha.  But for me, the lifelong undergarments, ARGGHHH.  I got sensitive skin and I just hates them, I do.  You'll just have to find something super soft, maybe with a vibrator installed?!?  SMILE.

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  • MamaV
    MamaV Member Posts: 907
    edited February 2012

    fuzz - we will be here for you until June and after!  Life long sisters right! 

    Speaking of undergarments, can anyone recommend a good non-underwire bra that doesn't itch the hell out of sensitive skin?  My BALI bras are just itching my boobs (especially the radiated one) so bad.  I'm too big to go braless but the underwire is now not an option after my surgeries - too sensitive and seems to aggravate my LE.  Anyone?

    GG - you ROCK!

    Love to all!

    Vicky

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  • crog234
    crog234 Member Posts: 801
    edited February 2012

    Fuzzy will be here for you too... Hope your wrist feels better real soon... I am thinking by June I maybe having my second surgery and we can be recuperating together then.... I am hoping it won't be that long for the second one but I am not sure how long it will take to recuperate from the one I am having this month!!! I just don't know anymore...



    Cindy

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  • thefuzzylemon
    thefuzzylemon Member Posts: 2,630
    edited February 2012

    GG...can we get screw-off boobs?? I'm so guna get those!!! LOL

    Thanks ya all....there is comfort that you bring to me everyday! My wrist is doing good! Well....painkillers are assisting...

    Crog -you bet! Healing buddies!

    So, I love sports bras with super wide bands...those skinny ones cut off somethin' and are not comfy. Target has a nice selection....super soft, no wires. I'm considering making my own! No one sees em anyway...LOL. who the heck makes bras anyway??? Anyone who makes an itchy bra outta be smacked!

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  • MamaV
    MamaV Member Posts: 907
    edited February 2012

    Fuzz - sports bras just don't quite have thick enough coverage for the girls that are always standing at attention if u get my drifts! Lol!

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  • thefuzzylemon
    thefuzzylemon Member Posts: 2,630
    edited February 2012

    Waaaahahahaaaa! Sorry girls....LOL

    My favorites seem to do the trick....its a Pretty"thick material....have you shopped recently? I'll go check the name brand quick...

    BRB

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