Has anyone started a Dec 2011 group?

Whatashocker, I was dx'd in August but didn't start chemo until December.  I had two surgeries -- first the lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy, then an ALND where they removed 15 more lymph nodes.  And then it took me a little while longer than normal to decide on chemo because of other health issues.  So that explains the delay for me ....

Flislander, the blisters are still there, but healing 'slowly'. It is driving me crazy because I need to get on the treadmill to get rid of some of my tension/anxiety. Today, I went on anyway with one shoe on and one shoe off. I know the se was dry skin but I have blisters on the back of my feet and on the bottoms. Very slow healing.

Hi ladies, had 3rd taxol today and a little buzzed on steroids. Catching up on reading posts.



Rachel I hope your thrush is resolved or gone.



I had thrush and mouth sores throughout most of AC. Took probiotics/acidphilus ate yogurt hoping to help but who knows. Does anyone else take probiotics or been told not to?



Dougieswife when I read your about being admitted for treatment I completely related. I often thought the same going through AC.



Whata, I don't have blisters, but still have a llumpy rash on my hands that sometimes itches, sometimes hurts courtesy of, yes, AC. It is improving, but I have to be really careful not to aggravate it. The rash on my back took over a month to resolve so I have to be patient. Onc

believes I had toxicity to that chemo.



There are a few ladies who havent posted here for a while and I hope they are doing and feeling well.



Goodnight to the rest of you and feel well,



Laura

Laura, congrats on making it through another treatment. Check it off the list!

Lori, I am truly hoping some GF movie/ wedding planning time will help you feel somewhat normal. The mesy house, as soon as I gave up control of what I could & could not do, that helped me. I can live with a messy house, wy down on my list of priorities. I'm like you, would rather not have to worry about my meals. While my DH has been great at caregiving, he is no cook, & I do worry about eating healthy meals. All the friends & realitives who were so great at bringing meals after surgery & when I first started chemo have all felt like they have done their share, not that I'm complaining, but it would be nice to still have that support system.

Whata, so sorry to hear of your problem with your feet, you sure don't need that on top of everything else.

Wishing everyone a good nights rest.

Laura - The thrush is turning the corner, but I'll be taking the medicine through the weekend.

Lori - Sorry all of this hit you so hard just now. I think I may be getting to that point. You're so right about feeling like we've lost control. Enjoy the movie/GF time, and I'm sure you will find a way to take back control of some things - but give yourself some slack.

Markat - A vacation! That's great. I hope it puts you in a good place going into #5.

Whata - Glad that there's at least some healing on the blisters.

I'm hanging in there. Of course the #1 SE of the medicine they give you for thrush is.... diarrhea. At least I can assume that's my problem, and not the norovirus hitting all the local college campuses, including the one I work at. My white gloves have become part of my daily wardrobe; I'm not quite ready to don a mask, but it wouldn't take much.

Trying to prepare for a visit from some friends... a good friend I knew when I lived in Russia (I worked there for 3 years) is going to CA for a conference and wanted to visit the east coast on his way. Of all times! But I haven't seen him in over 10 years, and he was one of the really great people who helped me so much when I was there. If you've ever lived abroad, particularly in that part of the world, hospitality is a huge thing, so I really couldn't turn around and say 'uh, no...' I've arranged for him and his girlfriend to stay at a few friends' house (the immunity thing had to take precedence), but I still need to pick them up at the airport and plan some things for them to do. At least I can take a day or two of work off (not that I have many left). So that's my weekend. 

Have a good, SE-free weekend. 

Kelly - Thank you. I hadn't stopped to think of it that way, and I like that.

Rachel have fun with your friend.



This trip has been good for my spirit. It has let me forget that I have cancer for awhile. I am glad that I am on the antibiotic here...just in case.

CRAP, CRAP, CRAP......now my freakin left hand fingertips are numb!!!!!  DANG IT!!!!  It's not painful but it is annoying as all get out!!!!  

Definitely feeling emotionally better today!!!  GF time helps!!!    Having a girls night out toinght, too.  I just hope I don't feel like the token "cancer chick"...I'm still me...I just have a wig on...but I'm still me.  

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!!!!!!!  

Oh..mardibra....did your MO tell you to do the L Glutamine???  My MO poo-poo's any supplements but I CAN'T have my treatments delayed at all...I have a wedding to shoot!!!!  I'm about to go out and get some on my own just to try and get this cleared up...but I will be calling them on Monday.  I told the nurse yesterday that my feel went numb the day before and she said if it gets worse to make sure I call them back...so I guess I'm calling them on Monday.   

Mardibra I'm sorry you had to delay but that is great news about the glutamine helping so quickly.



My onc also approved me using it, 4 days between weekly txs.



Dougieswife hoping you had a great girls night out!



Rachel your busy schedule! I hope you really enjoy your time with your friends.



Markat so glad your trip lifted your spirits.



It is wonderful to see many who have been through so much finding joys and blessings, friends, trips, family time. Through the terrible SEs and stresses, there is amazing strength and healing.



Big Hugs, Laura

Kelly - Sounds like paradise to me! I put my feeder up right before last weekend, and only now have the birds really been using it. The squirrel, on the other hand... (mind you, I'm a second-story balcony apartment. I've given up chasing them away). Enjoy the visitors. The chipmunks must be adorable.

Lori and mardibra - So sorry to hear about the neuropathy. I'm watching mine really closely. I might try acupuncture, and ask my MO about neurontin. If all else fails, I'm going to go rougue with the L-carnitine... 

It's beautiful and sunny here... another unusually warm day. But too much to do in straightening up the apartment, cooking dinner and doing some work since I need to take time off to show my visitor around. My host for tonight got sick, so I may have to let them her stay here (my friend's visa got delayed, so just his girlfriend got on the flight. I've never met her before. This should be interesting. Hope I don't freak her out with cancer stuff. You never know how different cultures deal with 'awareness,' etc, and I have a feeling that Russia is probably behind the curve on that, but I could be wrong. Maybe some things have changed since I was over there in the 90s.

Kelly, your yard sounds like a beautiful place. Chipmonks so early! Maybe spring isnt so far off. It snowed a couple inches here on Friday too. Just enough to be pretty.



Rachel, hoping your visitor works out without you getting too exhausted. Your energy and hospitality is amazing.



Laying low today, hugs to all.



Laura

Whatashocker - I am sending good vibes your way for #5 tomorrow.  I have #5 on Thursday so we are both almost done.  I have the same feeling of dread.  I feel pretty good, especially the week before and it is very hard to drag myself in for more torture.  But I guess we have to keep our eye on the prize.  Good luck tomorrow...I'll be thinking of you!

Oh sorry Whata I just realized your #5 is tomorrow.



Be thinking of you.



Laura

Markat, if the nurse wasn't to concerned than you shouldn't be either. Perhaps it is because you are doing chemo? I have low blood pressure, I have never had it before. That concerned me but the medical team wasn't concerned either. Onc said it is normal when doing chemo. Either it goes high or it goes low while on chemo.



Hope your se's aren't to bad. Good job on #5.



I think the liver works harder trying to process the chemo.

Hi Ladies! I had round 4 TCH on feb 16 and it has been downhill from there. My SE which were pretty bad got worse and then my hands started changing color. Went to the dr and the taxotere ended up creating some type of burn. It looks bad. So last week the dr had me scheduled for iv antibiotics for a week to avoid a skin infection. Started tuesday. On Wednesday I woke up with a slight fever but was going to go in and get my antibiotics within a couple hours so I did not call the dr. I just took a Tylenol. By the time I got there my temp was 97.5. I was fine one minute, then shaking uncontrollably the next. My fever spiked to 104.1. I was tachycardic, and an ambulance had to take me to the ER. My WBC was .5 and I ended up in the ICU for 2 days because my blood pressure was so low and I had bacteria in the blood and urine. I also had two blood transfusions because I was so anemic. I almost went into kidney failure. I got home last night. My body is really weak. I am having problems walking so home health is coming in and I am getting physical therapy. It's scary how to think I almost died on Wednesday. So, ladies, here's my PSA for the day: take your temps when you feel the chills, listen to your bodies, and communicate with your drs. Take care.