March 2012 chemo

Brax - thanks for the tip on the Compazine and Zofran. I wasn't sure what to do with the Zofra!

Hi all. I have taken two lots of anti-nausea meds now, and feeling a lot better. I'd been eating really well and hadn't needed the meds for a couple days, but I will now continue to take them preventatively.

I spent the last few hours on the couch as I didn't feel like being horizontal. Snoozed a little, and took lots of sips of water. My cat decided to keep me company. I'll try to attach a picture below... my apologies if it is bung.

5am here, and I think I might try getting some sleep. Thanks for 'listening' to me vent. xoxo

Karri: I find worry about the kids very hard as well( though talk to me next week after I start chemo and I may have a different story!) Mine are 8 and 9 (almost 10) we have talked with them about cancer; they have seen our neighbor go through it, and a teacher at their school, so we felt they would figure it out soon enough: can't sugar coat the chemo and hairloss. Anyway we kept it simple and tried not to lie. I hate that their lives are affected. My daughter turns 10 ten days after my first chemo, and I am desperately hoping my hair won't be falling out in clumps on that very day... Any thoughts?

Katy, my oldest is about to be 12.  We told her everything, emphasizing the positive, getting through it, etc...she knows I am about to go through chemo as well and knows the basics.  She broke down at first (of course) and then brought it up again last week saying she had a friend at school that's aunt has had cancer and has had a recurrance so she was worrying "what if it goes away and comes back?" I just told her that we can't know what the future holds (i.e. one could get in a car accident, etc...) and we would just deal with it day by day.

My youngest is 8 1/2.  We haven't specifically used the word cancer with her but I think we should/need to.  She just knows I am having "boobie" issues and had a little surgery, am going to have some medicine for awhile, and then will have more surgery later.  I really think we should have been more honest with her from the get-go but I kind of feel like it is what it is right now.  

On the hair loss, everything I have heard about chemo says about 2 weeks from the first treatment but I am sure the more experienced chemo ladies could tell you better.

My daughter's birthday is coming up too - the 28th - and I just know I am going to be right in the thick of things by then.  My mom will take care of planning things though, just like she had to get my youngest a Dr. Suess costume together at the last minute last week when I couldn't deal with it.   I feel bad right now because my oldest wanted her two friends to come over to spend the night Friday and I just can't deal with that right now so I told her no.

Ok, I feel bad about dominating this chemo thread with my issues so I'll shut up now!

Also, lisacjc, my PS said the folds in the skin and the TE should smooth out with fills. Which of course I can't have while I am on chemo...sigh. I will just have to put up with the wrinkly boob for a while longer!

My chemo packet from onc says not to mess with animal feces especially liter boxes. I don't have cats just dogs. I just wash hands really well when I touch them.

Kadia: I am getting fills while I'm on chemo. They are waiting to do my first one as soon as therapist works out this tightness. PS told me I just couldn't get fills if I were doing radiation. Are you also going to radiation?

Hey Girls...a quick note on the hair.  Mine started shedding on day 15...same day I shaved it.  Its still shedding today on day 19 with small 'clumps' that have about 10 stands each in them.  If I pull on the stubble it comes out a few strands at a time.  Its really itchy too so I put baby oil on my head when I get home from work.  I would say that my hair is thinning but I still have about 75% of it.

Also...I'm still getting a headache every day and heartburn...but not quite as bad as the first week.

Friday is my 2nd TCH...I'm hoping it goes the same or better than the first...it was definitely doable the first time around.

Msbelle, fortunately, my DH handles the litter boxes! As for fills, my PS has a policy not to do them during chemo. Not sure why, but I had to postpone my fills till after chemo.

Kadia - luckily, my PS will continue to do fills through chemo unless my WBC/RBCs get really low or unless I don't feel up to it. I'm sorry you have to wait. I can't imagine what it would be like to stop midway.

Hello to the new Marchers!

Love74: good news about date of hairloss . I suppose it depends on type of chemo though? anyway just hoping not to be too freaky on my daughter's birthday.

Trying to figure out what I need to get done before I start next Tuesday...(besides a haircut)...feeling a little stuck.

Thanks for the warm welcome, and I love the term Marchers!!! So fierce, so brave....and proud.

Just a note, I deleted a post above talking about my dad because I didn't feel like that my was my news to share at this point (as if any of you know me from Adam, lol)

I agree with Katy - thanks for the welcome - I have joined a couple of different sites and this one is by far the most responsive and also one of the easiest to navigate.

On the earlier pet issue, thank goodness my DH does the litter box too.  So I am going to TRY not to obsess about that issue.

 On the hair, I am going to go to one of the programs at one of the hospitals tomorrow before my appt and check out their wig/head coverings program - its free so I don't know about the quality but at least I will have some sort of something to start with.  It's called A New Outlook...there is also a Look Good Feel Better at another hospital but they only meet once a month and it happens to be the first day of my chemo - blah.

Ok, I hope everyone does ok the next little bit and I will be checking in after I get going next week.  My mom is trying to be positive and saying "everyone is different, you may handle this just fine" and I am like "uh huh...get ready"...I never thought I would be happy for my parents living in a camper in my yard but they have been lifesavers.  

One more question for those more experienced at this - are there any "supplies" I need to have at the ready to have immediately on hand the first day (my "education" in chemo is on the same day as my first session)??  I know they called in anti nausea meds already and I need to pick those up.  But will they tell me what else I need to get - I have seen the stool softeners, people mentioning Biotene mouth products etc... thx in advance.

Hi all. I'm feeling much better now. Managed to get a little sleep and drank water and some chicken soup. I will attempt a little solid food for lunch.

Hope you are all doing well.

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How to attach a picture.

1. You need to upload your image to a hosting site. I uploaded mine to my facebook account, but you could use something like photobucket.com.
2. Next you need to obtain the URL for that image. I right-clicked the image and then clicked 'Copy image URL' but your computer might have something slightly different.
3. Back in the forum now, in the 'Post a Reply' area, you need to click on the button that looks like a tree. It is next to the smiley face button.
4. Paste the image URL in the space. It seems to allow you to change the image dimensions but I don't know what size is optimum. Click 'Insert'. Voila! When you submit your reply, it should show up.

Thanks Kadia...ahh stool softener...sounds like fun. 

 I have my Kindle loaded up with books and I think they said someone could come in with you?  Is that common practice?  My husband will be there the first day and then my mom probably after that...I am either hyper/chatty/nervous or I am quiet/upset/nervous so it will just depend how I am feeling how much talking and/or reading I will be doing.