March 2012 chemo

Galena,

I just happen to check the forum this am and saw your posting before I went to work...I have thought about you all day!  I had to check on you as soon as I got in this afternoon.  Glad the throwing up has quit and hope it stays that way.  Soooooo sorry you feel bad.

zillamom, today is day 20 for me and I have taken Zofran almost everyday.  Only missed a couple of days, but when I did take it, I only needed 1 a day after the first week or so.  I wondered the same thing about needing it that long and it may have been a mind game for me too, but I kept taking that one a day anyway!

Kadia, good luck tomorrow.  Had to stop on the way home and get a new scarf to dress up my hat.  I think I am going to shave it bald.  I'm with you and do not like this half way stuff.  Think I may be getting some bald spots anyway.

Sissydi, fedfan, kltb04  Hope you have a good nite!

With 53 others, it's hard to keep up, but I am thinkg of you all this week doing round two and just starting too!

For me it will be 2 down and 2 to go after this week.  I DO NOT intend for that to be bragging for the ones Marching on after me!  I promise, I will keep you all in my prayers!

Brax:  I have no preference on the name of the group.  Just let me know when it's started.  I'll join in.

Hey Marchers, just a check in on my Day 7 of first round.. today was a breakthrough day for me as I had a major energy spurt and by afternoon I felt "almost normal".. yes, i am thanking my lucky stars so far cuz it hasnt been as bad as i expected, i managed to go the gym for an hour work out a couple times this week, cook a bit, and even do a whole yoga class today and some dancing- major accomplishment! so far the worst, besides the past 7 days of general tiredness and needing to lie around for hours every afternoon and do nothing, is one ugly headache behind my eyes for like the last 24 hrs, but tylenol helps. power to everyone here!

Galena- sending you really big hugs. So sorry this round is harder. You might want to ask about a Sancuso patch. It releases a steady stream of medicine which you don't have to ingest, so it should help better than the oral meds. I had it for my first round and hand almost no nausea. I only had to take zofran once.



Karri it seems so odd to congratulate you on starting chemo, but the way things have gone, it's in order. Hope it goes well!



So it sounds like most everyone else has started losing their hair around day 14/15 or later...today is my day 10 and my hair is flying off my head. I ran my hand over my hair this morning and came away with about 10 strands all the way to the root, not the normal breakage. By the time I got around to a shower this afternoon it was more like 15 or 20 strands every time I touched it. I had to give my husband a heads up about the clump of hair I pulled out of my comb after the shower so he wouldn't think there was an animal in the trash can. I've put it up in a pony tail now so I don't have to keep pulling hair out of my fingers. Will be getting it cut pretty short tomorrow so I don't kill the drains. I figure I can buzz it off myself once it gets to where I'm not comfortable without a scarf or the wig. Here we go...

Aw, Masserz, sorry about the hair. It is a bummer, but for me there was also something freeing in having it all gone. I really am liking me pre-tied scarves-- so easy!

Good luck today Karon.

Kadia: glad you like your Pre tied scarves... Where did you get them? Also amazing that you went to a game and had ice cream... Great!

Cucho: you're awesome!

Seems I have new and different discomforts each day. Hard to keep up. The sore throat has subsided somewhat, but now a concentrated area of pain in my jaw just behind back tooth. And intestinal discomfort. And the same question: at what point do I need to report these things...ah well, another day...

good luck to everyone having treatments today!

Posting on my phone so I can't really catch up with everyone but I remember Kim's post about her port. Glad that went well.



Day 2, I just feel headachy and kind of like I have a lump in my throat, no appetite, and just really, really down. Totally unmotivated to even try and do anything. The kids are home on Spring Break and just sitting around the house. I feel so guilty for not being able to do something with them. I just feel like crying.



Have to go back for Nuelesta shot this afternoon and am totally dreading those SE.



Just down

Karri, hang in there. The hardest part of all of this is the disruption it causes in our lives. All of a sudden we can't function or enjoy the good things in our lives. Try to stay positive though. Is there something mellow you can do with the kids? Make some popcorn and snuggle up and watch their favorite movies? Something along those lines? I have always found that my kids really just want to be close to me, regardless of what we are actually doing. It might lift your spirits.



Karon, boy can I sympathies with the taste bud issues. Mine have not returned at all. I too used to have a crazy sweet tooth, but now anything remotely sweet makes me want to gag. I also can't eat anything with a subtle flavor (like potatoes). It's not that most things taste bad, they just don't taste, or they taste like raw flour. I had a really hard time with it yesterday. My energy is up and I want to eat, but as soon as I put something in my mouth, my body kind of freaks out because it doesn't taste the way it should. It's like touching a numb spot. Your mind can't reconcille that you can't feel it when you should. I cried before dinner last night when my husband asked me what I wanted for dinner. It told him I wanted to TASTE something for dinner. So far red meat is the only thing that has any appeal for me. I see a lot of steaks in my future...



Hugs and well wishes to all of you brave ladies having treatment today and this week and those of your dealing with the SEs from your last one!



Well off to chop the locks....

Onvacation...they will make you look hot and feel hot!!  Post a pic!!  ps...the itchy-ness 'almost' goes away after about 2 weeks. 

Karri, those first few days can be rough. Take it easy and know it will pass.

Masserz, I really liked the scarves at:http://www.hatsscarvesandmore.com/ 

My insurance won't cover Neulasta, but it will cover an alternative (Neupigen) that I have to inject myself with for the next 7 days. I am going to be flying at the end of next week so we're using the booster in the hopes that I don't get sick from the flight and ruin my vacation. I hate needles, so a week of injecting myself should be interesting. Maybe it will cure my needle-phobia! 

Likeachickadee - wonderful!  Sounds like you are doing fantastic!  Do you think the walking is what helped?

Kim, from what I've read walking and exercise in general should help with fatigue and SE.  The first 1/3 mile yesterday after the chemo infusino was very rough.  I was walking very slow and on any slight incline it felt like I couldn't catch my breath.  That was a little scary as I've been really pushing the walking over the past few weeks and was even walking 6 - 7 miles at a time.  The walk got better as I went along and was able to finish the 2.5 miles a lot better than it started.  Today's walk was like my other walks.  I'm hoping to feel good enough each day to get at least 2 laps around a lake behind my apt in which is about 2.6 miles.

Msbelle, do you have any lightweight silk scarves? Those should feel much cooler and let your head breath. There are some really pretty, affordable ones at headcovers.com