March 2012 chemo

First thing I do when I get home is take the bra off!  Now I also add take the wig off to the list!

Afternoon everyone.  Hope everyone is having a good day.  This is the hardest day for me again day 4. Won't bother with details, lets just say it's safer for all in my house for me to just stay in bed.

Kltb I'm glad to see that the storms didn't get your laundry you worked hard on. 

Can't seem to function at work today. Keep nodding off staring at my research. I think the new sleeping pills are working too well. Ugh...guess it's either don't sleep at all or sleep all the time. Good grief!

I think the dose dense regimen may be taking its toll on me, although my MO believes it is more effective and I trust him. I saw on another thread too where someone said however you were during pregnancy nausea-wise, that's what you can expect. And that is holding true for me - I was really sick all the way through both my pregnancies and nothing seemed to help. I even dehydrated a couple of times. Unfortunately, that seems to be how this is affecting me too. I'm just hoping that it will be better when I start the Taxol.

Lana - mine still looks wiggish to me too - especially since it has the highlighted bangs area.  I made it all day til we got in the car at our last stop - I had brought a scarf and just put it on - I don't like the way scarves look because A) I look like a Disney gypsy character esp with the large hoop earrings I favor and I like a little height on the top of my head that a hat at least gives.  I hear you on your mom, mine is always telling me how good mine looks and how much she would like her hair to look like that.  And I had awful shoulder pain after the Nuelasta but it goes away.  I think every ache and pain is just going to drive us nuts.  I keep having to remind myself that I have had a clear PET and there is no way anything would have grown significantly enough to cause pain especially since that time.  My last worrisome appt of the month is for a mole I found where I shaved my head.  Again, my onc sent me to the dermatologist "just to ease my mind"  Again, I had a head CT w/contrast that would have shown anything but still I worry.  Interesting about the pregnancy too - I was one of those that never was sick or threw up but just felt "blech" and nauseous.  But I have to say my nausea was 110% better this time.  Maybe the Compazine just works better for me.

 Love - what are your red counts - mine were down around 9 and my lab lists low normal at 12, but no one seems concerned.  I don't have a bleeding problem, my platelets are pretty high.  But I did take off my cotton ball/bandage too soon after port access today and noticed I had blood running out of it - attractive.  Vampire's wet dream

Cindy - I know what you mean on the nausea - I have just decided to take mine for about 5 days whether I need it or not as long as the meds aren't having any side effects just in case.  Sometimes in the evenings, I don't know if I am nauseous because I am truly nauseous or if I just haven't eaten enough/right that day.

MLB - thanks for the positive stories!

Bras - omg, seriously.  But yeah, I am one who always takes the bra off the second I get home so I can debunk that theory!  My mom who has the autoimmune disease has a lot of side and rib pain and she never wears one unless she is going out!   She has to rush to find one to put on if people come over.

Lost - yep, the storms were a non issue here, it didn't heat up that much yesterday so when the line came through, it just kind of broke up.  Still had some storms but nothing too bad.

I salute you ladies who are working through all this!

Well, I am back home and my white counts are in the shitter again - not super low but 2.9 so lower than normal.  Low enough that I will lie low and not do school stuff this week or go out amongst the masses more than necessary.  The LGFB class was a BUST!  I was the ONLY one there.  Oh well, I got my free makeup - some nice items too. A few things that won't work for my coloring or taste even thought I got the "light" kit but hey, it's free.  Since it was just me, she just talked to me and I already had a full face of makeup on so I didn't even do the "makeover" part.  Truthfully, she was a sweet lady but I knew more than she did as far as my type of chemo, my SE, the fact about A/C not usually causing brow/lash loss, etc...  Oh well, it is a nice service that they provide.   She did show me a cap she had embellised with rhinestones really cute and just gotten an extenstion to serve as a ponytail that would be easy cheap to make.  Oh, Amy, LMK how your wig altering to halo goes.  I just cannot bring myself to order one because I can't try it on.  TLCdirect.org has them for about $28 but I can't decide on the style/color, etc...

Hey klbt04!  LOLOL - my LGFB class was like yours!  I was the only one there.  I figured, WTH, I never get that much "me" time. I also came with makeup on but I brought my wipes and took it all off and just went for it.  I gotta say, like you, I do well enough with makeup that I didn't really learn anything new, and I was a little disappointed in a couple of the items I got - seriously, I mean, purple lipliner?  Sheesh.  And the Chanel shadows were green and silver - which I had my doubts about - but I've thought for quite some time about buying green shadow and walked out with other colors, so anyway - got Chanel for free!  The color wasn't all that bad for me either - not as goth as I thought it would be.

I did love the eyebrow powder pencil - my eyebrows are so overtweezed that I'll use it even if they don't fall out.  It was worth the whole kit.  And mine came with a full-size concealer and City Block, that I also liked a lot. 

I also liked the demo on how to do the T-shirt wrap.  That will be good for warmer months ahead! 

I did take a free wig partly because it was free and partly because I thought DH might like it - it has the headband and kind of looks like a Bond girl.  I don't see myself wearing it too much, though; the ones I bought are definitely nicer.  

But overall, I'll give them a good review and any criticism I have will be constructive, not just critical.  

I'm planning now to pick up some cheap T-shirts in pretty colors and try the wrap when my hair goes!  

Wishing you all minimal SEs this week.  And thanks again for answering all my questions - I know every person has a different experience, but your input is so much better than the overall basic info I've gotten from the medical professionals.  I do want to ask about the BRCA test; I don't have daughters but could well have granddaughters someday!  

Hugs!  Indigo

Michelle - I will check them out - I can spend hours surfing and shopping online but never commit to buy anything, lol!

Indigo - I want to try the tshirt wrap too - that looks really cool.  And I so am gonna use my eyebrow pencil too!  Mine are overtweezed as well so I can't wait to try it.

Oh hey everyone RE: the makeup - The only thing I truly can't use is there was an Avon cream to powder makeup and the color is "nutmeg" - um, yeah, I think that one got in the light bag by accident - it is VERY dark and orange - I wish I knew someone to give it to - I would be happy to mail it to any of y'all if any of you have a darker complexion and want it.  I found it online on avon.com - Extralasting Cream to Powder Foundation - color nutmeg.  I swiped the applicator across and rubbed it on my arm to see if it would be something that magically blended but nooooo.  On the color chart on Avon, I would have needed the light ivory or nude.  Anyway, just LMK if anyone wants it...happy to pay it forward to anyone who can use it.

Indigo - OMG, I just refreshed and read your latest comment - too funny! 

 And speaking of subbing - guess what STUPID THING I DID...I totally forgot to report my sub earnings on my taxes - ACK.  I submitted them last night so I guess I will #1 have to find that W-2...it was not in the drawer of ill repute and I truly don't remember being mailed one and then #2 file an addendum or something to my taxes.  Dumb, dumb, dumb.  I did two long term leaves in April and May so it was a couple thousand bucks...don't know what I was thinking.  Wonder if chemo brain is accepted as an excuse by the IRS? 

Don't stress kltb04 - you can file an amended return! I hope the extra income doesn't wipe out your refund....

Hi Love74 - saw your post a litttle bit late! I hope your bleeding is better - what are they telling you?



Also... oh, yeah, I'm watching every NHL playoff game I can! Right this minute, in fact (go Blues). My home team is the Avs and they didn't make it - but with apologies to you if you're a Vancouver fan, the Kings are certainly looking like they earned that playoff spot. The whole first round has been so entertaining. Can you believe all the misconducts?



So glad you're into the homestretch. Hugs!

Love74 - that's the attitude (cheering for whoever plays against Vancouver!).  I do admire the Sedin twins and Ryan Kesler, but a Canucks fan I'll never be.  Again with apologies to all my sisters in Vancouver!

Good Morning All

Man if I slept for 2 solid hours last night I would have been lucky.  Oh well, mabey tonight will be better. Can't even blame it on steroids, don't take those again until Thursday.

Re Hockey:  I was a die hard Toronto Maple Leaf Fan for years (I know, I know).  The managment (Burke) has only one  interest and that's the shareholders.  They fill the ACC for every game and yet haven't made the playoffs in 7 years.  I've tuned out, couldn't even name a player at this point in time.  My brother gave up his seasons tickets a couple of years ago in disgust.  I heard that CRA may not allow corporations to use sports events as a deduction in the near future.  I think this will be a good thing because I would think most of the seasons ticket holders are business's.  It will be a good thing in the long run because it will then be felt if the true "fans" aren't buying tickets they may spend the money on some players with some skill and heart to get the seats filled..  We really haven't had a decent team since the early to mid 90's IMO.  Its worse now than back in the Ballard Days. See, you got me started ladies LOL!!

Januaryice

Most of the stubble never fell out and is growing.  Part of me wonders if I should have just cut it short but since what did fall out was similar to what you would imagine male pattern baldness, it would have looked very strange, like a monk.

Indigo

Love that story.  My friend has 3 kids and the middle child has a mild form of autism.  I was speaking to his sister the other day and I was asking how her two brothers were doing.  She made me laugh when she said they had all graduated high school now and how funny it was that her brother with autism was the only one of the 3 that graduated on time while her and her other brother had to go back for extra semesters to get the additional credits they required to graduate.

Hey Myleft! I know that pro sports is a business - but at the end of the day it's all about the fans. I hope they manage to retool things so the Leafs can be a proud team again. At least Canada gained back the Winnepeg market again, too.