March 2012 chemo

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  • onvacation
    onvacation Member Posts: 1,344
    edited April 2012

    Shera - love the picture!  

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  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited April 2012

    Not yet, rads to follow after chemo, and as an added bonus, 2 years of tamoxifen. Since I have to wait for recon, hopefully that means the choices will keep getting better in the meantime!

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  • tellie_savalis
    tellie_savalis Member Posts: 121
    edited April 2012
    Indigo- I will see you 2 years of Tamo and raise it to five. Wink Not sure what I will be doing for rads yet, Mo said that will come after surgery so I imagine I will have to wait for reconstructive surg. as well. 
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  • onvacation
    onvacation Member Posts: 1,344
    edited April 2012

    I haven't met with a RO yet, but MO mentioned 5-6 weeks of radiation after my chemo.  So I am guessing that will start end of July or August.  Going to be a long summer!  

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  • tellie_savalis
    tellie_savalis Member Posts: 121
    edited April 2012

    I'm with you on the summer thing.  BC has such bad timing.  I just keep thinking of all the cool Halloween outfits I could wear now, but I REALLY hope to have at least some hair by Halloween...

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  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited April 2012

    Geez, now I'm trying to remember - was it 2 or 5 years? All such a blur! I just hope my periods don't go too wacky before chemopause; I was just about done with my period this time when I had tx#1 and I was spotting a little more than a week later.

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  • Love74
    Love74 Member Posts: 175
    edited April 2012

    A little something to take my mind off chemo tonite. I made a yummy apple crisp...took it out of the oven and set it on top on the back burner to cool off. Then I turned on the stove to cook some pasta but turned on the wrong burner and set my kitchen on fire!! Turns out the myth about fake corningware exploding and lighting on fire is true. DH got the fire out but now Im really craving apple crisp. Oh...and apparently blowing on the fire isnt the right thing to do! I really hope chemo brain goes away when the chemo does.

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  • KCB
    KCB Member Posts: 365
    edited April 2012

    SHERA! love her. Wonder what her name will be?

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  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited April 2012

    Omg Love74, glad you are okay but that sucks!! I really, really wish I could make you my favorite apple crisp (believe it or not, it bakes in the microwave).

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  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 1,469
    edited April 2012

    KCB

    In my chemo haze I realized I must have not seen your post!  Diverticulitis, OMG!. How would a person know they had this? I can see how you were DX with all that's gone on.  How are you feeling now? 

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  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 1,469
    edited April 2012

    Love

    Your apple crisp sounded good too!  What a mess!  I don't think I've had apple crisp since my Mom made it when I was a kid. Now I'm craving it LOL! 

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  • lanagraves
    lanagraves Member Posts: 596
    edited April 2012

    Love the pic Shera! Now for a super name...hmmm...

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  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited April 2012

    Hi all,

    So just wondering if any of you has a piece or two of advice along the terms of planning.

    My oldest niece (who lives near Dallas) graduates next month and last year my mom made plans to bring her to visit for a grad present.  She missed out last year when my DS#2 graduated and the rest of her family came because of all of her band activities.  They were looking at late June-early July before I got my diagnosis.  Since then it was backburnered for obvious reasons.

    So now... I am thinking, yeah, I'm not going to feel fantastic, doubt I'll be up to riding the Alpine Slide or going to the Renaissance Festival, or running around the mountains with them, but I'd love to see her and my mom.  They will be here just over a long weekend, they do not plan to stay with us but will be at a hotel nearby and just come and hang out here.  My mom doesn't expect to be waited on and entirely understands the situation - that I'm not up to cooking for everybody and things like that.  

    My last A/C treatment is scheduled for 6/21.  I'm assuming although I don't have the schedule yet, that I'll start the Taxotere 3 weeks after that, from what I've been told.  My niece won't be able to come after July because she'll be busy getting ready to go off to college.  Sooo..... I'm going to talk with the oncology people, but I'm thinking the "window" will be either just before the first or second Taxotere treatments.  I've read with great interest the input from you who've been on the same regiment and say that A/C is rougher than Taxotere, hoping that's true for me!!  

    I believe in my heart we can do this really - like I said, if I'm not up to doing much more than visiting, my guys can help with the entertainment part, and neither my niece nor my mom is a princess (thank goodness).  I do want to make the best of it all!  

    So anyway, any thoughts or advice you might have I'm really interested in, so people can make some plans. 

    Thanks in advance!!

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  • kltb04
    kltb04 Member Posts: 1,051
    edited April 2012

    Sorry I was MIA yesterday - had a bad day in what is supposed to be my "good week" Woke up around 6 with horrible nausea...worse than any post chemo.  So I took a phenagran and went back to bed and slept til nearly noon.  An additional - yet non related issue - is the tops of my arms were all broken out in bumps and itchy.  And it was a cycle, I scratched them, they itched worse.  This started Monday in the middle of the night.  I had used a new bubble bath but nothing else broke out but the tops of my arms so that doesn't make sense.  Only used a little of the coconut oil that day and mostly on my face and it was fine.  The only thing I can figure is sun allergy - I was and out of the car Monday and the arm closest to the window was worse than the other.  My mom has done the same thing on her meds and I remember them saying A/C makes you susceptible to the sun. Anyway, I took Benadryl all day/evening after I got up and it seems to be better so I guess I need to find a sensitive skin moisturizer with sunscreen in it for everyday use.

    Love - UGH on the apple crisp - and what a mess.

    Shera - LOVE our new mascot - that is awesome!

    Alice and Michelle - glad your tx went well.

    Lana - sorry to hear that #3 kicked your butt so much - I am worried going into it next week because I think the exhaustion is just going to be overwhelming.  I am hoping for an easier time on Taxol too.

    Corky - I totally agree on people telling you stories; I even get tired of the ones that have good endings when they are presented to me like "well, I know EXACTLY what you are going through because my grandmother had cancer."  Uh, no you don't.  ...and um, that was me on the D&D - I hope you know I meant that all in good fun!  It is just something I tease DH about.  

    Lynn - I love the blog - it is something I have been thinking of doing but I can't bring myself to "put myself out there" yet.  I started just trying to write my story thus far on my computer before I forget all the details but I already have 600 words and I haven't even made it to the day I had my diagnostic mammo yet.  I think I am too long winded to blog!  Keep us posted on the chemo decision.

     CAYH - I notice the eye issue more on days when I wear my contacts and makeup - the last time I did, I rubbed them so much I looked like a raccoon by the time I got home and could get them out and my face washed.

    Caitlin - so sorry to hear about your sil - I know there are triple negative threads here on bc.org...but if she is just diagnosed, I know it is overwhelming to try and get information.

    Katy - (((HUGS))) as usual...and (((sigh))), I know you are getting frustrated with all these roadblocks.

    Indigo - you aren't getting the bloodwork between TX right?  I know when I am making any plans I just try to make them for week #3.  Week #1 is the TX week, Week#2 I may feel ok, but I know my counts are going to be low, and Week #3, my counts are back up and I feel ok too.  But if you don't know how low your counts are going, your Week #2 may be ok...and even if they drop, as long as you aren't going around crowds, etc...it shouldn't be too big an issue.  I just would try to not plan for a treatment week so you would feel your best.

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  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited April 2012

    Hi kltb04 - sorry yesterday was a lousy day.  Yikes about the reaction - I am really fair skinned and invested in two good new sunblocks, which I've been using - the sun is super strong here and will fry the darkest of them. Not a hat person but I've been wearing one these days when I walk.

    I'm thinking about a week #3 too, pretty much.  Btw, I just got new contacts and new glasses right before my surgery, but haven't even tried to wear the contacts since starting chemo - there'd be no way. 

    Yesterday, I was dozing in thel afternoon and the TV was on in the background, and I swear every other commercial was either for Cancer Treatment Centers of America or some other cancer-related thing, and it just about drove me nuts because I kept hearing this woman say "stage 3...." over and over in the distance!  Ack.  At least you don't have to pretend to be polite to the TV when you tell it "shut up!" and change the channel, lol.

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  • Love74
    Love74 Member Posts: 175
    edited April 2012

    Kltb - I have been getting a rash in my 'good' week as well.  Lasts a day or two then goes away.  Doc says it can't be the chemo but I think it is...or maybe the neulasta.  I get it in a different place each time too.

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  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited April 2012

    I am kind of frustrated over the whole blood count thing, though - not in the future, but now.  They scheduled my port placement for 5/10, the day before my next treatment.  I have to go for labs on the 9th because of the surgery.  It is making me nervous that they won't be high enough and that they'll refuse to do the port.  I'm just NOT doing the arm stick again for the A/C after that first time. They gave me a choice of doing the port on Wednesday or Thursday (treatment is Friday), and I figured, the longer my counts had to recover, the better, probably, but I'm thinking about asking if I can't get another lab before that so I could get neulasta/neupogen in time for the port surgery, if necessary.  

    Of course they will do labs again the morning of my treatment by accessing the port - but I'm not worried about that one.  

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  • kltb04
    kltb04 Member Posts: 1,051
    edited April 2012

    As luck would have it I have the dermatology appt on Friday to look at the "head mole" so maybe it'll still be there and he can check it out.

    Indigo - there has been a constant looping commerical for the ACS since the relay of life is coming up too - and these little signs pop up (it is almost cartoon like/animated) and they have "memorials" as well as "in honor of" and I just try to FF through all them when the kids are watching - ugh!  Although they still don't affect me as bad as the sad and abused dogs and cats they play on lifetime, lol!

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  • kltb04
    kltb04 Member Posts: 1,051
    edited April 2012

    Your WBC should be back up by then on it's own hopefully.  You can get a CBC done anywhere (well, maybe not on the street corner); do you have a GP that might do it earlier just for peace of mind?

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  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited April 2012

    If anybody wants to try it - here is the microwave apple crisp recipe.  You don't have to use Pampered Chef stuff to make it - any large microwavable deep dish will work, and you can smash/crumble the graham crackers without using the food chopper if you don't have one.  It isn't quite the same as the good old fashioned kind - but it is really, really good - and best of all, you can make it in the summer without heating up your house.  I don't use nutmeg, btw - just cinnamon.

    I only wish I could bring it on over to you all today!!! 

    Hugs, Indigo

    http://www.recipes-from-friends.com/pamperedchef/moms-apple-crisp.htm

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  • IndigoMont11
    IndigoMont11 Member Posts: 1,095
    edited April 2012

    I imagine you are probably right and I'm probably worrying needlessly, but:  I don't want DH to hear me on the phone telling them what I'm worrying about, and I keep catching myself reading little things into the tone of voice of the surgery scheduler and oncology coordinator - whose job it is to work with all of us and humor us, and understand that we're scared and have chemo brain - and sometimes that makes them sound overly worried to me.... ack.  I need a diversion, don't I? I should probably watch another round of the Bill Dance fishing blooper videos - if you've never seen them, and you need a laugh, get yourself to youtube straightaway and go find him!!!

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  • onvacation
    onvacation Member Posts: 1,344
    edited April 2012

    I hope everyone feels better by tomorrow.  Once again CANCER SUCKS.  Where is that superhero in jammies again!  LOL

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  • Love74
    Love74 Member Posts: 175
    edited April 2012

    Indigo - Thanks for the recipe!  Sounds delish.  You shouldn't have to worry about your blood counts.  Mine have been excellent for 4 treatments...except my iron dropping a little before tx #3.  Just eat lots of protein and iron until then.

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  • FightingforA
    FightingforA Member Posts: 62
    edited April 2012

    Hi all. I will read all of the Posts to catch up, but right now I'm in need of a lot of support. I met with my MO this morning. The breast swelling and pain I was having is actually all tumor growth. He sent me for an ultrasound which confirmed it. So the A/C isn't working. He also sent me for a CT scan to rule out any spread. I'm waiting for those results and should have them around 2:00. I'm so terrified, sad, and angry. How can the chemo not work? How can my cancer be so aggressive that it has literally taken over and swelled my whole breast? I'm just feeling so hopeless right now. He mentioned changing chemo to Taxotere now instead of doing another 2 A/C since it's not working. I just wish I had more hope right now.

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  • kltb04
    kltb04 Member Posts: 1,051
    edited April 2012

    nsmolen - I have no words...I have said a prayer for you and will continue to do so.  I am so glad you will be able to get your results of the scan quickly.  I am thinking of you.

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  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 1,469
    edited April 2012

    nsmolen

    Aw sh*&t, I hope you have your results soon. Switching to Taxotere might be the answer to shrink the bas%^&rd.  My prayers are with you also. 

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  • onvacation
    onvacation Member Posts: 1,344
    edited April 2012

    nsmolen - so sorry this is happening.  I am sending you a big warm hug and healing prayers. 

    Cancer Sucks.

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  • MichelleMassey
    MichelleMassey Member Posts: 213
    edited April 2012

    Nsmolen-so sorry to hear that girl. Will keep you in prayer. Keep us updated on the Taxotere.

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  • tc9876
    tc9876 Member Posts: 136
    edited April 2012

    Nsmolen:  ((((BIG HUG)))))  You WILL get through this!  Believe that.

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  • lostinmo
    lostinmo Member Posts: 922
    edited April 2012

    Nsmolen-so sorry to hear this.  I will keep you in prayers.  Sending you big ((hugs))! 

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