March 2012 chemo

Lost - ROFLMAO - "I've heard of exercise and that some people like it" That cracked me up.  I also do not do windows or mow lawns.  In fact, I am forbidden to go near the lawn mower because DH is sure I would tear it up.  And my blinds cover my windows so I have no idea how dirty they are.  Glad you are having continued shrinkage...in a good way.  (remember the Seinfeld episode about shrinkage?)

Hey everybody, you have one to three occipital lymph nodes near the back of your neck where the neck and the head connect.  I have learned this from the most knowledgeable Dr. Google.

Lost- I've heard of exercise and i don't like it!  LOL

dr google is full of information eh?! 

Kltb I still have stubble and at times I think it has grown, but I think the stubble just hasn't fallen out!  I haven't had to shave the pits or legs in a couple weeks. 

Indigo, I have read that A/C usually doesn't cause brows/lash but Taxol/Taxatore can???  And I have also read that sometimes you don't lose lashes til AFTER your treatment is done from Taxol? 

I took a chance and shaved with a razor on my SNB site and was just really careful and it hasn't grown back.  The leg hair is the main thing I have noticed, I am not a great shaver - I have chunky monkey legs anyway and I just take a swipe with the razor on the parts that'll show and I know I did that several times when my hair was falling out and it has grown back since then.

FightingforA - glad your new treatment went well today!  I am triple negative also, and you have to do what you have to do!  Hang in there!

So this is my "good" weekend before the next round, so I just cleaned the powder room and now sitting down and having a glass of wine that I can actually taste!  Hope everyone has a good weekend with minimal SE!

Cheers! 

FightingforA (nsmolen) You are in my thoughts and prayers, girl!  Can you give us a first name?  I want to put you on the prayer list at church.  I know for me, I wanted as many people as possible praying for me.  I know some people are sensative about this cancer as it is "breast" cancer, but I say screw it - get as many people as you can praying for you! 

Hugs,  Amy 

Indigo: tell me more about purple energy...

Purple energy - I know it sounds metaphysical ... I say and think it because DH told me that the Chinese believe that purple enhances healing. When I was having all my tests and procedures in February and March, I thought about purple. I did feel better every time. Maybe it helped me focus on being calm, but I like thinking about it. The purple I see is a deep fuchsia.

Shera - forks over knifes is a great movie - very informative.

I ran across this article this morning and wanted share - diet and exercise for cancer survivors.

 http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/OtherCancers/32366 

I like BC tazer warrior women for our superhero! 

Not sure why you can't just click on link, but if you copy and paste it will open! 

FightingforA--I"m so glad you've found an approach to take. No giving up and definitely worth it! I'm glad you've decided to fight.

indigo-A friend of mine said something about purple light being purifying and to visualize that in our body. I don't care how metaphysical or "out there" it sounds I'm throwing everything at this eff-ing disease.

On the brow front, I didn't have a lot of eyebrows before, but now I have hardly any hairs there. I'm trying to use them to trace on a semblance of expression makers for me. Someone joked that I could choose my expression now -- angry, curious, frustrated, etc., with the wipe of a pencil or powder. I saw where Ulta has a stencil and brow set, it I'm not exhausted later I might try to check it out. Has anyone used that? My eyelashes are also getting thinner, but at least I can put some mascara on them still. I'm on TAC every 3 weeks btw. I'm on Tx4/6 and on day 6. 

Wanted to share what my chemo nurse told me about borrowing energy from the future. She said if you do a lot in one day that be prepared to be tired the next. I know when I try to do the things I normally do for a few days in a row, that 4th day I just have to rest and take it easy. I'm not used to sitting still much, but when you're deflated, you're deflated. So when we're more active, remember we might be borrowing energy from the future that we have to pay back.

And, my HGB is low and I've always been anemic (maybe not so much with chemo-pause) so has anyone had iron? What about EPO? It's hard for me to get supplements down right now and I certainly don't need any more constipating things in my body. I'm going on day 3 without a BM. Sorry, tmi? But my DH, while sympathetic, is probably very tired of hearing it!

Happy Saturday (I hope so for you all).

Lynn - check out the thread "cosmetic stuff that worked for me; sharing girly stuff" or something like that...you may have to dig but there is information there on eyebrows/stenciling...also the hair, hair, hair thread might have something.  I totally agree about the borrowing energy your nurse mentioned...I think we think once we have a good day that we can push on and it catches up with us.

FightingforA - so glad to hear you are exploring some other options.

Kim - I am glad you had a good evening last night!

Indigo - I might have to adopt purple as my new favorite color.

LOL on Crazy Tazy.

I think I may really need to talk to MO on Monday when I see her before TX about my anxiety.  I joke on here a lot about my worrying but I am finding it starting to be really consuming.  I am ok for a little while after I get a good report like yesterday at the dermatologist and then I start worrying about something else. I can't have a scan or xray or drs appt each and every time I have so much as a rash or a bump. And there is not going to be a time in the foreseeable future when I don't have things to worry about and I have got to get it under control   I have a xanax rX but it just makes me tired.  

Anyway...I rented the first season of Downton Abbey from the redbox last night and am on episode 4 of 7...so I think I have my day planned   Youngest DD has a birthday party to go to this afternoon but I think I am going to ask DH to take her...I just don't have the energy today to do the whole makeup/wig thing just to drop her off and pick her up.  And face the questions and "how ARE yous?"   Plus I am having the major eye tearing and my nose running and I am starting to think it is allergies rather than chemo SE?  

klb you should talk to your MO about anxiety. no need feeling that way if you don't have to!

I also agree at borrowing your energy from the future! I try and spread stuff out so I don't do too much in one day. speaking of that I just ran errands so now nap time! 

Hi all, I haven't been on the forum for a couple of weeks, and there are 20 new pages to read. I have some catching up to do.

Treatment #3 went well. I slept almost constantly for a week, and then gradually came right. My eyes are really weepy and my skin is dry, but I didn't vomit at all.  I'm starting to feel a cold coming on today.

My super thin ostrich hair didn't fall out, so I shaved my head completely bald. I'm absolutely loving it. I wear a head scarf or turban when it is cold, but otherwise I am happy to go au naturel.

My period started Tuesday last week, but it was a little weird. Thicker than normal, and not very heavy.

Treatment #4 is tomorrow. My blood test sample clotted really quickly last time and needed to be repeated. It ended up being a really long day. I expect that will happen again this time. I plan to go in first thing in the morning to get the bloods taken, but my infusion isn't until 3pm.

Tomorrow is my husband's birthday, but he'll have a pretty dull day hanging at the hospital with me. Poor thing. We had a party for him on Friday and will have a family dinner tonight, so hopefully he won't mind.

Sorry your port is acting up!  Hope it works well on Monday for your next treatment!