March 2012 chemo

Hello again Marchers! I have finally finished read all the posts dating back to the 12th of April...

januaryice- My hair started falling out a few days after Tx2, but I still have ~10% left. I shaved my head, but the 10% is still growing.

KCB- Woah, you have had a really rough time with super low neutrophils. Sounds like a port would have been really helpful for you. I hope you're doing better now.

khintul- What did your MO decide about Taxol? I have one more AC to do, and then will have 12 weekly Taxol infusions.

ladyfighter- Great photos! Nice to see you rocking the bald look. Thank you for sharing. People seem to really like the shape of my head, lol. I think bald makes my eyes look bigger.

tellie- Grrrrrr, what part of 'private lesson' didn't they understand?!

MLB- Grrrrrr about your 'friends'. Time to re-evaluate those friendships. I hope you had a blast at the party. And what a pain that people post on your facebook page, when you have asked them not to!
I tell my friends pretty much all of my SEs, but not in great detail, lol. I post things on facebook too.
Congrats on finishing chemo! I am like you re radiation. I had no lymph node involvement and clear margins, so don't required radiation after I finish chemo.

kltb04- My port acted up right from Tx1. Actually, it's not the port part, but the catheter. I have to move my arm around to adjust it. Apparently it tends to rest against the blood vessel wall.
My diet has gone downhill the last few weeks, and now I want donuts. I might go to KO's later.
I actually think the opposite to you about people asking what they can do to help. I prefer them to ask me what I want/need so I can tell them. I don't want them to force something on me that I don't want/need, and then expect me to feel grateful.
OMG, a skunk! Are they cute, or just nasty things? We don't have them in New Zealand.
I really LOL'd at your letter to Taco Bell. Another thing we don't have in NZ!

triplem67- I didn't get around to buying any gingko, but it would have been okay. I just forgot, lol.
Interesting that you take lots of antibiotics while on chemo. I have only been recommended to get a lot of rest, be careful in crowded places, and be extra vigilant about hygiene.
Wow, more skunks!
I LOL'd at your daughter's comment about washing with dish soap. I am sure my showers take less than half the time they used to.
Sorry to hear that you needed some antibiotics infused. I hope that kicked the infection. I don't know what the itching might mean.

shera- Thanks for the photos. You look gorgeous, with and without hair. The long wig is really funky, and I hope you had a fun anniversary. And your sketch is wonderful. I wish I had your talent.
Are you not writing your blog anymore? I saw it hasn't been updated in a while.
LOL! I loved the superhero!

CAYH- Thanks for the photos! Your wig really suits you, great colour and style.
Thanks also for the links about side effects.

tc9876- Great news about being BRCA negative.

IndigoMont11- I had a mastectomy on the 10th of January, and then started A/C on the 27th of February. I had plenty of healing time in between, and chemo doesn't seem to have aggravated post-op soreness.

lostinmo- Yay for shrinkage! That's exactly what we want to hear.

Masserz- I am 32 years old, ER+ and still getting my period. I was 10 when they started.
I have had almost zero libido since I was diagnosed. It hasn't bothered me, given the circumstances. Cuddling is lovely.
But it does bother me that my husband shows no interest in anything more than that. I mean, WTF is his excuse?
I suppose my scars could bother him. He's only touched them when he's helped me change bandages. Now that I'm thinking about it, it makes me feel really unattractive.
So I don't miss sex, but I do miss being wanted. o_O
Yay for your wig looking so natural and perfect that people can't tell it's a wig.

lanagraves- Sorry to hear that the anti-nausea meds aren't helping that much. For my 3rd treatment my MO prescribed aprepitant (Emend) for 3 days, and they really helped. I didn't vomit at all. I really hope you can get them.
I was amazed at the price of those pills, around $50 for each one. But I am so so so thankful that health care is subsidised by the New Zealand government, so it only cost me $3. Also, there is a limit on how much you can spend in a year. After twenty prescription items, your prescriptions are dispensed to you for free. It only took me 3 months to get there this time.

re sushi- You guys are making me hungry! Omnomnomnom.

FightingforA- Wishing you all the best with your new chemo regimen. Keep on fighting!
I can understand that you have been down lately though. I find little random things can snap me out of dark moods. Seeing a flower, a rainbow, or watching my cat sleep could perk me up. Or feeling the warmth of the sun, hearing the windchime ring, tasting something my husband made for me, or reading a nice quote. Focusing on the beauty around me 'right now' helps.

baldeagle12- I hope your foot has healed up, so you don't have to put off your treatment.
I have no idea what my neutrophils are. I'll find out before treatment tomorrow. If they dropped low, they should be back up by now. I don't get shots to help bring it back up, and haven't had problems with infections... yet.

Sissydi- I do wake up feeling hot and sweaty sometimes, but I blame it on the cat sleeping on me. I am still getting my period. For now, anyway.
I try not to think about how much more time I still have to be on chemo.

re Television- I bought a Media Player last week so I can plug my portable hard drive to the TV to watch downloaded or shared files. I'm currently watching Freaks and Geeks.

Bev22- Sorry to hear you needed a blood transfusion, and an iron transfusion! I hope you're doing better now. So nice to hear your wig looks so natural and you seem healthy throughout your chemo.

onvacation- I hope the rash heals up fast.

lisak7290- Congrats on being done with chemo! I will be doing Tamoxifen too, but not until August or September. Then doing it for 5 years.

Sorry that this post is so long! And I'm certain I have missed people too, my apologies.
Wishing you all small side effects and big smiles.

Kia kaha,
Angela

Galena - you said you had a period after Tx3. I thought I was the odd one here continuing to have periods (I am done with two rounds of AC). Mine are heavier than normal so they have decided I need to see an ObGyn next week. Getting nervous about this. Hope it isn't anything.

Hi Galena! Nice to hear from you. Is your closing greeting Maori? I've never been to New Zealand but seen a lot of it on movies/TV. Another poster told me they are filming The Hobbit there, too. Sure looks beautiful.



My surgery was just under 6 weeks ago but seems like so much longer ago than that.

Ktb04- let me know if your MO says anything. I see Obgyn next Thursday and will post what I learn.

Hi Ladies,

I had chemo ACX4 and taxolX4 then bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction and radiation for a month.  It sucked, but it all does get better.  I have stage IV at 40 years old and no family history.  Always exercised, ate right, never drank or smoked.  Oh well.  Just remember what ever they say, do not worry.  You are not a statistic.  You are a individual.  Not just a number.  You will get through this as I did.  I had a small child and worked full time.  I am a registered nurse.  It took me almost a year and half but went back to work I am back and you will be too.  You do matter and we all here care about you.   God Bless and hugs and kisses to you all

Just started my chemo TCH x 6 plus herceptin to continue for 12 months and radiation for five weeks.  Mastectomy march 2012 her2 positive 4 of 10 nodes positive... Any advise welcome concerning what to expect. Day 4 tomorrow so expecting to bit the brick wall.  It is going.to be able journey for sure.  

Klt-Thanks for asking.  My little trip to the ER is turning into a nightmare.  The rash, redness, and swelling has gone away pretty much.  I didn't want to let them stick my port at the ER because the nurse really didn't have a clue. I told them to give me an IV but she said they had to stick it to check for infection.  Anyways, long story short, my port is now raised up and part of the catheter is sticking out of my skin.  I see my MO monday so I'll find out what's going on.  But if they have to redo my port there's going to be one pissed off bald woman in northern cali! 

MLB what I am going to work on with the food, is even though I will have some wine I will try and make an effort to get more green veggies in my diet because I think that is the key!  I also smoke, and decided it was too stressful to quit during treatment,(and the doctor agreed) but will be quit for good by the time I finish.  I really struggle with smoking with cancer - just doesn't make sense, but I've smoke since 20 and I'm 51!  So it is time!

 I am by no means perfect in my diet, or even close, but since i am triple negative, there is no magic pill for me to take after treatment, so food and exercise is the only thing I can do! 

MLB and onvacation, unfortunately I also smoke, but between the stress and the steroids it's safer for everyone if I wait some to try and quit.  Hopefully I can when it's surgery time.I have tried really hard to increase my green veggies though. The rest of my diet, not so good I like too many things. And I like my occasional margarita.The vitamin d I'm doing now, so I will continue with that.  I did have 1 baby, but was over 30 and breastfeeding didn't work (no milk). Antibiotics would require going to a Dr. and we know I don't do that well. Took me 9 months to get the lump checked. My bad.

Last week I went a picked up a wig.  It has more hair that I ever have had and feels wierd. Not sure I will ever wear it, but it was free. Signed up for the LGFB class for the 7th. 

Trying to figure out what to do for DS 14th birthday, it's the day after my next TX, so don't know what to plan. Suggestions anyone?

suzie - thanks for the info and popping in - always helps to hear from someone has been there.

Michelle - omg, what a nightmare -   that sounds awful...

lost - that is the way I feel about my wig - maybe someone could thin it out for you...did I tell y'all I tried to make a halo or hairpiece out of one of my wigs and ended up with a mess and a ruined wig?

Thanks for all the links to articles!  I think that making positive changes couldn't hurt but a lot of it is a crap shoot.  That said, I feel about my diet the way that some of you are about smoking.  I simply cannot deal with it until TX is done - I have real issues with some foods.  And the thought of food is the only thing that gets me through some days.  Never smoked so that isn't an issue.

Alcohol - sigh - that is the only thing I HAVE quit (for now)...that was/is a huge guilt issue for me because I was raised in a teetotaller home/family and never drank til I was an adult and then I overdid it at times.  Then I would read some of the research coming out about alcohol and BC and then feel REALLY guilty.  So that is one thing that I have cut out for now but feel an occasional drink probably isn't going to be any worse for me than all the crappy food I consume.  I definitely won't go back to the way too many drinks karaoke parties SIL and I would have though  

Was supposed to be going to the inlaws today - last good day before TX# 3 tomorrow - but DH decided he had too much to do at home.  Yay me!   So I am just working on some random things around the house...got laundry and ironing caught up yesterday cause I thought we were going to be gone all day.

PS - watching a sitcom and they are playing "Total Eclipse of the Heart - damn, I could really rock that song on drunk karaoke - sigh...good times...

joyful

Welcome to the club no one wants to belong to.  I agree that your "wall" time is likely now.  Sleep when you need to, drink as much water as you can, take the stool softeners and every anti nausea med you have been prescribed even if you don't feel sick. You should start to feel more "normal" around day 6-7.

 I'm not sure if you going to have the Neulasta or Neupagen shot to bring up your WBC, but alot including me experienced major bone pain from that. Although I didn't take it TX1, Clariton 24 hour was like a miracle drug for me anyway.  Double check with your MO though. 

Re Diet

I love food LOL!  While I could stand to lose 20 pounds I was never a lover of take out food like McDonalds or anything like that.  Now if its something ethnic like Swarmas, dim sum, sushi, west indian, thai I'm all in.  I think this is from having Irish parents that thought black pepper was the only spice on earth LOL!  I loved my Moms cooking, who doesn't but it was a pretty bland diet.  Fish and chips was about the only take out available back then.

The majority of it is actually not bad nutritionally really if you stay away from the fried fare.  I'm also a green veggie nutcase.  Love my veggies, always have.  I think my biggest downfall in prior years was red meat and bacon even though that would only be on weekends.  In the year prior to being DX bacon was banished and red meat was down to once a week.  Even sweets weren't my thing until I as DX'd.  I have never been much of a pop (soda) drinker either. 

I'm going to check into one of those organic veggie delivery services where you get whats in season and local and investigate buying organic meat and chicken in bulk to offset the expense and try to eat sustainable fish etc.  Lose the white stuff re bread, pasta etc. and make sure I'm fitting in the exercise.  I used to have a job where I commuted via train and I would walk to the office from the station. Just doing this alone got me 45 minutes of walking a day.  Made a 10 pound difference in weight from where I am now just doing that alone. When I supplemented going to the gym (although you can do it from home) with weight training and some more cardio it as another 10 pounds gone and my body composition was so different.  I still have some clothes from then and if I did all this I wouldn't need to buy anything for summer.  That alone along with quitting smoking would pay for the organic food.

Losing a bit of weight could lower my estrogen levels too.  I'm menopausal now so its fat and adrenals really driving estrogen not my ovaries. I'm also downsizing my life.  DH and I are preparing our house as I type to get it ready to sell. Way to much house for 2 people, who needs it. I certainly don't.  I want to spend the next 10 years travelling and such, not spend all my time tending to a house that I have no one to leave it to and worrying if my lawn is as nice as my retired neighbor.  I'm done with keeping up with the Jones'.  I worked so much in the last 8 years to keep up that we havn't even taken much of a vacation other than perhaps a long weekend getaway. Not good for the soul and its all going to change.  This I will thank BC for.

Lostinmo- DS's 14th Birthday--- that's a toughie.... My son just turned 18 yrs.  In our house, you get to celebrate your birthday for at least a week which means dinner out before the actual birthday and whatever else.  He asked for a birthday home cooked dinner and homemade cake which I was able to do.  Before my chemo started and when I was able to get out more, I bought his birthday cards and a few presents.  It wasn't much but he seemed pretty happy that we were all together.  He is pretty understanding person and knew I could physically only do so much.

Lostinmo, one other thing - I do understand that options are limited if you're in a smaller town vs the city. I grew up in a town with a population of around 3,000 - and since I was more like DS#2 (introverted, not a lot of friends) there wasn't that much to do for me, without going all the way to St. Louis.  We were lucky enough, living in the city now, to have choices - we would have been more doing the meals and sleepovers if we'd been in a smaller town.  I'll bet the boys would have been just about as happy most of the time. 

Thanks, suziel, for the encouragement!  Glad you have completed your treatment and surgery and are moving on! 

As far as food, I agree that most of my "better" eating will happen after treatment, though I try to get the veggies in now for the fibre to keep things moving!  I am sure it counteracts the crap i eat during treatments!

On another note, I wore a buff for the first time today, and it was very comfy.  I also think I looked like a bad a$$!