March 2012 chemo

CAYH- thanks for bringing up the urinating issue. I was starting to think something was wrong with me. Warning: squatting is dangerous! I can't tell you how many floors I have soaked. Embarrassing! I was also told today to take Epsom salt baths but have not heard to avoid if you have high blood pressure. I just started taking a betablocker for blood pressure and elevated heart rate. Wonder if I should avoid the baths? The herceptin is causing my blood pressure to go up. I normally don't have a problem.

Msbelle. I think the Bp issue is just the really hot water. You see similar warnings on hot tubs and saunas etc. I have borderline hbp and am on a low dose of a med but if anything my Bp has been running low lately.



On the bath I would just say don't run it super hot if you are concerned. I don't think the bath salts or anything are a concern.



Going to inlaws today. Groan. Long drive for a short visit. Last night I dreamed one of their dogs had tuberculosis. WTH????

Have a good day too Kim...

I think it is a germ thing - I have always had issues with their dogs (don't get me wrong, I have cat hair everywhere here, its not a pet thing, just them) - and the germ factor...they aren't housebroken (they say they are pad trained but they're not).  When the kids were little, I would never put them on the carpet before they were walking, I always made sure that they had a blanket or quilt to be on, etc...

Anyway, I think that's where the dream came from - but TB really?  LOL...maybe worms...

And LOL on the squatting MSBelle - I am also famous for that (see abovementioned germ thing) but I have about given up.  I just line the toilet with layers of paper and hope it flushes after...

We are never gonna get there if DH doesn't hurry up...it takes him longer to get ready than me and 2 girls.  And he doesn't have hair either.  Ugh.

Well it has been a great weekend. Had friends over and cooked dinner for them. Even had a fire outside and drank some wine. Felt good to just do something normal.



Glad to know I'm not the only one with the urinating problem! My favorite is when you have to give a urine sample! I'm lucky to get a few drops in the cup!



Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Kltb-that sucks about the food and margarita. We have so few pleasures right now. I couldn't sleep so I'm cleaning my room and going to do laundry. Didn't do a dang thing yesterday after all I did Friday. Really nervous about tx #4 tomorrow. But then AC can kiss my butt cuz I'm done withit and on to 12 Taxol. Hoping it's easier but not sure from what I'm reading on here!

klt

Awww, the poor baby LOL!  Is this one of the In Laws dogs  you were taking about? I think it looks like a Yorkie?  Good tip about bufftets, not that I went to one during TX but never thought about it.  Sorry to hear about your tummy, mabey too spicey for you at this time.  Thats along drive for an afternoon visit. My inlaws live 1.5 hours away and I though that was far!

This weekend has been just beautiful weather wise so I got alot yard work done and will finish today.  Yes I wore gloves (always!).  Perfect working weather, 20C and sunny. My legs are kind of sore today, they have been weak of late so must build up those muscles. Alot of the February chemo thread people were mentioning the same thing which I found interesting.

I had my first salad last night since TX began.  OMG I enjoyed it so much!!!  Hoping this will replace my chocolate addiction of late.

M - lol on the hair.

MLB - yay on accomplishing yardwork!  I had to go translate the 20C, lol!  Sounds nice.  And yes, that evil little beast is a Yorkie that weighs less than 2 lbs but is a mean little crap.

The food was awful all around - Cozymel's - it is a chain Mexican restaurant we used to go to all the time but the last two times have been subpar so I don't think we will go back.  At least the margarita was only $2 - a Cinco de Mayo special - I drank about $1.05 worth

Lost - ack, ack, ack.  Glad you saved the bunnies...we had a nest of bird eggs in a tree out back and they are gone now I am sure a snake got em.  Oh, I have a snake story!  I actually have two.  The first was when we lived in a rental house when we first got married - I came out from the bedroom to find the cats we had at the time playing with a snake in my foyer!  I freaked out, grabbed my cats and holed up in the bedroom.  Called an exterminator (DH worked about an hour away) and he came out and poked around and couldn't find anything.  I took the cats and went to my parents house (2 hrs away!) for the day.  That night, after looking and looking, DH found the snake by picking up the sofa and dropping it repeatedly - it had curled up in the arm and it fell out.  It had to die.

Second one was last summer...we came home and a huge long black snake (or chicken, rat snake, dunno) had wrapped itself around one of the columns on our porch.   Sunning itself I guess...I had DH just get it with a shovel and carry it off to the woods a couple acres away.  A couple hours later, we come home again and the SOB is back, this time wrapped around the shutters around one of the windows on the house like it was trying to get behind the siding.

It too had to die.  It got one chance.   I know they kill bad snakes but I couldn't deal with it!

Lostinmo and Kltb04 - snakes!!!! I hate them. I know they eat mice, which is great, but I just don't want to see them. Those black snakes must be common in Missouri, because I remember when I was around five years old, one got into our house. My mother was trying to pick up a mess that my sister and I had left in the play room (we were in trouble) and came across the snake. I can hear her screaming for my dad to this day. Turns out our cat had opened the sliding door and that's how it got in. It too had to die - I think so my mom could sleep that night. I also remember playing in the woods with my cousins and their dog. We were jumping on a fallen log, and a copperhead bit the poor dog. We always felt like he took one for us. My uncle actually nursed him through it, and he survived, but my uncle said he was kind of crazy after that. Most recently, a couple of years ago, I went on a power hike with DS#1 up in some mountains just west of here. There had recently been a big grass fire there and a lot of vegetation was burned off. I was glad because there are rattlesnakes there and I figured it would be good since they would have fewer hiding places after the fire. I told DS#1 about being worried we'd come across a rattler, and he assured me he had never seen any in the times he had been up there. No sooner did he say that, than we both heard one! We stopped and looked all around but it was fortunately off the trail a ways, judging by the sound. (Never saw it). We were halfway up to the top, and I'd wanted to prove to myself that I could do it, so we did finish, but I was nervous about where my feet were going the whole time. Haven't been up there again!

baldeagle

Get your arm elevated above your heart with some pillows asap and drink alot of water.  Any time your sitting watching TV do it! It totally helped me get the fluid moving after surgery, well actually after the drains came out. I was freaking and thought I had pinched a nerve.  My whole arm was so sore.  Then get on the phone and get a refferal to a PT that has lymphademia experience. 

Oh damn -- girls. Nothing worse than the laying in fetal position basically waiting for time to pass. I was exactly there for each treatment -- but the 3rd time was the worst of all.

I'm on day 5 past my 4th and LAST treatment (TCx4 -- just 4 infusions compared to many of you who are getting 8). 

I realized today that the worst is behind me -- and tears just keep streaming down my face. From the relief, I assume.  I didn't realize it would be so emotional to get this behind me. 

I am praying for all of you! I can't wait for you to be crying tears of relief while leaving chemo-hell in your past. 

Those of you completing AC and moving to T -- I've heard that T is not as bad as AC from a few people... but it's probably an individual thing. I had the combo of TC... so I don't know what T would be like alone.  A friend who completed AC-T a few months ago, said her hair started growing back during the T, and that T didn't kick her ass as bad as AC. I hope, for those of you with more to go -- that the worst is over. 

(((((HUGS)))))

baldeagle

It can't hurt to call tomorrow to get the ball rolling.  I just thought of another thing to do to get the fluid moving.  Hold your arms straight or as straight as you can get the sore one, and open and close your hands about 20 times.  That was in my little book when I brought the matter up with my MO's nurse assistant.  Deep breathing helps too. 

Shere

Hurray!  I totally know what you mean about relief!  Now I still get to go every 3 weeks for Herceptin but its not chemo and I should be in and out in an hour so I'll deal with that.

Shera, woohoo to the last treatment!  I can't wait till I'm there - 60 more days - not that I'm counting or anything!  LOL

Hi Masserz - good to see you again. You and I talked about cording after my surgery in January. At that time, I described my pain as a lazy tendon that needed to be stretched. Because of you, I was faithful in "walking up the wall" and other stretching exercises to keep my arm in motion. The pain and tightness went away for a while but recently came back with a vengeance. Were you fitted with a sleeve or wrap?

MLB - Your advice was right on target! I stacked several pillows and rested my arm on them for a few hours. The tightness from the swelling has diminished and the pitting is less noticeable. You saved the day for me! Thanks.

baldeagle

I'm so glad.  I did that faithfully everytime I sat down (which was alot particulare ly in January) and I've had no issues since.  I am mindful that it could be an issue at any time though. I keep remembering things that my chiropractor told me as well (sorry they don't come all at the same time LOL).  He recommednded that I take my temperature a few times a day to ensure there was no infection as well.  There never was.

klt

I felt like going on a rampage today with DH. He thinks that now that I've completed chemo that I should be back to my normal superwoman self energy wise.  Now bear in mind that this weekend I have done all of the garden beds, raked all of the grass, swept every inch of the outside that isn't grass, shopped, cooked,cleaned (floors, bathrooms, vacuuming, dusting) and he's bitching. I do have to take frequent breaks, who wouldn't??!!  I could f'ing just about pop one into his ass right now.  Thank God he's on midnights and will be leaving the house at 10:30.  Wouldn't be a good idea to fall asleep near me right now LOL! 

Morning all! Got up to make DH's lunch and can't go back to sleep. Today is my 4th and final AC. I'm nervous, but will be glad to get it over with.



MLB-I understand about the frequent breaks. I was up and doing stuff all day yesterday and DH laid on the couch all weekend. I did 4 loads of laundry. Doesn't sound like much, but we have a 3 story home and laundry room is on 1st floor. And he got mad cuz I missed 1 of his shirts that he likes. I just told him to bite me.



Shera-Congrats! Keep us updated!



Bald- you need to remind him that it can take a year or longer for your strength to come back. I'm amazed you got what you did done! You rock!



Lost- life in the country, ain't it great? My house is a zoo also.



Well I usually don't wear makeup to chemo, but figure I need my war paint for today's tx. Have a great day all!