April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

lsharvey - :-(((  My tongue has felt like that around the edges before! 

lisa2012 - this is your 4th and last TC????  CONGRATS!!!!!!    PFC girl!!!  PFC!!! 

Vickilind - I didn't have any scans either, I take that back I had a CT scan because my chest x-ray showed something, but they determined that was from pneumonia maybe 20 plus years ago.  So had the chest x-ray and CT of lungs - and the only other test I had was baseline echo cardiogram because of Herceptin.  I had wondered the same, but just figured they knew what they were doing.

Vicki:  I didn't have any scans either other than an MRI of both breasts, which showed another cancerous tumor right next to the one the ultrasound had.  I did have an EKG, EEG, and a chest x-ray.. That's it.

Lisa:  If this is your last round, CONGRATS.  

Thanks, Fierro. Got them and saved them.

Apparently, even though I've always thought of myself as being really strong, I'm just a big baby!  Tx3 tomorrow has me wimpering in a corner.  I'm just not used to being sick or feeling bad.  I guess I've just been so fortunate in my life and I try to look at it that way but it's not helping tonight.

Hugs lsharvey!  This is a hard road, it's so ok to not feel strong.  I know you know that...but it helps to hear it again, I think.  There's a quote on this board that I love:  

"You don't have to be brave.  You just have to keep showing up."  

Dance and Melrose, When I went in for my pre-surgery ekg they found that I have an elongated qt interval. my family dr wasn't going to let me go in for the lumpectomy. Surgeon sent me to cardiologist to be checked again. Cardiologist said Id be ok for surgery, but made me go back in after I started chemo. Just to check to be sure everything was ok. So I went back 2 weeks ago I think. He said he wanted me to wear a heart monitor for 24hrs and do a stress test. I had the monitor on yesterday. They took it off this morning and gave me the stress test. The cardiologist is a nice guy, and it turned out I knew him. He's an older guy, but plays soccer in the same adult league my daughter plays in. He's a tough old guy! haha Anyway, he told me that he is pretty sure everything will come back fine. He just wanted to make sure because AC is tough on the heart. 

Florida, welcome! The waiting sucks! But you are in good company here!

Fierro, yay that you can taste again! As far as the headache, have you cut out coffee? I had coffee while getting my first infusion. Haven't had it since. I had a headache the first couple days from cutting it out.

Dance, get those red cells moving! 

mary71, haha the hard way teaches me the fastest! Probably because I don't think before I do things. haha

Gemmie, night night! Hope you get a good night's sleep! 

Lisa, glad your infusion went well!

Isharvey, hang in there!  This thread is a "no man left behind" kind of thread. You can do this!  

I just got finished writing out a whole stack of bills. Medical bills. That sucked! haha

I think my daughter recorded a soccer game so I think Im going to watch that when she gets home from work.  

Thanks Sandik!  I'm normally not such a cry baby!  I swear!  Glad you all are here when I need to cry though! thank you!  I'm past it now!  time to put on my big girl boots and get in the BGC!

Thanks Mel for the icing info! You and DT have been so much help. I have copied all this info into my "taxotere prep" list.

I thought I was okay with infusion #2, but after trying to fall back asleep since 4 a.m. when I got up to use the bathroom, I guess I have to admit to being a little anxious.   It's now 5 a.m. and I give up.  Maybe I'll nap during it instead of watching the movies I picked up yeasterday.  That would be okay, although I doubt if I'll be able to.  Maybe I'll do one of the guided meditations while in the chair.  It sure did work yesterday.   My hair started falling out yesterday, so I think that's what's keeping me up.

Nope.  I'm not taking anything right now (other than what I've taken to try to fight the headache, which I won't do today since they don't work.)  Onc. nurse is sure it's from the steroids, even though my last dose was Friday evening.  I just decided that I'm going to get through today without taking anything for it.  I'll use controlled breathing, stretching, etc to get through the day at work.  It's not debilitating by any means...it's just always there.  I NEVER get headaches in my "real life."  LOL

In brighter news, I went to bed at 7 last night, got as comfortable as possible with pillows under my knees, shoulders and head as comfortable as possible, etc. and put a wet washcloth on my forehead.  Then I turned on the headache guided imagery meditation and popped an OTC sleep aid.

I still have a headache this morning, but I slept nearly 8 full hours for the first time in a week and a half, and it was glorious!  My two complaints were lack of sleep and the headache, and beastie number one has been slain.  Today, I'm going after beastie number two with both barrels.  Look out, headache.  You're next. 

Here are the movies I got at the library yesterday:

Joy Luck Club, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Hall Pass, Kissing Jessica Stein, Breathless, The Queen, Blue Valentine, Water for Elephants, Revolutionary Road, and Because I said So. Not sure how many I'll actually bring with me, but at least I have something to do if I find that I can't concentrate on my book.

Good luck everyone!

Good morning,

Those of you in the BGC today - thinking of you and hope all goes smoothly with few or better yet no SE's.  

Fierro - congrats on the full nights sleep hope that headache leaves soon.

Chapter4 - I can so relate to wanting an end date and the frustration.  I keep thinking how am I ever going to face all the appointments until May 2013, juggle my job/doctor appointments/treatments, home, critters, keeping up my property etc.  This is one of the few times in the last 20 plus years that some days I wish I wasn't single and had a significant other to pick up the slack.

Marcia - I was really nervous about #2 also almost as much as #1 - but it went just as smoothly but I was scared that #2 was going to be different and what if I actually had some reaction to the infusion this time and all kinds of stuff were running through my head.  I don't think we are ever 100% in the comfort zone for a treatment or even just a doctor appointment.  My blood pressure even though I'm on medication now - shoots so high everytime I walk into the onc's office - they have me tracking it at home.

I'll add that to my list of questions.  Thanks!