April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

Colorado gals - stay safe from those fires!  

 melrose - thanks for the well wishes!  No, we aren't on the coast (in central AL), however, can you believe that is exactly where DH is going for work this week???  UH, I'm not happy about it.  We are watching the weather closely...

jenny - not sure b/c that is being reported in a way I'm not familiar with - need a neutrophil percentage.  You take that times your WBC (X 10 to the 3rd) and get ANC.  So if WBC was say 1.9, and neutrophil % was 53%, your ANC would be 1900X.53 = 1007.  That's just an example.  The ANC determines what grade neutropenia your are (1 thru 4).  Maybe that example will help when you go over it with your onc. 

Nofear2012. I've been really tired too...no energy...pain in muscles and joints comes and goes....aleve is my friend. I have treatment number 3 on July 3.



Hey ladies...just watched "five". Let's all kiss the wall in 5 years!



What a great movie.

Chaper4:  I couldn't watch that movie because I knew I would be crying the whole time!

Oh I finally put a pic up, I had to...my daughter came out this morning wearing one of her bandanas and said she wanted to wear a bandana like me.  Too cute, she is very sweet.

lisa, we all react differently.  My sister is a three year survivor and she struggled with SE's horribly.  There was no way she would have been able to work.  She was in bed, hugging a trash can and puking for over a week after each tx.  Then the Neulasta shot put her under for 2 weeks.  So, literally, she had a week feeling okay before the next tx.  I have been doing well.  Missed one day and now I will be better prepared for the next round. 

The important thing is to do whatever you have to in order to get through it all. 

Thanks for the support, ladies. My sister had different side effects too, I'd kind of forgotten.

Nails: I didn't ice at ll, didn't really know about it. Here I am done, with a number of sensitive nails, some with pinkish discoloration. Too late to ice, but us there anything to help?Man, if I bump one , OUCH. PS: saw that stomach pain and upset can come with Neulasta. I just took a bath and was so glad to see my legs still looked like my legs!!!

Hope you who are in weather places are all doing OK.

Fierro and Lisa and others -- I really connected with what you said ....' I, too, am the one who never takes even a tylenol and is constantly working on a thousand things at once between home & my job






Tweety - great pic !!!

Sandi and Sade - I'll be right behind you on the Taxol. Thank you for paving the way!  I am terrified of anything new. Counting the days to my last AC (one week) but still afraid of the next reactions.  Today I go in for my bloodwork to see how my counts were. 

Had a lousy week, but yesterday for my daughter's graduation party I felt better than I had in days.  I did fall asleep on a couch around six, but everyone just partied around me.   It was small and intimate and perfectly wonderful.

Hugs to all in the BGC this week. I get the week off and am praying that I will find some energy to do something. Anything!

PositivityRocks - I'm thinking of you and hope you area doing ok.  Please check in if you are lurking!

For those of your starting taxol...I'm two treatments in and I found if far better than AC



I too was nervous starting something new...so nervous I made myself sick to my stomach day one of the first treatment....I've had bone and muscle aches...almost like flu aches...tired...but that's about it...oh and taste buds are shot. But it's refreshing not having that sick feeling.



Good luck....we WILL get through this!

Hugs and prayers to our Colorado sisters.  Stay safe!

Good luck tomorrow, Melrose. You have a great attitude about moving on.

Vickilynn, glad you had fun at the Broadmore big wedding event. My wedding was enjoyable too, but I did go home (motel) and crash early. Left DH behind to party on, and was happy to do it. I enjoyed my private time with a hot shower and a good book, lights out by 10:30PM.  He didn't need my help. He had tons of family there. (I was also a little germophobic as it was my Nadir time so I was glad to get out a there)

For all the sisters in Colorado, I hope all is well and you safe this AM.

And now my question for the day: I am 12 days out, in no pain, etc.  Don't think I need to be taking any Tylenol now, right?

My bone pain is gone from Neulasta 11 days back, but I have been taking Tylenol daily as a precaution, but don't want to become immune to it, so no need for it now, right?

A good week to all, especially those going to the BGC this week.

sandik - good luck with your first Taxol!  melrose - good luck to you for your tx tomorrow as well!  And also to anyone else I have missed!!!  May we all have minimal SE's!!!! 

oooh Stacie, that sounds so uncomfortable!  I feel so for you!  Hope the doc can get you fixed up ASAP.  You are smart to get the extra help!  And yes, rads can be fatiguing, but I didn't notice it until the last 2 weeks or so.  Even then, for me at least, it wasn't competely debilitating.  I just got tired if I walked too fast/did stairs, or maybe I'd feel zonked out for an hour or two - then it would pass, esp. if I rested for a bit.  Nothing like the fatigue or other side effects with chemo.   I know everyone is different but wanted to share my experience b/c I tolerated them really well, MUCH better than I thought I would.  I had more emotional issues about rads than anything - just really didn't want to do it, and going EVERY day was a major drag on me mentally.  Just didn't want to face my cancer and that machine every day.  

@ Marcia - you've got this!

@ Stace - I had my first experience with the big C this round so I can't imagine.  Hope you're doc can straighten it out for you.

Day 4 post tx 3 for me and I'm sitting up at the computer!  woohoo!  definite step up from yesterday.

I'm sure I've missed a ton so I'll just say love to all you ladies and minimal side effects to all.