April/May 2012 Chemo hang out

Marcia111. Did I say two weeks? I meant two days...that's how long I feel the steroids effect after treatment. Then it wanes....I don't get the nulesta shot after taxol...I had it each time after AC but they said I didn't need it after taxol.



Nofear....I'm staying home from work today the pain was so bad yesterday and last night....so disappointed ...I thought I was sailing through. I'm trying a walk this morning...they say moving helps....I will let you know.



Enjoy the weekend ladies....with each day is another step beyond this bullshit we are going through....stay strong!

I just reread my post to you.  I am going to blame cemo brain and lack of sleep on all those typos!

I still don't know how to do the Facebook thingy.

Thank you Dance! Ok - I think I sent a request.

Thanks to all who replied and offered their personal story and encouragement.  I feel having removed the breast with tumors and the other breast as precaution, I have eliminated the initial "source" of cancer.  And hopefully with chemo, any cells that may have traveled via lymph nodes, are being removed from the body.  Following final completion of chemo treatment on 9/6, I anticipate a 5 year followup with tamoxifen.  But having not undergone oncotype DX test as Doc stated it is not done with Stage II or lower cancer, I just can't help wonder if I am doing ALL I can to protect myself from reoccurence in the future.  No PET scan, no blood work other than labs to determine white/red cell counts following chemo treatments--nothing.  I am just not really comfortable with this.  I intend on undergoing DEIP flap reconstruction this fall at UW.  As I understand it, this will be a rougher surgery than the double mastectomy was and will require a longer healing time as well as followup to create nipples and tattooing.  If I endure all this to just have cancer return, I will be beyond myself.  Can anyone provide their personal story similar to mine that might offer the confort and reassurance I so desparately need.  Thanks everyone.

I'm going to have rads after chemo.  I had  2/17 nodes.  It has been described to me by my RO in layman's terms that the cancer was "bursting" out of my nodes.

#3 went as smoothly as 1 & 2.  Had labs, saw the onc and TCH = 4 hours flat from in the door to out the door. My WBC is back up to 8.2, last week was 4.0 (still no shots) my platelet count went back up again too, almost doubled from last week, but I am slightly anemic.  Even my always high blood pressure was better than usual   Just hope that the SE's stay in check too, steriod crash should be Sunday but should be back to work on Monday if the pattern holds and Monday the old taste buds will once again go South for 9 days or so, although it could be longer this time, I'm told.  Weight has been maintained no gain/loss since the beginning - so feeling pretty darn good considering.  Still have fuzzy hair on my head too, which really surprises me.

Speaking of rads, I too will have 6 weeks of rads this fall - had a positive sentinel node but the other 2 were negative.  They didn't go back and take other nodes, because of a new study which is actually posted on this sight "Routinely Removing Axillary Lymph Nodes May Not Make Sense For Many Women".  But still have to have chemo/rads/hormonal treatment.

Stacie, what is it with the weak legs? Even though I am 2weeks PFC, today my legs were so tired I could hardly walk to the car.



I had no baseline testing after my breast MRI, and I don't think my MO has any planned. His assistant said it was because I had clean nodes and the tumor was small. I'll find ou more when I see him in two weeks. I kind of dint want any more info, I want to assume I am on the right track..but like sherry (healthy and 56 too!) I resist the idea at this is now a fact in m life.

Well, off to eat pizza that DH brought for my b- day!

Second chemo went well; just really tired right now. 

rgina, I am waiting for all the hair to go; just keeps fallling out, but I must have a lot because I still have hair.  LIke you, I am hoping my SE's are minimal like the first time. I go for my Neulasta on Sunday and this time I will have some tramadol and ativan; hoping that will help with the SE from neulasta. 

nofear, I am wiped out; will be for the weekend if I hold to the 1st time. 

Happy Birthday Lisa! 

Happy birthday Lisa!! 

Sherry, I am doing rads. I had no sentinal nodes infected. But somehow they escaped to other nodes, one near my lump and one behind my chest wall. That was caught with a pet scan. Pet scan was only done because surgeon found another stray node while he was taking my lump out and pushed for the pet. I would have done rads either way since I am triple negative. They already told me that they would do a follow up pet scan when I finish up chemo. I feel the same way you do every time I have an ache in that area. How do I know the chemo got it. Shouldn't I feel worse if the chemo is doing it's job? What if the chemo doesn't work? then what do I do? What if they do the pet scan and it spread? But, I could drive myself crazy thinking about the what ifs. I can't think about it. So, I just try not to think about it.  

Nofear2012. Yes I have numbness...tingling in my feet and on my face...chin and lips...it comes and goes.

Just slight muscle pain tonight....taking ambien to sleep.

You are right...one more and we are done....yippee!

Happy Birthday Lisa! :-)



Today I got a huge splinter in my finger. DH has a special tweezers with a magnifier and dug part of it out but my finger swelled up and long story short, I ended up at the doctor because I didn't want to take a chance on infection. The doc was a nice man - but oh, he hurt me digging out the stupid splinter more than my DH did! I He kept apologizing and I was mad at myself for getting the splinter in the place (note: rubber gloves do not make good yard gloves....) After three surgical procedures in six months, and chemo, I told myself this was nothing, but it was so hard not to cuss, or yell, or bawl.



Got a tetanus shot, antibiotics and went home to finish tidying up the house for my mom and niece's arrival this evening. All good now. :-)