March 2012 chemo

Hi everyone. I haven't posted here in a few days. It's been super busy at work, which is a good thing. It keeps my mind active. Congrats to everyone finishing up chemo (and/or RADS). I think about you ladies every day, even when I don't post, and would love to keep in touch. I am on Facebook, and have friended a couple of the ladies on here. Anyone else who would like to keep in touch that way, PM me and I'll send you my FB name or look you up on there, or however. Have a wonderful day!!!!

Please keep the thread open!  I love to hear how everyone is doing!  

Hello fellow Marchers!!!! I also still check up on this thread. I have been in the rads thread as I'm now 13 for 33. So happy to see that others are also starting to get so close to finishing chemo and even rads. So funny that when I was in chemo I'd check this thread at least 3 or 4 times a day. All your support and help really made a difference. Thanks!!!! And I agree that we should keep tis thread going. Where will we all be a month, two months, or three. Should be interesting to see.

Lostinmo- trust me this is so much easier than chemo!! Nothing to be nervious about at all. I think the worst is finally behind us. Of course I still have 20 to go so I hope I know what I'm talking about.

january: You're right. Rads are way easier than chemo, at least for me. I only have 9 left out of 33 (4 regular and 5 boosts). My skin is pink, but not irritated. No fatigue. No side effects at all that I can tell other than the pinkness.

lost: RADs are a breeze. I completely understand your anxiety about meeting with the MO. You've gotten a couple of surprises along the way. I don't meet with my MO again until next month, after RADs are over, but he and my RO have discussed my ongoing rib issue and looked at the spot on the repeat x-rays together and decided I should have another PET scan. I'm very glad they are cautious and taking it seriously, but just the fact that they said it's "suspicious" sent me into a tailspin. Like you, I have been so excited about finishing RADs and putting all this behind me (except for Tamoxifen, of course), and just hearing the RO say that made me think "oh my God, maybe it's not almost over"). My RO has been reassuring that he "thinks" the spot is benign, and most of the time, I'm ok. But sometimes I'm not. But, you know what, I've decided that if we have survived everything they've thrown at us so far, we can handle whatever comes - whether good or bad.

Thinking about you ladies. Hope you're having a great day.

I think that we will ever really be completely free from the fear of something else hitting us. I had to go for my six month MRI and sat in the same waiting room as the one where I got the original bad news. Let me tell you I was doing lots of praying. Results were ok but a spot on my right breast that they keep watching. Lanagraves, I thought, ok, we can deal with anything after this last year. We are strong!!!

Lost: I am 4 days in to rads, and I'm amazed how nothing it is so far. I know that's not exactly what you're nervous about, but I know I was before I started...nervous that I might be some freak who would feel the exhaustion right away, or that my lung/heart may be affected...well that could still be the case, but now I'm into it, I don't really feel anxious, too much, about that stuff. Decision made, no looking back. Good luck with your MO. Breathe.

Everyone that is doing rads - I am picturing the homemade construction paper chains that we used to make to countdown to Christmas when I was a kid - every day, one rad down, one link torn off!

Kltb04-love that. :-)

Kltb-great idea! I won't be starting rads for a while though.



My surgery date is set for September 26th so the count down begins for me. Just on herceptin now so hoping my energy level picks up soon. Still so tired. We all really have come so far!

Wahoo lana!

I am beginning to really embrace the "I hope I don't have to have rads" thought.  Even after reading the studies about the " gray areas" - 1 to 3 positive nodes, I have discovered most of those studies don't take neoadjuvant chemo into consideration.  I suppose I just need to hold my horses til my consult on the 6th.

I don't have another dr appt til the 5th.  My first herceptin only and I think to start Tamoxifen.  Haven't heard yay or nay from insurance company about the BRCA - they drew blood last MO visit on the 13th.

So glad its the weekend - this has been a rough back to school week.  Both kids having issues at bedtime, and fighting constantly.  I have been about ready to have surgery just to have a break from dealing with them.

I am in pjs in the bed about to try and start a new book.  Got up, cooked breakfast and cleaned the kitchen so I am already ready for a break!

I knew you guys wouldn't lead me wrong. My first rad was a breeze. The therapist were really nice and turned on music for me to listen to. The whole thing was over in about 30 min just because they took more scans to make sure everything was lining up just right. I went by the Hope Lodge where I will be staying so I feel better about that. Best of all I don't go back to my MO until Jan. 

kltb-hope  this next week goes better for the girls. The first week or two is always hardest.

I need to make my paper chain! 

Yea had my last chemo friday!  I go for ultrasound Thursday to see if the chemo blasted this thing or if there is still a small lump left.  If there is still something showing up on ultrasound i will take a chemo pill for a month or two before surgery.  I still have surgery and rads to go.

Baldeagle:  I understand the feeling of letting go of chemo and moving on being unsetteling.  I feel like I am giving up a lifeline. 

Kltb:  I have one son and three daughters that are all grown.  One of my daughters had a teacher that we thought to be harsh.  She did not pet and pamper but she was always going the extra mile on projects and keeping the kids interested in class.  I hope your daughters experience will be the same.  I was constantly telling my daughter that everyone was different but that was not a bad thing and that she had to "Allow for the differences".

It is a relief to hear everyone is making it so well on rads. 

Lana - yay that you are nearly done!  Your weekend plans sound like great fun.  I have a cousin in Nashville but haven't been in ages.  Maybe you can get your scan moved up - I know you aren't going to rest easy til that is done.

Bev - greats news on the last chemo!  I wish I would've had an u/s to see if mine was gone too - since it wasn't going to impact my BMX decision, my BS didn't do one. 

Ugh, the school situation doesn't seem to be getting better - it isn't so much that she is strict - A had an awesome second grade teacher who was very no nonsense but also kind and empathetic...this one is a yeller.  And Abby doesn't do well in that kind of environment.  My niece has the same teacher and my SIL says she is telling her the same thing (they have them flipflopped - A has her in the mornings, and my niece has her in the afternoon).  At the same time, it is nothing that is serious enough to really go to the school with a complaint about. Until she yells at my kid, then we are gonna rumble.

I don't know if it is because of school, or her heel, or just everything that is going on but she (Abby) isn't wanting to go to sleep at night - she gets up constantly, cries that she can't sleep, I have given up most nights and just let her sleep with me.  It is getting stressful

It's one of those situations where you don't know if that might make it worse - small school, teachers tend to move about (for ex, Sarah's first grade teacher was later her one of her fifth grade teachers)...so I guess I will just stay very aware and involved with what's going on in the class...the sleeping thing I think is more "I want to sleep with Mama" than anything else that is going on.   There is also a coteacher in the class who I know and like so that makes it better. I just hate that she isn't having the best year so far.

I have been a busy bee today- grocery store - again! - and some other errands, did some laundry, walked on the treadmill, cooked dinner, cleaned up.  I am two weeks PFC and am feeling pretty "normal".