Sept 2012 chemo

It has been great catching up with everyone's new pictures (love the hair cuts and undies!!!)  You are really looking good out there.

Haven't seen where this has happened to anyone else, so I am posting a "heads up"!

last Thursday, day 10 of round 1 of CT, i went in for bloodwork.  They found that I had an exceptionally low WBC of 1.2, a Seg neutrlphils of 0.0, Kymphocytes of 90.0, and an absolute Neutrophils of 0.0.  In other words, I had no immune system!!!  they immediately sent me to the hospital for admission.  I developed a fever that got up to 100.9, with a little disorientation.  At one point, I remember 4 nurses working around me.  

 i spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday getting IV anti-biotics (yet again!), fluids, and shots in my stomach to increase my WBC (They didn't call then Neulasta, but used another "neu"-starting name).  They sent me home with oral antibiotics, yesterday, and I have slept quite a bit.  The final hospital bloodwork indicated that, although I was not yet in "normal" range on those above points, i was headed that way quickly. 

MO came to see me Friday afternoon.  He plans to lessen my CT dosage (doesn't think it will change efficacy - nor extend number of treatments).  Because my insurance does not automatically allow that doc to start giving those shots, MO had to wait for the bloodwork.  He was obviously frustrated, but glad to see me respond so readiliy.  Because of this response, though, he will be able to give me the shots immediately following the chemo.

While in the hospital, my port stopped working, so i had to have an IV line.  Jeez!  That was an ordeal.  They finally send me to IR before sending me home so they could figure out the port.  it seems as though it is set very deeply into the skin and tends to "rock" on the rib where it rests.  So i get to give special instructions to the nurses on how to "tap" into the port. 

I am glad to be home, but headachey, a little "warm", and uncomfortable.  no visitors, no "raw" foods... so of course, i crave pineapple.  kinda okay about the no visitors, though.  it had been a rough few days and i am thorooghly worn out!

Sure wish i had had the "super" underwear while in the hospital!!!

Love to all -

Sherrie

Sherrie sorry to read of you trip to the ER, hope you are feeling better today.



Justine - you rock the topless look! The port soreness passes quickly! I hardly notice mine now.



Lying in bed counting my blessings and they include all of you. Also just wondering when my Neulasta pain will kick in,,,,ugh.

Whenlife:  You've inspired me.  I'm thinking of getting one of these costumes for my next chemo.  Not sure it will look this good on me though

Whenlifegivesyoulemons,
Thank you it is good to know that! Knowing that the soreness should pass soon makes me feel better!

JoJo,
Thank you! I knew going on Adriomycin I was going to lose my hair anyways, so I might as well get used to it lol. And good to know again that the soreness passes!

Englishrose - Full on belly laugh.  I sense we're on the same page with all of this.

Allurbaddays- Great link.  I bet that set has super healing powers.  May need to aquire that to round out the chemo undie collection.  Love it! Whatever works, right? 

Thought of the day:  Hair, hair, everywhere.   

Hang in there everyone. 

Hi all! Well, I'm 10 days past my first chemo. I've not posted much since because my SE have been so mild that I feel guilty. I have only about one day of each: diarrhea, constipation, headaches, metal mouth, bone pain and I've lost one lock of hair that I can still cover. The bone pain lasted about two days but wasn't unbearable. The metal mouth is constant but only makes me angry when I try to drink a carbonated beverage (I miss my Diet Pepsi). I've been tired but no more than just feeling lazy. I was expecting to feel like a "chemo patient" and I still feel like me.

 I know that each treatment is different and my next one might knock me on my a$$, but for now I have felt worse when I had the flu. My brain is more cluttered than usual and I find that my fuse can be kind of short with people but as long as I recognize it before I cork off on someone, it's all good (very fortunate I realized that before pressing "SEND" on an email to the high school principal - LOL).

I hope you girls aren't mad at me because I'm not sick. Maybe it's because I'm only 7 weeks post-op from my surgery and DIEP reconstruction and I know what REAL pain is and this is nothing compared to it. I just don't know. I feel like I have "survivor's guilt" because I'm not as sick as I think I should be.

 I check this message board every day and pray for us all.

Love, love, love the WonderWoman costume!!!  (Now that I think of it, my niece was WonderWoman last year...)

Thanks for the chuckle, the smile, and the laugh.  This group is who knows the nitty gritty of what is going on ... i don't want those on the outside to reallly "know", so my posts on facebook are quite mild in the comparison.  I have had to be quite adamant about no visitors so people understand. 

Love to all of you.  Let's move onto October!

Sherrie

Hi Bearclub,  Hope you feel better.  I'm a week behind you with 2 A/C on Wed. 

My chemo nurse told me that we were prize fighters who start out in great shape.  Then we get knocked down.  We get up, shake it off, but then we get knocked down again.  So we get up again but not so strong.  And then it's again and again.  It takes a toll.  I had no pain or nausea the first time, but white cells completely wiped out.  Total fatigue starting fourth day and then for a week.  First slight mental recovery, and 11 day real physical recovery.  I still tire easily.  I'm ready mentally for number 2 and have thought out how I'm going to handle it.

Saw some research on ginseng for fatigue.  Oncologist thinks great idea.  Ordered from Amazon.  Much of it sold has ethanol in it.  Understand research used pure American Ginseng ground.

I also am going to try Melatonin.  One of our group had  bad side effects she thought from Melatonin, but we are getting so many chemicals, some of which have delayed SE, that it's hard to know which caused the problem. 

I slept fine using one of the nausea drugs which causes sleepiness.  Slept almost 8 hours--rare for me.

Then about day 12, started waking up every two or three hours.

Florida is still very warm.  Beautiful blue skies.  Everything is beautiful.  Few tourists here in October, so traffic is less.

Bromeliads in my yard are quite colorful.  Camellias should be blooming soon.

Hang in there.  As my chemo nurse said.  For nine months, this is the new you.  But then the old you will come back.  it will be over and you will have good years.

My husband used his shaver on the back of my stubble which is coming out like a light snow.  Everyone thinks my wig and the new lookgood/feelbetter me does look good.  Enjoyed my small church this morning.  Very supportive friends there.  I'm training myself to fix face, put on wig in the morning, and keep it on until at least seven.  The new me!

My husband and I were supposed to be in Capri in September celebrating our 25 anniversery.  Due to this bump in the road--we are now planning on May.  He is my second husband after first had a heart attack.  Totally supportive.  Excellent at massage.  I highly recomment.  Relaxing, comforting, calming.

A friend who fallopian tube and two years later, colon cancer said that her insurance covered massage.

Hang in there September girl (what I refer to our group as), we are going to do this.  Reunion on line in five years.

Hugs

Hello all,



Had my first chemo about a week and a half ago and am feeling sooooo much better, i had a rough go the first time, ended uo having IV fluids and more meds twice and really couldn't believe I would ever be feeling better, but I am, so if you are struggling now, it really gets better, have hope and hang in there! Going to try to enjoy the next couple weeks before doing it all over again, but everyday that goes by is a day closer to being done!



My port pain/discomfort lasted about a week. I have had it now for about 2.5 weeks and hardly notice it. I am picking up and carrying my 1 and 3 year old without issues



Love all the pics of the bare heads, you ladies look great. I am on TCH, when should I expect my hair to go? I have heard between day 10 to 21, but just curious about other's actual experience. Could you tell when it really started to come out? I know that may seem like a weird question, but I have thick curly hair and i am always shedding, before dx, tons of hair coming out in the shower and in my brush, so will it come out in patches?



Sherrie, I have a colleague who was dx in April, whose immune system basically jumped ship during her chemo...sounded like a similar situation to you. She got through it and currently in the middle of her rads and doing great. The only thing was her doctors wouldn't clear her to go back to work until she has completed all treatments, but we are both middle school teachers, so more of a risk to her immune system. I hope you continue to feel better.



Bring on October, we can do this!

Packing my bags, business trip in the morning. First flight 7:30am, lay over in Chicago, then final arrival in Duluth, MN at 11am. At latest Monday is just travel time and I can rest and check emails at the hotel for the rest of the day.

Hi David,  Got you beat.  I had the neulasta the day affter the first chemo, and a week later had .8 WBC.  Got a gentle lecture from the chemo nurse.  YOU HAVE NO IMMUNE SYSTEM.  Get a cold, go to hospital.  five straight days of going to clinic or hospital for neupogen shots to boost WBC.  Then, was above normal.  This week able to eat salaf and hug people.  Next chemo Wed.  Oncologist reduced chemo 20%.

Hope you get the port problem worked out.  I love mine.  Avoid germs and love canned pineapple for a while.  i like mine with cottage cheese.  Hugs

Patricia,  We have made it though Sept.  We CAN do this.  And next year when our hair grows out, and memories of the pain and tears fade, we will rejoice and celebrate.  And live a long time.

rsdavid. I live near daytona ffl

Amy did ur reg dr prescribe the latisse? Is it a cream?



Ohhhhh #3 is kicking me. The neulasta it feels like as my nausea has been less.



Is anyone having crazy vivid dreams too? Would type more but everything hurts. Pass me the wonder woman suit!

Thanks Allurbad for confirming. I feel my most Zombie'ish' to date. Praying my fellow AC sisters 3rd is better for them!