Sept 2012 chemo

Hey guys,

                Can anyone who has been treated with herceptin tell me how long the course of the therapy was?  Does anyone know the reason that some treatment regimens are longer than others?  One week till A/C #2.  Not looking forward to it. SE were pretty severe from #1. 

               I feel a little differently about how my family members are reacting.  I have two grown children, my impulses are to shield them as much as I can.  I am still trying to process that this is happening to me and how I will get through it.  The treatments are pretty rough and my truth is I don't know if I can take anything worse.  More than for myself I wish this had not happened to them. Whatever I can spare them, I will. 

                

Good morning ladies,

  I am getting used to my short do, but it is still hard.  (thanks JoJo for saying I looked nice:-)  I think you are gorgeous bald!  I hope I can pull it off as well as you!  Glad you are feeling better)

My head was itching like crazy all night long.   I think that is probably the precursor to the more major hair loss.  I thought I had come to terms with losing my hair, but I am realizing that I really just was in denial.  It will happen.  I will be sad.  But I will get over it.  My daughter commented several times that I look like a boy. (She is only six, so that is okay:-)  She also told me that she thinks I will be beautiful bald, but would rather I pick her up from school with a wig on.  I agreed.   This is one of those times where I think we just have to practice not taking things personally.  

Firestorm:  Sounds like such a wonderful family visit!  My mom and sister are coming tomorrow from Texas.  I am so super excited to see them!! And at the same time, I am already sad that they will be leaving.  I know the week will go by so fast.  They leave the day after my next infusion.  I kind of planned it that way.  My sister was upset when she found out.  She said she wished she had been there when I was sick so she could have taken care of me.  It is hard breaking my pattern of not letting people help me.  Waitingforthenextstep:  I think that I also try to protect those around me, but the truth is I think it helps them more to give them an opportunity to help us.  Sadness always feels better when we can couple it with action.  I also wanted to tell you that I am also on Herceptin... and my doctor said that I will be on it for one full year.  Which is why I will have my port for a full year.  Sucks.  He told me that there really aren't any horrible SE - except I think what it does to your heart.  

Timbek3:  Okay, I don't usually listen to country music (except for old county music) but one of my friends sent me this song.  You might have heard it, by Martina McBride.  But I love the line - "When you are weak, I'll be strong.. when you let go, I'll hold on" - I just love this sentiment so much more than people just telling me to be strong all of the time.  I have enough to worry about without being positive and strong all the time!  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxIt70j_SPk&feature=em-share_video_user

Cheryl:  Yes, a small percent of people lose their hair forever!!!  They call themselves, Taxotears.  I asked my onco about it, and he said it was a super small percent and not to worry about it.  So I have decided to try very hard to take his advice.  Our hair will grow back.  I just know it.  

Hope everyone has a wonderful day with no SE!!!  

   

"I may not be the old me, but it's an OK me." <- that's about my best during this chemo experience. I wore my hair long as a kid. It was naturally curly then (only wavy after childbirth) and hard to control without length. I also got sick of hearing about it; I was identified by my hair so often - curly redhead. So I started shaving parts of it, or cutting it short or any variety of things - bleaching coloring. I think that little rebellion against cultural norms in hairdos, anyway, kind of helped prep me for looking in the mirror and seeing bald tired me. I don't think I'd be prepped for being one of the few who permanently lose hair from chemo, that would be awkward and difficult at the least... though I would try to have some fun with the wigs I guess. do what you gotta do and all.

 I nested yesterday and made a big pot of cabbage sloppy joe and pot of Kale & potato soup ( mild Caldo Verde) and a batch of waffles to freeze and have in days to come. My big brother is not like the one I read about last page. (sorry I forget who that was.) Seriously, the thought of him being able to help me out, HA! but who knows. My family is not so great at this kind of stuff until it's really hard core serious and then they do come through. So my mom said she can come and help out if I have to get the Neulasta shot. She already cares for my Dad so it's not an easy thing for her. Sisters? no way, too much in their lives even though they're empty nesters. Brother is a single parent. & pretty much no one can cook for me. I have one friend whose kitchen I trust because she eats gluten free. Since I get sick off of even a little bit of gluten, I can't just go and pick up any old restaurant food either. Talk about losing weight during chemo, Donna. me too. If what I have here isn't appealing to me, I'm usually SOL. well, enough complaining.

#5 down, 7 to go! yeah!

jojo, I quoted that from Cindi just so credit goes where credit's due.     ugh, sorry about the hair comments. People just don't know what to say sometimes. My own mother sticks her foot in her mouth with me almost every conversation since diagnosis. She and my father were bickering horribly during a card game with me of all things the first weekend of chemo back in June. I warned them & when they didn't stop I told them off and walked out. I could not deal with their dysfunction. My husband blew up last weekend. Our loved ones and friends should get their own forums or join this one to get a clue.

Jojo I think you look beautiful bald and I bet every other person on this forum looks beautiful as well. When my hair was shaved my kids watched and I told them mom is only going to be like this for a little while. My daughter said mom I love how you look and my husband as well has been very complementary .



The one thing that is so hard for me is that I get so tired at times and I do not sleep at night at all but like all of you guys here we are getting closer everyday to completion .

Mariposa you look beautiful with the new cut . I love it

Treatment #3 tomorrow - anxious but know once this one is done I will only have one more AC.....time seems to be moving really slow since I started treatments.

Cherioo - 16 - 4 AC - every two weeks (tomorrow is #3) and then 12 Taxol and they will be weekly.  Tomorrow will be my 9 year wedding anniversary...oh what a way to spend it.  Looking forward to the 10 year when, if all goes according to plan, this will be just a crazy memory!  If my calculations are correct we are only one day apart.  How many treatments do you have?

Sherbab,

Where are you getting your treatments?  I'm in the DFW area, too. 

Sherbab. I am every two weeks 8 rounds then radiation . I should be done by Dec chemo then off to rads for a month

florbo - yes, Potter and Krueger are in the same office.  Small world! 

Good vibes to all going to the BGC today...Please let us know how you are doing.  Actually excited for Halloween this year, going to use the most of not having hair and dress up this time.  Cancer has made me want to "go crazy" a little more 

aliasismo, Amy4978, sherbab, and anyone else in the BGC today - Best of luck! I hope it all goes without SNAFUs and minimial SEs and kicks cancer's a$$!! I'll be thinking of you all.

and sherbab, Congratulations on the 9 yr wedding anniversary! Sorry it's in the midst of this but still, good job!

Hi Butterfly,  I'm on same A/C as you.  Hair started coming out in blizzard on day 10.  By day 21 I am almost a billard ball with a few stubbles.  Oh well,  the wig is more comfortable now.  I found towards the last that any pressure on stubblee caused sharp prick.  Am getting lots of complients on my hair (wig) which I try to put on i the mornig and not take off until bedtime.  It's pretty comfortable now, and less trouble than hair.  I have two that are similiar--but not exactly the same.

My WBCs had crashed by the first week after chemo 1.  Ended up with one a day Neupogen shots for five days,  Had to go to clinic or hospital.  Ruined half a day each day.

Lady next to me at Cancer Clinic now for chemo says White Tea in the white box helped her.  I'm going to try it.

Hang in there.  hugs 

this has probably been covered but i didnt read all the posts. My hair started falling out. I am 13 days post my first treatment, AC every other week. My question is...........I planned to get my head shaved but do not want to until the last minute. However, my hair is falling out all over the place. It is very thick though. Does anyone have advice or can share. How many days does it last from when it first starts really falling out until it comes all the way out?

Mindy