Starting chemo November 2012

Oh my 5LuvBugs, that does look like a baby Clarabell! So cute. I just got mine buzzed about an hour ago. My husband Jimmy, son Jesse, and Grandaughter Jana all helped.



I may post the pic on here later. It was easier than expected and somewhat freeing.



Blessings

Paula

5LuvBugs~yes we are cute, aren't we? We can Rock this as well as the kids can!

I found it to be very liberating.

Oh sickofpink, I want to come take a walk with you.  It is so windy and cold here (NJ) I won't even go next door to my daughters for dinner...I feel the same as you and I'm on day 10 - just can't eat much at a time and nothing tastes good anyway - Don't you just love those fake bangs - now this is going to make all of you laugh out loud so have nothing in your mouth when you read this......

OK Everyone - My brother in law asked his wife if I lost ALL my hair (from everywhere), I quickly took the bangs from under my turban and put them "down below" - said tell him no you saw it for yourself..... Am I sick or what -- we laughed so hard hope you did too.  LOL

OK Michelle, you need a big hug (((((o))))).   I haven't had the thrush issues, just sore mouth and I rinse with the baking soda and water mixture - I keep a pitcher in the fridge and it makes my mouth feel so much better..try it.

I've been really tired this time also but was told that each one you get more fatiqued.  Hope you fell better soon/

Powermom~Oh Girl...You're cute too! I posted my buzzed pic on Facebook earlier today, and my son, Jesse, told me, he was so proud of me for posting it on there.

That was one of the best compliments I'd ever received. A girlfriend told me, I'm the bravest person she knows. They just made my day!



5LuvBugs....You are a HOOT!!!



Blessings

Paula

love the new pictures. we are a strong group of women!

Michelle - I'm like you on a six treatment schedule. Nurse said muscle and bone pain was from the Taxol,too. If it gets worse they'll put me on pain meds.

I too feel like I'm still going uphill on this chemo schedule. Can't wait to be done.



Had #3 yesterday now I can't sleep. Neulasta shot later this morning.

Does anyone have a chronic runny nose?  I don't have a cold or allergies, but I started having a runny nose about 3 weeks after my first chemo and it hasn't stopped.  Annoying.

I love the buzz cut and told my family it's going to be difficult for me to want to grow my hair back.  I had thick, curly hair and love the fact that I just have to wash my scalp. Eyelashes and eyebrows are a different story. I cannot wait until they grow back.

I've been losing weight (6 lbs in one week), but nothing tastes good.  I actually threw out a whole tray of cookies I made. I needed to lose a few pounds, but this was not the weight watchers I want to join!

Michelle, I know exactly how you feel. We have three more to go. We'll make it. With great difficulty, I'm dreaming of not going to the hospital for the rest, but we'll do it. We don't have a bloody alternative.

Are you going to be taking any other medication after the chemo?

Michelle, let it go. You can't change that anymore. Now try to be very well informed and question everything. The doctors have to explain why they're choosing to do what they want to do.

I had BC four years ago. The 2012 mammogram was clean. When I complained about a tumor, the echo showed that it was there, 1.9cm. When they checked again, they found the tumor in the mammogram of 2011!!!I could have avoided all of these if someone had done his job well. I try not to think about it. I can't change it anymore.

Michelle~ ((((((((( hugs for Michelle across the pond))))))))



Honey, don't keep looking back. You only make yourself miserable. You have every reason to be angry, but focus that energy towards KICKING CANCER'S ASS!!!!



Blessings

Paula

Also what do you think about this???

My friend who was diagnosed had her double MX last week.  3 of 3 nodes were positive.  They have not done any other scans/test other than the breast MRI.  Surgeon is telling her she is stage 2.  How can she say that if they haven't check to see if it's spread to any other part of the body? 

txjunebug~usually they don't do the scans until all the drains are out, at least that's how my team does it. Tell her to ask her onc about scans, and tell her to demand answers. I was stage 2 before surgery just because a node or 2 were involved. After surgery pathology came back it was stage 3c. I had ct scans & bone scan a couple of weeks before starting chemo.



5LuvBugs~I'm so glad I gave you a good belly laugh. Laughter is great medicine!



Blessings

Paula

Junebug about that Neulasta shot..OMG we would all be in trouble and very very sick....

BetNY of course you forgot to mention short term memory loss because you have it!! We all do...

Girls, see the hair on this babys head - mine looks just like that, I decided not to cut it off but wait and if it doesn't all fall out, I will cut it to the scalp when new hair starts to grow, whenever that is = meanwhile I wear a hat or wig......

Loafer~Are you taking Claritin or the generic Loratidine? Take it the day before shot, and several days after. It may not cut the pain entirely, but it will certainly take the edge off.

I was on arimidex for a few weeks before surgery. We were delaying surgery because of insurance issues, and docs wanted me to be doing something.

Arimidex cause the same pain, but because I took Claritin every morning, I only had some pain on the backs of my hands, and was still after sitting or getting up from bed. Just walking through house once would usually get rid of the stiffness.



This is Day 2, second round of AC. I feel ok, just wish I could drum up some motivation. I don't know how you girls with kids & jobs do it!



Blessings

Paula

Thanks Sorteria for clearing that up for me.  Hadn't thought about her drains needing to be out first.  I'm just afraid for her that it has spread.  She has been very emotional about it all from the start.  I wish I could get her past this stage and more into the I'm mad as hell and ready to kick butt phase.

So far day 3 after tx3 of TC and I'm a little more tired than the past two.  Nausea has been minimal but the stupid neuropathy in my right foot is already started back up.  It's feeling stinging at time and tingling.  

5Luvbugs - My thoughts exactly on the cost of the Neulasta shot.  My treatments run about $20k each.  Very thankful for extremely good insurance.  How do people without it survive this??  Makes me very sad.

I haven't lost all of my hair and what hair is still here is growing some.  I really thought I be smooth on top but I'm still stubbly. 

Please say an extra prayer/thought for my DD that her genetic testing comes back negative.  It would be so wonderful to know that I did not pass this down to her.