Sept 2012 chemo

Amy your hair is growing fast . Mine is coming in all white it is weird but at least I see hair

Yours looks really good .

Thank you for all the well wishes! Feels great to be done, will feel even better when I get through this last round of SE effects. I asked my MO when I would start to feel better, I was shocked when she said it can take a year to totally get back to 100%! I am definitely going to focus on getting stronger physically and emotionally, and being as healthy as I can be. 

Cherioo-sorry to hear about the delay, sounds like you have had a lot on your plate, destress, rest, get those counts up, and you'll be there soon!

Mariposa-Ha!...in the midsts of potty training myself, wanted to start this summer, but dx kinda put things on hold. So we gave it try over Christmas break....it's defintiely been frusterating...best advice i have gotten so far, try not to stress about, stay positive with him, and know that it will happen. Also my aunt taught him to sit on the toliet facing the back, he likes to do it that way. We started on the 22nd and it's kind of starting to click with him...we actually had a #2 in the toliet today! I have a 15 month old, so it will be nice just to have one in diapers, it's going slow, but it's going. Good luck! 

Welcome Faith! 

Amy- your hair is growing fast, looks great! 

Neta- the kale recipe sounds really good...also glad to hear you are doing well after rads, that is my next stop...kinda anxious about it, but hoping it will all go smoothly. 

Take care of yourselves ladies! 

Thanks for the tips Queenkong. I'm thinking of joining a support group and I think I will make myself a schedule that includes "me time" for exercise and mental health. I have never managed to prioritize that before.

I used Glaxol cream and Marigold cream. Liked the marigold cream best and kept a tube in my handbag and put it on in the changeroom after treatment. At the very end I burnt a bit and I got 1% Cortisone cream.

Mariposa and Amylovesbubby: my tip on potty training is not to start before your son is ready (it will take longer and be far more work if he isnt ready) but at the first sign of him showing interest go for it and don't turn back no matter how many loads of laundry you end up having to do! I'm pretty sure diapers today do such a good job of keeping kids dry and comfortable that they can make it hard for the kid to see the point of the potty! I started training mine in diapers but switched to real underpants once they started to get the idea. I also think timing is absolutely key. He has to be ready. If he isn't interested try to get him enthusiastic about it. Get a potty and some cool underpants and introduce the idea. Little boys often want to be like the big boys and do what they do. Also, dress him in in clothes that are easy to get off and don't plan outings that will make it tricky to get to the potty fast. Once he's used to the idea start suggesting he tries it out at times he usually goes and at regular intervals during the day. Ignore any accidents, just change him if needed and try again. Most importantly, stay relaxed about the whole thing.

Congrats Cocobean on finishing chemo,



Cherioo sorry you got delayed a week. That happened to be on the final one.



Neta, good way to start the new year!...glad you have healed well. I start rads tomorrow and for some reason it is frightening me more than surgery and chemo.



Amy your hair looks great, mine is so light I am going to need a lot more hair to see it from a distance. It has been 7 weeks since my last chemo and I have the dryer lint feel.

On toilet training, when my daughter was renovating her bathroom and had to use a outhouse for a while....her son was so excited about using the outhouse it only took a day to train him....cheerios sounds like a great idea.



I watched the beginning of parenthood, I didn't really relate to her buzzing her hair like that. I had waist length hair and cut it real short before I buzzed...I would have been worried about my long hair getting tangled in the clippers....I was alone when I cut my long braid but DH did the buzz. I never cried either....I had done all my crying before, by the time I buzzed it was just something that had to be done and I was relieved and ready....now I can hardly wait to have a pixie cut. At 7 weeks out I think this is going to take a while.







Everyone have a great Thursday!

Thanks Neta, I will get it done!!....where did you purchase the cream, health food store?

Jojo, I usually got both saline and then the heparin to flush out my port. The heparin was yellow and I would ask the nurse to let me know when she was about to do it so I could take a big breath, hold my nose and hold my breath. That was a tip I picked up here. If I held my breath I definitely had less of the nasty flavor in my mouth. I also tried to always have some gum ready to chew after chemo.

Happy Thursday!

I went to Target today to pick up a couple of trays to organize my drawers in my kitchen.  The store is about 15 minutes away.  Because I am walking so slow, my little adventure took me about 2 1/2 hours.  I thought I saw a post saying ... slow and steady wins the race.  Well, I was only slow - not steady yet - it feels like my legs are going to give out on me.  It is so frustrating! I am having some thoughts of returning to work on Monday.  I am worried about my energy level and the trouble I am having with regards to forgetting things. I guess I'll see how I am this weekend and then make my decision. 

Also, not sure if I should wear my wig or headcovers.  A handful of people know why I have been away from work.  I mentioned I'm a private person - still not sure how I feel about everyone knowing what I've been and still will be going through.  Thoughts?  I wanted to see what kind of reaction I would get, so I mentioned this to a colleague of mine.  I went so far to say I may even return rocking my inner bald chick!  She got real quiet and said "Oh my."  I told here there were plenty of bald men walking around that place and not once have I ever heard that reaction!  She hesitated and just kept repeating herself. 

Mariposa-I can relate to being let down by the lack of communication (from friends).  I allowed myself to be upset with the people that I thought were my friends and then, one day, just decided to let it go.  I realized some people just don't know to handle things - don't know what to say - or say stupid things - etc.  Once I let these things go, I felt much better in general.  I do not want it to have a place with me, especially if it's negative.  Also with one couple in particular, once I resigned myself to "it is what it is, " I received a very caring, heartfelt holiday card from them.  It was very touching and all seems right again.

Hope-I was on Taxol too...no pain in that area specifically.  A few days after each treatment, I had pain all over my body.  It hurt to be touched anywhere.  It has subsided for the most part.  Still have some pain, but it's different now.  Also noticed this morning when I was getting ready to go to the store, a strange new pain in my left wrist.  I'm going to keep an eye on it.  If it does not go away, I'm going to call doctor.  I'm concerned about every little ache and pain now ...

Neta-thanks for the salad receipe.  I am definitely going to try it! 

Amy & Allurbad-Your hair looks great!  I started taking Biotin this week, along with my other vitamins.  1000mg a day.  I'm keeping my nails short (because of their tenderness), but can't wait to have some significant hair growth!  I hope it helps.

Bearcub-Best of luck with your first rad treatment.  It seems like the anticipation of each step with this process really messes with our heads.  Sending positive vibes your way.

Regarding the bad taste in your mouth ... it seems like candy is the only thing that takes it away for me.  I now have a small supply of jolly ranchers (the hard candy), starlight mints (the red and white ones) and tootsie pops in the house.  Just be sure to rinse your mouth out afterwards or brush your teeth. 

I agree with some of you regarding the unsettling feeling I now have since I am done with treatment.  I will still have appointments to see my PS for the reconstruction, but it won't be the same.  No weekly bloodwork, no follow up with the nurse practionier - it feels kinda strange.  I haven't gone to any support groups, but am in contact with two (local) ladies that have been very helpful.  I think for now, I will continue to lean on them. In addition, I am going to focus on getting stronger physically and emotionally, being as healthy as I can, factor "me" time into each day and organize my home better.  : )

Hugs : )))

Cocobean-  Here is a link to livestrong.com that is the search I used to find info about increasing red blood cells through diet.   http://www.livestrong.com/search/?mode=standard&search=foods+to+increase+red+blood

I hope it helps.   In general, red meat, liver, oysters, green leafy veggies, spinach and enriched grains and cereals will help.  The change in diet will not bring your reds up dramatically but they can help prevent the further drop.  I had the same situation happen to me towards my last rounds of chemo.  I asked my onco if I could take some Slow FE iron tabs to help.  She said that she preferred that I get my iron levels up by eating food so that's what I did.

As for the leg aches, they do lessen over time.   I'm almost 5 months PFC and don't feel those aches and pains the way I used to.  I'm not saying that I don't have aches and pains because I'm just plain old (57yrs) and expect things to feel a little achy.  The aches and pains that I have felt were mainly when I got up after sitting down or when I got up first thing in the morning.  I always wait a moment or two before I take a step when i first get up from sitting or lying down since I don't always feel like I'll be steady on my feet.   However, once I got moving, I am fine.  Hope you feel better soon!!!!  It just takes a time to recover from the chemo.  

Well I just finished watching Parenthood and well, hmmmm. I wish I could have even dreamed of being out dancing and drinking during AC! I did hear her say she has a port, but never saw it? Love the show and at times brings me close to tears.

Faith, please share what you do to build your physical and emotional strength. I am going to try to do the same. I have also thought of organizing my home better. Somehow organizing my surroundings seems to help organize my mind



Bearcub, how did your first radiation treatment go?



Amylovesbubby, yay to feeling tne wind in your hair again! I'm looking much like I did when I buzzed my hair off at the beginning of chemo now.



Hugs to all of you. Wouldn't have made it this far without you all.

Well I survived my first radiation and I guess I am going to be able to get through this part of my treatment too. The ladies were absolutely the best, so friendly and treated my body with total respect, from the warmed blanket to keeping me covered most of the time, I never felt like just another patient...and it was so quick. Our cancer clinic just opened in November so before that anyone needing radiation would have had to travel to Vancouver. I am very happy to be close to home....1 treatment down, 15 to go.



I agree with the organizing, it is healthy. My mother in law many years ago told me when you have tidy drawers in your home you will have a tidy mind....I still believe that. We might as well do it now so that we can enjoy this summer because for most of us last summer was a total bust!



Cocobean hope your red blood counts come up and you start to feel much better.



Happy Friday everyone!!

Cherioo I asked the same question to the doctor as I was delayed a week for the same thing. She said my body would rebuild at its own schedule and nothing I ate really would make a difference. My WBC were normal the next week. I ate lots of protein and beets and veggies the week before and they were low. Good luck, get some rest.

Amy what a beautiful moment..thank you for sharing..you bet we are going to make it.

As I look in the mirror this morning, I am wondering which looks scarier to me?  my bald head before with at least eyebrows and lashes or my white chia pet head and no eyebrows and lashes.  I am thinking the later.

I did think however we are truly being "reborn".  Our bodies have totally had to rebuild themselves and all our hair has to begin again.  A new chance on life?  I think so!