Sept 2012 chemo
Comments
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thinking of you jojo....moving forward, moving on!
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Jo Jo. Sending up prayers that all goes well and the cancer is completely eliminated from your body. Yesterday we went to a friends and a acquaintance asked me if I was cancer free?? Ugh. How to answer that one? Took me off guard. I just said I won't have any further scans until I'm finished with treatment. Which wil be after April so ? Wishing you all A restful Sunday. Feel good!
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Jojo we are all praying for your quick recovery. You will do great and this chapter will be over quick. Relax and enjoy your daughter and DH
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bearcub, I've done 21 of 30 radiation treatments; I'm fair skinned and redhead(ish) too. My skin has done well so far. I am looking a bit sunburned now. My nipple and a patch up closer to my neck are itchy sometimes so I put calendula cream on those spots in addition to putting lotion on 2 to 3 times a day.
Jojo, good luck tomorrow! -
Allurbad thanks for the info, congrats on finishing 21, you are almost done. Your hair is looking good! I haven't worn a bra since I started, thank goodness it's winter here and if you go outside a hat and parka are needed...boob is looking good tonight..the RO said part of my armpit would be radiated but my neck area would not be. I am looking forward to the end of Jan. I still have Herceptin until Nov 2013...but to me that is a half hour visit with the chemo girls!!
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Hey Cindi, hope you are doing well. How has the Taxol been going and how many left?
Well another week is starting, good luck everyone! -
I learned about the book, EMPEROR OF ALL MALADIES, from one of the threads. A biology of cancer. One of the most fascinating books I have ever (actually heard audiobook). Well worth the money. I bought a copy for each of my kids for Christmas. Hugs to all.
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JoJo- Wishing the best with your surgery tomorrow and for a speedy recovery. We are all thinking about you !!!! Sending you lots of HUGS and positive calming and healing prayers, thoughts and energy!!! We will be waiting for you when you get to the other side of surgery!!!
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JoJo, wishing you the best tomorrow - that everything goes like clockwork, with no excess waiting times and a great result.
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Jojo, good luck tomorrow! Sending you hugs.
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You got this jojo
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Thinking of you JoJo and sending positive thoughts!
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How are everyone's nails doing? Mine are pretty gross, and some are detaching and heading towards falling out. Time to starting taping them down!
Anyone watch Downton Abbey?
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Toastiecat: My nails are a mess as well. Toe nails have white lines and one has a dark line all the way across. On my hands, I can feel that they have separated from the nail bed- my thumb nails in particular are very sore. I tried to use gloves in the beginning- but I kind of stopped a couple of cycles ago. The nurse last time told me to rub green tea oil on my nails which I just started doing. Another sucky part of chemo:-(
Jojo: Just said my prayer for you this morning:-) Hoping for a quick and easy surgery and a super quick recovery.
Oh- and I also that that Cristina from Parenthood looked like a total conehead alien. They should have just shaved her head. I think it would have made the whole thing more believable- and plus, I think that it looks good on the resume to say you have shaved your head for a part because you wanted crediblity. Great actors do that kind of stuff all the time - don't they?
Feeling sad sending my daughter off to school this morning. It was so nice having the whole family together for the last week. My husband and I had a terrible fight early in the Christmas break (I think we have one six days after every chemo- probably has something to do with my hormones) Anyway, a week ago we took the family on a late night drive to the city to look at all of the lights. The kids fell asleep in the car, and my husband and I just sat in the car for almost two hours talking. It was the best talk we have had in years. Things have felt very different since then, and I can see that he is trying. I am glad, because I was getting close to calling it quits. We will see how it goes.
Hope everyone has a good monday- especially all of you who are back at work!
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Cindi74 it was me that mentioned Emperor of all Maladies. A friend mentioned it last year as her son had given it to her for Christmas - no cancer involved, he just thought it was a good book.
Mariposa, glad that you and your husband were able to have a long talk - it may be a new beginning.
My husband has been away since Wed. though he comes home today. He took the opportunity (that I have been encouraging) to visit an old friend on Vancouver Island since he was on the island anyway to take our son to university. We needed a break as I have been tough on him for awhile and I encouraged it.
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jojo, thinking of you today. Chemo is the worst part. At least with surgery, you know you don't have to do it again...and again..and again...and again....................................
Toastie, Downton, yes. Watched "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" last night. God, I love that film!
Mariposa, you are awesome. I've read your blog and you are one smart and talented lady.
Bad boob nuked for the third time today. Only 17 more to go. I'm making an event of it though and going with good friends that I don't often get to spend much time with. No SEs yet although early days, but if it continues this way, I might actually be able to say that it's fun! I don't like hospitals though. Why do they always smell of boiled cabbage?
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Jojo, thinking of you today!!
PatinMN - that's terrible about the echo. Mistakes like that make me so nervous. I hope your heart is in excellent condition and someone takes ownership of that error. I remember when I first got dx, I was so shocked and wondered "what if my tissue sample was mixed up with someone else's?" A small error can have such an effect on someone's life in the medical field, and it just makes me so nervous to have to trust everyone so much.
Still waiting for my MO to call me back. Time seems to be moving so slowly. I want answers. I want reassurances.
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Ive had acrylic nails on all thru chemo but took them off and had a new set put on a few weeks ago my own nails seem to be staying on so maybe the acrylics protected them in a way....
I see my BS tomorrow for an ultrasound to see how much of this tumors ass I kicked! After that I have an appt with a PS to discuss surgery. Only two more weekly taxol treatments I am so excited to be done with chemo... Next chapter plz!
My stepson was sworn in today and got on the bus to bootcamp! We shead a few tears.... Hes so grown and Im so proud of him for wanting to serve his country.
Keep smiling ladies we got this! -
Amy: I can only imagine what it must be like to send your son to boot camp! I cried just sending my daughter back to the first grade after Christmas break! I am an airforce brat, so I have a very soft spot for anyone who serves. My heart goes out to you:-)
Englishrose: Awww Thanks:-)
Okay - back to potty training! After how many days of no accidents do you think they got it??? When can I leave the house with him? Feeling even more isolated than before!
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Mariposa-
I just read ur blog about year 2012 and ur outlook on 2013 u r truly inspirational. I love ur pocket talisman. She is perfect. Thank you for ur positive energy. -
Hi ladies, I wanted to ask anyone who has expanders if they ever feel like they have moved up and hurt? I have not seen my PS since chemo since he wanted me to wait until after rads was over to see him, but mine feels like it moved and my arm pit burns a little
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Fight4two - after a couple of phone calls today, the correct echo report got to my MO's office. I just talked to the nurse, who told me that my EF was at 65 which is great! She's going to send me a copy and believe me I will check it over very carefully to make sure it really is mine... The other lady with my name had her test done on 12/5, which is my birthday, so maybe that is an explanation of how the mixup happened. I hope your news is as good as mine. I just realized (reading another thread) that you have a baby who was born during all this schmoo - oh my goodness. All of you who are so young, and with small children, should not have to be going through this!
Toastie, I had same treatment as you and have not had any nail problems. But I have had other things crop up since chemo ended, so I shouldn't count my chickens. Downton Abbey - love that show. I had company yesterday and kept looking at my watch hoping they would all leave before Downton started (and they did). I did think the whole "lost all the family money but Matthew miraculously is inheriting a bunch of money" thing was a bit contrived. I think the costumes are fabulous, but the fashions in the 1920's were just so ugly that I'm not enjoying the costumes as much as in seasons 1 and 2. -
I'm not second guessing my doctors but would love to hear what other breast cancer patients think.
I finished my 6th and last chemo treatment of TCH on 12/26. I went today for a cat scan to get ready for 30 treatments of radiation. I can't stop crying about it. I asked the doctor why I needed 30 treatments and he said it was standard treatment. (I had a lumpectomy in July; one of three lymph nodes was found with cancer) I will continue to have monthly herceptin treatments until August and then I will have five years on tamoxifen.
I feel like I am going to die from the treatments, not the cancer . I just read about Hayley Mills turning down chemo in 2008 and she is cancer free. The doctor said to think about doing what that is medically available to treat the breast cancer and then not having to second guess yourself later. He also tried to reassure me that the worse is over. (chemo) But then I started reading about the side effects of tamoxifen and I'm not so sure.
I may just be tired mentally and physically but I go back January 23rd to start the radiation and I'm not sure I can get my spirits up by then to endure the treatments.
There are a lot of posts that after I read, I feel better knowing that I am not alone. I don't think I could have made it this far without all of you blogging about your experiences. Thank you.
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Terri am soo with you! Hang in there. You are not alone! This is tough stuff. I have always believed that everything in life is a trade off. Such is it with treatment. I just read where Robin Roberts receiving Ac led to her diagnosis of pre leukemia. I had no idea. My husband tells me to stop reading stuff but its hard not to. There are so many what ifs. I also will have radiation and tamoxifen it scares me when I read possible side effects. This is where faith comes into play for me. I have to trust my doctors and their recommendations. I also have a God I trust who is bigger than all of this. Just take it one day at a time and know you are not alone! Wishing you all the best!
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MO finally called back. He said "the results of the chemo are disappointing". The positive I got from the conversation is that I know I had at least one positive lymph node (from biopsy) and he said the mammo and mri did not show any positive lymph nodes -- so maybe the chemo at least killed the cancer in my lymph node. If I can believe that, then maybe I can have some faith that it also killed any possible cancer cells circulating in my body. Then we just need to surgically remove my tumor and probably a billion lymph nodes (my BS is aggressive) and then I can believe I am cancer free. I told my MO I was starting to panic, but he said I still have tamoxifen. I am happy my cancer is ER+, or otherwise, I'd really be worried about my treatment options. I'm really disappointed about my chemo results. He is also suggesting I skip my last treatment and go straight to surgery. Part of me thinks I should do the full course, but the other part of me says "why hurt your body, possibly causing long term damage for something that doesn't really seem to be working?" I'm wondering if I had done these scans earlier, if they would have stopped my treatment earlier? Thank goodness for the positive news about the lymph node - or I'd really be bitter about the chemo I had to endure.
As I said, my breast surgeon is really aggressive. I am meeting with her tomorrow afternoon to discuss the scans more and my surgery options. My MO wants her to call him after our meeting so they can "put their heads together" so I may have more to report then. She may try and convince my MO to give me more chemo, so I won't say I'm PFC yet. But if I am, then I kind of missed out on the big celebration and ringing the bell! Altho, with these chemo results, I really don't feel like celebrating anyway. EEEEEK! This might mean my surgery can be in as little as two weeks! I'll report more after tomorrow's meeting. Thanks to everyone who was thinking good thoughts for me and sending me hugs. I need them!
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flight4two: I remember when my chemo ended abruptly- it was weird. I did kind of want the celebration. I like your notion that if it impacted the lymph nodes that it impacted any cells floating around in your body. And maybe it is best to just have the surgery date sneak up on you... I know I am already worrying tons and mine is probably well over a month away! I hope your BS doesn't end up taking a ton of lymph nodes if at all possible.
Terri: I am with you on the throw everything at us approach:-( It sucks. Did you read the most recent research regarding radiation and early breast cancer? I am not sure how big your tumor is/or if you are considered early stage (I don't think I am unfortunately) but the newest report out of San Antonio talked about less radiation being just as effective and had less side effects (both long term and immedate). I am planning on asking my team about it.
I hope that link works!
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Cheerio, Call your PS, I have the expanders and they have not moved and no burning sensation. I did get the fills during chemo, which is different then you.
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Fight4two, it sounds like very good news about your lymph nodes, even though disappointing in overall chemo effectiveness. But a surgery sooner rather than later will at least give you the actual tumor measurements and put to rest all the confusion.
Mariposa, thanks for that link. I'm starting radiation tomorrow, and my RO says 33 is standard.
That seems to be WAY more treatments than most people get, and I really would like to know why she's telling me that's standard. I don't know if I'll actually see her tomorrow but I have printed out the linked article and am taking it with me. (Not that I understand all the details...) I am stage 1a, no nodes, and 61 years old - 33 treatments seems like overkill. -
Fightfortwo.... My BS and MO said right from the get go if chemo wasnt working they would put me straight to surgery. It def sucks you had to endure any chemo if it didnt have much effect but at least you were trying. So sorry you are having difficulties
BUT .... On a positive note you will be getting it out of you sooner! I will pray for you that all works out for the best. Have faith that this is the path you are suppose to be on and it will leave you cancer free. -
PatinMN, I met with my RO today and I also will be getting 33 treatments. I've heard ~6 weeks all along so I wasn't surprised. Maybe it's a lower dose than those that receive less treatments?
My scan is Thursday to get set up; she says they will schedule the first one approximately two weeks later.
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