January 2013 chemo group

Heading out for my pet scan today. Hoping it comes back clear. Then tomorrow gonna meet with the gang for some beers. Not sure whether or not that is a good idea. I haven't been out since my surgery. Haven't even had a beer. Will probably be looped after two. Good luck to all of you going to the bar today. May you have limited SE's. Happy Friday to all!

Happy Friday everyone!

Day 3 out from AC #1 and feel blessed to feel as good as I do. I got great sleep last night and only feel slightly tired and not very achy this morning. I'm hoping the Claritin actually worked for me! The nausea is at bay thanks to the water- I slosh around too! And the little bits I eat during the day. The nurse that called to check up on me was actually surprised I sounded as good as I do!

I feel like I've become almost Zen like and very calm over this whole thing which is a complete 180 from a month ago. Maybe it's the celexa, the love I'm getting or the meditating/praying I do daily-or all three.

Colleen-the website I found my wigs on is voguewigs.com. They have about a million brands with different prices, but Mine were the 'Forever Young' brand. They had younger styles that I liked. I found it helpful to read the reviews and then google the style for YouTube reviews and better color descriptions. They aren't expensive, and synthetic, but for the price I paid I didn't feel it was wasted -I liked all three. And I received them in 4 days. I keep meaning to post some pics of me with them on. :-/

Bryona-love your cut and glad you made it through HH even though you are cheap drunk :-)

Zorina and Paula-good luck today Bella's!



Much love to everyone else-I think I need a nap....again.



Nikki

Hey Everyone, 

After being off my computer for the last 5-6 days I've got a ton of reading to catch up on. LOL! Ya'll will keep me busy this afternoon and tonight. Much love and hugs to everyone, especially anyone who has had tratment since I last posted and read. 

I finished my 1st TC with Cold Caps treatment a week and 2 days ago. 5 more days (aprox) and I'll know if the caps are going to work for me. Fingers crossed. LOL! Treatment was kind of odd for me. When I had my first chemo regiment 18 years ago I left onc feeling horrible and discusting. It would hake me several days to start feeling better. This time with the TC I have to say it was the opposite. I left feeling fine, and days 1 and 2 I felt totally normal, with a little touch of chemo brain and a little tired. No big deal. Day 3-5 were the worst but still not that bad. My head was foggy and fuzzy, I had a headache, my ears were clogged and my eyes hurt a little when I'd move them from side to side. I never got nauseous at all (so I never took any anti nauseau meds or anything thank good ness) and I was still fairly functional. Somehow I never got the sleep that everyone keeps talking about. My body was SO tired, but I couldn't sleep at all b/c I was jsut uncomfortable and that would casue headaches stemming from my neck from laying funny I guess. (Boobs still sore and port surgery a few days before didn't help) By day 6 I was really feeling like myself again. Now at a week and 2 days I am tired (just now starting to sleep again) but do really feel like myself. Thanks goodness. 

I did catch a couple posts about nutrition. My family is HUGE on jucing. I made a huge pitcure this morning. (Organic Kale, red pepper, spinach, green apple, blackberries, beets, celery, blueberries and carrots.) OMG SO good!! Anyway, I saw some posts about not eating raw fruits and veggies during chemo? (Again, I haven't read through all of the pages of posts in the last 5ish days so I might be getting this wrong) But my onc, natural path and accupuncturist all tell me to continue to eat tons of vaggies and fruits (both raw and cooked) like I normally do. Very careful on washing and everything is organic, but I eat them and drink them like they are going out of style. My Vitamix and Breville are almost attached to my hip. Ha ha ha! I figure if my 3 most fav Dr's sat to continue..... then.... it's gotta be good.

Also, I know a while back we were talking about popcorn and the dangers of eating it during chemo. Popcorn is my absolute all time favorite snack.... of all time.... for EVER! LOL!!!!! I asked my Onc and she said that it was fine as long as I floss afterward. She said she saw nothing wrong with it. Yay. So.... I eat it carefully and then floss. So far so good.

She told me I had no food restrictions at all.

The only issue I seem to be having right now is that ,my mouth feels like yuck. It doesn't hurt, but it feels like there i a layer of blech in my whole mouth. I'm doing the "Make me want to vomit rinse of baking soda and salt" multiple times a day, but I have a feeling it's about to be the onset of thrush, or yeast. It doesn't hurt yet it jsut feels nasty. I jsut put in a call to the nurse who told me she'd call me in something if I needed. Sigh. It's always something. LOL! 

Anyway,. off to start reading ladies. I've missed y'all jsut been too tired on focus on the key board/screen. Lot's of hugs coming to y'all!!! Deb

Thanks Zorina. I work for the Veterans Admin, so a lot of employees. Hopefully i have stored up enough leave. I have whatever short term disability they give me but several coworkers have offered to share some leave if I need it. I guess I will not worry unless I have to, and just believe that it will all be ok.



Lauren15 we are practically neighbors. I'm in Sunrise. Where are you going for your treatments? I want to find someplace closer because Mt Sinai is way too far.



Bryona, thanks, I will mark my info public when I finally get around to

putting it



Gotta go, will be back later.

Hello Ladies

I have come to whine & cry. It's been a terribly emotional day. It started with an arguement with my husband before he left for work. He's still being "bitchy" to me & I really am dreading his mood when he gets home. He has been so good to me through all this. I'll be alright I know but, an akward night to come.

My hair started coming out! Yesterday it was just a few strands at a time. Today I could feel the hair falling down my back & legs in the shower. It's coming out in handfulls! I think I will buzz cut it tomorrow. My Father is wanting to shave his head in my honor. I told him to wait until possibly this weekend & we can do it together. Do you think it's time? Emotionally I can not handle it coming out in clumps or having it fall out all over my clothes or pillow.

I would love to join the facebook page also! Thank you all for "being there" for me. I am finding this journey that we are on is becoming more & more difficult . Or it's just me. I've only had 1 chemo treatment & have 5 more to go. I don't know how I'm to make it. Coming here does help. I read more than I post but, knowing that everyone "gets it" is comforting.

((((Colleen)))), honey, try not to stress about the PET scan. Some parts of it should light up; that's just your biology. Some parts of the body are more active, so they pull in more of the contrast. Remember, the doctors know which of your organs and areas should light, but you don't. Now is not the time to leap to any conclusions. Just try to breath, and remember we're all pulling for you. Big, big (((((hugs))))).

kimmeam, I hope your day gets better. I wish you didn't have to deal with this. I don't know when it's the right time to shave off your hair, but it sounds like you do. If you feel like you can't take seeing/feeling it fall, maybe that's your gut telling you now's the time. Hugs to you, too, sweetie. You can do this.

Kimmeam,

My first chemo was 1/10 so I haven't started to lose hair yet. I did cut it short before Christmas. I am wanting it to come out I think it will feel like this journey is progressing, also that the chemo is actually getting into my whole body.

Emotions....I cried all day yesterday, hysterically, sobbing, no reason. Today I woke up with the leftover steroid high, I was in such a good mood and I liked everybody, I was holding doors open when I did errands. Who the hell is this person??

Got to get a root canal and crown today, wasn't supposed to happen during chemo but tooth broke and to near the nerve root. Oh well I can deal with a controlled root canal better than an abcessed tooth. MO said to do it but not on week of chemo, I have until 1/13 before next chemo. So back to emotions, I am standing on my head while the dentist is drilling and think I will go to my happy place (Rainbow Lake outside Gunnison Colorado at around 10,000 feet) next thing I know I am crying, so I left my happy place and focused on the drilling. Who knows why I am so labile kinda interesting.

I just wish the hair on my legs and my chinny chin chin would hurry up and fall out. If I had know I was gonna get cancer I wouldn't have spent the $3000 on laser for my face in July. Oh well maybe it won't come back wouldn't that be nice.

Hang tough, Sheryl

Thanks for the luv, SKIGIRL. Fingers crossed, awaiting the dreaded hour of what will probably be sunday(?) I'm new to the weekly dosing. VIT D= me=10,000 daily

BRYONA, wow, weird, I read up on the starving a few months ago.  I am 'kinda' or have been 'kinda' doing that( ?)  My weight has been the same since diagnosis. I am not a little girl. I'm tall and was top heavy. Through my first chemos, I ate when I really felt it.  I've done this before though.  The fasting, so my tummy doesn't get bothered by it.  So cool you mentioned that.  I think I read that they are known to do this in china quite a bit.
OH, so you're doing it!!!!!?!??!!  Good Luck....toughen up   I want to know how it goes, with your ability, if you feel a difference going into treatment, afterward, all of it, anything you can share   Woohoo.

YAYA, thank you for the encourging words.  We always appreciate them.  Congratulations to you too, luv. Don't be a stranger.

LEE, I'm with you on the raw dairy. That is all I eat and drink if I get raw milk, but, during chemo, whoa, not good.  If and when you know the chemo is purged, as much as it will, then I partake in the raw yummies. Its great for our digestive tract, after being anhiliated by the chemo.

SOTERIA, FRIDAY SISTER HERE   Had my first 'weekly' treatment.  Not been here before, I had 3 hrs infusions every 3 weeks for 4 rounds, so this is new for me.  I actually came home and took a little nap? Very strange, because I am usually hopped up on the steroids.  Oh, the 'senses', I'd been off chemo for almost 2 months.  As soon as I sat down, wham, nasty, gross smells.  ANDDDDDDD, I'm talking to the head honcho chemo nurse (whom i love) and we're talking and talking and all of sudden, I want to tell her something and CHEMOBRAIN has infested me once again.  I have been clear headed and loving it for the past 2 months and now I need to find my notepads AGAIN - Booo

NIKI hope it went well.  Taxotere was not my friend. I only got one dance with it.  but it did a great job!!!

ANDREA, sorry you had to come here, but glad you found us.  This forum ROCKS !

SKIMOMMI, I couldn't stand the shedding. I cut it short like your pic, then finally had to shave it off. I did it myself. My daughter was upset for me. I told her we don't care about hair, Mama wants to LIVE!

COLLEEN good, positive thoughts and love your way. Clean scans, clean scans

SANDRA when did you go for chemo last?

AMRDBIT thank you for the yummy concoctions. Im juicing now too!!  I really think it is very beneficial for us on treatment, for knocking the cancer on its arse and boosting our immune systems.  I believe in it.
re: popcorn, if you must, just please make sure it is NON-GMO and ORGANIC

Yea, I want to know how the sudafed or benadryl worked for you all.  I tried benadryl in september, NOTHING, not any help at all.  They ended up putting me on steroids.

KIM {{{HUGGS}}}  I'm sorry for what all you are going through ON TOP OF the fight of our lives.  XoXo

YAY lisa!!!!!! GREAT NEWS

I forgot to mention, or maybe I have and forgot I posted it, but for hydration during chemos, NUUN is fantastic.  I take it a few days before, to get maximum hydration, then wait till I when I think the chemo is purged.
It is an effervescent tablet, that holds electrolytes like gatorade or pedialyte, you just don't have to drink so much.

Seattlemamma, 

LOL! I never buy anything with GMO's and I only buy organic. ! My naturalpath had me switch over everything a couple years ago when I was diagnosed with gluten and casein allergies. So no worries on this end. Organic and non gmo's popcorn.... then flossing.

Deb

Hi everyone and welcome to the weekend!  I find it so amazing on the different instructions we all get.  I've been staying away from all fruits unless I can peel them.  My lovely berries just went bad (non organic though), and I'm cooking all my veggies.  I just went out for japanese, and I was so disappointed to skip my beloved sushi and ordered a less healthy option.  I'm also seeing so many different treatments for so many similar cancers.   It's the end of Day 8 post chemo and I can't wait to see my hair fall out for the same reasons as been stated.  I want to see progress.  DH is cutting it short this wkend so I get used to it in stages.  My mouth also has that filmy coated feel.  I'm not doing the rinse with baking soda since the thought of it was making me ill.  I guess i'll have to try - are there other options?  I heard about olive oil, but I'm so bad with nausea that just the thought of that has me gagging.  I'm such a bad patient.  I could never take any type of liquid medicine and am two years past getting my colonoscopy because I can't drink that stuff.  I actually can't wait for Chemo #2.  I want to get this over with already. 

Have a great night all.  As I'm typing my eyes are straining to stay open. xoxo to everyone.  Lauren

Hi Lauren, I hear ya.  I was put off with the baldness, but once my hair started coming back, and if I get too hot from my hats, I take it off and there is my silver short hair   I'm about to lose it again , btw, just started chemo back up again, postsurgery.