January 2013 chemo group

I am falling in love with my BUFFS. They are very easy and you don't need to be a girl scout to figure out how to tie a scarf on your head. lol. Dicks Sporting Goods stores had them for $10 the other day... or they are $20

Ziffy- Def better than Ann Hathaway! I posted my head on FB and everyone had some comment about ' oh you look like ___ actress'. It's a strange journey we are all on...

Skimommi- Nice pic and a HUGE ATTA GIRL coming your way for ripping your wig off in public! Way to own it! Its freezing where I am and I slept last might without anything on my head. I hate socks on my feet too. I am def wearing something when I am out though... Burrr. New respect for the bald men.

SherylB- The way we are going to get through all this is with knowledge. Sometimes we think it might me TMI but I def appreciate the honesty. There are so many things I've tried because of all of the suggestions on here. We shouldn't be shy. This is a sisterhood.

Fighter- YAY! Glad to hear that your scan was good!

RE: Loss of sensation and reconstruction... My PS wouldn't do just one implant. He said he couldn't get me to look symmetrical. So, it was one with a TRAM flap or both with implants. He was very concerned with the final result. Everyone told me about the loss of sensation. It is strange, but, It is just another thing to get used too. I wear a bra most of the time, so it has not bothered me too much. I am the same size as my right too. He did a great job. I am happy so far with everything. Some decisions are tough and that was the toughest.

gd2shuz- I'm with skimommi on the wig. Go by yourself or just with 1 friend. It is something that you need to feel good in and I went alone. I tried on about 10 different styles and I decided on one that was close to how my hair was a few years ago. You will hate most of the styles. Keep at it. You will find one you like. I ordered the one I liked and I still don't think I will wear it much.

Happy Monday Ladies!!

Ain't it true...we crave what we can't have!

Holy crap-I've been MIA the past couple of days. Now that I'm back to the world of the living (aka-feeling like doing ANYTHING) I guess I should report in.:-)

I'm day 6 post AC#1 and doing well. Day 4 was probably my worst which was just laying around ALL day and fighting to eat bc nothing tasted good. My awesome mom who is staying with me the first 5-6 days each tx made some roasted vegetables that night actually tasted good and weren't hard to digest. Speaking of food, does anyone else have weird, specific pregnancy-like cravings? I've never been (well, and never will be now) but I was craving canned peaches the other day, then a bagel with cream cheese, then jello. All of which in my healthy days I would never touch with a 10 ft pole! It's so wierd. Fortunately I don't have metal mouth and everything else has seemed ok. I have been drinking a ton of water and herbal ice tea which is great at the 2am wake up calls.

I go for my CBC weds and hopefully I'll be fine. The bonus of being 35 is bouncing back pretty well I guess. I'm also getting some prescription so I can sleep. Insomnia plagues me for 3-4 hours every night and I'm not even on steroids. I hate being all pilled up. I went from absolutely nothing to looking at 10 different bottles of crap in my bathroom.





To go back a few posts

RE:MRIs I've been getting baseline MRIs since I was 30/31 and had a clear one 6 months before they found my 1.8cm. Granted I had a mean ass tumor, but I know it had been there a while. They aren't a 100% either. Sorry, guess I'm still salty about it.



Skigirl-what a LOVELY head you have. I can only hope my head is shaped as nice as yours!



I forget who mentioned the parsley bit-I used to brew a tea out of fresh leaves from my garden. I'm going to to try that if the Prilosec doesn't work. Also I'm a ginger junkie and Yogi teas makes the BEST ginger tea-not too potent, but works to soothe my stomach-I've also brewed it with a herbal peach to switch things up.



My skin is kinda dry -but not my lips, however I second EOS lip balm-maybe just because of the packaging ;-) I have used coconut oil as a moisturizer for ages and it works wonders ESP if you are prone to eczema or other skin rashes.



So glad I have a tx-free week!

Hi gr8,  glad to hear you got your port in today.  Did they put you to sleep for it?  I know what you mean about wanting to get this going...I have my first onc appt on Thurs and it is so hard to wait!  Hope your trip to the bar is uneventful.

Sue

Hey guys I was looking at the t-shirt video where you cut it off under the arms and saw this video too. If this works for you then you can wear the t-shirt again after you grow hair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkUoiFto56k&NR=1

sheryl

gd2shuz,

While I have people who would peel my fruits and veggies if I asked I won't ask unless I really need help. Now having said that I am also TN, I am 56 years old and have many health issues but I have always had to do for myself and can't, won't, don't want to change. I saw my mom become a couch potatoe when I used to think she was the strongest woman I knew and I don't ever want to become that. This disease caused me to reach out (who knows why as I isolate) to Facebook and other stuff I was using years ago and I have been amazed at the love, support, and number of offers to help me. So first of all have you reached out to friends and family and told them of your fears of not being able to do for yourself??. Second call the American Cancer Society, they have volunteers to drive people to treatment and I bet they have volunteers to help with other tasks. They offered to hook me up with a Survivor and gas cards etc. I told them I was lucky to have this forum and friends and family. I also didn't take the gas card (not because I didn't need it) as I am sure there are others who need it much worse than me. I am on STD at 60% of my salary but that is more than many people have.

Now to the other part of my rambling. I had my first chemo 1/10 and while I had some bad moments, hours, and even a day or two at all times I was able to take care of my ADLs (shower, bathroom etc). I even cooked something most days and did the dishes, my husband is pretty much worthless, however, he does have his good traits, but helping inside the house is not one of them. I went to the grocery myself, and of course drove myself to all my doctor's appts. Now I am not anything special, I whine and complain and have taken pain pills etc. Please don't stress over your possible inability to care for yourself and/or others if you want to (I hope you don't). At least fix meals ahead as suggested and most veggies will hold in fridge for quite awhile after being peeled, scraped, and cleaned. How about eating differently for awhile too. I will be suprised if you eat what you think you will want. As many others have said my favorite right now seems to be white bread (hush all you nutrition nuts, this is short term). I am eating lean and green surprisingly as the broccoli and cauliflower really tastes good to me (of course I steam it to mush and put some butter on it). Oatmeal has been a life saver. The instant kind that actually has the water fill line right on the little package it comes in. Pour pack in bowl, fill water to line, and nuke for 1.5 minutes, (as with everything I eat I ruin the nutritional aspect, a little sugar, butter and milk). The moral of my story is that you will make yourself crazy worrying as I did, but go ahead because we do what we have to do. I just wanted to share some of my junk because there may be a small tidbit in there that will help you as so many of the other gals postings have helped me.

Hang tough, Sheryl

Thank you Lisa and Sheryl.  I was  planning on making portions, but since I don't know what I will want to (or be able to) eat I don't know what I'd make.  I'm kind of with you Sheryl, and think that my body may tell me what to eat . I am going to stock up on yogurt. I said I didn't like it, but I had one greekand  yogurt with live cultures this morning and actually liked it. I'm also a carboholic, so toast and tea would work, and the oatmeal will work too.  I was just feeling a little overwhelmed.   It will all work out, and I may be worrying for nothing. 

I called the American Cancer Society when I first got diagnosed, and they told me they don't provide transportation or gas or any help.  I asked them to send me some information on the services they offer, and  they sent me a brochure about cancer, which didn't contain any new information that I hadn't learned in nursing school.   Maybe the person I spoke with didn't know what she was talking about. I will check again. That's crazy because we both live in Florida, but as I say, maybe the person who answered the phone just wasn't knowledgeable.

I am a woman of faith, and I believe that God will put people in my path, through my work or my church, that will be willing to help if I just ask. 

Thanks girls, for your encouragement!  Thank you everybody!  I know we must all go through these second-thoughts and doubts at times, but we are here for each other to lift each other up.  That is awesome. God bless you all.

Thanks to all who reponded on the constipation problem.  Yes, I am drinking at least 64 oz. of fluids per day and lost of just plain water.  I am so afraid of getting constipated again that I will continue to take 2 stool softeners per day, eat cooked prunes daily and take 2 TSP of MOM.  Could this be overkill?  It was so comforting to not have constipation today.

Also, are headaches a normal part of chemo?  It is so good to have this community so we can share how we cope.

Tomorrow I will see surgeon  for port placement on the advice of my oncologist.   Anyone had experience with tha?.   Would love to hear about it.

Blessings and hugs 

re: fresh fruits and veggies, my mo just said to peel if possible and wash the heck out of them if not. I can handle them. No salad bars (can't be sure stuff washed) and no raw fish.

Sheryl

Cancernoway, 

Welcome to the group no one wants to belong to. LOL! You'll find a great group of women on this forum, and together we will all get through this next chapter. Soon we will all be done and will be able to enjoy the rest of 2013. Big hugs to you, Deborah

Welcome, cancernoway -

I agree with what SherylB said:  you have a great attitude!

Hope49,

My severe restrictive lung disease from chemo and radiation for Hodgkin's in 1985 and 1987 limits my options for treatment and reconstruction.  The surgeon performed my modified radical mastectomy with axillary node dissection while I was under sedation with an epidural placed somewhere between a few of thoracic vertebrae.  I was in surgery for almost five hours.  They REFUSED to do the bilateral mastectomy at the same time or place a TE on the right, I guess in anticipation of the prophylactic mastectomy on the left.  That should only take two hours - no cancer so no need for sentinel node biopsy or axillary node dissection.  Because my chest wall is so thin, the PS was concerned about the asethetics of using implants and the ability to use my own tissue.  I'm very thin.  I guess I'll just have to wait and see.  Plus, it looks like I'll probably be radiated with that intensity modulated radiation at least in the axillary region.

Welcome Cancernoway and Mermaidia

You have come to the right place.

Cancernoway you have a great attitude...

Mermaidia what does the trial hope to assess, is it the order of the ac and t treatment? How long will they follow you for? Sounds interesting. I also switch between anxiety and acceptance, it's an odd place to be. My hair is almost gone now, apparently I have a lovely shaped skull.



Kia kaha warrior wahines



Xx