Sept 2012 chemo

Options
1…131132134136137…165

Comments

  • Amy4978
    Amy4978 Member Posts: 473
    edited February 2013

    Hopex.... Thanks I will add the med chart to the list of todos! I do love snuggle time, but if I could just get her out of my bed lol



    Cherioo... Good luck to you as well! Heres to not waiting long in the waiting room, no burns, and kicking every last cells ass!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bearcub
    bearcub Member Posts: 485
    edited February 2013

    Good luck JoJo and Cherioo with the rads. Moisturize, Moisturize!!



    Amy enjoy your last week before surgery, the grabber thingy is excellent to have, I actually bought mine 2 years ago. Awww your beautiful little shadow, give some extra cuddles and hugs now.



    Everyone winding down or having chemo this week I pray for minimal SE.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cgesq
    cgesq Member Posts: 319
    edited February 2013

    Good morning!

    I'm having my TE's taken out today.  My MO and PS think there is a low grade infection on the expanders which, if it is an infection, I have had for at least 2 months.  Still not convinced it is an infection because even after being on antibiotics for weeks now, my breasts still appear to be red and swollen some of the time and I'm having NO other symptoms (no fever, fatigue, elevated counts, etc.)

    The PS will remove the TEs, flush the area with antibiotic wash several times, and then hopefully, (if he feels the infection has resolved) put in the permanent implants.  

    If all goes as planned, I'll be home tonight!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • kelleyb
    kelleyb Member Posts: 94
    edited February 2013

    Good luck cheerioo, cg, and jojo!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited February 2013

    Rads gals ( Cheerio & Jojo)- Good luck today!!!

    Cgesq- Wishing you a speedy recovery after today's surgery!!!

    HUGS to all of you on this thread as you make your way through chemoland and beyond!!!  Positive calming and healing prayers, thoughts and energy to all!!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hopex3
    Hopex3 Member Posts: 397
    edited February 2013

    Cgesg, best of luck to you today!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bearcub
    bearcub Member Posts: 485
    edited February 2013

    Cg hope everything goes smooth today, and a speedy recovery too.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mariposa123
    Mariposa123 Member Posts: 267
    edited February 2013

    Cgesq:  Wishing you well today!  Hope they can figure out what is going on and you recover super fast!

    Jojo & Cherioo:  I saw a beautiful meditation around radiation (maybe it was in one of the links I posted).  Anyway, it had something to do with imagining protecting those parts of your body from the radiation by picturing in your brain armor made of lead... and imagining the disintegration of any random microscopic cancer cells that might still be taking up residence.  Another neat one I saw was closing your eyes and just imagining yourself on the beach:-)  I kind of like that one.  Hope it goes well.

    Hoping everyone has lots of happy moments today where you don't think about cancer at all!

     



    // <![CDATA[
    var __chd__ = {'aid':11079,'chaid':'www_objectify_ca'};(function() { var c = document.createElement('script'); c.type = 'text/javascript'; c.async = true;c.src = ( 'https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://z': 'http://p') + '.chango.com/static/c.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(c, s);})();
    // ]]>

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • patriciahurtado
    patriciahurtado Member Posts: 489
    edited February 2013

    Jojo and Cherrio good luck today..... I will sending lots of virtual hugs{{{{{{}}}}}}}..... Cg.... Wishing you love and promp recovery....



    My ladies I think finally I'm getting tired I gave 3 more chemos and I feel very tired even if I sleep my eyes are getting smaller and I look so pale.... I look at myself and don't see the same person ... It's weird........3 more chemos yahooooooo.... Has anyone lost weight after chemo cause I gain 1 more pound last week ....I haven't started to walk cause I do enough walking at so ill wait till chemo is over ..... Also my ladies did any one continue to take glutimine during taxol ........ I do 3 times a day but the nurse said its only for the beginning of the treatment ....

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Foreverchanged72612
    Foreverchanged72612 Member Posts: 223
    edited February 2013

    So I didn't have my last chemo today. I have a fever and the nurse thinks I might have the flu :(. My oldest and youngest have it, too. I will go back next Monday and hope I can get it done and over with!! On the plus side, it means my waiting time for surgery decreases by a week. What great tips for a meds chart and a grabber-thingy (technical term ;) !! 

    Good luck today, Jojo and cheerio and cgesq. Off to bed for me...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cherioo
    Cherioo Member Posts: 305
    edited February 2013

    Good Afternoon ladies, had my 1st radiation today. They gave me my tattoos they didn't hurt felt like a little prick . For some reason I was so nervous last night I could not sleep. I came home this morning and slept for four hrs.



    Jojo hope all went well



    Cj hope all is well



    Foreverchanged hope you feel better



    Patricia you are almost done . Your positive spirit is so great. I know that I hav gained weight . I can't wait until I can start working out

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Timbek2
    Timbek2 Member Posts: 204
    edited February 2013

    Yay cherioo thanks for the update! Wishing others well with surgery or rads. Praying the worst is behind us. Onward and Upward. Xo

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Faith-Focus-Finish
    Faith-Focus-Finish Member Posts: 124
    edited February 2013

    Jojo & Cheerio  - hope all went well today!!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Faith-Focus-Finish
    Faith-Focus-Finish Member Posts: 124
    edited February 2013

    Cgesq - Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

    Cheerio - I'm glad you were able to get a little sleep and glad today is behind you. 

    Forever - I hope you feel better soon.  You're almost at the finish line!

    Patricia - Hang in there!  You can do this!  We're going to push you across your finish line!  I think a lot of us gained some weight; walk when you feel up to it.  We're right behind ya!!!

    Hugs : )))

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Faith-Focus-Finish
    Faith-Focus-Finish Member Posts: 124
    edited February 2013

    Does anyone have special tips for caring for their wig?  I'm afraid to wash mine and I really need to.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Timbek2
    Timbek2 Member Posts: 204
    edited February 2013

    I wash mine in the sink. Mild shampoo like baby. Cold water only. Hang to dry.



    Going tomorrow to potentially get another. I pray I love it. Don't really want to spend the money but the first one is getting ratty and sometimes ya gotta blend ;)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • fight4two
    fight4two Member Posts: 146
    edited February 2013

    A cute story to hopefully make you guys smile.  This week my little baby (almost 5 months now - how time flies!) has started smiling the cutest smile at me when he finds me across the room.  I have had to have others hold him due to my recent surgery.  Its so adorable... as soon as he finds mommy he breaks into the most adorable, loving smile.  I love it!!  Anyhow, yesterday for dinner, my husband suggested I wear my long brown wig with the red highlights.  I put it on, and was thinking it looked pretty good.  However, I looked over at my baby, and he had this look of fear in his eyes, and his lip started quivering!!! Then he broke into tears!  It was so sad. I ripped off the wig, and he was smiley once again!!!  Uh oh.  Baby only recognizes me as "baldy" or in my beanie (how I am at home) or in my short golden red wig (how I am whenever there are visitors, and how I have been at home since surgery).  Unfortunately, my wig looks NOTHING like my actual hair and the wig is a freebie I got from LGFB.  I tried getting another wig from the vendor that gave it to LGFB, but they only do wholesale and I can't find it for sale anywhere!  Its starting to get ratty, but I guess I am stuck with it if I want baby smiles instead of baby tears!  I wonder if he thinks he has two mommies ;)  I better start getting him used to the baldy look so that I won't have to still wear the wig once my hair comes back in.... heheheh....!  And yes, now I am terrified to wash the wig or have anything happen to it.  I hope I won't be wearing it once the hot summer months hit!

    Hope my story brought a smile to your face.  Be strong and brave to those facing surgery soon.  Can't wait until you are in the recovery stage.  And strength to those going into rads.  And energy, endurance, and strength to those still in chemo.  Seems we are all starting to go in different directions, but we are all heading towards the same finish line: HEALTH AND HAPPINESS!!!  See you all there!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jojo2373
    jojo2373 Member Posts: 662
    edited February 2013

    Cgesq hope all went well!

    Cherioo - glad to hear you made it!

    Mariposa - thanks for the meditation info, I need it.

    I was so nervous yesterday and going into the rads.  I felt like once chemo was over I had moved on (somewhat) to not being a cancer patient in treatment.  Surgery to me didn't feel like cancer treatment, was more like other surgeries I have had.  Now today, I felt like I was back in cancer treatment again.  I was given the option of tattoo's or marks with clear stickers over them.  I chose the stickers.  I have probably 7 with some on my back and some in the center of my chest.  I applied my cream - so hoping for the best!

    My RO went thru all the scans, images, measurements, 3D's, etc before we started.  My heart was in a good spot to avoid the rads.  Unfortunately, I have to have a much larger area radiated than I thought.  My RO received all my reports including the surgery notes and Pet Scan after my first visit.  My nodes that were positive before chemo and after are in the 2nd level axillary nodes.  So they were actually above my breast closer to my collar bone.  Not only do I have my entire breast radiated, I have the area above up to my collar bone done as well.  Makes me sad that normal shirts I wear will show the marked area plus when/if it turns red it will show.  But will have a WTF are you looking at attitude for the gawkers!  My RO told me more of my lungs will receive rads now plus I will have a greater chance of developing LE since all nodes are getting rads.  CRAP!  So as the machine was turning and making its "rad noises", I was near panic, but made it through. 

    Onward warrior princesses!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hopex3
    Hopex3 Member Posts: 397
    edited February 2013

    Faith..I bought the wig shampoo but I bet you can use the baby shampoo. You should wash it wvery 30 days. I put the wig in a sink with cold water and swish around. Hang to dry. I also took my old wig in cause it was getting ratty at the ends and they serviced it for 35.00. It's good as new. I wish I knew that before I bought another one for $240.00 that everyone hates. I'm hoping by June, I can go without.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • kidsandlabs
    kidsandlabs Member Posts: 138
    edited February 2013

    BRCA results are in NEGATIVE!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Faith-Focus-Finish
    Faith-Focus-Finish Member Posts: 124
    edited February 2013

    Thanks Hope & Timbek on the wig tips.  It is very helpful.  I have a good wig: I'm just nervous it will fall apart or something and then I'm stuck with no hair (literally).  I wear it to work.  Around the house or to the grocery, I wear a hat/headcover.  I'm not brave enough to wear those to work.

    Jojo:  I'm sorry to learn about your experience and that the area for rads is larger than you thought.  Still saying prayers that we all get through this.

    Fight4two:  Thanks for sharing your story.  How precious your baby boy sounds!  : )))

    Kidsandlabs:  Great news on the BRCA test!  Congrats!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Amy4978
    Amy4978 Member Posts: 473
    edited February 2013

    Kidsandlabs... Sweet! So happy for you

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Amy4978
    Amy4978 Member Posts: 473
    edited February 2013

    Fight4two.. Very cute story! I love how kids can put a smile on our faces no matter what we are dealing with...



    Jojo... I totally get the freaken out! All of it is scary... So sorry the y have to do more than you thought.. You are so close to being done and regaining your life again...hugs

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cherioo
    Cherioo Member Posts: 305
    edited February 2013

    Jojo, I am with you sister . I was freaked out today until after treatment was over. I received the tattoos and I too am getting Radiation from my chest up through my color bone all the way to my back . We can do this and will look back at all we have gone through and will be able to help others . Today when I finished my rads I asked my dr what she wanted me to use on my skin and she told me vitamin E oil. So I went to the store and bought the vitamin e oil and started today putting on twice a day . My skin feels like I have grease all over it , but if that is how I must feel to get through this then so be it. Sorry if I my typing is off. My iPad sometimes skips letters .

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Cocobean
    Cocobean Member Posts: 135
    edited February 2013

    Wow, so much to catch up on!

    Big congrats to those finished with chemo!



    Forever - hope you feel better soon!

    cgesq- hope everything goes well, you get implants, and you love them

    Kids- great news!

    Amy and those with upcoming surgery-sending you courage and calmness as you prepare....the med chart is a great suggestion, as well as a chart for recording fluid from your drains (eww,I know, but remember they are temporary)

    Fightfortwo- loved the story about your little one, little ones are so amazing and unfazed by all of these things, my 3 year old loves to rub my head and says I look like a princess.

    Patricia- hang in there strong lady! Almost there, take care of your self!



    I decided to start taking weekly pics of my head so I could see a difference in my hair...my husband says he can but it's hard for me to tell. Sat was one month PFC for me and that's when I started documenting the "growth". Also finished one week of rads, I'm like you Jojo and cherioo...up to my collarbone and behind my armpit. So far so good, I can't really tell if i am experiencing fatigue because I was already so tired after chemo, but I have been trying to get to the gym and that seems to help with my engery...I do try to mentally go to a happy place when I am there...there is always random music playing, on Friday Elvis's Burning Love was playing...kinda made me laugh.



    Keep on moving forward!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hopex3
    Hopex3 Member Posts: 397
    edited February 2013

    I feel for all of you going through rads!! You all are such strong women who have come so far already, just know that I'm cheering you on.



    Kidsandlabs..Fantastic news!!!



    Fight4two...Laughed out loud!



    I think one of my TE's may have a hole in it. Foobie is a bit smaller than the other one. I'm not enjoying this part at all. It feels weird and hurts a little. I have my first fill on Friday. Scared for that.



    Like cocobean says...keep on moving forward!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Amy4978
    Amy4978 Member Posts: 473
    edited February 2013

    Have to say my hair started to grow b4 I was done with chemo.. It started b4 thanksgiving but Ikept shaving it. I thought it was just gonna grow in all spiratic. On Thanksgiving I shaved it for the last time.... I had weekly taxol till Jan 16th. Today I took the clippers to it to even it out and had to use a #5raised up b4 it clipped any off... The amount clipped off was minute but a #5 is equivalent to 5/8 an inch.. Ill take what I can get lol...



    Much love and a Lotta hugs!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • PatinMN
    PatinMN Member Posts: 920
    edited February 2013

    Patricia, only 3 more to go - you can do it! about the glutamine, yes I took throughout taxol. I'm very surprised your nurse told you it's only for the beginning. My nurse told me to keep on taking it for 3 weeks after finishing the last treatment. I didn't think I would have a problem so I stopped 1 week after, and then I developed a numb big toe. :-(. So I started up again with glutamine, and it's getting better.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cgesq
    cgesq Member Posts: 319
    edited February 2013

    Thanks all for your good wishes. I'm sore, but taking pain meds. What is really making me crazy is the itching from the anesthesia and the tape they used to partition off my chest area. AARUGH!!!!!!!!!!

    The surgery went well (I'm told) but the PS said he couldn't know for sure if it was infected. He washed the entire cavity with anti-biotic wash before he put in the gel implant. I will be on antibiotics for a month more. He says he is optimistic tht this will work, but there is still a significant chance that the infection is still there, or will return and the implants will have to come out :(

    As an FYI, you should not take benadryl if you are on tamoxifen. Live and learn!! It counteracts the efficacy of the tamoxifen. MY MO said its ok to take for a day or two until the itchiness goes awaybut in general, they cannot go together.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • kelleyb
    kelleyb Member Posts: 94
    edited February 2013

    Congrats, labs! 

    For those who did neoadjuvent chemo before surgery - how much cancer remained on your MRI or ultrasound after chemo?  How do we know when to pull the trigger for surgery? 

    Just curious about your experience here.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories