January 2013 chemo group

if its a lace front you want to trim it to just before the hair line. Thats what the wig lady told me. Which one did you get?

I went for a walk this morning at 6am. I had my black cap under a sweatshirt hoodie.  A police in the patrol car was really staring at me.  I thought he was going to pull me over. I did not have any ID on me, just my key back to the house. Hey I am only walking. I live in LA.

Harassing a cancer patient, shame on them.

Saw the surgeon who placed my port on Feb. 11 in a follow-up visit.  I informed her that it was infected on the date of my last AC infusion, and so the vein in my right arm was used.  Now I have pain in that area and can detect a hardening of the tissue.  I found her to very snippy with me this morning.  She asked for dates and other info not on the top of my head and informed me that I needed to always bring notes whenever I visited her.  Felt like a kid without my homework.  I was prescribed 40 antiobiotic capsules which I am diligently taking as prescribed.  At least the infection and pain are gone.  I just wonder why she did not prescribe an anti-biotic knowing that I am prediabetic, and that diabetics have healing issues.

At least I have good news: the ultrasound that she performed does show tumor shrinkage.  The misery caused by the meds are doing their job somewhat.  I have really had a hard time following my infusion last week.  In addtion to that, I had a weepy day yesterday.  This journey is so frickin hard, and for me, it is just beginning. 

Thank you to all of you who post support and helpful things that you do to manage the misery of these treatments.

kingboo, I live in the Los Angeles area as well and I never thought about that (ski cap/beanie - hood).  I sometimes pull my hood up over my hat as well if the breeze feels too cold on my neck. 

I'm glad they didn't end up doing anything!  

I'm still reeling from the accounts of what happened in Torrance a few weeks ago.  The surfer guy - the two newspaper delivery women.  Scary.

re: stray hairs - strange but so much of it ended up on my back, i.e. the back of whatever shirt I was wearing - even though I was lying down quite a bit (most of it fell out in the days immediately following the second treatment).  Anyway, I was constantly using one of those tape rollers that Paula mentioned on the back of my shirt.  

Editing to add:  I'm still using one of those rubber hair catchers over the drain when I shower.  I'm glad we still had one around.

Bryona- tell AC that it can get ready to kiss my ass in a week too!! Good luck tomorrow!

bcfree- I am still amused that the lint roller thingy worked! I hated the little hairs on my everything!

Beanie-hoodie thing is a necessity up here in the cold. I live just outside the 'city' and there is such a stereotype. I have seen people give me a double-take when I walk into a store. ugh... Don't make me flash the dome!!!

I was up at 6:30 this morning to get my son off to school. I usually just stay up and after he is off to school and read emails... not today. I went back to sleep and finally got up at noon. (stealing this from Bryona- This round of AC can kiss my ever loving ass!!)

Bryona! Welcome back and so glad you didn't have to delay that last dance with the red devil in the pale moonlight.  You tell that rat bastard to go blow dead bears and kick some ass!

Just posted this over on HAIR HAIR HAIR and wanted to know what you guys think...am i more out to lunch than usual or does this sound logical???

...i assume regrowth doesn't happen in a linear fashion?  Its not like when someone shaves their head and it all grows back at the same rate- right?  So i was thinking, when my hair starts to grow back, if i kept "trimming" it at 1/4", would it "appear" to be more full?  Kinda like taking the dead and split ends off your hair to make it look healthier?  I understand TOTALLY the desire for REAL HAIR as long as possible ASAP but i'm wondering if "trimming" to a standard length once a week or every two weeks for at least a while wouldn't make more sense in the long run?  Would it make my hair appear more full and/or more "normal"?  Any thoughts? 

Strangely enough as my hair manges out and i look more and more like something from a George Romero movie, the 1/4" hair i was sporting a few days ago seems pretty dang good...i could work that in public.  Especially in the summer...your comments are appreciated.  Thanks, Shannon

bcfree: I had AC #2 last Wednesday followed by the Nuelasta shot Thursday. I had pain meds this time and it helped take the edge off, though made me a bit more nauseated. I also felt more tired for longer this time. I asked my nurse, who is awesome (she puts up with my whining very well), and she said unfortunately, AC can have a cumulative affect over the four treatments I'm on. That may be why you felt more dizzy and tired. Try drinking as much as you can and try to eat some form of protein (whatever your stomach can handle). Maybe that will help. As far as the hair, I shaved mine also but the tape roller works well as skigirl mentioned. I also where a nice fleece beanie to bed and around the house that catches the little hairs and then I vacuum it. Good luck!

Byrona: OH you are so lucky tomorrow is your last day of AC hell!!!! Good for you. I have two more treatments of AC then I will be joining you! Keep us posted on how you do on Taxol. I will be right behind you. I start work very part time next Monday but I am not sure that is a good thing on this AC. I too, cannot fathom working that much on this crap. They are troopers! I guess we'll see how it goes for me. I already missed 6 weeks for the BMX/Recon so was trying to make a slow come back. Might regret that decision but I can take more time if I need it so I guess I'm fortunate in that regard. Kick ass and glad you are well!

Hello Ladies ,

I just have been resting and taking it easy. Hair is bald now as I could not take it falling out so I took the clippers and bald it myself . The wig I have is nice bit its going to take some time to  get use to it as I only wear it when going out . People say its looks nice on me but I say its not a permanent thing . My hair is the type that grows back very fast . 

Went for blood work today and an breast exam and the results are amazing what the RED stuff can do . The doc says that I may not have to continue with chemo and after my 3rd dose wich is Monday coming he is going to order an MRI to see just how much the mass has strinked . it was up to my nipple and now it has gone from huge to a size of a quarter .The doc 's face lit up with excitement and we both hugged each other as tears of joy for once starting rolling . All he could say was that I am doing excellent and I look very good . 

I pray that I may have encouraged some one as I said before this too shall pass .

Take care and may your journey be full of hope and love .

Fighter

Paula, thanks for the tea tree oil tip, funnily enough I had been using it for a week before my onc started me on antibiotics, for the first time in ten years! Tea tree oil really is the best stuff, I use it with coconut oil in the mornings for oil pulling (swishing around in the mouth for 20 minutes before spitting it out, it pulls all of the toxins out of your mouth and gets all the plaque off of teeth, it's great).



Bryona thanks for the props about work. It really is tough. My counsellor sent me home today she thought I was too tired for counselling! Good luck for AC 4, mine is in 5 days, can't wait! My second opinion backed up the first last night, so no taxane for me after AC, I'm a lucky girl.



Oliverhog wow do you wish you were called holiday? I wish i was! I was going to be Jessie James if I was a boy, after the cowboy.



I hope you're all having a good week.

Xx

Holly

Bryona,

Glad you are back. Your posts sound like you feel better. Congrats to facing #4 of the red devil. Here's hoping for an uneventful treatment and minimal side effects.

Blessings to all facing the chemo bar this week.

Hugs, Sheryl

kiwikid: so are you done soon? How many AC treatments did you have? That is awesome!

Bryona: I work as a communications coordinator for a local public school district. I do media relations, social media, web, written publications, take photos, event planning, etc. My office is in an elementary building of all places but I am not in any classrooms on a regular basis. My employer is awesome with sick leave (I get full paid sick leave as I have nearly 80 sick days, plus access to 90 days from the sick bank before I would go on disability) so it makes it a bit easier, but someone still has to do the work so that puts extra stress on my coworkers. They have been great!

HOpe your SE's are less on your final round of AC! I dread my last two, but at the same time, can't wait. I do hope taxol is easier, that would be nice to feel like life is slowly coming back to normal!

Best to all!

Does anyone here take Ambien? My onc called it in for me, but I have never taken sleeping pills. I have had restless legs off and on and was up most of the night last night. I took the first 3 day this week off after TC#2, but I go back to work tomorrow. Need some decent sleep. Definitely been in a funk the last couple of days. Maybe getting back in a regular routine will help.