January 2013 chemo group

Hockeymom12- Hi, I am down the street in Rochester. I wanted to go back to work too. I felt ok and I just couldn't sit home anymore. I just work part time now. So, far that is plenty. I have a 10yr old boy and he has been great through all this. I seem to have enough energy to hang out with him at night and he can occupy himself for a bit too. I am glad Taxol is easier. I start next week.

Bryona- You are not a freak (i think). I've needed to increase my intake of Prilosec during all this. And I usually have the GERD under control with diet weight and the meds.

Skimommi- I've gone into work on my days off with a hat and no makeup and I've startled a few. lol. My lashes and brows are almost gone so, I will need to find my inner Picaso to get my eyes to show up on my face. Maybe I will just look tired all the time and I wont have to remind anyone.

Nicole, Bryona and everyone: thank you for your kind and encouraging words. They put a smile on my face and made me feel like I'm not that much of a freak. Bryona, like you I've been there before too! Hearing you all say Taxol is easier is such a relief. With only 4 to do I hope my life will start to come back to a bit of normal.

Jubby: thank you on the running. I felt so silly admitting it bugged me. Like I don't have more important things to worry about! But yes I will beat that time by next yer, if not sooner.

I also have a chest cold cough, low grade fever. On day 4 of being in bed My NP called in a z-PAC. I go in tomorrow for my follow- up blood work. It will be interesting to see where my counts are at. On last Wed of treatment they were still thru the roof. I still have a mild case of thrush even with taking the medicines. Doesn't seem to want to go away. Hoping the worse of the bad days are behind me. Again thank you ALL! It is wonderful to have this place to go to and to have all of you!

Pet Peeve: 

Everyone sees the headscarf and says nothing.  One male co-worker looked at me and said:  Chemo?  Yes, I said with relief, and he asked questions on my status.   This isn’t a guy who is generally sensitive, but at least someone acknowledged the damned scarf on my head.  Most people seem to avert their eyes or just look around you.  I am not looking for sympathy nor do I have any desire to elaborate on my condition unnecessarily, but finally someone didn’t ignore the elephant in the room!

Nicest thing ever said by another co-worker:  “I personally think you could rock the bald look. Stop worrying about what other people may think"  

Just wanted to pop in and say hello.  I am half way between TC #3 and TC #4 (which is my last one).  Looking forward to being done and moving on to radiation in May.  Got an extra day of spring break today because of 12 inches of snow here in St. Louis.  Heading back to my kiddies tomorrow.  Thinking all of you, as I read everyone's posts even though I don't post much myself.

 I keep looking for some positive to come out of this like maybe I will be more assertive because I don't care so much what others think or maybe I will try something new or adventurous.  The only thing I can say so far is I do feel like I am pretty damn tough to get through this and take some pride in that.  Anyone have any great revelations or goals for themselves as you look to coming out on the other side of this sucky adventure?  Just curious.  Sending good wishes to all of you.

I've been catching up today and feeling so fortunate, as always, to have found all of you. I think about the Bellas every day.

skigirl, Soteria, Bryona, I'm on weekly Taxol as well - I start day after tomorrow. I'll also get weekly Herceptin for those twelve weeks and then every three weeks for a year. I'm in clinical trial B-47 for those who are Her2 low.  Nicole, many thanks for posting the link to the weekly Taxol group - I need to get the info on how much B6 and B12 to take, so I'll be looking at that discussion closely over the next two days. I sure hope that you're feeling more energy today!

cancernoway and ywheels, Yuck, a cold on top of SEs - but it sounds like you've got everything under control - get well wishes flying your way!

Zorina, I've had a feeling of swallowing over something on and off throughout AC. Prilosec has helped a lot, but I still have the sensation.

ywheels, I had more pronounced side effects with AC#4 as well as AC#3. The Neulasta aches were also more pronounced - very flu-like. I felt more tired, lack of appetite lasted longer, and I felt slightly winded from time to time. I dragged myself out for a couple of walks in the middle of all that and felt really crappy afterward so I shelved the exercise for almost a week. Turns out that both my RBC and WBC were the lowest they've been so far. Bouncing back has taken longer, but I'm feeling much better each day now - you'll get there.

Bryona, I hope that your colleagues begin to see you with a less black and white perspective. I hope that they start to ask more questions and refrain from stupid conclusions!!!

Shannon, I never roll my eyes when I read your posts ...  Your pep and your imaginative metaphors are useful when I find myself sliding toward the mud at the bottom of the barrel ..

I guess I'm about ready to get introduced to a new family of SEs with Taxol and Herceptin -  I'm encouraged by many of the posts, though. I'm hoping that my tongue, which feels like I've been sucking on a jalapeno, calms down by Thursday. Other than that and the expected fatigue I'm feeling ready .... well, anxious too! I've had IV Ativan with AC ... that tells you something, I guess. MO says that the Benadryl will probably make me sleepy and I probably won't need it this round.

Best wishes for speedy recoveries fron colds and SEs .... Hugs and prayers to all, Martha

p.s. We haven't heard from a few Bellas in a while - like MandyNJ - hope all is well!

Hi all - I haven't checked in for a long while and want to catch up with you.  My chemo regimen has been a bit unconventional.  The good thing is that I went for a mammo and ultrasound today.  They couldn't see the tumor any longer on the mammo.  The ultrasound showed it was .58 in size (almost not even there); however, the doctor said we have to go for a pathological complete response.  I have one more TAC Thursday (which will make #3 TAC) then probably go back to a higher dose Abraxane x4 every week -- or just keep me on TAC for 3 more to total 6.  I'm so confused.  I hate TAC.  It knocks me on my butt.

Has anyone done Abraxane?  A lot of you I started out with are probably near the end of your treatments.  How great is that?  I was so hoping to be done soon only to find out I need so many more treatments.  I want to go to surgery already.  I'm still deciding between lumpectomy or double mastectomy.   The MO said the stats are the same for recurrences with triple negative.  For those of you doing rads, are there any SEs?  Can't wait to catch up!!!  Lauren

cancernoway,

Bren58 is on our same regimen and has had the watering eyes as well.  She posts in the Decmeber chemo group. 

I hope you start feeling better soon!

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Lauren, great news on the response to the chemo!  

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Wishing everyone a great week!

I'm up for round five tomorrow.  I had another acupuncture appointment today so I'm hoping that will help boost my WBC; however, due to my lymphatic massage therapist's reaction to me allowing him to place needles in my left arm - I had him refrain from doing so this time.  

LeeA and Jubby - best wishes today as you head for the bar! And thank you, Austrailia for Neulasta - aches and all.

Lauren15, I am on abraxane, am having my 4th infusion right now. It's not to bad. I just had a little diarrhea. The worst side effect is the nasty taste in my mouth. Food taste awful. I have lost 8 lbs since I have been on it. I can stand to lose weight so that doesn't bother me too much. Also I have no energy. Good Luck to you and I hope you have minimal side effects.

Lee and Jubby - Good luck today and I hope you have an easy time!!! 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they give me my treatment tomorrow.  I've been sick as a dog since last Friday and I always see the MO before my treatment so I won't know until tomorrow whether or not it's a go.  I will be be beyond p*ssed if they push it back.  I actually am feeling a little better today.  Last night sucked outloud.  I coughed until 3:30 this morning and was miserable.  I had taken all the cough syrup that was prescribed to me and it wasn't working.  They told me to take a Claritin and my eyes got all goopy and when I did fall asleep and woke up this morning they were glued shut together.  How nice and gross!!!  I had already made my mind up that I was going to work today because there were things I needed to get done before my treatment since I'll be out until Wednesday of next week.  So I went in and did some stuff and my sister who works at the same hospital that I do comes on my floor and takes one look at me and says, "Pack your sh*t, your going home".  Well I couldn't put my contacts in this morning because my eyes were such a mess and a bit swollen still and red and still watering like crazy so no makeup so I did look like I had just come back from the dead.  I kept telling her I looked worse than I felt since I had already had steroids this morning as well.  She turned my computer off and grabbed my bag and walked me out.  I was grateful and pissed at the same time.  She's had it next time she's sick.

Skimommi, worry not what you say here. Isn't that what we are all here for? I totally understand the thought of the future and one's time line in life. I want to see my baby grow up and even if I have ten more years, my baby is only ten.. Too young to loose his mommy! Some days I think about it, other days .. Right now I have been pretty cheery.

I think about going out and being "the cancer patient" I don't always want to be that.. People spotting me out for that. A couple months ago, before my hair was gone a woman came up to me and told me of her battle with cancer, I wondered what brought this up, how did she know! She saw my port. I wasn't thinking about it at the time though.

I know this babbling may not answer questions or bring peace, but live day by day. There are so many things I want to be around for in the future, I just pray that God sees it the same way.

I don't know if you or any others have done this, but I recently signed up for a BC survivors retreat. Get away from all this, share with others in our boat, relocate my peace, figure out how to deal with this as part of every day life. I don't go until June, but I am so looking forward to it.



On the treatment note and current events; I did not get my chemo today due to low platelets and low absolute neuts. So as I have been planning my life around the chemo dates it now appears that I will be post chemo treatment with ? SEs for my sons confirmation weekend. I will have to see how it all pans out, but my chemo dates now conflict with dates I want to feel really good! That sucks.

But, I now have this week to feel good. Will be good for Eastwr weekend, I will be gratefull for that for now.
LeeA; how does the acupuncture work, does it help? I was planning to try ginger and use sea ands for this round.. Will try it next week now. BTW, my hemo was 7 last week, up to 7.1 today!


Hang in there!

Good luck this week all treatment goers. Hope you all have a good and blessed Easter with minimal SEs.

Macyhen111: every one is different, but I found that when I had the nasty taste foods with stronger flavor tasted acceptable. Grape juice was the drink of choice, oj was nasty. Tacos were okay and soup.. Chicken noodle mostly. Hope you can find something that works.

Hi ladies! 

Nicole503, Martha323, cancernoway - thanks for the well wishes for today's treatment.  I thought I wasn't going to get it because of my WBC count.  It was 5.4 last week at week two and had dropped to 2.3 by today!  At first he said "we may delay it for a week" and I was all "oh NO, let's not delay it!!" He ended up thinking things over for a moment and decided to reduce the dosage on the Taxotere and Carboplatin (Herceptin dose stayed the same) so, Dea43, regarding acupuncture, here I was thinking that it was the acupuncture that buoyed up my WBC last week but it looks like my DO (dear oncologist - hehe) was right when he said that it was the Neulasta peaking.  BTW, great to see you again Dea43!  Also, your survivors' trip sounds like an excellent retreat from all this.  Back to acupuncture (oh noes, it must be the steroids going into overdrive ) - anyway, I do think it has helped but perhaps my increased WBC theory just wasn't what I thought it was - although the integrative physician says studies show it can help boost WBC counts.  

hope49, I love hearing names like Arlington Heights and Willowbrook (I grew up with those words and we used to go to the best steak place in Arlington Heights when I was a kid - there's that food connection again!). 

Jubby, my antipodal infusion day twin (I think?) - I hope yours went well (17 or so hours prior to mine).  

cancernoway, I have to chuckle at the image of your sister turning off your computer and gathering up your purse!  She loves you!  I don't have any siblings so I'm always so fascinated by the dynamics between brothers/sisters/sisters/sisters, etc.  I hope you start feeling better soon!  My husband is still battling what sounds like the same thing.  

ywheels22, I hope you start to turn around as well with your cold/congestion thing!

macyhen, you know those eight pounds you lost?  Well, I gained 'em over here in California!  Oh well.  Once this chemo-hell-apy is over I will try to lose them again (I had lost about 25 pounds in the year prior to being diagnosed).  

Wishing you all the best wherever you're at on this road/journey/experience/whatever!  

Lauren, it's great to "hear" from you, and great news about your response to chemo! I hope you get that PCR with round 3 of TAC and then can switch to Abraxane. I only know one person who's been on Abraxane, but it's the same family as Taxol and Taxotere, which means even its SEs should be easier than that stupid AC combo!

Martha, good luck with TH tomorrow. I hope it's a piece of cake for you like it was for me.

Jubby, I notice you didn't ANSWER the question about riding to school on your kangaroo. It's okay. You don't have to be embarrassed. We know you did... and his name was Skippy! On a separate note, I can't remember if I said this at the time, but HOORAY for being fecking done with fecking FEC! (Wow, that was a LOT of swearing...)

cancernoway, when I had that nasty cold, they still went ahead with my treatment. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you can stay on schedule, too ... not that I want you to have to deal with being sick and the dark chemo days at the same time, of course, but ... well, you understand. Also, I think I love your sister very, very much!

ywheels, I'm still hoping your stupid cold goes away. As if chemo doesn't feel rotten enough -- it's amazing how much crappier the cold makes everything. As I always say, getting sick on top of chemo is just rude. Stupid cold. Stupid thrush. Stupid chemo. Grrr...

Okay, I know it's only been 6 days, but so far I'm a big, big fan of Taxol and Herceptin. I was really sleepy for about 4 hours Sunday (tx was Friday), and I've been having trouble with insomnia, but other than that I'm feeling remarkably functional. A girl could get used to getting up in the morning and being able to stay that way! Just sayin'...

Hugs to you all!

Martha, I missed the fact that you're up at bat tomorrow - good luck!