January 2013 chemo group

Lauren, you make a very good point!  

Lauren: I had dbl mastectomy immediate recon. I did not have any fat so my PS used cadevar skin. The surgery was 6.5 hours long which included lymph node removal. For me, personally, I wanted the cancer gone and was worried because of my small size, the margin wouldnt be enough and I would have a deformed boob. I had a 17mm tumor on right breat and a 4 mm tumor in one sentinal node. Left side was clean but i had already decided to yank that one as well. Neither boob was my friend anymore. For me it was the right choice. All the cancer is gone I am doing chemo as a preventative measure, to make sure no bastard little cells escaped. I have nice perky small B's now. I was barely an A before. Recovery is about 8-10 weeks but I started chemo 3 weeks postoperative so that was not easy. They feel pretty good now but there is a numb feeling, like they are just there. That will go away and I will get used to them not really feeling like my old boobs. Its a very personal decision. I hope this helped and good luck.



Bryona: yes grr is right! And ugh and....well a few swear words here for good measure. I am so happy to hear your positive feelings on Taxol. I start my first of 4 next Wed. After this last AC and being sick, I think anything will be better. It has to be, right?!

Bryona ~ <<Okay, I know it's only been 6 days, but so far I'm a big, big fan of Taxol and Herceptin.>>  Hooray!!!  You deserve a break today. 

Wheels - it sounds like you might be a little dehydrated.  When I had my colon removed I was blessed with the forever SE of easy dehydration.  Being dizzy when I stand up for a few seconds is almost always a sure fire sign.  The fastest way to get back on track is a sport drink.  I usually keep one next to my bed and if I wake up during the night, I take a drink then.  You will rarely see me without a water bottle, iced tea or a sport drink.  When I feel bad though is normally when I lose track of that because I tend to sleep more and sleep time is hard on my body for keeping fluids in it.  I'm sorry you are still feeling bad.  My MO gave me cough syrup with codeine but no antibiotics since I only had a low grade fever for about 8 hours the first day so no infection.  He also told me to take Robitussin DM and Tylenol and when my throat settled down to use one spray of nasal spray per side so I could breathe.  He told me to gargle the Biotene mouthwash that I use but to not use throat spray until my throat didn't feel like an inferno or it would just burn.  He also told me to drink, drink, drink, which I've been working so hard to do.  I hope you get feeling better soon.  This has completely sucked!  Do you take Claritin for bone pain from Neulasta?  I wonder if it would help also?

Bryona - My sister is amazing and she would love you too.  She is so funny because she always feels like she isn't doing enough.  She set up a calendar with co-workers of the days that I feel flat out crappy and they take turns making my husband and I meals and she brings them out to us.  Again, we work together so when I'm at work she is checking on me and we have lunch together everyday.  She calls or texts me every night to see if I need anything or if she needs to get anything on the way to work. She knows what day I have drop ass, so on those days she checks in with my husband, just in case.  Our mom lives in Florida and our dad passed away 11 years ago so as for biological family, we are all we have, and her son.  She is my best friend.  When I was diagnosed, it just about killed her.  Every MD appt she went with us so she knew what was going on at all times and once she knew I was going to be okay and that my attitude was good, then she became the organizer.  She is quite hilarious and we both have very sarcastic sense of humors so sometimes us together is a lot for some people.  Then when our mom is here and you add her and my nephew to the mix, it can sometimes get ugly, lol.   I'm so glad that Taxol is treating you so well.  You so deserve it after the crap you went through before. 

Lee - It was pretty hysterical when she came up and turned my computer off and grabbed my purse.  Then she walked me out to my truck to make sure I left.  Seriously, I was almost afraid not to at that point in time.   I hope you SE are better than last time and they go away FAST!!!  You are one treatment and one day ahead of me (and I'm planning on keeping it that way!).  If they tell me they want to postpone my treatment, I'm gonna try that whining thing and see if I get my way as well.  But from what I've read from the other girls, a cold shouldn't do too much.  Fingers crossed that counts are good!!! 

I'll keep you posted and I'm taking my tablet with me tomorrow.  I'll try to post while there, but remember I'm not the greatest poster on that stupid thing.  I spell like a 3 year old for some reason. 

Lauren: I asked my PS if he could take any fat from tummy ( I have a small pooch) and he said no. My PS actually doesnt do many that way anymore and chooses cadevar skin. But if you can get tht tuck go for it but it will be a longer recovery and probably a bit more painful in the beginning.

Cancernoway: I am sure you are right about dehydration. At times I can't even drink anything that tastes good. I did lemon water last night with some cranberry juice and that was ok. Hoping to get to the end of this soon!

Best to all!

Ski girl: great on the flat tummy. I insisted to my PS there was enough there to take and he laughed at me. I asked if he could do a tuck anyway while I was out and he said no. He said we can discuss it as a possibility of him doing when he puts in the permanent implants. I know I don't have much but it's not flat! At least I don't have flat boobs anymore!

Yay! Infusion is a go!!!!

My wbc was 13.9. All vitals good so onward and upward! My chemonurse gave me a gift today. A thirty-one bag full of sticky notes and ink pens lol. She called it my chemo brain rescue bag! Love you Nancy!

Great news, cancernoway!  And how nice of your infusion nurse!  I wish I could have borrowed some of that WBC count of yours for my infusion yesterday.  Mine was 2.3 but he went ahead with it anyway - but at a reduced dosage. 

That's a good tip for Taxotere, Rhonda2.  I think I'll try it for the sixth treatment.

LeeA - Thanks a ton.  I was so happy they didn't postpone me.  My infusion nurse is hysterical and we laugh all the time.  Even if someone else starts me, as soon as she is free she takes over.  We have gotten really close.  It was so funny when she gave me that bag, I cracked up laughing.  She said, my husband was so worried you would be offended and she told him, he would have to meet me in order to understand.  I think it is great.  I have little post its all over the place now.  If I could loan you some WBC, I certainly would. 

Rhonda - I'm doing pretty good.  I think the cold made my taste buds die faster.  Today, already, food tastes crappy unless it is cold.  Wonderful.  I hope it goes away faster.  I'm glad you are doing well and I will get some Biotene gum for next time.  I use Biotene mouthwash and mouth spray and swear by them so I will see if I can get some gum.

Bryona and Lee, Thanks for the good wishes! Great to hear that you're doing well on TH, Bryona ...

Thursday was a long day - echocardiogram (every three months for the clinical trial), labs, visit with MO, and then finally the bar. I felt anxious, but everything went well, fortunately.  I feel tired, but I was still able to get a lot done today ... hmmm ... probably the steroid still working! I have sensitive fingers and now both big toes - some of it started during AC along with discoloration on my hands.

Skigirl, Wow - what a shock that you had that question thrown at you. The insensitive remarks that people make are astounding - but that tops the list.

Food - I envy those of you who can eat spicy food - even if you can't taste it! I have to pass on anything spicy, tomatoey, acidic .. sad face. I missed cooking with tomaotes one day last week so much that I made chicken cacciatore. It was fun to make because it smelled so good but I wasn't tempted to try it. I wonder some times what foods I'll never eat again ... pesto, a former favorite, may be one of them. I ate it when my taste was 'off' .. mistake.

julesDenver, Very happy to hear that your chest CT was clear! And skimommi, great photo!

I hope that everyone has a happy weekend - minimal fatigue and few SEs! Peace, Martha

p.s. How does the FaceBook page work so that it is private?

Martha, I am ruining foods right and left!  I'm trying to ruin foods that aren't very healthy, i.e. pizza, chocolate chip cookies, corn muffins (the list goes on - and on...and on).