Chemo May 2013

Glad everyone is getting out and about. I am feeling a bit run down, day two ,past infusion 3 but just took a long nap and am going to go the the Seadogs game (AA red sox up and comers) with my family. 

Carla, I am so sorry you are still in the hospital with that infection, but you are right we have to take the blessings where we can get them. Being taken care of for a change instead of taking care of eveyone else. Even though that is just what we all want to get back to. I hope you heal quickly and that the food is good. Hugs your way!

Carla...I am actually jealous you are in the hospital getting served food, private room etc...!! . I sure know I would enjoy that...at least knowing I would be coming out!



I am now a bit mad, yet I will look for the good.

The last two chemo rounds I have gotten a call from the drug company asking if I approved the order for the long list of chemo drugs/meds. Today I realized I did NOT get a call. I went through my cell phone, found the number , called the company and they did not send my drugs! As there was no request!

I am supposed to be going 10am on Monday, and pre-medicate tomorrow with my steroids. WTF! The office is closed, there is no way to "confirm" this...though it is pretty much confirmed as the drugs weren't delivered. They overnight them...the earliest they can be there is Tuesday! So pre-medicate? What would be the point?



The good part about this is my sons middle school graduation is on .wednesday. If I do chemo on.tuesday odds are I will feel good Wednesday.....



Pat

We managed to survive dance recital weekend at our house. Multiple dance performances, two days in a row, multiple costume changes both days and a very excitable 10 year old who is still freaking out a little that her momma's hair has fallen out in giant clumps. As I told her, the medicine is really strong that they are giving me, look what it is doing to my hair and imagine what it is doing to the cancer. That helps a little, but when you are 10, this is all so big and scary.



It was really, really important for her that I make it through this recital with her. But it has cost me, and I may be in bed the next couple of days sleeping as a result. So weird how there is nothing left in reserve in the tank at this point - I am still not used to that. But I am so happy she had a great recital; it was so worth wearing myself out for it.



Hope everyone is having a good weekend. It has been a bit of a tough week for everyone, but I think we are all (mostly) hanging in there. It feels that way, anyway. I've been trying to keep up in fits and spurts in between practices and performances the last few days.



Carla, I hope they get your infection under control so you can get a little rest at home before the next round. Sorry you have to be in there tomorrow, but it sounds like serious rest is just what the doctor ordered, so it is best to go with that and order another round of Popsicles to go with those movies.

ReddHedd... I'm so glad you were able to soldier through..... Now it's time for you!



Pat... Awesome you were able to contact her to find out they would have meds on hand.... I couldn't imagine they wouldn't just for these circumstances.



Without insurance and unable to get assistance due to my income.... The one thing I am getting is my chemo and anti nausea drugs FREE from the hospital I go to for my infusions! Thank goodness.... I just got the bill for my first infusion.... Without paying for the meds... Over $3800.... Thats just one treatment.... I can't imagine my debt by the end of this without the Taxotere and Cytoxen being provided to me by the hospital! I'm so

grateful!

They can't help with rads & when I told my rad Onc that I didn't have insurance, she teared up... I hate to see those DAILY bills!



Anyway... Ive gotten off track.... I'm glad you get your treatment as scheduled & I hope day 2 is good for the graduation! Cancer takes enough from us! It shouldn't take memories of events with our family because we don't feel well!... We can't get those back!



Happy thoughts all!

Lorrie

thank you all so much.  It means a lot.

Gully the food is good.  I'm not used to eating this much.  But oh well, what the heck.  Thank you for the hugs.  Love hugs.  Back at cha.

ItisWhatitIs- A slacker - hmmm.  I Like it!!!

Patty-On the most part Iam enjoying it.  Myhope for yu is some relaxing days and getting some well deserved pampering.  Glad you got your chemo drug and meds figured out and that you can stay on track.  My fingers are crossed that you will be well enough to attend and enjoy your sons middle school graduation.

RedHedMomma- So glad you made it through your daughter's dance performances.  So special.  Makes me smile.  May your rest completely recharge you.  Popsycles. That sounds good to go with movies.

a good nights rest to all. - Carla

Well ladies, I made it though the ball games with my husreb and and boys, our team lost, but it was nice getting out for a while. I am paying the price big time today. Redheadmom, you are so right about running our bodies out of gas so to speak. I have no staying power at all. One "normal" acitivity and I am ready to sleep! So annoying, I used to run six miles, make dinner, help kids with HW and grade papers until 11 and get up at 5.

When my MO says, you look a little tired today, are  you still exercising? How is your husband holding up? Really? BTW your blood counts are a little low, are you eating well?

Sometimes I would just love to give him a whole line of the self speak we all have running in our heads we just dont say aloud....you know stuff like...."are you freaking kidding me! You just pumped me full of poision four days ago, yea just got back from a half marathon...., how about you take the next round and see how spunky you feel! BTW.....how is my husband holding up? is that code for are you having sex? ....... no my sex life in not normal, really? I feel like a store manequin, bald, fake boobs and poisoned , sexy as hell!!!!!He is just going to buck up a bit.  Oh by the way thanks for helping me lose that 10 lbs it will help eventually......one perk anyway! Will I ever feel like a normal person? I can do this, I can do this....

But instead I just say. Yea doc still trying to exercise, yea I eat as well as I can, My hubby seems ok, thanks see you again for the next blood draw in a couple of days!

Am I the only one who does this? Maybe its the chemo brain!

Hugs to all!

Quick question--- do you count infusion fauna "day 1"?

I call day 1 the day after infusion. The neulasta day!

Carla, sad you are in the hospital but take advantage of the down time you are getting.

Pat, I am glad you got your meds sorted out for Monday.  Positive thoughts that you will make it through your sons graduation.

Reddhedd, I thought of you last night as I sat at a good friends of ours dance studios recital.  I barely made it through.  My daughters two dance recitals are this coming Tues and Wed and I hope I have the energy to make it through those.  Fortunately I have a great boss and he isn't expecting me to be at work next week knowing how my first round of chemo was for me.  If I feel good enough to go to work even for part of a day I will be I don't have to.  He doesn't even want  work to be on my brain while trying to get through all of this.

Loved the Larry story!  The stupid questions Drs ask too, seriously!  We do as much as we can when we can.  

My sister is coming today to spend time with me before we go to our parents for the big family picnic.  She is bringing her clippers to take off the longer (only 3/4) inch hairs I have left.  They are few and far in between and mostly on the top of my head.  It looks quite comical actually. I've worn scarves the last couple of days and other than getting really hot and not feeling very good when it shifts on my sensitive scalp I think I am getting used to them.

I hope you all have a good Fathers Day.

A,so.. An update on my SIL that was Dx w/BC shortly after me.... She's stage zero, grade zero and no lymph nodes removed.... And no need for tamoxifen for 5 years,,, hers is non invasive (thank goodness) she begins rads next Thursday. Same day as my #3 cocktail.... They put 3 little freckle size dots (tattoos) on her... One in the mid of her chest and one on each side of her ribs to guide the beam.... I've suggested to her to join the summer rads group, but.....? I've told her how helpful you ladies have been for me!

I think after some of the fam saw me today, they finally get what is going on... Unfortunately I look like shit!.. Lack of sleep, etc...



I got bombarded for the Race For The Cure coming up..I just had to say it depends on how I feel! Jeesh! I'm still just trying to keep up wit these weird SEs that are popping up unexpected.... c sucks!

Off to my 4th and last AC chemo! After that 4xDD Taxol and I'm done

Gully, nothing on my fingernails YET.... I never know from day to day now what my body is doing without my concent!



Ipc.. Sorry for your SEs ... I'm not on the same treatment but I thought I read a comment a few days ago that mentioned that the taxol should go easier. (fingers crossed)



Good luck today rygnnis.... And everyone going in for treatments!

Ugh,

Chemo round #3 today.

Good part,my vein worked for them!

Bad, they didn't tell me they ran the taxotere, so I didn't ice. When I woke up from my snooze and saw a chemo bag dripping I freaked and asked them which drug, it was my last drug,the cytoxan. I was SO MAD.

They had all my bags hanging at the same time, usually they would bring it over when starting,not hey must have switched it and not told me, I even think it was when I was awake.



Hubby convinced me to ice after the fact....so I did, which kept my mouth shut from screaming more! Lol.

Not a happy chemo patient today. I guess this will show if icing keeps away mouth sores during Taxotore?



Is there a recommendation to ward off neuropathy! I think it's glucosamine? Not sure, would appreciate if anyone can chime in on that.....I'm all about prevention if possible. Haven't had the neuropathy with icing, now I don't know what will happen.



Sigh.

Pat

Is anyone else dealing with a relative (in my case, my mother) who constantly e-mails and then gets nasty if you don't respond immediately? I get that she is very worried about me given that I am going through chemo, but I cannot possibly respond to 6 or 7 e-mails every day plus texts in the detail that she wants from me and maintain any level of sanity. Plus, every time I send her any sort of detailed update, she e-mails it out to everyone she knows with requests for prayers for HER because of what I am going through...I feel like some sort of weird munchausen by proxy experiment, and it is pissing me off.



Ugh. I think I just needed to rant, but I got a snotty e-mail from her today about how horrible I am for not e-mailing her yesterday after a long weekend of dance recital time (which she knew wore me out, because she was here on Friday and saw how tired I was after just the first night of it). In her e-mail, she compared me to my cousin,who is also going through breast cancer right now - finished her chemo and is now dealing with surgery issues - because she texted hr and i am a horrible person and didn't. I am at my wits end, but know that there is no fixing her attitude about any of this - just trying to figure out a way to deal with this that will make my end of the crazy more manageable. Any ideas? Thanks for reading my rant. SIGH

Pat - I haven't had too much neuropathy from the taxotere thus far, after two fairly hefty doses. Hopefully you will sail through, but I would definitely let your onc. know if there is an issue so the staff can make sure you are up for the next round in time.



I wish I could fall asleep through mine. I always get so wired from the steroids that it is impossible for me to conk out.