Starting chemo November 2012

Hi Pink ~ I'm on Femera.  I have stiffness in the AM or after a long flight, but yoga and stretches hepl.  The worst SE is fatigue, but I now take Focalin, a med usually given for ADHD, for it.  Fatigue is now mild.

Here's my hair now...finally going public with it, partly from pure laziness...met Jamie Lee Curtis the first morning and it was a good excuse to meet and chat with her on line at the juice place (and give her a bookmark lol). She keeps her hair short but not this short. And I wear a TON of eyeliner but forgot to take off my glasses for the pic.

Keetmom, mine is not long enought to gel yet. Yours looks great! And I can't beleive Maryah had to wax, I had to shave my legs, but that's it.

Anyone tried to dye it yet? Anyone wearing more tribal jewelry? Apart from covering the port? Classic clothes don't seem to work as well either, as much as more unstructured flowy things with camis to covver port...Latisse is working. But I'm still getting those needles put down my tearducts every few weeks to open them from scarring from the taxotere. Better, though. And almost half fingernails now, but ugly  --and covering black and missing toenails with boring summer shoes.

Maryah, I didn't get an option for Femara, but I did switch from Arridex to Aromasin this week, we'll see if the little old lady joint and arthritic stiffness lessens...was hurting after getting up from any sitting, but also to walk on feet in the morning.

No panic attacks though, at least not from the meds as far as I can tell. Yesterday I went to a weddign that was today...so chemo brain is still in effect. And fatigue! My tests were fine but now bone density issues, I guess that's normal but the hormone blockers will make it worse..it's always something, right?

I still have Herceptin infusions until November - does anyone know how soon we can get the port out after ther last use?

Keetmom, you are gorgeous!

I still am with Michelle (hope your mom is ok) not knowing what vitamin K is. And whats the deal with grapefruits?

Lovebugs, you can come and not clean my floor anytime! And I'm glad you liked my NYT Modern Love piece on the 23rd..(it was that impossible thing I spend the winter trying to write with bloody nails and chemo brain) so so lucky it got published - and it got responses from all over the world. I mainly wrote it to help sell my book and pay some medical bills, not sure if it helped, but people were so warm not just about the romance part but about the cancer journey. Remember that we are not alone.

Unfortunately at least each week another person reaches out to me in confidence with a new dx so I spend a lot of time on the phone as I'm sure you all do - it's weird to be on this end of it (hoping that this is the home stretch aside from maintenance), but it's nice to share this information we learned the hard way and through the good grace of finding eachother and being able to pass it forward.

xo

What's SAHM?

You girls look awesome!!!!  I haven't had the courage to take a picture with my 1.5" hair yet but when I do, I will post it. -  Mine is sooooooo curly and much lighter than it was (of course I use to dye it reddish brown so I don't know how gray I was).   If you want to color your hair, I would suggest going to a beauty supply store and ask for either ION or BEAUTIFUL -they are semi perm dyes and come in browns, reds, blondes, ie: Beautiful browns, Beautiful blonde's, etc.  I am using honey Blonde color and I mixed it with a dash of warm brown, it's still light but it blends with all the gray (can't find it in drug stores or chain stores like Walmart).  These have no ammonia or peroxide and are very gentle on your hair and  washes out after about 6-8 washings so you can change it whenever. 

My nails are starting to look almost normal - short but not all ridges or breaking...My last chemo was Jan 15!!!!

RE: I'm pretty sure Vitamin K and grapefruits both make your blood thinner...so if your on thinners or asprin don't take them - my husband is on Xralto and he bruises bad. 

Sick of pink I remembered to bring your book/my book home from Cape May this weekend so I will get to read more this week...I love your book and feel like I've know you for years...

Is everyone getting rain every day like we are here in the East Coast...Wish they would get heavy rain in Arizona to put out that awful fire which killed all those young firefighters = sooooooooo sad....

OK girls, I'm typing in the dark so I'll say goodnight for now and have a Happy 4th of July!!!!!!  I'm having a little BBQ, what are you doing?

Well Macy, my biopsy was on August 29th but I think it's the day they break the news to you that you have cancer - My Cancerversary is Friday August 31, 2012 at 3:30 in the afternoon, the beginning of the four day Labor Day weekend and there is no one to call for appointments, so you spend endless hours on the computer looking up breast cancer and you don't tell anyone but your husband who was with you when the doctor breaks the news, because you are still in shock and pretend it's not real - the day you will never forget because it's like the walls are crumbling around you and you see no light at the end of the tunnel - it's the day when a million thoughts go through your head - it's the first day you cry because you always think the worst BUT there is always light at the end of the tunnel and we are here to proof that! I'm glad we are all here together and when our date comes, let's celebrate with a "Kick Ass Cancerversary"  - Oh and  Happy 4th of July my BC sisters! 

My 1 year will be July 27. That's the day the nurse/practioner called to tell me, " there is a cancer."



I'm pfc. 7 weeks tomorrow, and tomorrow is #3 rads. I detest that hard table (degenerative disc disease) I think lying on that table is much harder than getting weekly taxol.



Blessings to All

Paula

Good to hear from you, Michelle.  Glad to hear exercise is making its way into your life and that the return to work is going okay.  I fear the return as well.  Insurance company has asked my GP for an assessment to see where I'm at.  I'm nowhere near able to handle work at this point... motivation to do anything and energy have yet to return.  Fingers crossed I find them before I'm booted off disability.  

Too all you coming up on your day, don't know what word to use so this year have a "Positive Cancerversary"   Anyone have a better word we should use from now on...Happy just dosen't seem to fit in...

D Day is good!! I like it.

Hey Paula, how are you? I'm doing pretty good. Still on abraxane. I had a PET Scan on Friday, waiting for results. It seems like I have been out of contact with a lot of my peeps. I have been enjoying having my grandbabies visiting me this summer. 1 is still here, she is 11 years old and a big help to me. I really miss all of yall! I will know on Wednesday about PET results l, will keep y'all posted with results. Praying for no new mets, please keep me in your prayers, as you are always in mine. Thanks, Cynthia

Is anybody feel pain in bone after texotere i m 5 month post chemo still suffering from body aches n pain

Wow girls, I just found this link right here in the breastcancer.org sight - you might want to check it out = Cosmetics and breast cancer

http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/cosmetics

I thnk I vote with Macy for D day as in Damnit Day. I never feel very kickass with all of this, more like just doing what we gotta do.

And Luvbugs - my day is EXACTLY the same as yours! My doc woudln't admit when she called my cell on that Friday as I was headed to meet a friend for a hike and wanted me to drive through LA traffic on a holiday Friday to hear it in person. Woudl have taken 3 hours for bad news! So yes, she finally admitted it and I saw her on Monday - she was working the holiday. I still didn't believe it and figured it would be an easy surgery and all done. HA! My frist mammo came back clean, so I should be happier, but just frustrated. Trying to rest but have high expectations. Amazing so much can happen/change in one year.

Soteria, sorry that table hurts so much, what a drag.

Sneaky, I think of you when I exercise, will take some time to be back where I used to be.

Michelle wish I coudl hold your hand like I know you are holding your mum's.

Keet, my daughter was in town and dyed my hair last weekend - took 2 boxes to make the brown stick. Still looks weird, but oh well. I hate looking in the mirror unless I have a ton of eye makeup on. I wear a wig about once a week to go out. I don't get how people shave their heads to be supportive.

Milkyway, I hope the bone pain isn't still from the chemo. Mine, like bugs is from hormone blockers - I switched to Aromasin, but still feel arthritic and stiff jointed. Can barely reach back to hook bra. Someone told me the aches go away after 3-4 months, so my stiff, swollen fingers are crossed. I start visiting book clubs at knitting stores this week and not only has it been a while since I've knit - I wonder if it woud be impossible - or actually good therapy to move my fingers like that.

This week is the Herceptin infusion in my port  -the chemo-lite but I find myself more irritable and angry at each one now, especially the night before. Not so sick of pink anymore, but definitly sick of it all. Once I'm there it's okay, like being on an airplane for a few hours, but oh, I hate knowing I have to get up a dawn to numb my port and waste the day, etc.

 Wednesday I have to shoot a Youtube video for Purposeful Women series - should I take the wig off a la whatsername in Sex in The City?

 I think of you gals all the time, hope you are feeling like the worst is over. But when people ask how you are, and you say better (but exhausted or achy or in between dark moments), don't you want to run after them and say..but still not how I want to be? I feel like before it was obvious I needed help, but now...I still do They say chemo lasts in your body for 2 years. The hair thing might be a good reminder for us all to be gentle with ourselves. And pray for those of us who are still in harms way.

xo

I agree with Paula, Macy (I mean Cynthia) & Leslie, D-Day it is!!  Diagnosis Day or Damit Day both are good.  I am changing my avitar - this is a picture I took today with my almost 2" curly hair, I colored away the gray..My hair was always long and dark and I get upset because no one recognizes me anymore.

Love your pic Tricia, you have hair and it's beautiful. Btw you can still call me macy, I kinda like it. What do you girl's do for the anxiety after a PET scan before you get the results? I am so scared, I've been aching and hurting everywhere. I am trying to be positive but it ain't working.