August 2013 Chemo Sisters

Just dropping in to make sure everyone is aware of cold cap therapy. I used cold caps and kept my hair, my privacy, and a bit of control.

I think partly we freak because then EVERYONE knows - it outs us as sick. We become "victims" and "objects of pity" everywhere we go. And our hair is so culturally part of our femininity, like our breasts, that we personally feel the loss of it - however temporary- as yet another blow to how we see ourselves.



My onc recommended getting a wig to discourage "weird people" who come up to you to tell you " their stories". Guess she hears about a lot of that? I may get one just for the grocery store, trips to target, etc. also, got a teen daughter who might want me to look pseudo- normal for back to school nite ; )



Hugs, guys!

Raynaj-so sorry you ended up in the hospital but at least they will be able to take care of your infection. I hope you get to feeling better soon and will be able to go back home to relax.

HVV-I hope you are starting to feel better. Sending hugs your way!

Greetings Gigi! I'll follow you the next day with 1 st tx.



Rayna, so sorry re hospital! Neutrophils are, what, one of the whilst blood cells? I'm going to have to learn to be militant about hand washing, and not pick at my cuticles, sigh! Maybe just wear gloves all the time at work, lol (I work at a retirement home).

Good morning ladies, there are to many here to name and address one by one so I just want everyone of us starting or going through chemo this month to be blessed with peace of our minds, bodies and souls🙏 I just retired in May after doing hair for 25 years and I have shaved many women's heads due to chemo but I never thought I would be doing my own, it is scary! I keep telling my Hubbs that in a couple of weeks I won't have hair ( ironic I spent 1/4 of a century) making a living coloring and cutting hair and now I won't have any😕I think I may go to the salon this week and get a really short pixie so that when it falls out there will not be so much. I hope everyone has a great day, we are going with family to Chineese Champagne brunch, I told every one that after the 15th I won't be able to do buffetts for awhile.



Shary🌞

I'm not freaking out because 'everyone knows' - then again I am retired so it's not like I'm going to be calling in sick anywhere and get a lot of unwanted wellwishers, co-workers you wish would just die but all of the sudden they are your staunchest cheerleaders... 

Today is Sunday, Chemo starts Tuesday.  I'm starting to freak a bit because even though I've been reading the boards all over the place, I still have no idea what to expect personally as far as physical discomfort goes.  So many survivors and current patients will tell you every detail, but that still doesn't tell me how it's going to affect me and my body.  Will I be vomitting nonstop?  Will I have bone pain?  I thought I was tough but the recent IV Port installation crumbled me like a baby. 

Friends ask what I'm expecting and I tell them I can say they'll be doing this and this, but as to how I will feel about it, both emotionally and physically, is totally up in the air.  I'm afraid to read too many "and here's how it affected me..." accounts because i'm embarrassingly somatic, although hiding exposure to other's details really has no effects, because the other ways my body reacts in a somatic way was not something I'd ever heard of before (Dystonia) but also, I was healthy as a horse in my twenties and then started getting horrible kidney infections, for no good reason, more than I can count between 1981 and 1984.  No one could figure out why they were so recurring and seriously dangerous. 

But the month I started psychotherapy, the infections ceased immediately, not to reoccur for over a decade, and then again, it was in reaction to some emotional chaos. 

I'm not saying that my getting cancer is a reaction to a bad childhood, just that I understand how important attitude is in terms of long term health and survival.  I've stayed really positive, people keep asking me how I do it and I say 'I've gotten way too good at that 'accept what you cannot change' thing'.  That's still very true, I can't change that I have BC, no longer have Tits (not a bad thing, i was never a girly girl although I am heterosexual.)

Any way, my sunny resolve is starting to crumble earlier than i'd 'planned'.  I think of chemo as pumping poison in my veins, and medically I understand how that's supposed to work, and usually it does help. 

I'm just getting scared because my drip date is getting closer by the second.

Good thoughts to all! I just got home from work, but stopped and bought eyelashes! Can you believe it! With everything else, this is what I think of? I had my lumpectomy on 6/13 and back for margins on the 26th.  My medical oncologist was on vacation for a week after that. Then when I saw her, she wanted the oncytype test done, so I waited another two weeks for that. Then I had a tooth abscess and now I am on Penicillin for 10 days. I'm really getting nervous. Is this waiting too long? I am scheduled for my port this week, and chemo planned start date of the 14th. I hope this abscess thing won't hold things up longer. It's not improving fast enough for me. I'm still concerned.

I agree that we can learn about what to expect, but each of us will be different...

Gigi, my oncotype score was 41 (#@*&, bad word).

Rayna, hope you kick that infection quickly!

Shalimar60: WOW! 41 holy c***p! I just found some eyelashes in my makeup and was going to throw them out, have never been good at putting them on and I was thinking they might come in handy.

Rayna: Hope you get rid of the infection soon!!

Carolpr56: We are almost chemo twins

Hugs from Vermont!

Hi to you all,

I am from the June chemo group, and just finished 4x T&C yesterday. Wanted to let anyone on that regime know that it really isn't too bad. Had crappy couple of first days in the first week post each treatment, then gradually felt fine, really, through to second and third weeks (completely ok) ..It wasn't cumulative at all either, if anything i think my body got more accostomed to it, with really minimal side effects, worst taxotere rash with the third round. Did have a reaction to the tax infusion twice, but not with first or last...

Avoided the big c with prunes, herbal lax... Ate lightly, no nausea..

Tried to drink enough...

So you can and will get through it; on the hair front mine fell out just before second treatment, I bought a realistic wig, had it thinned a bit, and so far, haven't left the house without it, my kids like it, so do I, the colour very realistic, and I don't think I could take any attention over no hair when out etc.. Luckily it's winter here in Australia, it keeps my head warm. Taking two of my kids skiing here next week.. Bit worried re keeping it on etc.. O well thems the breaks!!

Best of luck to you xx

V sorry you feel so awful!



Ingrid, that's hopeful news! My first TC has been pushed back for the 10th to the 13th, sigh. Peace777, I'm with ya, gal! I look forward to both of y'all's updates...

Hi ladies, how you all doing? Ok just want to let you know that on the day of chemo start taking your poo tablets. I took senokot max strength so morning and night till you go. If I didn't do it by day three or four the pain was terrible. My onco said you must keep on top of this as it is a real problem with chemo. Also drink water till it runs out clear ( sorry to much info ) avoid bread it will make it worse so fruit, raw veg and lots of ice cream.

I covered myself in moisturiser day and night because it goes dry and spotty ( arms) this really helps. I would use tinted moisturiser as well to give colour and it made me feel better.

Your eyes my stream so I wore sun glasses even inside ( many people did this at chemo centre, so funny) gets worse with more chemo and not having eye lashes, the wind makes it worse.

Use your eyebrow pencil to fill in or eye shadow is softer. Do this now because when you lose them all it's a bugger to know where to draw. I have looked like a clown before ( kids thought it was funny ) if you have money get them tattoo on they look great. If I knew better then I would have gone for the tattoo so much easier and looks more normal.



Ice fingers and toes whilst doing chemo to stop them falling off. Buy some tap to strap them if they do come away as it can take a while for it to happen and you keep catching them on clothes.



Most important thing is do your house work two days before chemo then nothing for a week after the chemo so lots of rest . If you have money get cleaners in to do bathrooms, floors, windows and ironing.

Make dinners and put in freezer but remember to get them out ( we had a few take always which was a god send as your so knackered)

Ask friends and family for help with lifts I'm sure you have helped others.



Most of all think of this as short term however much you cry and hate it. It has to be done and ticked off the list to get cancer out of your body.



Good luck ladies you can do this!!!!



Xx

Haha so funny! Yes nails, sorry. Xx

All the best, beeve!