August 2013 Chemo Sisters

Hey all, hope u don't mind a July firecracker joining in! I started my chemo 7/19. Carolpr56 - your "chemo fart" story made me laugh! If anyone hasn't taken a look at it yet, and you want some really good laughs, be sure to check out the topic "you know you're a chemo patient when" in the stage III breast cancer forum - it's hilarious! So many funny things only we BC warriors/survivors can relate to. I got my new boob today! Now I can feel 1/2 normal - instead of bald & uniboob - now I'm just bald! LOL. Sending healing thoughts to all!

Lisa, it looks like the ends of the wig are pink?! Fantastic!

Lisa, you look cute, pink tips and all. Have all of the fun you can out of it. 

I froze most of the 5 gallon bucket of apples and made a pie. It's in the freezer for later since my wonderful neighbor brought a turtle cake over last night. I swore off sugar when I found out I had BC, but I ate two huge pieces of that cake. It was out of this world. She's going to give me the recipe. So much for swearing.

If you want to count your blessings, the neighbor who brought the cake was bitten by a bug that got to this country on a plane (only thing the doctors could figure). It gave her a deteriorating disease condition. She is in her 50's. She had bone and tissue removed from her hip to make her jaw. She can only drink liquids and will soon be on a feeing tube. She walks around like nothing is wrong with her. She is jovial and spiritual and thanks God for each day. Somehow, when I pray for her, breast cancer doesn't seem so bad.

Wing, I'm sorry your first chemo was so awful. I'm having mine Monday, so I hope it goes well. Was it you who said something about the doctor telling you your system was "clean" so that might have caused it? What did he mean? Did he call it clean because you had never had chemo before? Just wondering, because if that's the case, I guess I'm "clean" as well. That's odd, since I just climbed the hill four times and walked about 8 blocks back home. Sweat is dripping off my hair. I need a shower, but don't want to get in with my husband!

I was told that if I drink 1 gallon of water, that I had to be sure to have some salt or I would start staggering around. I do have salt with my sourdough pretzels. Sometimes I think it's too much salt.

God bless everyone. I have to go doctor my mosquito bites.

ForMyGrand, I'm praying tonight for you and your success with your business. Good luck. God luck.

Sharonannebaker, do you have a link to her blog? I am triple negative and my hubby does all the cooking. Looking for any info about diet and cooking. This week after we got info from the MO pre-chemo he decided to go with something like the Atkins diet ( I want BREAD!!!!). Any info we can get is good. I really love carbs, but he loves me and is making lifestyle changes and sacrifices for me. I am so blessed and thankful!

Martha

Lisa:  I love the new wig. The ends are cool. How did it works ordering online (I presume) do you need a size for your head or are they suppose to be one size fits all. I don't think that would work.

Love, Rayna

Hi ladies, yes I have to drive 3 hours to MO for every treatment, spend the night to get my shot 24 hours later then we drive home🚙 All part of the journey owing to where we live, when I do my radiation it is in the same city so I will have it 5 days a week for 6 weeks so we will bring the RV and I will basically be away from home for 6 weeks, cuz I ain't driving 6 hours a day for 6 weeks😛Saw MO today said I looked good even with LWC put me on antibiotics and I have moved from my A/C and cytoxin to every 2 weeks instead of 3 so we will be back up her next Thursday for round # 2 of Dancing With The Devil. I hope everyone has a peacefull weekend.



Shary🌞

GashGold:  I like eating mashed potatoes. I'll make a pot and whip them really good then just heat up as I need. I usually am bad and put some butter and sour cream on them, they just feel good everywhere, mouth, stomach and fills me up.

Love, Rayna

I'm on a different drug regime than most of you though called FEC-T. It seems to be the UK/European/Australasian norm. Ellence is epirubicin which I'm guessing is similar to adriamycin. So at the moment I'm on the FEC part of the treatment. I have that 3x then 3x of taxotere. All 3 weeks apart. Anyone else on this?

Hey, Gashgold! That's an interesting combo we'll see how people chime in! The fatigue is normal, you know of course. Hopefully it will lighten up. Plus sweet potatoes are pretty full of fiber, go for it!



Turtle cake, is - I believe - fashioned after a candy we call a turtle. No amphibians involved! But it looks kina like a turtle, cuz it's a combo of caramel and nuts, covered in a stiff milk chocolate - and it's typically rounded with little protrusions on the bottom edge, like turtle feet. So a turtle cake most likely has that combination of things as a topping. Also often done on the top of cheesecakes, which are called - you got iit - turtle cheesecakes.



Also, my port is just now 2 weeks after insertion not hurting when I move my arm or chest. Still sensitive to the touch. I haven't eve tried to go for a walk yet, not with the WBCs so low, but hopefully can be more active soon. I have gotten my taste buds back and am appreciating why they say 50-96% of women gain weight on chemo.



HVV, never heard of the Korean scrubs! We don't have them here in austin - although we have a nude beach on private property called Hippie Hollow. No one with sense goes there, it's pretty icky. I think if I had the opportunity I would probably go no matter the state of my chest. Women should know. But then I've never been particularly modest as an adult, in locker rooms and saunas and what not. That may change once I go completely flat, and I admit I've not been in the situation since my umx. Might surprise myself.



I DO intend, btw, to eventually have the 3d Areola tattooing done, as a totally blank chest will weird me out in the mirror, I think! I left my right one blank, and it's always like my chest is winking at me!



Rayna, I have heard there can be vision changes. I sure hope it doesn't happen to me, as I just got new glasses that are supposed to correct me to 20-15, before I was diagnosed!

For triple negative breast cancer women (also good for other kinds of cancer)

Her blog: www.jengriffinblog.blogspot.com

Her biography: www.foxnews.com/on-air/personalities/jennifer-griffin/bio

Jennifer had a tumor as big as the palm of a woman's hand. She is three years out now because of her diet, exercise, and positive attitude.

Lana, you look like a fun-loving kind of woman. You're in the right place. I'm relatively new, but you're newer, so I can welcome you. We're both young and old, so join the fun. Well, as fun as chem can be, that is.

My brother-in-law went to a nude beach in Aruba and his wife ran down to the beach and stole his clothes and his towel! They're divorced now!!!! 

Gashgold, you were asking about carbs. The TNBC food list includs whole grain breads, whole wheat crackers, etc. I eat pita pockets, whole wheat bread, whole grain oat-type breads, and those little flatbread rounds. I make organic egg sandwiches, tuna sandwiches with organic egg (instead of mayo, I use olive oil w/ rice vinegar and sweetener-it's great), toast w/ cinnamon and sweetener (Splenda), etc. I also eat shredded wheat and grape nuts cereals. There is a type of cracker/cereal? in the cracker aisle that is called Spooners. It is not the spooners that you use with dips. It looks like shredded wheat, actually, but it was the only such snack that I could find that didn't have the bad oils or sugar in it. Also, I found sourdough pretzels by Snyders that have no oil. I'll mail you some if you can't get them where you live.

Thanks Carol for the link! After some diarrhea last night, I was wondering if it was something I ate at my birthday dinner. I had some hangar steak cooked medium (better than medium rare, which I usually order) and now I know it should have been well done!

Gashgold:   I didn't realize that you were just a few days in to this hell.  It's good to take those naps, I've had a few that I've would up around 6:30 at night and think its morning, I don't normally sleep that sound.  Make sure you do nap when you are feeling tired, your body is screaming at you to lay down so do what it says.  I hope the potatoes didn't plug you up.  I think the eye thing might be the meds too as a few of them say that they cause dizziness. Let us know how your SE's are, I know we cant make them go away but for some reason it helps when you know that others are going through the same thing. I guess its the saying "Misery loves company" lol

Love, Rayna