September 2013 Chemo Group

Hello BabyRuth...thanks for starting this thread.  I think I will be starting in 2 weeks.  I have to have an ultra sound on my heart first.

ready or not....very nervous but I must take care of business.

I'm in.

I am sorry to hear you both will be going thru chemo again.  What cocktails will you two be on?

I sure hope you are right Sheila....I know that was true for my lumpectomy.  I will be doing 6 treatments of TCH and herceptin for 1 year. 

Hello again BabyRuth...the oncolgist said in about two weeks from last Monday.  I have a heart ultra sound tomorrow amd meet my nurse to go over SE. 

So glad you have someone to share the journey with although of course I wish it was a journey none of us or anyone would have to take.

I'm so scared but going to will start chemo on Sept 30, get my port in mid Sept..My treatment will have 6 treatments of TCH and 1 year of Herceptin.

hey BabyRuth I meant so glad I have someone not you!    My mind is getting worse and worse and I haven't even started chemo...today I didn't take any pain killers to see if I can get a clear head.

Hi ML40...I am doing the same cocktail...I am nervous too.  We will get through it.  

Lovewins: an hour isn't bad at all. My visit to the cancer center on taxol days were 7 hour affairs! A private room sounds nice. My center has about 30 recliners scattered in groups of 8 or so. It never failed that it was packed by the time I got back upstairs to pick a chair. They had the nicest recliners next to the window in each group. I started thinking during my last two treatments that it was funny I'd never get a "good" seat during my 4 months. On the last day, I sighed and sat down in the darn middle of the room (I HATE sitting in the middle of restaurants!) and waited for the nurse to come hook me up. It was a very busy day following a holiday week so it took a long time. Then a nurse came and unhooked the lady in the window seat on my row and I sure did get up and move to it. Lol. I guess I'll have more shots at the "good" seats now.



Babyruth: yes iced my feet and fingers. I was and still am terrified if losing my toenails. Don't ask why. I'm not really sure exactly. My bf having a foot fetish could be one reason. Ha. Of course he's a breast man too so maybe the thought of losing boobs and having ugly feet is just too much. Anyhow, my center provided those frozen gel blocks which I used through AC even though they said I didn't need to. I wrapped them around my feet with big rubber bands. I was not good with my fingernails then because I figured since I was probably being paranoid anyway that it would be ok if I texted and emailed and whatnot. By my fourth and last AC, I had a darkened thumb nail. During taxol, I got serious. I filled a small insulated soft cooler, like a lunch bag, with ice from sonic, so I could really get my toes down in there. The ice is also supposed to help prevent neuropathy so I put my feet all the way in. Let me tell you that this is not pleasant! However, I have had no toenail issues to date. My big toes did get sore feeling sometimes and I think I got minor frostbite on the bottom of my feet during the last tx as I was being extra villigent with keeping them in that time. But it went away in a few days. The nice thing about the cooler was I could take my feet out and in when it got to be too much. For my fingers, I tried keeping them in small cups of the ice the first time, but that was just unbearable. I ended up just holding the blocks of ice. I ended up having only minor lifting on two nails and it seems to be growing out ok. I was so glad to read about icing on here because no one told me anything about nail issues. Even when I asked later they just kind of shrugged it off. My NP is a survivor and when I asked her if she lost tie nails, she said no not really, then well I did end up losing two toenails. I'm like helloooo lady, that sounds like an issue to me! But I had similar stories from other ladies I talked to. I now know how insignificant toenails are to a lot of women. I mean I know we're in a fight for our lives here, but if we can fight on with pretty feet, I think it's worth mentioning. I won't even begin on the responses I got when I asked about cold caps. I wasn't in the right frame of mind and had little time left when I found out about them, but just another thing I think people should share with us.



I'm exhausted today. Not having an easy time with healing from bmx. And I have to work tomorrow. Ugh. Off to bed.

Hello ladies!

Just wanted to 'stop by' and say hello. I started chemo last September. My September 2012 Chemo Group sisters were INVALUABLE to me throughout everything - even today! You are all going to go through so much in the coming months and these discussion boards are so, so helpful. Good luck to you all!!

Forever

Hello September 'sisters'...it makes me sad that there is a new group of us every month, but I am happy you found each other on this forum.  I am from the January group and like Foreverchanged, feel so blessed by the wonderful ladies I have come to know and love in my group - we have now migrated to a Facebook club and I know we will be forever connected.  I wanted to wish you all well - I am almost 6 months pfc and feel wonderful.  Chemo really seems like a distant memory now and sooner than you think, you'll be on the 'other side', too.

I got a lot of great tips from the boards and had really no major side effects from chemo or radiation.  Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.  I also used the cold caps to save my hair and they worked great...I know they're not for everyone but I wish there were more awareness that it's an option.

I pray every day for all of us fighting this fight - hang in there, you've got this!  (((HUGS))) to you all!

Hello Sheila....Yes an hour will be awesome if you are used to 7.  I hope you get a good seat next time!  My first treatment will be 5-6 hours they said.  I am unsure of the icing thing...not sure I could do it full time I am there?

Hi BabyRuth...Thanks again for starting this thread, hope you are feeling well.

Foreverchanged...your name is so poignant, I know this journey will leave the deepest scar on me to date.  Thank you so much for stopping by for encouragement.  I can't even imagine what my mental health would be like without this place.

Welcome soccermom...I hope your port is healing well...and you are in less pain now.  It took a week for my pain to go away.

Thanks for stopping by hope49...glad you are doing well and had no major SE's.  Hugs back at you.

Hi millsy1...I too am very scared to start my first treatment...I start next Wed.  Today has been very emotional for me.  Together we will get thru this...we know we can because other have gone before us and have marked the way.  This is where I have found a lot of courage...wish you didn't have to be here...but glad you are.

I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers.... 

Hello Kbee and welcome....i will start my chemo next wed...i wonder if that means i will be done in Dec?  I hope so...good for you not having to have a port.  Some people have no problems, but I really hated getting mine.  Down the road they say I will be glad, but I just quit smoking 2 weeks ago so I imagine my veins aren't as good as yours.  It will be wonderful to get this part out of the way. 

Hello everyone,

Another fellow member of the September 2013 Chemo party. I begin chemo 9/5 - hoping to finish just before Christmas - nice present if all goes well. I am happy to meet all of you - wish we did not have to meet under our current circumstances but I look forward to our discussions and know we will all help each other be strong and win our battles together! 

Hello,

I will also begin chemo in September. AC every 2 wks x 4, then Taxol every wk x 12. I will start Herceptin when I begin the Taxol and will start Neulasta with AC. Had my port put in the day of my mastectomy, I never felt the discomfort, the mastectomy pain held my attention. I haven't gone wig shopping yet, has anyone else? I just have a hard time imagining myself wearing a wig. I have long naturally curly hair. Anyone that knows me will know I'm wearing a wig.

It's hard to believe that chemo is going to start so fast after surgery. Another surreal event to look forward to.

I wish everyone the best and hope to give my support to you all.

Hi KBee, im suppose to strt on the 19th Sept so i will be going along with you. i too have been looking at doing icing but i need to find out if the hospital has it or if thats up to me. Funny how they dont give you little tips like that when they talk to you about SE. All i got was doom and gloom. Thank goodness for these chat groups.

Hi Millsy1,



Neulasta is a drug used to decrease the risk of infections during chemotherapy. I did buy a few scarves, but have no clue how to tie them. I guess I will have to watch some you tube videos. I'll have to checkout that shopping list to see if it will give me more useful information. Thanks for that information.