August 2013 Chemo Sisters

Done with Big Red and now cytoxin is dripping for an hour and a half, so far so good, eating grapes and treail mix and drinking and peeing like a fool 🍇

Hello all!



I am on her everyday and follow how everyone is doing. You ladies inspire me. I go in for my second treatment of TC X 4. This week is the first week I have felt like getting out. So I have enjoyed feeling better this week and doing some normal day to day things. I will basically take any day to feel better. I hope this second round will be with less side effects or at least have them not last so long. The Dr. Is going to make some adjustments to the chemo dosage and see if that helps. I sure hope!! Blood counts have been out of whack for this whole period. Ugh!! Hoping for better days ahead. Everyone take care. I am hydrating hydrating today!

Raynaj, I had a double mastectomy in June and had reconstruction at the same time so I cant speak to the expanders, but I don't think it would be that different from getting implants.  I had 4 drains, and I was in the hospital overnight.  To be honest, surgery was a breeze.  The worst part was the dye injection they gave me so they could ID the sentinal nodes for biopsy.  Not sure if you will need that if you are having chemo first. 

Post op, I did need help for the first week, my husband stayed home with me.  I managed my own drains, he was too grossed out (they really weren't all that bad, and it was very easy to do).  You will need help with re-wrapping yourself after bathing, and you really won't be able to lift very much (no more than a gallon of milk).  I slept alot the first few days, I was in the recliner during the day and slept propped up in bed at night.  By the 3rd day I was able to tolerate the hour ride to visit my surgeon, and 6 days after surgery I went to my neighbor's for a july 4th bbq.  The first 2 drains were removed 3 days post op, the second 2 were removed about 9 days post op.  I was cleared to drive 3 weeks post op, but I found I had to be careful with hard turns.  Overall it really wasn't that bad.  I still have to go back for some touch up work but that will be after I am done with chemo.   Feel free to PM me if you have more detailed questions.

My first trip to the AC bar is done!!! :-) Still have several hours of changing the caps every 30min, but at least we are home. Hubby is able to relax in his recliner in between and I'm on the couch in my electric blanket. The infusion was pretty quick. Took them a while to get to me, but my premeds were 20min, adriamycin 10min push and an hour for cytoxan. Then another 10 min for saline and we could leave.



I drank a bunch of water this morning, had a watermelon slush there during chemo meds, and now I'm back on water. I thought about icing my hands and toes during cytoxan for avoiding neuropathy, but with the cold caps I just couldn't do it. LOL



Neulasta shot tomorrow.....when do I take Claritin? In the morning? After my shot? For how many days?

Lighthouselady: Congrats on having #1 done, isn't it a relief to have all the anxiety gone wondering what it will be like, I hope you will have very little SE's. and try not to anticipate all the things that might happen, if you are feeling good at the moment go with that feeling.

Love, Rayna

Lighthouselady: Glad that the first tx was uneventful and the cold caps went well. Hope all proceeds smoothly from here.



Take the Clairtin in the morning w breakfast (before the shot) and for a couple days after. It's a great anti allergen drug and I've never had a side effect. My MO speculated that the reaction to Neulasta could be allergic but it's unknown. Any joint or bone pain after just take whatever your doc recommends.



Still tired but feeling fairly good overall besides. We'll see how day 5 is tomorrow.

Hi all, it sounds like for most of us our side effects are reasonably bearable at the moment . Long may it last and for those for whom it's not bearable, I'm holding you in my thoughts and prayers.

Rayna, of course you are right! I just have to get over myself. My logical thinking side knows that it's not the end of the world everyone knowing (and may even have some benefits ) but my emotions aren't always keeping up with my brain at the moment. And I sort of swing back and forth a bit, so one moment I'm brave, confident and out there and then the next, I just want to crawl off to the nearest sofa and not answer the phone. I'm not normally like this but I guess it's part of the territory too.



For all of you who have to do so much traveling for treatment, that must really add to your tiredness and stress (or is it a chance to rest? ) Thinking of you.

Togetherness: Thanks for posting your experience for me, It takes away some of the anxiety hearing whats happened for others.

Love, Rayna

Well round 2 of The Red Devil and cytoxin went very smoothly today, I was a bit more relaxed than 1st time and again drank a lot of water and ate some healthy snacks, no headache yet😄🌟

Batcatlady, glad to hear all went well today, 🌟your start for one down😄

Lighthouse , you to great to hear the Red Devil did not beat you up to bad today😄🌟and your star, 1down. Ok ladies lets drink water and Gatorade and flush this shit out!!!!!!!



Shary🌻

Thanks ladies, so what are your plans for this Labor Day weekend? My girls will go to their Godmother's house Sat for a fun beach day sleepover so I can rest. Then on Sunday I'm having 5 families join us for a pool party BBQ, with friends and family, can't wait! Hope all of u have a wonderful/restful holiday weekend and will return to post after Mon!

Raynaj,

I had a bi-lateral mastectomy.  I didn't lift my hands above my head, I did not reach, or do repetitive motions like mop or sweep, I didn't lift more than 3 pounds.  I would recommend having someone there to help you for about a week. This will allow you to rest and recooperate.  Sliding a glass door should be ok, if it is easy to open.

Like a nuckle-head I drove the same week I had surgery. I didn't get them memo about not driving.  Driving was very painful.  You take it for granted but I didn't realize how many chest + shoulder and large and small muscles you use to drive.  You know, your neck bone's connected to your shoulder bone; your shoulder bone's connected to your chest bone . . . you get the idea! Making turns were the absolute worst.  If I were you I would have someone drive you around for a week or two.

My non-malignant breast looks beautiful.  I had the nipple sparing surgery (you may want to ask you PS if this is an option for you).  As I posted before, my right breast didn't turn out so great.  Three weeks after surgery the stitches ruptured and I had to get the tissue expander replaced, now it is leaking and I have to wait until 3 weeks after chem to have it replaced . . . oh boy!!!  Sometimes things just happen!

Drains are necessary.  You cannot shower until 24 hours after the drains are removed.  My drains took three weeks to heal . . . I was able to take two showers before I had drains on the right side replaced; then another three weeks without showering.  It was summer and I was a little funky . . . how many bird baths can one take?

At the time of surgery I received a tube-top looking velcro tight fitted top to wear. I love it and still wear it.  I was able take a bath week two with the drains in (using my arm muscles to stand up to wash and lift myself out of the tub was challenging).  I rolled up the tube top to only cover the opening for the drain, covered the tube top with Saran Wrap (to make sure I didn't get it wet) I filled the tub about a third; sat my butt in the water . . . it felt good, washed as much as I could.  It was successful and the drain whole did not get wet.  I did not like taking a bath; the water was so dirty and mirky.  My daughter didn't like me taking a bath either . . . I couldn't clean out the tub so she had to.  She said it made her gag.

I'm happy to answer any questions you have.

I am happy with the choice I made; a double mastectomy reduces the recurrance rate to 3% in the breasts.

formygranddaughter: thank you for sharing your story with me, also good luck tomorrow, I'll pray you have few SE's.

Love, Rayna

I found the book . . . yippie!

While The Four Agreements is not Christian and I don't "agree" with all of it, it is practical.  Don Miguel Ruiz it gives writes about four agreements for a happier, peace-filled and life intention:

1.  BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD.  Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. DONT' TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY.  Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3.  DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS.  Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness + drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4.  ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST. Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick.  Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse + regret.

Peace + blessings!

SaltyJack, attitude is everything!  Go into therapy positive knowing that you are doing all you can to help promote longevity, life + healing.

Know about the possible side effects but don't focus on them so much that your thoughts manifest them.

Take a breath!  Above all, pray knowing + believing that God is THE healer and that all things are possible through Christ Jesus . . . well, that's my prayer.  Come up with your own.

Take the time to listen to music, read, journal, meditate, ponder, consider things, plan your next adventure or take a nap.

Peace + blessings!  BE well!

I asked this question on another forum, so I thought I'd ask my August Chemo Sisters, too. 

Hi,

I have a question.  Why do we opt to take meds for every imaginable + possible SE known to man?  Claritin, Aleve, Biotin (mouthwash, toothpaste, gel), stool softner, etc., if we are not experiencing the SEs?  My opinion is that we should feel a little pain before we numb it.  Many of us may be taking things that we don't need.  Remember we all won't get every SE.

The first go round I had little to no SEs. I had baking soda and mineral + sea salts, Tylenol, a heating pad, generic Claritin, Zegrid (for acid reflux), etc. at home.  The only thing I did was ocassionally gargle with salt walter + baking soda.  I had a minor sore throat (allergies/conjestion) and a little bone pain (from the Nuelasta shot I guess) I took the tylenol, and a nap when I felt sleepy. I felt better when I woke up.  Maybe I'm saying this because I have a medical chest at home and happen to have everything I may need . . . LOL!

Let our bodies be our guides.  Pain let's us know that we are alive + allows us to target our comfort.  Many of use are in fear of getting SEs + are taking unnecessary precautions. 

I just think we should take less meds; unless we need them . . .then by all means.

Tomorrow is my 2nd infusion . . . I'm expecting more of the same from the 1st infusion.

Maybe I am more energetic than I thought . . . interesting how you can be both exhausted and energetic at the same time, huh?

Blessings!