August 2013 Chemo Sisters

Lisa, wear a mask, theaters for filthy!

Hello Ladies,



I am heading out in an hour for my second infusion of TC. As many of you know I had every SE possible. I am going in positive that this chemo treatment will be different with fewer side effects. I have done a few things different for myself this time to see if that helps. Like I will be floating into chemo. I drank so much water this time. I hope it doesn't make me sick. I am going to take pre meds before things start to hit to see if I can be ahead of the curve. It seems like for me it is hard to play catchup. I had three different nausea meds until we found one that worked. I can do this and will do it!! Hugs to everyone!!

Julie: The blog I visited at Caring Bridge at the address you gave is the one from 2011. Is there a more current one?



Ok so much for no SEs; the bad mouth taste came back. What helps me with this is sugarless gum and sugarless candy. At least last time it went away about 6 days before the next infusion. Bleh.

Sharonanne: About subbing and your reunion, follow your MOs advice because he knows you, your treatment plan and your overall health status better than we do. Ask him every single exacting question you can think of, that's what he gets the big bucks for! Also ask the onco nurses because they will know and if not will ask the doc. Just guessing here but I expect a lot would depend on your cell counts whenever you want to do something.

Saltyjack, great verse for today! I have not been a religious person most of my life, but I am spiritual in my own way. However I have had so many signs since the day of my biopsy (too many to list and explain, but I definitely believe they are signs), that it tells me it's time to make some changes. I have two local churches that I am going to check out, my only challenge is timing. We are away this weekend, next weekend will be likely SE from first round of chemo, following weekend = neutropenia, so probably looking at 9/22 at the earliest. And then the cycle starts again.

I am reading everyone's posts, too many to keep up with! Welcome to the newest joiners, we are sorry to have you need to join us but we welcome you with open arms!

Martha

Martha, I believe our walk with the Lord is individual and in its time. I have been a believer since age 9, but a spiritual worshiper since my late 20's. I was fortunate enough to have a grandmother who dragged me to every church service, revival, Girl's Auxiliary meeting, Sunday school, and Bible School in our community. She was a great roll model. On the day I had the biopsy, I walked out of the hospital along with a younger woman (everyone is younger than I am). We began to talk. She asked me if I were visiting and I told her I had just had a biopsy for breast cancer. She threw up her hands and said that she was a two time cancer survivor-ovarian and breast. She was still in treatment. She told me the names of her surgeon and MO and sang their praises. We connected in a spiritual way and left one another that day with phone numbers. The next day, while searching for things to make hats in Walmart, a woman came around the end of an aisle who had a cap on. I said, "Are you wearing that cap because you have cancer?" She and I talked for about 20 minutes, talking about how she was doing well and how we both thought God had literally bumped me into her.  She told me her surgeon and MO, who were identical to the ones the other woman had told me about. I already had the name of the same two doctors from a friend who had them. The third time a confirmation that I was making the right choice was when my best life friend's mother, who asked me who I had chosen. When I told her, she screamed into the phone that they were the very best and that she was so glad I was having them. There were others who had had the same doctors, but after three, I figured I was in the right place. Then, as I was being sedated for surgery, my MO bent over my bed and said, "God bless you." I knew right then that I was in the hands of God and could be in no better place. I am blessed. I believe the Bible where it says that if we seek, we will find. Seek his face daily and he will acknowledge you and guide your way. I'm not telling anyone on this thread anything new. Just reconfirming my convictions.

Togetherness: Good luck with chemo today. I think if you have drank as much water as you say and are ahead of the game with the meds you may find this time around alot better than the first. The second was better for me than the first.

Love, Rayna

Beeve - that's an interesting SE!  I have a similar one.. I have restless legs syndrome (mostly at night), and as soon a my infusion started, my legs went nuts!  It was all I could do to sit still.  They were still bad when I was home on th couch.  Not sure what the deal is.

Mankatostate, When I had those steroids the day before my first infusion Monday, I hogged the boards to the point of embarrassment. I cleaned everything in sight, cooked, typed, you name it. I didn't feel like I was hyper, but when my DH came in, he just laughed at that statement. He said I didn't stop talking for 4 days. I have over 2 weeks before I take it again, so maybe others will have a chance to talk before the day we hog the boards. I'm going to look up sites on youtube to see how to tie headscarves. I look like a dork when I put one on, so I need help if I don't intend to wear my wig every day.

Wow! We are a chatty lot...I couldn't believe how many pages have gone by since I last looked.

ForMyGD- I'm a bit like you. I'm very reluctant to take drugs I don't need to. I don't seem to have been given any where near the amount that most of you US women are getting. I had steroids for 3 days - no high energy rush. Anti vomiting medication for 3 days and then one to take if I needed to. I did feel nauseous but coped without taking it. I have not been offered Neulasta but maybe that will be for the T side of my FEC-T treatment which I'm not up to yet.

No one told me to take anything for constipation but I did take Coloxyl (senna) from day one gradually increasing then reducing it after the Big Relief.



My big problem I have now has been to do with the port I think. It was excruciatingly painful for at least 5 days and is still painful. I took only panadol for it as for some reason, I'd been told no ibuprofen, which no one has been able to give me the reason for. What has happened is because I didn't want to pull the tissue around the port with every step I take , I hunched over and often had my arm up supporting my breast ( this is with a bra on too). I now have done something to a muscle in my neck/ shoulder area which is very painful. Constant burning. Again I can't take ibuprofen . Have tried topical cream which is ok but limited. Scared about putting my liver to the extra work of lots of panadol. Last night I cried from the pain, it's starting to wear me down . My husband was furious with me for not going to the GP about it, but the effort of that just seemed too much so now I'll have to wait till Monday.



On a positive note - my kiwi cut isn't quite as kiwi as I thought it would be, because the poor girl was really reluctant to do it. I think she tought I'd complain if I was unhappy about the cut, no matter that I said it will probably all be gone by next Friday anyway. So I have a Miley Cyrus style cut. A number 8 at sides and back , and longish on top. At the sides and back it's my natural grayish and on top there is still some blonde from last color . So it actually looks pretty trendy, although very short. Went straight to the supermarket afterwards without a hat on and was looked at a little bit but largely ignored...so very ok with it. My daughter came with me and she thought it was a hoot. Pity it probably won't last the week. I'm not sure if I'll over it for school next week. I don't want to absentmindedly scratch my head and for it to come out in front of the kids.

Next week, we are having people from the Muslim and Jewish communities coming to speak to the kids...it will be funny if all 3 of us are in head scarves : )

P.S. in case you are wondering, there is nothing in Miley Cyrus' more recent activity that I would care to imitate...well, with a 50 year old, balding, not exactly pert, woman, the effect might be quite different! Where is that girl's dignity?.............at the bank, I guess.

Hi ladies, doing really good after 2nd infusion yesterday, sitting in MO office to get my Neulasta shot and head out for our 3 hour drive home, I hope the shot agrees better with me tis time. Welcome to our new ladies and I will read all the info later, a little hard when on the road. I am praying for minimal SE'S for all of us having or had Tx this week.



Hug's Shary🇺🇸

Beeve: Can you call the doc's office? Maybe it's a carboplatin SE since it seems like a lot of us are on Taxotere/Cytoxan or an Adriamycin combo. Seems like you should talk to the MO or the staff immediately!



Gashgold: Please tell your MO about your port right away! That is serious sounding and please talk to an MD! And wow that Miley Cyrus is totally crazy, isn't she? I cannot believe how trashy she is, it even shocked her peers at the VMAs. Ugh Gashgold hope your fellow New Zealanders don't judge all us Yanks by her behavior.



Welcome to our group Floruchag! Yup Popsicles are flavored ice on a stick. We're here all the time so any question you have ask away!

Gashgold, I agree with Lisa. I don't have a port, but I've read that you need to report any pain that is like that. I'll be praying for you more tonight and so will others. That sounds serious.

In order to keep up with everyone, I put tabs on a notbook with everyone's name so I can flip to it. Now that's serious business, isn't it?

Hello, August Ladies!  I am from the January group just stopping in to wish you all well...reading your posts reminds me of all that I went through with my 'chemo sisters' and I'm happy to say we have all made it through chemo!  I finished radiation (EASY) in May and just had my implant exchange (EASY, too!) and am just happy living life now with all of this behind me.  Before you know it, it will seem like a distant memory to you as well...I just wanted to say hang in there, you've got this, and you will soon be on the 'other side'. Hugs to you all!