August 2013 Chemo Sisters

itsmyjob welcome. This was my first place to ever post anything so I understand how you feel. They are a wonderful group of women. Great place to find answers or people who understand what you are going thru.

Sharon-It looks like you had a lumpectomy. By law they have to pay to fix you...even you up. I had a lumpectomy too and had them do a breast reduction. Did you look into that? Also I am so sorry to hear about your aunt!

raynaj-I will pray that the A/C will be kind to you. Do you still have to take a lot of steriods with that one? If so I will be praying that the time passes quickly for you...enjoy cleaning house and remember this too shall pass!

lighthouse-yay about the scan!

So has anyone without hair found it weird to wash their head. I am just finding that so odd when I shower. Also do you have phantom feelings at all like you still have hair on your head? Just wondering.

mankatostate, I had a lumpectomy, but my surgeon did such a good job, there isge not even a dent. I had a very small invasive tumor, so I guess that's out for me. It's a good thing to know though. I'll just have to have size B in my dreams. We have to be very careful what we wish for. (Pardon my grammar) I used to complain that I could never get a beautician to cut my hair like I wanted it. I said, "I wish I could take my head off and sit it on the table so I could cut it myself." Now, I do sit my hair on the table on a wig stand. I also complained about my very low forehead because I couldn't have long flowing bangs. Now, when mine falls out (it's already itching) I will have a very high forehead. I also complained that no matter how small I got for my 5'3" frame, I always had very largee boobs. Now, I may get the chance to have them removed! I always had to work on my lower stomach to keep it flat. If I choose the flap reconstruction, I would get a tummy tuck. You see. We DO get what we wish for. I'm going to bed early so have to get myself ready to work tomorrow. I love the special ed children. I just hope none has a cold or something worse. I will have them for two days. I'm praying that I do not pick up an infection. I'll be very careful.  God bless everyone tonight. Hope you get a good night's sleep. Sleep helps boost the immune system.

Sharonanne: My condolences on your aunt. My mom was in a nursing home and died from her vascular dementia.



Thank you everyone for your sympathy on my mom. The past two years have been very challenging, to say the least. Special thanks batcatlady.



Welcome, that'smyjob, and don't worry we are very easygoing here, no standards to meet.



Lighthouselady, yay about the scan results! Today was very calm and reassuring meeting with the plastic surgeon. I really liked him.



Basically he said that he would wait til a year after my radiation is complete, to let my body completely show whatever SEs I'd have (skin changes). Then he'd recommend implants (both sides for symmetry). Unlike a lot of you, I am small-chested (sigh), so no reduction, I might have Bs for the first time which I thought would be pretty darn nice. Plus he basically covers the cost for bc patients, accepting whatever insurance charges!



This may be somewhat irresistible but it remains to be seen how I'd feel about MORE med stuff a year from now. But it's a relief to get that consult done!



Mankatostate, it does feel odd washing my head but I do like the feeling of the water on my bare scalp. I am always happy leaving the shower w/o a bunch of wet, matted hair hanging around my face though.

(((Sharon)))  So sorry to hear about your Aunt.

Thank you Julie for the reminder about claritin.  And I will stay on yop of nausea pill.

Ggrand thank you for your well wishes.

sorry if i missed anyone this is a busy thread!

so far so good...glad to be home from 1st chemo treatment!  Praise the Lord!

Welcome itsmyjob...this is a wonderful place.  Something ironic...today while getting chemo was the 1st day off for work for me so I told myself my new job is taking care of me and chemo is part of that job!  How did you come up with your name?

Lighthouselady...Good for you on the PET!!!!  Awesome news!

Hugs ti Lisa, Martie, ranyaj, wing, Mankat, togergerness, candi...once again I am sorry if I missed anyone...so thank for all you have shared and what I have learned from you all...sorry if the names are jumbled in my mind. 

Crying story, I lost it today, I too am human! I was so hungry and ended up eating lunch at 2pm. I went to my 11th radiation treatment today. My mom drove me, she insisted we get gas when we were late to begin with. We stopped for gas and got to my treatment late, so I got pushed back 2 people. Was starting to get hungry. Had to stop by 2 places to run errands. I asked her to stop and let's get a burger or something cause I was starving. She said, no cause it's bad for me! I was like, oh no what's gonna happen to me, I might get cancer, hello I already have it! So we drove all the way home and I was starving and mad! As soon as I got home, I ran to the kitchen and took out everything I could get my hands on.

I asked my mom to heat up some pork belly in the microwave and she said I'll heat it on the stove. ARE U KIDDING ME! I'm dying of hunger and you're worried about microwave safety! I just ate it cold! I started shoving my face with everything in sight.

My big bro came into the kitchen with my dad and asked y I didn't eat anything in LA after treatment. I just lost it! I started crying and chewing, and choking, and crying! I was so mad at my mom for not letting me have a damn burger! I was mad that she kept delaying me from eating! My brother was like how old are u, but he didn't understand what I endured all day, starting with delayed treatment, very late lunch. I was blowing my nose, crying, chewing, screaming, coming up for some air, then crying again, blowing my nose, then chewing, choking, swallowing, on and on and on. I finally finished eating and had to leave again to pick up my daughters at school since my oldest has a orthodontist appt. Almost didn't have time to eat at all. I held it together before leaving to get the kids, don't need them to stress watching their mom bawling cause she was hungry! What a day!

Sorry, I changed my picture but theres a problem with the website so as soon as its fixed I'll try again,

Rayna

(((((((julie)))))))  I just hope you feel a little better now.  Sorry you had a rough day.

(((itsmyjob)))...I am so sorry to hear about your son, I appreciate you sharing you what happened...I am sorry I brought up the pain.  I can't even begin to understand how painful it must be.  I have read  some very insightful things on these threads about God and how He works.  Today I was watching a talk show I don't remember who and someone was on the show upset because his son had died and he was feeling very forsaken.  The major thing I got from this conversation was that God understood because He had lost His son as well.  Please disreguard if I have offended you in any way, I just felt led to share this with you....M

Ok I also tried to change my avatar. Now is not the time to do it, the board has a 'technical difficulty' that has to be fixed. Change it soon as I'm allowed to, though!

{{{itsmyjob}}}  I'm so sorry about your son.  How devastating.    

I "ran into" a lady I know at chemo class, and her husband had just died about two years ago.  It made me so sad for her, that she's dealing with this now on top of her grief.  Even though I'm going through it, I felt so fortunate to have my hubby by my side.  She was all alone.

Julie - We all have moments like that!  Unfortunately my mom seems to set me off more than most, too!  LOL   She lives thousands of miles away, though, so usually my frustration is over the phone (or in complaints to my hubby after I talk to her!).  You deserved that burger!  

Does anyone else just feel "off" from chemo?  I don't feel bad, and don't really have anything specific wrong, other than the nasty yuck mouth.  But I'm kind of weak, kind of shaky, head is kind of foggy, a little headache, etc.... I'm just wondering if I'm going to feel like this throughout, or if it's just that I'm going in to day 7 and maybe my immune system is pretty low?  I really feel bad complaining, because I'm not sick like a lot of others.

Well, Rayna, you're usually in the know - where did you read that about days 7-14? My MO said days 7-10 are low. That brings up another point - it seems like lots of you are on two week cycles. I'm having 4 AC 3-week cycles then 12 TH weekly cycles (Martie, my MO said the same thing about much less side effects but didn't mention lower recurrence - yay!). With 2-week cycles, are you having the same total cycles but in less time or is there another difference? After hearing all the problems with neulasta, I'm thinking maybe 3 weeks is easier, even if it takes longer? This is all so confusing!!!

LHH - yes, yay on the clear PET. Isn't it amazing how wonderful it feels to only have cancer in two places??? 

Hoping everybody sleeps well and good SE-free weekends!

Saltyjack - LOL   I never thought I'd be happy to "just" have cancer somewhere!  

As for the 2 weeks.... it's just a doctor preference in most cases, I think.  My doctors wanted me to have the most aggressive treatment, so they're giving me the AC "dose dense" which is every two weeks instead of 3.  Interesting about the 12 taxol vs 4.  My MO only said that the weekly taxol has a lower neuropathy effect, but said nothing about any other side effects or recurrance rate.  

Feeling much better now, thanks all! Picked up my daughter from school with my dad this time, he's more rational and will let me eat a burger! We took Olivia, my 10 yr old to get her braces. I think my brother felt bad for me cause he called me and told me to have dinner in LA near the orthodontist, so my dad, daughter, and I went to out favorite Korean soup restaurant and I ate a bowl and a half of the yummiest tongue soup money could buy. For dessert, we got Mc D ice cream cones, so happy now!

Julie: Fantastic you got a great dinner and dessert! Though you'll have to forgive me if I say that it's hard to see what's the appeal of tongue soup! lol



LHL (great abbreviation), I feel 'off' too. My side effects have been mild (except for the damn taste in my mouth) but I get achy and tire easily. And yesterday I thought it was 2 hours earlier than it actually was (tried to buy a 10:30 movie ticket when it was actually 12). Chemo brain? Really? The last thing I need...