September 2013 Chemo Group

Something I hadn't anticipated, I think my nosehairs might already be gone - when my nose runs it RUNS like crazy, I can barely get a tissue up to my nose fast enough, lol!

Good luck with the treatments today ladies! And I agree with JellyK: stay out of the sun! I wasn't told of the sensitivity (or I spaced it with all the other info to take in), and I was in the sun no more than 5 minutes waiting for my ride after chemo and got burnt. 

JellyK: sorry to hear you are sick. I am so terrified of getting sick during this with 3 kids all in school, and all different schools at that lol. I thought I was getting sick after my first chemo too, but I am thinking it is just the way my body reacts, or like you said, the Neulasta kicked in and got rid of it. 

So, I let the kids cut my hair this morning. A 4 year old and a 3 year old with scissors...I was glad to know my platelet count was adequet yesterday lol. They did good though, and had fun with it. I tried to do the mohawk but I had my friend cut my hair really short in back not long ago so I didn't have enough hair. Do you know how hard it is to cut your own mohawk?! I ended up going to my friends and having her fix it. It's only about 2-1/2 inches long, but I actually really really like it! I think I may do it again when I decide to cut off my chemo curls. Ah the things you discover when you get cancer. 

JellyK: So sorry you are having a bad day with the cold. I was wondering if normal saline drops might help you. Also you mentioned that you start on Neupogen tonight. How is that given? I hope you start to feel better soon and have minimal SEs.

BabyRuth and Lighthouselady - I hope all goes well with this round of chemo. I'm thinking about you both and praying for you and others here on the formum. Now that I've a taste of what this experience is like I clearly sympathize.

Lovewins: I'm sorry you are still feeling pretty bad. I'm curious what chemo regimen you are on.

Mamawstewart: I'm sorry about your nose running. I wonder if normal saline drops might help. I was also wondering what chemo regimen you are on.

I'm on Day 7 and almost feeling normal but not completely.

BayRuth, so glad you are doing ok. I hope it stays that way. Lighthouselady I hope you are doing good too. JellyK so sorry to hear you are sick. I hope everyone feels better soon. I will go for round 2 on Monday. Did anyone get dandruff after cutting their hair?Never had it before.

Deb...My cocktail...not by choice  id tch.  I was feeling better on day 6....I am on day 9.  I am wondering if my platelettes are low?  I guess it kinda helps to think of this as a science project.  Trying to see what I can do to better things for round #2.  Yesterday I had the thought of this being like a boxing match and I have 6 rounds to get beat up and fight back.  Tonight I am going to stay with afriend because she had a d & c today.  Tomorrow I will drive up to my folks who live about 200 miles away to stay for a week. Glad you are doing better.  Loved your fried chicken story.

(((alfranco)))  I'm sitting here with my buzz cut, pulling out 15-20 hairs at a time every time I tug ever so slighly on it :-(  It's harder than I thought it would be.  You are not alone.

Hugs also to the ladies having their treatments this week!  

My cold sucks, there's no other way to describe it.  But it's just a cold, and I'm a lucky lady because I don't have to be at work and both of my kids have school/daycare today, so I haven't really left my bed, lol :-)

Kbee, your group sounds absolutely amazing!  Our support networks are our lifelines, no question, because our survival absolutely depends on our attitude.  Today I was feeling sick at all the hair coming out, but when I showed my son he thought it was super cool, then decided to count the hairs on my pillow.  Took me out of my little pity party, thank goodness :-)

I can't decide whether to worry about this cold or not.  I literally rested all day, didn't go out, slept, the works, but I don't feel even the tiniest bit better tonight.  I guess I just keep monitoring if I get a fever, and deal with the rest :-(  At least my pharmacist cleared me to take cold meds...

Quote for the day

Recognize that you have the courage within you to fulfill the purpose of your birth. Summon forth the power of your inner courage and live the life of your dreams." -- Gurumayi Chidvilasananda

Thx Mamastewart, I'm not sure about Airborn, I'd have to check the ingredients.  I'm sticking with Mucinex at the moment, since my sinuses like to clog up and get infected whenever I'm sick, and Mucinex tends to keep things moving.  Every cell in my body hurts, and now my scalp hurts too because of the hair falling out.  It's time to count my "thank you's" I think before I get too far into my pity party.  Thank you to my colon for not clogging up today, lol; thank you to my son for letting his grandma take him to school without an argument; and thank you to On Demand for providing endless television to my 3 year old so I can rest :-P

Hope everyone is doing well today - for everyone who has started treatment, you are one more day closer to being finished, and for everyone waiting for their treaments to start, you are one more day closer to being done with the anticipation :-)

JellyK: Sorry you are down. I think it goes with the flow of the treatment. I know I had my keister firmly planted on the good ole pity pot last week. And thanks for reminding me to eat my prunes. I didn't realize you had a little bit too; my baby is three also. This too, shall pass! Hang in there! I haven't started shedding "down below" yet, but I keep checking. I feel like I am going to puberty again lol. I am still sporting my mohawk and I think I will dye it today and head to the store. 

Hey Vanessa! Welcome to the group, but sorry you have to be here. I am just opposite of you (triple positive) so I just do all my three at once every three weeks. I suppose I have it pretty easy in that respect; less visits to try to coordinate and go to. 

I didn't do a whole lot of shopping/preparation. I think this was partly due to the fact that I was/am in denial about all of it. It seems like a dream I am going to wake up from. If I did too much preparing I would have to face reality. I wish I had froze some meals. That would have been very helpful to me because the week after I didn't feel much like cooking. There is a list here http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/706846?page=36#post_3436641 that is really helpful. I wouldn't go overboard with it though, especially if you have someone who can go get things for you as you need them. I did get the Clairitin to help with the Neulasta bone pain if you will be having that (not sure if that is on this list or not). Unfortunately, my clinic didn't go over any of the side effects or anything with me until the day of chemo. If not for this group and other survivors I've talked to I wouldn't have known about half of it and how to prepare until I had already had my first infusion. Best of luck and feel free to ask any questions! 

JellyK, Vent all you want.  We are here to support each other.  I hope you can get soem rest this weekend and kick that dang cold.

Vanessa, Welcome, but sorry you have to join us!  I start next week too.  I begin on Friday.  I won't have Taxol, but will have Taxotere and Cytoxan.  I am making sure to have a lot of the things on the list there on hand.  I also am planning on bringing cold packs and bags of ice in a small cooler to ice my hadns and feet to help ward off neuropathy and hopefully save my nails.  My MO okayed it, which made me glad.

I had my long hair cut short yesterday too! It is spikey & funky.

I still don't have a chemo start date, week of 23rd but don't know the day.

Have been reading but wanted to officially join today. Chemo #1 complete this morning, nothing really to write home about. My husband of 20 years kept me laughing by joking around with the nurses. Went to lunch afterwards and felt fine to eat then promptly came home and crashed for a 2hr nap (suspect the Ativan) Got up and although not nauseous per se, could NOT talk about a grocery list my husband was putting together. When he said the word 'salad dressing' i told him to please stop talking. He left for the store, I took my first phenergan and within 20 minutes called him, was ready to talk about food again and give him my list;).



I am a fitness professional and own my own yoga studio in our small town and I struggle with the hope of maintaining some activity so that I can still teach and have the mind and body energy to train my clients over the next few months. Luckily I have a Great network of supportive teacher friends who are jumping in and offering to teach some classes and workshops to help me keep paying my rent. I am also a runner and had major concerns about exercising while on A/C ...a board certified oncology naturopath told me nothing more than walking so as to not stress the heart, my own MO said just don't pick up any new activity I've never done before . We sought out a 2nd opinion about chemo options from the breast cancer oncology guru at OHSU in Portland...( AC-T DD for 16 weeks or TAC every 3 wks for 18 wks) in the end 2 less weeks made the difference for me. His opinion was ...do not just get lazy and stop moving. When I feel yucky and not like exercising to get out there and do it more. He said and i quote....go wrestle an alligator, go train for a race, go scuba diving, work on getting my bench press up...that really I have no limitations. It helped hearing him motivate me...although no way on the alligator! So We shall see. Thank you for letting me be a part. I hope to do my best to keep up with you wonderful ladies and share my own journey too!