August 2013 Chemo Sisters

Oh, rayna ...I meant to say that is strange about the lumpectomy swelling. Mine is just shrinking as time goes on...and getting more puckered and holey. That doesn't sound very usual..is it that which is keeping you awake ? Is it fluid build up from the lymph node removal ? I would definitely get that checked out. I had two goes at the lumpectomy thing and at no stage was I told that swelling was a likely event after the initial surgical swelling. They would want to see me if that was a problem 4 months down the track.

Gashgold: Are you on T/C? I was just thinking that the feeling in your arms may be an allergic reaction. When I had my allergic reaction to the Taxotere it would start above my elbows and run up my neck til I couldn't breath, but it was a tingling feeling as well, I think you should call your onco and just tell them about it, just in case.

You're right about my LB, I find it odd that it still swells and its been 4 months but it definately is twice the size of the other one. I will phone the surgeon in the morning, just to check.



Lovewins: Congrats on the 6 hours of sleep, you must feel soooo good having that. You gave me a good idea, I live on an acerage and tomorrow I'm gonna go outside and scream at the top of my lungs, I think that would feel very good. Another idea I was gonna tell you is, yes when you get to your brothers you scream at the top of your lungs to and then when you have kicked this cancers ass and am cured you go out there again and take a helium balloon with you and release it into the air and watch it float away, that being the cancer leaving your body and life forever. Thats what I am going to do, maybe I'll get as many balloons as months that I had to live with this. Just an idea.

Love, Rayna

Cutie- Omg my constipation/hemorrhoids a couple weeks ago had been brutal...it was like I was giving birth every time I'd go to the restroom! For the roids I started taking a spoonful of blackstrap molasses and it definitely helped with the shrinking, much better than any OTC product. I was skeptical because I'm usually not a folksy remedy kind of person, but it helped so quickly (within a day) I knew it worked. For the constipation, I was taking Colace every day but my doc told me to try Miralax instead and she was right. Has been very helpful and now I don't dread potty time!

Cougarlicious- my chemo people asked before I started did I have morning sickness because it indicated how I'd react to chemo. I did have bad morning sickness for all three pregnancies...but so far, I've had a little nausea but not actually thrown up.

Good Morning to Everyone, 

Raynaj, what a wonderful article!  Thank you for sharing, I see myself doing, feeling and becoming much of what he described already.  What a lovely idea to release balloons when the battle is over! Send that crap and all the baggage that came with it packing!  I may have to borrow that idea!

Cougar, my Onc Nurse told me the same thing before my first chemo when I was so afraid of SE and for the most part it has been the same as morning sickness for me.  I was/am just nauseated early in the day little bit of oatmeal for breakfast and then nibbling on almonds or crackers until dinnertime when I can at least eat a light meal.

I am still struggling and trying to find a solution to the constipation that happens after treatments for me.  I will talk to Onc next Monday, hopefully he can give me some advice. I have to say that my previous attempts have left me disliking the taste of prune anything now, there has to be another solution.

Gavinsgrandma, yes to the eyes!  Yesterday they were watery all day, today I woke with my right literally plastered shut.  I needed to hold warm washcloth on them for several minutes to pry them apart.  I assumed that I was losing eyelashes and maybe I had a cat hair in my eye since the cat sleeps on my head at night.

Wanted to share something , I was running into docs office yesterday to avoid the rain...suddenly I stopped, never felt rain drops on my bald head before, continued walking slowly in giggling to myself...

Hope you all have a peaceful day!

I love that about the raindrops! Sometimes we just have to enjoy a moment for what it is, right?



Cougar - chemo is a lot like pregnancy for me. I had morning sickness both times, not bad as I only vomited a couple of times, but the constant queasiness, having to eat something every two hours, craving salty foods, etc.



Well I am hallway through AC. :-). My tx yesterday went well. The nurse even told me that they had a new patient the other day (radiation maybe) from somewhere else and she did cold caps and didn't lose any hair. So that was encouraging. I do have to say that using the caps isn't bad at all, the cold didn't even bother me yesterday, but having to wear them so long after chemo (4.5 he's), by the time we get to the last few I am DONE!!! Hubby is exhausted as he's the one doing all the work, packing and unpacking, kneading then, checking the temps and changing them. They say it helps to wear a cap straight out of your freezer a couple times a week between chemo tx, but I honestly can't bring myself to put them on because I get so sick of the whole process. LOL



Talking about sleep... I slept for TWELVE hours last night!!!! Went to bed at 9:45, hubby woke me when he came to bed to give me my meds, I woke up at 5 and took more and then slept until 10am!!! I haven't slept that much since I was diagnosed. I still feel really, really tired today. More tired than i was after the first tx. The queasiness kicked in right around the 3 hr mark after treatment again, but the meds kept me from getting sick.



Thankfully hubby got the kids up and ready and dropped off at school so I could just sleep this morning. Lucky that he's the boss so missing work isn't a problem. :-)

Hello all. Getting mentally ready for chemo #3 on Monday. I found that while the SEs were still not so bad, and there were no new ones, the fatigue lasted longer.



I have had constipation at the beginning of every new round, LHL. What has helped me is a combo of things, Colace and Optifiber (2 tsps) in my coffee every morning, high fiber cereal, several stewed prunes (warm), and a walk right after. Plus I drink lots of fluid everyday. I have to have all of those things, just one alone isn't enough.



Also under the main thread of Chemotherapy - Before, During and After, there is a thread on this discussion board on constipation called "CONSTIPATION- problem with so many of our drugs." It's great and I've marked it as one of my favorite topics.

Gashgold and Rayna, After my lumpectomy and node surgery, I had to go in twice to have fluid removed from under my arm. It didn't hurt because I'm numb, but they took 16 ounces off all together. I felt like a ball was under my arm. Now, it's pretty much normal.

Whoa Rayna, I hope my breast doesn't swell to twice its size. I would have to use a sling! I will make sure I get plenty of sleep.

Gashgold, I have my second chemo Tuesday. I hope I don't get more nauseous than the first time. I know better than to eat fat, at least. I don't know what I am going to plan to eat, but it definitely is going to be light for a couple of days.

Itsmyjob and Rayna, I am about to join you in that rain experience. My hair is falling out by the tons now. I have it cut very short, so it's not too much trouble. I wear a cap to sleep and dump it out in the morning. Last night, I was too lazy to go upstairs and get it so I slept nude-headed. Is that a term? My pillow was a mess. I made my headband with hair today. I put double-faced tape on a black elastic band, stuck the hair on, folded it over and zig-zagged it together. It worked very well. Now, I can wear that under my hats and scarves and won't feel so naked. I used to have dreams that I was naked out in public and couldn't find a place to hide. I guess that was a premonition of things to come. Naked head.

I will go back and read the articles after posting this. I had to copy and paste, and didn't want to lose what I had written.

I didn't have to work today, but had to go to school for grandparent's day. My Chelby took me all over the school showing me the library, her classroom, the lunchroom, etc. What she didn't remember is that I sub there!!! I let her show me every last corner of the school. She was happy. I went out to go to her school at 1:00 only to find that my husband had taken my car and a granddaughter had the other one. I walked. It took 25 minutes, so I just counted that as my nightly walk.

Have a good night, everyone. I feel guilty that I've felt so well for the past week when so many don't feel well. After Tuesday, I'll be on that list, but hopefully not worse than the first time. We'll see.

I've been feeling fairly ok for the past few days, so I've been seeing friends, which is fantastic. I still can't use the computer for more than an hour or two so it confirms my decision to go on disability (at least the paperwork went thru immediately for that; one less thing to deal with).



It's totally lint-roller time -- my head is shedding worse than a long-haired dog in summer! I finally got my long hair cut off (saved the 2 big ponytails to make hairpieces later -- Sharon, very clever to make your own :-), but this pixie cut isn't going to last thru the weekend at this rate. The hair will either go or I'll shave it.



I made myself a sleep cap, & I'm going to make more hats for myself while I have the energy. Save a little money & get exactly what I like. A friend just sent me a lovely cap she knitted, which will be perfect when the weather changes, & another friend is making me a cloche. Gotta have a full wardrobe

Michelle - I did 4 rounds of AC and didn't have steroids. I just started Taxol today and I have to take steroids with that - only the night before and morning of treatment. My onco told me the steroids are used with Taxol to help avoid any allergic reaction. Lana

Sharon: What a great idea. You are so thrifty.

Love, Rayna

Rayna, when is your last infusum.? The mouth wash from the dr. I'm using it like 6 times. I'm glad your feeling better. Praying for all you ladies. We are strong, we can and will get through this. God bless

Everyone feeling better, hooray! Anyone dealing with SEs, hope they're over soon.



Yesterday was an odd day for me. I slept a ridiculous amount and I was so overcome with fatigue I couldn't even read or watch TV. It was depressing; I guess there are days we simply have to give ourselves a break.



I feel better today and more like myself. Sharonanne, I will keep you posted on what happens this week. Three quarters through on Monday!



Here is a new avatar of me wearing my Buff which I really love. Very comfortable; I wear it under hats, and alone around the house and as a sleep cap. They are expensive unfortunately but I asked for mine as a gift.

Has anybody had problems with vision?

Just checking in here... 2 days after chemo #2.  I'm still so much more tired than I was the first time around... sheesh.  I slept 12 hours Thursday night and from 8pm - 5am last night.  I'm still pretty queasy, too, but I'm not getting sick so I'll take it.  I even managed to go to my daughter's softball game this morning.  It was really hot, though, even at 10am, and I think I got overheated.  All I could do when I got home was lay down.  And finding something to eat that tastes good is really hard.  I'm back to water tasting yucky, too, so lemonade is on the menu!

Lisa - I love your buff.  I just ordered two on Amazon.  I hope to not need them obviously, but even with the cold caps, I can't wash my hair more than 2x a week and no blow drying, so bad hair days are the norm here!  I figure I could use one like a headband or something when there's nothing I can do with this mop!  LOL

My mom is flying in tonight.... hopefully she just mothers me and doesn't smother me!    Tomorrow is my son's football game in Dallas at Cowboys Stadium... hopefully I'm well enough to go!  He is so excited.