September 2013 Chemo Group

ML40: What a scare! Hope the D clears up soon and you continue to feel better.

KJ: Thanks! I'm in the quiet before the storm period, the storm being my last round of T/C tomorrow. Thankfully I can see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

knightzoo: That's awful. I sure hope power gets restored soon; that storm is just what you didn't need. I can't imagine your frustration.

LisaSp: So happy for you that it is your last infusion! I hope this one brings minimal to no side effects and that you feel better and better each day so that you can be done, done, done with this part! I am looking forward to January when I'll be there, but it seems so far away!

ML40: That is scary! Even in a double blind study, where neither you nor the doctor know which you are taking, you should have been issued a study number in case of emergency (I am for my clinical trial; I have to keep the card with me at all times) and from that information, they should be able to find out exactly what you were given from the drug manufacturer. It is definitely information you will want for future reference as far as drug allergies go. I am glad that you are doing better, and I hope the D resolves soon.

kjsimpson: I haven't heard of that...sounds interesting.

Well this is by far my busiest week of the year at work. I will be working lots of hours and then will go in for chemo #2 on Friday. Not sure how much time I'll get on here, depending on how tired I am when I get home and get the kids fed and from place to place (DH is out of town until Thursday). The good thing is that the week should fly by...a good thing these days.

Shalimar-how are you doing? Are you feeling better yet?

mfm - I am sure he says you are welcome! He is also an EMT in the emergency room at Fairfax Hospital and a full-time student at George Mason - he is a busy one!

Looks like my furlough is ending. Called back to work in the morning. Wondering how long that will last, though. Funny how things work out. Saved some sick leave last week thanks to the shutdown.

knightzoo, I hope you get electricity soon. Stay warm.

Everybody, stay healthy this week!

quick update-we did get power late today. Will catch up on everyone tomorrow!

knightzoo - Yay for power! You must be relieved. I'm glad you didn't have any major issues (from chemo) while you were/are snowed in. How are you feeling?

kjsimpson - Yay for back to work. Maybe? LOL

soccermomof4 - I'm sorry about the hair. I will say that I was the WORST as far as dreading it. I think it was even harder for me because I tried cold caps for my first two treatments with no luck. So here I was working hard and paying a ton of money to try to keep my hair and I still lost it. It sounds crazy, but it's true what they say (at least for me) - the thought of being without it & actually losing it are way worse than after it's gone. I have a few hats, use bandanas and wear my wig to work & appointments. It's really not a big deal. Do I love it? Heck no, but looking in the mirror doesn't make me want to cry, and I had NO CLUE I would feel like this. LOL

ML40 - So sorry about the scare! That's awful!! I remember back when I was first diagnosed, before I started treatment, I passed out cold in the shower. Freaked my hubby out! I think mine was a combination of stress and low blood pressure. Whatever it is, that kind of thing is scary!

LisaSP - CONGRATS on your last trip to the "bar" today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woohooo!!!!

I've had an extremely busy 5+ days. Honestly, I've been going, going, going like I'm not a cancer patient. And even though I have been feeling great the last week or so, I have to try to remember that I *am* a cancer patient. Between working and errands and appointments and football and softball for my kids, I've been non-stop since Wednesday. Saturday we had 2 softball games & a football game, and yesterday my daughter had 3 softball games. Thankfully the weather was much better yesterday - sunny and beautiful fall day. Saturday it was miserably wet, windy and rainy. I was crashed out on my couch last night by 9:30..... so exhausted. I'm at work today, then my son has an allergy appt, and then another softball game tonight. I wonder what it's like to have nothing to do? LOL

Hello ladies glad to hear everyone is holding their own and hanging in there. Stepped up to the chemo bar this am for the second time, taxol. Waiting for the hair to start dropping, nothing yet. Had a reduced dose of benadryl this time, 25mg instead of 50mg, went much smoother - no reactions this time. Hoping the hand/foot syndrome doesn't return as it did last week; leftovers from Xeloda. Been icing hand/feet during infusion - cold! Hope it works.

Knightzoo: Glad you got power back. Hope you stayed warm and didn't lose any food.

LisaSP: Yea for last infusion, here's to finishing and wishing very minor SE's!

ML40: How scary for you and your family. I hope things are getting better for you and going forward will be less stressful and on track.

Mankatostate: How are you doing with #3? I am back to work today, but have followup appt this afternoon with surgeon, so it's good that it's a short day. I am still weak. Symptoms didn't seem as strong, but maybe lasting longer. I felt a bit achy, not sure if that was total from Neulasta shot or if it's still coming. With #2 it hit me that Monday, which would be today... Started feeling symptoms on Friday, and Sat and Sun basically just laid around. I've been working on mouth rinses so bad taste hasn't been as strong. Hope you are coming through mildly.

Wishing everyone a smooth week!

SoccerMom do you go for your second round tomorrow? I think we are on the same schedule?

I convinced my mom to join the boards! I told her how helpful and loving the community is and today she posted for the first time in the October chemo group. So if you are over there, send Bellyboo some love. She goes for her second dose of AC on Wednesday which will take some courage as the SEs from #1 were a little rough. http://community.breastcancer.org/member/189525/profile

vintagegal - Yes, I am heading up tomorrow afternoon. That is great you are feeling good!! I have had alot of good days too, since last tues. I have done pretty well once I got over the nausea. Hopefully we'll have another good experience after this one!

kjsimpson - my husband went back to work today too. I asked him tonight if he had a bunch of catching up to do, but I guess since all the other civilians were out too, he really didn't. Not sure what the active duty folks in his office were doing while he was gone, lol! Glad you are feeling well and didn't have to use any leave last week!

It's so nice to hear the stories of the tumors shrinking. Even though mine has been removed, it is a relief to know that this stuff will seek and destroy any wayward cancer cells that may have wandered out undetected.

Cougarlicious, when are they scheduling the induction for that sweet baby of yours?

I had LGFB class yesterday. I do like the big bunch of make up. I was in tears when I got there though. They told me the wrong place, so that place sent me somewhere else, and they in turn sent me to a 3rd place. No one seemed to know where it was, and no one answered the phone when I called. It was finally at the third place, but big time PMS caught up with me and I was in tears when I got there. The other 4 people registered never showed up, so it was just me. I felt like a clown coming out, because I do not normally wear that much make up, but I wiped a little off in the car, and then the rest looked nice. Had my PMS migraine tonight, so I know it's coming. I too was hoping for chemopause, but the lack of hot flashes should have told me that I was not destined for that yet. It's every 3 weeks for me...just like my chemo, and seems like it again will be perfectly timed. Oh well, at least I get both blessings (curses?) out of the way at once. Off to work. Good day to all, and minimal side effects o all heading to the chemobar. I'll join you on Friday.

hockeymommy,

Good luck with Round 4. You can do it! Venting is a good thing. Get it out there, deal with it, then regroup and be stronger.

JellyK,

You are doing great! We can't be and do all things right now. There is a war going on inside our bodies and we need to win the war. The fatique battles are the sacrifices we make to win the war. KCA, soldier!! ;-)

SpecialK,

Yup, with so many of us furloughed last week there wasn't a whole lot of catching up to do. But, this is our busy time of year (I'm in finance). Lots to do and the lady I work with suddenly retired last week (interesting timing) with only 8 days notice to my boss. Yowser! I'm glad for the distraction of being back at work. Appreciated those saved sick leave days too since I'll be cutting it really close come January when I'll need 3+ weeks for surgery recovery. Having a few hundred hours of sick leave seems like a decent buffer until this happened. I've used more sick leave in the last month than I normally use in an entire year.

Have a great day, Warriors!!