September 2013 Chemo Group

Wow! Lots of catching up to do!

Mamastewart, I hope everyone is feeling better and that your weekend is going well.

Hockeymom, Yahoo that AC is done. I ope the side effects are minimal and disappear soon.

Viji, I hope the buzz goes well.

Soccermom, I like the devotional. I hope you are adapting to the buzz. I have gotten so used to my wig, I almost went to bed with it on last night! I was in bed before I realized it!

Vintagegal, Congrats on 40 years, that's awesome! I am sure the tattoo is pretty cool too!

Peacockgirl, I hope you are feeling better. I am not sure about the rads question since i had BMX, but when options were presented, I know if I chose lumpectomy, rads were a package deal with that.

LisaSp, Congrats on finishing our last infusion. I hope you are feeling better and better every day and enjoying knowing you won't get knocked down again.

Knizo1, Glad the tumor is shrinking. I hope this round is easier. The last one sounds scary!

Batcatlady, 3/4 done! The light at the end of the tunnel is brighter! I hope the SEs are mild.

Mills91, Glad you are feeling better and that LGFB went well. Mine was a bust since I was the only one there, but I did learn some things, and am enjoying the make up. I don't usually wear much, but it has been fun trying new things.

As for me, TC2 was Friday, and all has gone well. Last time SEs hit later, so we'll see! It was perfect weather here today so I went for a 5 mile walk...does wonders for my mood!!!!!! I am hoping when my hair grows in I cam get it styled and colored like my wig...I really do love it. Is that crazy to say??? I ope everyone is having a fabulous weekend! If Penn State can find a way to beat Michigan, it will be even more fabulous.

Wow! Lots of catching up to do!

Mamastewart, I hope everyone is feeling better and that your weekend is going well.

Hockeymom, Yahoo that AC is done. I ope the side effects are minimal and disappear soon.

Viji, I hope the buzz goes well.

Soccermom, I like the devotional. I hope you are adapting to the buzz. I have gotten so used to my wig, I almost went to bed with it on last night! I was in bed before I realized it!

Vintagegal, Congrats on 40 years, that's awesome! I am sure the tattoo is pretty cool too!

Peacockgirl, I hope you are feeling better. I am not sure about the rads question since i had BMX, but when options were presented, I know if I chose lumpectomy, rads were a package deal with that.

LisaSp, Congrats on finishing our last infusion. I hope you are feeling better and better every day and enjoying knowing you won't get knocked down again.

Knizo1, Glad the tumor is shrinking. I hope this round is easier. The last one sounds scary!

Batcatlady, 3/4 done! The light at the end of the tunnel is brighter! I hope the SEs are mild.

Mills91, Glad you are feeling better and that LGFB went well. Mine was a bust since I was the only one there, but I did learn some things, and am enjoying the make up. I don't usually wear much, but it has been fun trying new things.

As for me, TC2 was Friday, and all has gone well. Last time SEs hit later, so we'll see! It was perfect weather here today so I went for a 5 mile walk...does wonders for my mood!!!!!! I am hoping when my hair grows in I cam get it styled and colored like my wig...I really do love it. Is that crazy to say??? I ope everyone is having a fabulous weekend! If Penn State can find a way to beat Michigan, it will be even more fabulous.

Hi Lovely ladies So good to be back. I wanted to ask a couple of questions please? My throat is still a bit sore and i have my 2nd round of TC on Tuesday. Should I be concerned? I also wanted to ask where do you buy a good wig from please? Lastly is the 2nd round different from the 1st. I did ok and if it will be the same I can handle it but a bit nervous it might be a lot harder. Thank you for your advice, wisdom, experience and courage. I couldn't do it without you all. K

Thanks so much KBee. I will eat more ice and have been doing the smoothies which have been wonderful. I think i am worried it will get worse but if it stays the same I can handle it so thank you for all the info it is so valuable. I am so glad you feel ok and I hope you have a smooth ride with this treatment and the rest. I will also check out the wigs. I still have my hair and am on the cold cap machine trial from Sweden so keeping my fingers crossed but still concerned it will fall out so want to be a bit prepared if possible. Can't wait to get through this time in my life and move on to be honest. Thank you so much again. K

Peacockgirl, I'm having the same struggle with the decision about rads - I am so uncertain about the risk vs. benefit. I'm told because of the size of my tumor and the presence of malignancy in my lymph nodes, rads is on the menu, but I really REALLY don't want to do it. I'm concerned with lung issues, heart issues, thyroid issues, skin issues...uch. And that doesn't even count the 5 weeks worth of leaving work for 2 hours every day and the copays every day and the lying with my arm above my head for 30 minutes (prior shoulder surgery is going to make that next to impossible). I'm supposed to have another consult once it's closer (I finish chemo in January), so maybe I'll have more info then, but for right now it's looming a procedure I don't feel good about on any level. Unfortunately I don't have any info for you, just a fist in the air in solidarity, lol.

FMG: Congratulations on being done with chemo. I am really happy to be putting this phase of treatment behind me. I feel so fortunate to be out of the chemo woods.

NO MORE CHEMO!!! <happy dance>

I have found that my fatigue level dramatically increased with tx 3 and 4. Now I'm about a week out from chemo, no SEs to speak of EXCEPT ridiculous fatigue. Yesterday I tried to have a fairly normal day (running errands, taking my daughter for a haircut, shopping, new glasses, dropping off a prescription). I came home feeling like I had run a marathon!

I had to lie down for about two hours to recover and dose up on ibuprofen. Maybe it was the Neulasta but I was aching all over. Wow. Makes me wonder how to get back to my prediadnosis levels of energy. One step at a time, I guess. Maybe physical therapy? I am going to start a gentle yoga class offered free by the wonderful cancer support center near me so I guess that will help.

PeacockGirl and JellyK, I start rads at the end of the month. Since I had a lumpectomy, I've pretty much understood that they go hand in hand. Frankly, I've heard it is SO much easier than chemo, at least in terms of SEs.

My feeling is that I want to do all that is recommended to me in order to insure this cancer never comes back. I know there are serious SEs possible as my tumor was on the left side but I have to hope for the best and know that I need to do what's right so I be here for a good many years, particularly for my little girl.

May everyone have a good and restful holiday weekend.

Wow - you ladies have been chatty! LOL

I'm sorry for everyone feeling down, either physically or mentally, or both.

I had my last AC infusion Thursday. I came home and slept for four hours! The nausea never really hit me too bad, so maybe that was the key? I felt a little yucky Friday and yesterday, but was still able to eat (although nothing tasted right). I started in with the body aches (and I agree with whoever talked about the full/sore lymph node feeling) - I guess from the Neulasta. I am taking Claritin so it's not too bad. Yesterday my daughter had a big softball tournament - they played five games starting at 9am and ending at 10:30pm. Luckily we had a few hours in the afternoon of down time so I could take a nap...I never thought I would make it through all that but I did! Luckily the weather was perfect. Unfortunately I was up at 5am this morning with an upset stomach and diahrrea. I haven't had that before... usually it's the opposite, so it caught me off guard. Good thing today is a lazy Sunday!

About radiation - I feel the same way as 70charger. The thought of rads doesn't bother me at all, even though I've always heard you didn't need rads with a bilateral mx. I want to do whatever I can to get rid of this so I never have to go through all this again. And I've heard that after chemo, radiation is a breeze (other than fatigue). I hope so!

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend, and has a good week. If you're headed to the chemo bar this week, good luck!

I'm headed to Dallas on Thursday to meet with my surgeon. She wants to see me halfway through my chemo to check my progress, and also we'll meet with a plastic surgeon to discuss reconstruction options. Tuesday is my & hubby's anniversary, so we're going to spend the night Wednesday and go to a casino, just for some fun. Hopefully I'll be feeling good!

KBee- so very interesting about the hair thing! I am a researcher -hence the career change to the science department. I wonder if periodic times of compression would make the hair less likely to fall out? My stubble quit falling out once I buzzed it all the way down (but did it really matter because I had hardly any hair anyway). It is still weird though. It will come out if I take a lint roller to it, though. The new growth is about half the thickness of the old hair. It's all like baby hair. I don't know if I would call it grey now, but maybe super light blonde like it was when I was a kid. Maybe you do get your "kid hair" back sometimes. I guess, we will see what 4 more treatments will do to it!

Radiation: I was told that if I had a lumpectomy I would have to do rads so that is 90% of the reason behind me choosing a bilateral mx. I don't want to do rads. My mom died from side effects of rads. It is very rare but with my being "weird side effect girl" (and apparently my mom, too) I don't want anything to do with it. Of course she had lung cancer, it was 21 years ago, and she shouldn't' even have gotten issues in her body where she did, but it still just terrifies me. With the advances in medical technology I would say that many of the issues that she faced have been resolved. Can you ask for specifics on numbers? My surgeon is the one who gave me numbers and it was only a 2% difference of reoccurance with a bilateral mx with rads versus without. My onc said he would be okay with me not having rads if it came back with no trace of cancer in my chest wall, and they didn't think it was attached since the tumor was able to be moved around; it wasn't' fixed in place. If it came down to it and they decided that I did need to have it done I would though. No matter how much it terrifies me. I just want the best chance to be here for as long as I can. for my kids.

I'm finally starting to feel a bit better. I had a stomach bug yesterday (again-the second one this round!) I am just ready to get started on round three with less side effects/issues this time and maybe the chemo will destroy this cold bug (haha I can hope, right?!) I hope everyone is doing and staying well!

I've noticed some brown spots in the palms of my hands. Like change in pigmentation. Anybody else?

Hating chemo right now too! Round 3 isn't as physically as bad as 1 (no Neulasta pain so far, knock on wood), but I can barely move from the bed/couch. SO freakin tired. My limbs feel like lead. I thot I was tired before but this is overpowering, yesterday & today. Also some tummy troubles but nothing terrible. It's depressing tho, this roller coaster. Round 2 felt easier, like I'd gotten the hang of it & I hoped the rest would be like that. Oh well. Cannot WAIT till this is done!!!

Huzzah for those who ARE done So glad for you ladies!!!

I know this probably belongs in the surgery group, but I just wanted to ask a quick question to those who have had bilateral mx: will I have drains on both sides if I am only having armpit lymph nodes removed from one side?

Hi Ladies, I was in the hospital for a couple of days. Last Wednesday, WCB count was at 0, liver count was too high, had a fever of 101.7, was admitted, stayed in a isolation room and given antibiotics through my port for several days to ward off infections. TCH kicked my a##. MO is going to adjust my chemo. I will be meeting with my MO this week to go over all my vitamins to see if anything could have made my liver counts high. I am starting to feel a little like myself and asking myself how can I do this again next week?

Mamastewart- I wonder if the muscle pain/weakness is the Taxotere. That is one of the side effects I have had, which, for me, seems to usually hit on days 4-8. Whatever it is, I hope it gets better. On the drain question, I also had drains on both sides. Just one on each side for me...thankfully.

ML40- How scary! I am glad that you are home now, and I hope you are continuing to recover.

70charger- Sorry your dinner was ruined. We don't have Thanksgiving until next month, but DH did make a turkey dinner last night just to use one that we had in the freezer. After about the 4th time he asked about whether something needed more seasoning, I kind of snapped and yelled, "it all tastes like pond water to me; why do you keep asking me?!?!?!" Both Thanksgiving and Christmas will be timed so that the food tastes rotten......I suppose the silver lining is that soon after those holidays, I will be done.

Batcatlady- Round 2 on Friday started out the same as round 1 for me, and was pretty easy, but last night I felt like I got hit by a truck. So far today is a little better. I hope today is a little better for you too.

Viji- Agree!!!!

Alfranco- Last AC today for you!!! Happy the last infusion of the AC phase will be done in a few hours. I hope the side effects are minimal.

I felt great from Friday (infusion #2) until last night. I felt rotten and flu-like then. Today I am feeling a bit more like myself, though the abdominal pain and back pain are kicking in a little from time to time. I am going to try and go to get a couple things done at work for a few hours, and then do some more work from home. Hoping for minimal and manageable side effects for all heading to the chemo bar today.

ML40- glad you are doing better.

KBee- I don't know if it is from the Taxotere or not. I am on day 19 since my last treatment! If it is just hitting now, I am going to assume it is going to stick around for awhile I posted on the Taxotere page that I just found so hopefully they will have some answers. I am just hoping that it doesn't get any worse.

My, we are all on the down wagon today, huh? Must be the course of things. I was crying this morning too. I feel the same as you soccermom. I feel like I have been consumed by all this and not spending enough time with my kids. I know I have been, my middle kiddo has been acting out a whole lot lately I was just thinking this morning after spending the last couple days looking into surgery that maybe I should just skip the whole reconstruction thing right now. As much as I would hate that, I feel like I owe it to my kids because this is taking away so much from them and I don't want them to have to deal with a mom who is in an out of surgeries for who knows how long and they can't sit on my lap or play with me... I am all they have so maybe I am just going to have to kiss my breasts goodbye for a decade or so. And now I am crying again