September 2013 Chemo Group

mamaStewart - at the very least I would call your MO. I can understand you not being up to going in with three kiddos tagging along, but maybe explain that and see what they say? {hugs} Are you running a fever?

Mamastewart, It is definitely worth a call to your MO. maybe you can get an antibiotic called in. You do not want to end up in the hospital.

LHL, It sounds like you have an incredible surgical team. They will get whatever is left from that tumor...and then some. I remember the confidence my surgeons talked with after my surgery...about getting everything with clear margins...it gave me so much confidence. I can say with complete honesty that I would rather have the BMX every three weeks than chemo. The drains were annoying, but I was lucky and had an easy time with surgery, and my recovery was a breeze.

My labs have finally been drawn...think neutrophils, neutrophils, neutrophils.......c'mon marrow!!!!!!!! They are very nice at the hospital, but I want to go home!!!!!!!!!!

lighthouse!

Are you going to have mastectomy ? They were trying to shrink it before that I'm guessing...so when they remove it all you will feel better. I had bilat. mastectomy and felt relieved that 'it' was out of me...I live in Dallas area...where do you go?

So sorry for all of those that are sick or have sick kiddos! KBee, I'm betting your counts will skyrocket today! LHL, hoping your daughter rebounds and you don't get the germs. Mamastewart, let us know what the MO says and take care of yourself.

Congrats to everyone done with chemo!! The thread starter, BabeRuth, should be over a week out of chemo too - hope all is well!!

I'm doing ok on the 9th round of taxol, trying to nap my way through a busy week. My grandfather (88) passed last week. Wake was yesterday, funeral today, burial tomorrow. Mole removal tomorrow also. Wednesday drive 300 miles for Thursday morning genetic counseling, then home. Friday chemo again. Whew.

I shared at the wake yesterday my last memory of my grandpa. It was my first appointment at the cancer center and I walked in alone and there he was, smiling at me. He had the blood disorder Robin Roberts had, along with major heart issues, and they were monitoring him but not treating the blood. Anyway, it was a complete coincidence that he was there. And when he got up to leave, so so slowly, my mom tried to help him and he said no thanks, I'll walk out of here on my own, and so will you (to me).

Lighthouse, thanks for the tips on the AC. I live 2 hours from where I get my treatments up a windy mountain, so I'll be sure to be taking anti-nausea meds before I get in the car to get home. When I asked my MO if I be able to make it home okay, she said she "thought" so....

Lighthouse, I've also been out there on that ledge with you thinking about the "what ifs" over the past couple weeks in particular as I try to come to grips with the statistics for my particular kind and stage of triple neg. bc. It's really had me down some days. I can also still feel my tumor although it's less than 1/3 the size it was in the beginning. We both have quite a few weeks of chemo left to go, so maybe our tumors will disappear completely by then.....we can hope. I also keep telling myself that if I don't get a pCR, all is not lost. I also tend to agree with the comment that rouge cells might be more vunerable to chemo than the cells in the center of the tumor. I could go on and on about the pros and cons of neoadjuvant therapy...

Here's how much hair I have after 10 weeks of taxol.....I know it will all be gone next month with I start AC, but I was surprised (and so was my MO last week) that I was able to keep it this far. It's a lot thinner than it looks in the picture, but it's there!

knightzoo - That's an awesome memory of your grandfather!!! I'm so sorry for your loss. :-( I need to hit up GNC.... haven't made it there yet. Maybe I can sneak out later when hubby gets home. I'm already going stir crazy and it's only day one of sick little girl at home. LOL Thanks for pointing that out about scar tissue. I had read that, but forgot. I like to think that this lump still inside me is dying and dead cancer, not shrinking but still alive cancer. :-)

simplelifeforreal - You should be fine on your way home. The chemo nurses actually told me that I would feel "good" for a day or two and then the yuckiness would hit. I know someone else on here (can't remember who) always hit the magical 3 hour mark right along with me. I would definitely take meds as soon as you get home, if not before. WOW on your hair!!! :-)

So I'm starting to read up on surgery stuff. Not necessarily the technical, but the stuff you won't learn from the doctors. (Basically reading other women's experiences). I'm already starting to freak. I'm not big on pain (and I'm in for a lot of it), I'm not big on messy medical stuff (this will definitely be that), I'm not big on myself naked (can't imagine how I'll feel after this)..... Ugh. I just don't like to think about any of it. I wish I could stick my head in the sand and just keep it there until surgery. But I know I need to plan and be prepared.

Knighthzoo-sorry about your loss.

I am in the process of getting my 4th A/C now. Just finished the last of Adriamycin. Woo hoo! I feel relieved that I am done with that poison. Finishing up w/ Cytoxan now. I am half way there. Hope to be ready to take on the Taxol in 2 weeks.

Hope everyone who is feeling down and sick starts feeling better soon. I have been trying to get over a head cold for a week now. Kind of hard when kids come home sick and want to snuggle and cough all over me. But can't turn them away. I love my babies.

hi srmill, also going for my 4th ac on wednesday and the last yahoo, then onto taxol for 12 treatments one per week, yikes cant wait to get rid if this taste in my mouth, rinsing with magic rinse or club soda helps some, but its this sluggish feeling i have everyday. So fromwhat igathered taxol should be a little easier except for aches on the joints etc... Anyway bonne chance! Good luck.

simple life. Your onco can Rx a rinse that has lidocaine in it, otherwise a lot of women just make a baking soda and salt in some water....and rinse

Oh no peacockgirl! I was hoping it was just me that couldn't seem to handle taxol/neulasta. I guess in a weird way it's reassuring that I'm not the only one with the "bone crushing pain". I'm a day ahead of you and feeling slightly better, so hopefully today will be your last awful, painful day. I'm still hurting and taking meds, but not feeling as incapacitated as I was over the weekend.

The magic mouthwash is basically maalox, liquid benadryl and lidocaine. So if you want to try something yourself, make it without the lidocaine. I've found that it did nothng for the awful taste/mouth coating, but after using it diligently for several days my mouth sore tends to go away. At least that's the plan since my one and only mouth sore is currently back and hurting my tongue!!!

LOL Wing - nothing like adding something else to this fun journey, huh? Hope the new job is working out well for you. As for taxol, my biggest complaints are pain and fatigue, both of which I hear are not as extreme on the weekly dose. And I'm with you, even with as much as I'm hurting, I'd rather be in pain than be feeling completely YUCK. Even when I was feeling good on AC, there was still an underlying "icky" factor that never quite went away. There is none of that on taxol, thank God.

Kbeee - How's things in the hospital tonight?

I forget the theory behind painting nails. I have painted mine a dark color both times (fingers and toes, purple the first time and navy blue this time). I leave the color on for a few days, then take it off and put on a coat of Nutrinail nail strengthener until my next treatment. I have had zero nail issues so far other than a little soreness the first day or two. I've heard of some women having their nails loosen from the beds and even turn black and fall off. Ick! Not sure if what I'm doing is keeping my nails intact or if I'm just lucky, but I hope it lasts for another month! :-)

I forgot to mention the little ray of sunshine that happened with Taxol #1, they *reduced* my pre infusion steroids by almost 2/3 the dose! 25 mg became 8mg. Wow I can really feel the difference too. No crazy high and low mood swings this weekend. (normally I'd deal with horrible rageful thinking to uncontrollable crying jags...) Thankfully, Neulasta pain seems to be subsiding today....have survived on Tylenol, yesterday is just a blurr with every 6 hours doses of oxycodone. So super sleepy too but it makes sense because I don't have so many steroids jackin' me up.

Oh duh..I did mention the steroid change 2 pages back. Thanks chemo brain.