Starting Chemo, November 2013 Group

I went back looking at older posts and it looks like plumbread had her treatment on Friday but has not checked in here after the treatment. I hope all is well with you and you are just getting a good rest after your treatment. Please let us know how it went. I 'am thinking about you.

Thank you ellenkc, dellanok and lissy2304 for keeping us up to date with your first treatments. I really appreciate the info about how it went for you and what drugs you got.

Dexamethasome is working but still completely wiped out. Lost 4# over the weekend. I plan on calling my MO tomorrow to see what she thinks is going on. I thought they really were suppose to have the nausea/vomiting thing covered with our treatment. Hope and praying you all have a more calm 1st cycle.

My head is spinning......I'm scheduled for Wednesday. ....I wanna just RUN!!!! I don't feel prepared in the least...my MD didnt refer me till there was  no time to even think about it. Had surgery and rad in sept...saw onco 1 1/2 weeks ago second opinion last week.....arggggggh... I wanna back out....

Paulette23 - I hope you feel reassured that 2 doctors recommended chemo. If you need more reassurance you can run your stats by cancermath.net and see how much benefit you will gain from going through with it. Keep your eyes on the prize!

paulette23, I agree: let's split. Where do you want to go? Me, maybe A small French Polynesian island. Let's pack our bikinis and sarongs and leave, today! Lay on the beach and drink fun cocktails. Okay, maybe just a mental voyage. Any of you other "starters for this week" want to check out?

I was always so turned off by the whole "pink warrior" stuff. Now, I'm getting it. My poor body has wounds already, and I have to march up to the front lines on Wednesday and take a bullet.

I have been dreading chemo but now that it is two weeks away I am having problems from my wound (the wound is what delayed my chemo) and now I am worried that I won't get to do chemo at all. I am grade 3 triple negative and the MO wanted chemo right away but there keep being complications and I am now 3 months post op. It is a strange feeling to be hoping that I still qualify for something that I am terrified to do.

Coming here to vent and listen to other experiences helps.

Wrenn, I've had the same worries as you about the delayed chemo. I finally gave up and stopped worrying about the chemo/cancer and realized we were focused on saving my life in the here and now from the threat of the infection, not some distant possible future threat. You don't know if you'll get a cancer recurrence, but you do know now that you've got a wound, and that has to heal. I know full well how disheartening the delays are. We just want to get this stupid train moving and get to our end of treatment destination as soon as possible. Hang in there!

Trying to show you what I got for $40. My wig has not arrived yet, so can not vouch for quality or comfort. I just hope it looks halfway decent with a hat on. I still can not believe that you can get a full head of hair for 40. I will get a decent wig once I am sure I can put up with the itchiness.

PatAlameda - your cranial prosthesis looks really great! So do blondes really have more fun? I have not checked with my insurance yet, but they are supposed to pay something for it. I went to the wig shop and the stuff I liked there was $700, so it would be really nice if insurance would pick up even $200.

Hi November Chemo group!

I wish you all a very good week, free from anxiety, pain, and SE.

This is my first time posting here. My name is Denise and my BMX was 9/13.

Due to complications with my drains, infection, and a second surgery. my chemo has been postponed 5 times. My newest date is November 26, but I still have 2 drains and stitches, so I am not banking on that.

Wrenn, sounds like we are in the same boat.

Welcome Denise! So sorry that you have had complications. You must be sick of drains by now.

I was never much into primping and prepping, but it looks like I will have to start now. My 13yo sons first question after hearing about the BC was - will you really loose your hair (followed by - will I still get breakfast). So I will give the wig a try because of him. I want to try to get to the "Look good, feel good" class just to learn how to draw on the eyebrows. I have seen how some ladies do a really nice dramatic eye make up and a bold lip color and a bald noggin.

PatAlameda -Boo for your friend who would not let you be Malibu Barbie, we need some fun in our misery. Can you get a cheap Malibu Barbie wig just to mess with her?

Welcome and congratulations. Finally some good news. I hope it goes well. You sound determined so I'm sure it will. :-)

Welcome quirkyGirl, I hope your wound will heal completely and that you can start chemo as planned. I'll be right there with you with the menopause and hot flashes.

Ellen - I just looked up the distance between Denver and Pueblo, is it really 1hr 45min? I know getting the best care is worth the long drive but that is a long drive for one shot. I wish there was someone closer who could give you the shot (a friend or primary care office). I should not be complaining at all with my 1 hr drive, but I will have to deal with snow here by the lake Ontario.

Yogagal will start her treatment tomorrow, wishing her minimal SE.

In the past few weeks I have learned how precious life is! A person always thinks they know that life is precious but until they hear their doctor speak those three words, “you have cancer”, you truly don’t know.I feel truly blessed for all the people I have in my life supporting me.There is no good time to hear the news but I feel like I am in such a great place in my life, I am complete.People are always asking, how are you doing?How do you answer that question? I have thought long and hard.Imagine you are at the gym. You are on the tread mill running and when you look around the whole gym is running on the treadmill and slowly one by one they are pushing their “stop” buttons because they have reached their limit. I am starting to feel tired, the stress is unbelievable and as I look down to push my “stop” button so that I can catch my breath I realize that it is not there, I don’t have a “stop” button. My only choice is to keep running!I realize that I can do this, I have no choice. So instead of pushing a “stop” button, I hit the increase speed button and push forward.As I look up again I realize that I am in a marathon that is full of obstacles, my journey is difficult but I see a finish line ahead! There is no time to be weak, no time to feel sorry for myself. I will literally pour all of my blood sweat and tears into this obstacle.So the next time you ask how I am, believe me when I say I am good. Failure is not an option!

hi everyone! I am so far behind any of you in knowledge of preparation to be getting this thing on Wednesday . I didn't find out until last week the certainty that I would even receive chemo. My surgeon waited until well after my surgery to even set up an appointment for me. I feel lost and petrified and I will not be able do you get anything done. Sorry to hear of problems healing. My biggest situation was a seroma the size of a baseball under my armpit. They did not answer any trains for me so we had to manually compress it multiple times daily for about 6 weeks before it finally subsided and didn't reoccur. it was very painful! I have finally gotten to the point that my incisions have totally healed! Now I have to play catch up as I start chemo! Fun times! And yes I would love to go to the island and lay in a hammock drinks all day long!