August 2013 Chemo Sisters

Good morning ladies, I am wide awake at 3:30 AM after taking my 5 steroids before bed last night, we leave about 5:30 AM to make our 3 hour journey to MO office in Carson City for Taxotere #2. My ANC was 1.4 with labs and they want a minimum of 1.5 but MO gave me the ok for Tx today but since my immunize system won't bounce back well enough I have to have a Neupogen shot 5day post Taxotere now, I hope it is not as bad as the Neulasta.

Cutiecool, good luck today with Tx and I hope your cold doesn't get you to bad, prayers your way❤️

I hope everyone having or had Tx this week has minimal SE'S and peaceful day.

Shary

Hello, is there anyone who is finished chemo and also had a port? How long after chemo did you get the port removed and how was it?

Anyone started who started rads cre to sure your experience.

I have been done with chemo for about 3 weeks. I still have my port but plan to get it out the Tues before Thanksgiving. I had to wait for my CT scan to come back alright before they said I could take it out. It came back yesterday alright so unless my radiologist has an issue it's coming out!

Cutiekool: I finished chemo Oct. 5 and got my port removed the week after. I made sure it was fine with my MO first, so out it went! It was kinda painful removing it but very quick and recovery was a breeze. It's still a bit sore where it used to be and there's a small lump there, but all is well.

I have now completed 15 of 33 rad tx. It has gone very smoothly and as expected, has been a breeze compared to chemo. I feel finally that the chemo has left my system. No more weird taste, bad stomach issues, sore mouth, dry mouth! My hair is growing back slowly, though a lot is white and fine.

Mankatostate, good luck starting rads and getting that port out! How's the hair doing?

And everyone else, big hugs and you can do it!

welcome Avoirgold, I am new to this group also, would of been so helpful to join when we were first diagnosed. Everyone is so supportive, informative, and dealing with the same frightening disease. It looks like we started chemo on the same day, everyone is different on the order, I had a lumpectomy, then chemo. Had I known how many lymph nodes were involved I might Have decided on a mastectomy. Survived 4 A/C now I am on my 3rd Taxol, I will have 4 total, dose dense. The bone pain seems so much worse this time, or have I just lost my resilience? Curious about who wants the port out ASAP and who is comfortable leaving it in...

Cutiekool, Naan/Julie made her transition about a month or so. The last we heard from her on this thread was that she had pneumonia. She earned her wings + has a restored body.

I pray all is well with each of you. I start Tamoxafin next week. I have a skin infection + am on an antibotic!!! I hope this thing clears up so I can have this tissue expander replaced on 11/25.

Apologies for the underlining; I don't know how to remove it.

God Bless!

Lisa-glad all is going well with rads and you can see hair growing back! I have my first rads tomorrow. Funny I am more worried about the half hour drive than rads its self. I hate driving and adding being tired, driving to a biger city , and most likely snow storms doesn't sound like fun at all. I have to keep reminding myself if I made it thru chemo I surely can make it thru driving for 5 weeks.

manko-I am starting rads as well! I wish I only had a half hour drive. For my initial consultations I have to drive at least an hour barring no traffic. Once I am set I am hoping to take a shuttle, but I will have to drive at least a half hour to get the shuttle. I think the time suck is going to be one of the more annoying thing about rads.

I hope everyone is doing well. I had a lot of hot flashes this weekend, plus constant neuropathy in my hands. I sometimes wonder if I will ever feel "normal" again.

What happened to everyone? I am starting to get hair again. It's not everywhere and it looks salt and pepper, but I am happy to get it back.

Praying everyone is doing well and that's why not that many posts lately. We'll I'm coming to the home stretch, Firday will be my Last chemo treatment. I never doubted that I would make it, it just seemed so far away. Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

Hugs and kisses to all.

Tanya, congrats on growing hair...I am looking forward to that.

Martha, I did not experience any neuropathy until my 3rd Taxol. Mine is dose dense so one treatment left. The bone pain has gotten worse, but my oncologist said stretching it out in 12 treatments makes it easier. She suggested that I do that for my last infusion since I have struggled with the pain, devide that last treatment into thirds. No, I am ready to be done. Black Friday I will have my last chemo...exciting...I hope you tolerate the Taxol without the neuropathy getting any worse. Happy Birthday early...good luck with the 2nd half...

A very Happy Thanksgiving to all of the Aug. chemo group...

I'm here, too!

I was supposed to get my right tissue expander replaced on Monday, 11/25. When I went to the oncologist on the 11/14 to be checked out + get my Tamoxafin prescription the doctor noticed a big red patch in the middle of my chest. I saw it before but it was not as pronounced or noticeable. It just seemed to flair up before the doctor's appt.

She thought it might be cellulitis + gave me a prescription. A week later it was not better so my plastic surgeon gave me a different prescription + sent me for a CAT Scan with aspiration. My culture results came back today . . . I have a bacterial infection + and started yet another, stronger antibiotic today.

My last surgery was July 2nd but this infection shows up 4 months later in November!?!?!? I don't get it!

Besides the patch on my chest, I don't have any symptoms + really feel great.

If it's not one thing, its another.

I pray that all is well with each of you.

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy time with family + friends. Don't forget to laugh + fellowship with those you love.

Blessings!

Thanks Holeinone, congratulations and hopefully it won't be so bad for your last one. I had mild neuropathy in my 3 middle toes and minor bone pain for a few days, nothing I couldn't handle. I had my last treatment today, lots of singing, laughter and dancing and giving God thanks. On to rads, my simulation is scheduled for December 11th , hope to start treatment in December but if not it will be nice to have a little break. Christmas is my favorite holiday, so it would be nice not having treatment. I must admit it will feel a little weird not having to go every two weeks. Special thanks to all of you strong women for sharing your experiences both good and bad which has really encouraged me along the way.

Hugs and kisses to all.

7.5 weeks out PFC. I was very happy with cold caps until about second week PFC, and then I began to lose a lot of hair. it makes sense that the cumulative impact of the treatment would have an effect on hair loss. nevertheless, it has been difficult as i have small but discernible bald spots. the top of my head is very thin; the crown is very thin; the top/back is very thin. i continue to lose hair. i am waiting for the transition-- from watching my hair fall out to watching it grow in. it must be coming soon, right? i can't say that i would not recommend cold caps to others, but i would advise some creative hair styles for this period. it is hard to cover the crown of your head when there is very little hair-- any ideas from this very creative group?