In shock

For Benny:)

Caitlin...thank you for your suggestion. Can someone tell me if Carla's tumor was in her nodes? As far as Emory goes, I worked there for 19 years and my oncologist did his fellowship there. He did discuss my case with fellows at Emory. He told my husband that he has been in practice long enough to see the SE from the more aggressive treatment. I did ask him about 6 cycles, but he did not seem to think there was an advantage. And to make things more interesting, I have to go off of Arimidex while I am on chemo. Then go back on it to keep the other cancer at bay.

I have a background in immunology and organ transplantation, while working at Emory. As far as going back there for a second opinion, I am going to leave that to my MO. Of course I could go to Charleston, because the DD works at MUSC/Roper Hospital.

As the day has progressed, I am feeling like the brick wall is in my face. But i will finish my pity party tonight with a cup of decaf coffee. Here's to you Scarlet, " i will just think about that tomorrow...yes, tomorrow is another day."

Jenifer. I am sorry to hear about chemo for you. 42 is supposed to be the answer to the ultimate question of life. So maybe this is your answer to kicking breast cancer out of your life forever. Will keep my fingers crossed that chemo is not too bad.

Hi to everyone else -- Ridley

PS. Hope you have a choc eclair or something equally tasty to have with your decaf coffee.

Jenifer, I had positive nodes - a shock to everyone since they weren't enlarged and nothing showed up on the PET scan. But there they were. Visible cells in 3 and later report said micro cells in the 4th. So that got me chemo and rads. (Was expecting to not need either, before surgery.)

I had TC X6 and when I asked my MO how they choose from the multitude of different chemo regimens she said, "There are only two that are most effective, and since you have a family history of heart problems I didn't want to give you the other one." (Assume that would be the "red devil".) I still had an echocardiogram beforehand to make sure my heart was in good shape.

I did not have a port. It got harder for them to find a vein each time, but they did it. I got a Neulasta shot the day after each chemo and it kept my white cell count great. It was not a fun thing to go through by any means, but I was lucky enough to have only moderate SEs, nothing too severe. I never even missed a day of work.

I know you will do fine whichever you choose.

Hi Ladies,

I want to thank each of you for all the support that was given to me yesterday. I feel so "honored" to be accepted by the most gracious women on the entire BCO blog. Today, I am second guessing my decision. I did not want a port, because these TE are taking up a lot of surface area on my chest. And all the publicity of a news anchor, Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, who had TNBC and then developed MDS 6 years later scared me. I have heart disease in my family history, but I do not smoke or drink, so maybe I would be okay. It just seems that the same drugs are used for all the types of BC, until you develop mets. My head feels like a stuffed toy animal. It is rainy outside, but I am going to try to drive to Atlanta to see my friend with the bipolar cockroach. There are always others with bigger problems than me. On the lighter side, plane fares from Atlanta to Eugene, OR are $328 RT. If this damn BC was not in the way, I would be on my way to the airport, and on a plane to Oregon.

Love to each of you,

Jenifer

momof2 - my MO didn't offer me the option of a port, and I was a bit upset because everyone else I knew had a port. However, I did just fine for 8 treatments, and they used the same tiny little vein on the back of my hand for all of them - it was incredible! The nurses are very skilled at finding the veins. What is MDS?

Got out for a play on the snowshoes today. Hope you all didn't get too chilled hanging out in the backpack!

momof2.....at some point in time...we find we each need the strength and support of others.....you are one of us....that will never change. Such a wonderful "insight" into the kind of person you are, in that while you are going through such a difficult time yourself, you still are able to see beyond your pain, to see that others are struggling in their own way too. These mountain pics are for you today.....someday, I hope to have the joy of sharing a trail with you......{{X}}.

Oh Nihahi what beautiful pictures...I want to join you so bad. I am one step closer..MY passport came today!!! WOW the Dept of Homeland Security must have looked at my age and picture and said...rush this one through.

I went to see my friend in Atlanta...that lifted both of our spirits. Tomorrow I go to get "chemo edumacated" Keep going back and forth with my choices, but I think I will stay with my original decision that my MO recommended.

Benny...is the marinara sauce ready?

Movie..you be very careful. That is way too long to drive straight through, IMO. When we do our drives from GA to OR 700 miles is tops and that includes 2 whiny wiener dogs. Stay safe. We have some crabbing to do this summer. Yum Yum

That's the news from the East Coast (yawn). Time for bed.

Love to all,

jenifer

nihahi - stunning photos!! But it looks really cold. I would love to try snow shoeing - is it hard?

Momof2 - I found chemo education really boring, hopefully yours will be more interesting. I think it was boring for me because I had done so much research myself before I went, but at least it was good to meet one of the chemo nurses.

Edi - we musketeers will indeed keep fighting!!! I hope your friends CT scan results turns out to be nothing to worry about.

Movie - that sounds like a very long trip! Hope it goes smoothly for you.

beautiful pictures !!!

Mom- u got this we will be hanging in ur pockets!!!

Busy hockey weekend, games tomorrow and Sunday. Kickboxing tonight I just think of the cockroach and it's a great workout.

Will be reading !!! Have a great weekend all 😜😜😜

Muah!!!!!

dakota.....have another cup of coffee, darling....your picture is just fine....!

momof2.....I don't think your medical team would let you make a poor decision about chemo choice, without raising a lot of concerns with you. Make the choice that feels right to you...then keep your eyes forward and get her done....nothing good will come about "second guessing" yourself. That's great news about the passport....keep it handy....you're gonna put it to lots of use in the future!!!!

adagio...I tell people...if you can walk....you can snowshoe...really, that's all your doing!!!!

benny.....do I smell marinara sauce on the stove????

edi...fingers crossed for your friend.....which ever way things turn out....she is lucky to have you there with her. Did you go dancing last night?

Hi ,
Such a busy day, now knackered. Helped dear old lady we know to pick a new fridge freezer. Then McDonalds for lunch. Then shopping . DH also knackered but now out for a pint with shedman.

Momof, we will all be in your pockets for chemo, you may not even need the nausea meds. They made me feel really dizzy so only ever took one.Neulasta shot also no side effects but keeps blood ok.
DH came with me for each chemo and we then made a special day of it, lunch or dinner out depending on time of appointment if you feel ok it really helps..
No chemo ed here, just arrived and was put in the comfy chair, after first one and fear of unknown goes ,they were done and dusted in no time.X

Nihahi, Pictures are amazing !! You live in the most beautiful part of the world. NO dancing still as DH no better with his back. X

Dakota, Pic right way up on here. Enjoy kickboxing. X

Movie, hope you are having fun. X

TV full of Kennedy assasination, so sad and cant believe it was so long ago.

Saw " THE BUTLER " Wed evening, very good. Great insight into Civil Rights issues too.

Hope you ALL have a glorious weekend full of fun and laughter.X

Edi..thank you for the nausea med tips. I have so many different prescriptions for nausea, they could fill a shoe box. I want to see "The Butler", but waiting for it to come to the inexpensive theater.

Wow, 50 years ago today, I was in the 5th grade on the playground. A parent came to the school and had her car radio on with the news report about President Kennedy. A little while later, we were released and sent home. Back then you could walk or ride your bike to school without the fear of being kidnapped. We had a small black and white TV and for the next few days all we did was watch the reports. It is so surreal what happened to the members of the Kennedy family. The answers will never come.

Need to go find food for DH. I really have been a lazy wife the past few days. Enough!! I have a plan of attack, now, and the pills to prove it.

Have a lovely evening ladies,

Jenifer

I was lucky in that my blood counts never got that low (has to be some advantage in having polycythemia!!), so I never needed Neulasta shots, although my MO told me she routinely did them after the second AC treatment.

Jenifer, everyone is different, but I wasn't given any pills ahead of time, or any instruction of any kind. The day of my first chemo they showed me a short video, which talked about SEs that might occur and what to do about them, and they also gave me some brochures with more detailed info. They also gave me prescriptions for Compazine (for mild nausea) and Ativan (for more severe nausea, and it's also good for anxiety and insomnia). I used the Compazine and that always worked well for me, I never needed the Ativan. During each treatment they would first give me a big dose of Benadryl, then a bag of Decadron (steroid), both of which were to prevent allergic reactions to the drugs, and a dose of Zofran, to prevent nausea. Then came the chemo drugs, one at a time, very slowly. The whole process took 5-6 hours the first time and 3-4 hours the rest of the times. They gave me the Neulasta shot to bring home and inject it the next day. Then 3 weeks later when I went for the next dose, they would draw blood first and check to be sure my counts were all good enough to get the next round. Everything kept going down, down, down every time - except the white cells which the Neulasta kept high - but never so low that I had to postpone the chemo, or get a blood transfusion or anything like that.

Pretty much everything they told me I already knew from reading here. I did take the Claritin the day of, and several days after, the Neulasta and I think it did help. It wasn't as bad as many have reported. The first one was the worst. 3-4 days of aches & pains. Not fun but bearable. My MO really had very few instructions for me. Said don't take vitamin E or anything with estrogen. Suggested I take Zantac for the duration, because chemo can be tough on the stomach. Said don't eat anything spicy, fried, or rich. Would probably regret it. I more-or-less followed that advice. Nothing really tasted good anyway.

Only time will tell what SEs you will have, but everyone here is so wonderful, there's sure to be someone who had the same thing and can tell you what helped. I am eternally grateful to BCO and all my sisters here, it got me through. And I know you will get through it too. We are all in your pockets! :-)