Starting Chemo, November 2013 Group

Hooray for the fish pics! I have a grandfish for the next month or so while the DD is home on break. Lord Bubbles is a dorm-room Beta. Little does DD know, but Lord will have some gifts under the tree.

Paulette, my primary suspects I have IC and suggested I try the eating plan and significantly kick up my hydration which I am really lax in doing. She told me this two days before I felt my boob lump, so I have thought about IC in passing but not in earnest. However, you are my Hydration Inspiration Goddess, so I promise I will try to hydrate more, especially before and after an infusion. How is your RBC? What's the word, Bird?

Pat and Amazon...you both look gorge...Amazon, tell us your mad scarf skills! Very impressive.

Quirky, you poor little petunia...hang in there! Big hugs!

Today was supposed to be hair buzz night, but I ran out of time accidentally on purpose. Maybe during the snowstorm...

I hope the weekend goes well for all!

thanks for being so supportive. Broke into a nauseated cold sweat last night while having first post-chemo poop. Thought I was better then felt like I was going to pass out when trying to leave the bathroom so I lay on the floor until it got better. Anxious about eating and pooping and doing that all over again.

@Amazon: I love that scarf look! I love scarves though. That's the bright spot in all this: Scarves, a rainbow of scarves.

@Melrose Thanks for that list of iron-y foods, even though it wasn't meant for me. I've been looking at my lab work and if there's anything I need to keep an eye on, it's that.

@Pat - Right now I think I'd better stick to being a sit-down comedienne. Not enough energy to be the stand-up sort hah.

@Wrenn I know we're not supposed to, but I went ahead and had my husband finish shaving my head last night (for the most part, anyway.) He had buzzed it really short for me last week, but my hair is (was) REALLY thick. I got into the shower night before last and it was like someone had dropped a balding squirrel on my head...just hair everywhere, in my face, all over my hands....it was a catastrophe. So last night I just said "Get it off me!" And he did. I feel a lot better now.

@VirginiaNJ awww I love Piglet. I love stuffed animals in general. Now I need a chemo-pet lol. Hmm.

@Audra That's kind of how I felt for the past two days. Kind of like the flu...yet not. Whatever it is (chemo of course) it's awful. Funny though, last night---right in the middle of watching Hitch (the Will Smith movie) I started feeling better. Like all of a sudden. I'm going to experimentally queue up a few more Will Smith movies for next chemo round and see what happens. Can't *hurt* right? I LOVE Will Smith.

Oh Quirky, bless your heart. Side effects are awful but I wish NONE of us had to have pain, ever. Pain or nausea. Hang in there though, even when it's rough. We can do this! Paulette said so, so it must be true. Also, I can tell you from long (pre-cancer) experience, that if you get that cold sweat, passing out thing happening when you're trying to poop it's often a dehydration thing. I sometimes actually take a bottle of water with me INTO the bathroom to prevent that. This especially happens, I am told, if you are taking laxatives of any sort because the laxatives draw the water from your body to enable the pooping (that's my version of the scientific explanation.) Drink drink drink drink drink! Then drink some more. Seriously. All the time. I've had to lay down on the bathroom floor too, so I know exactly what you're talking about. It's scary! But if you stay REALLY well hydrated, it shouldn't happen again.

@Paulette I think I own that same scarf you have on your shoulders...or one very very similar. That's too cool. You're right, too: your shiny bald head IS the bomb. Wish I looked that great bald....or NOT bald, for that matter.

@Northwinds: That's my goal, too: Learn to tie the scarves...or (same difference) get my husband to learn to tie the scarves. I can do a simple tie on the square shaped ones, but we saw some really neat videos on youtube on cool ways to tie the oblong scarves---and I have a TON of them.

@atlbraves Oh I am laughing at "grandfish." That's the best thing I've heard/read all week. I love bettas. I don't have any fish in my tanks right now, but I've horrified people in the past by putting a bunch of guppies into a 10 gallon tank and then dropping a male betta in there with them. MOST times they do just fine, as it turns out, and if anyone IS agressive, it's usually a guppy, not the betta. They are wicked to one another --the males--but actually quite sweet and shy when in a tank with other mild-mannered non-aggressive fish. One of our bettas lived that way for three years...then finally died when we had a power outage in the winter time and the whole tank got too cold.

For all those ladies interested to know how to tie the scarf:

You will need a creased silk scarf that has a rectangular shape with the following dimensions: 60" x 20" or approx. 150 cm x 50 cm. I got mine in the Ten Thousand Villages store.

Place the scarf on your head, centre it with the fabric coming down equally on each side.

Tie it in the back of your head.

Bring both sides up, while twirling the fabric a little and cross them at the top of your head.

Then bring the sides down and tie again at the back of your head.

Good luck.

Tell me how it works for you.

FYI:  Anytime I post some general info about something here..... just know that it is meant for everyone here ( ie. the iron foods list).  This place is about supporting, sharing, helping and venting.  There is so much info out there on the internet and sometimes, it is just easier to post the info here rather than have each of you hunt down that info on your own.  One does not always have the patience to research topics especially if one is in the thick of it.   Sending many many reassuring (((HUGS))) and positive calming and healing prayers, thoughts and energy!!!   Wishing you each a very restful weekend and minimal and managable side effects.  You gals are doing awesome!!!!!!

my memory is really going! Last night I ran my dishwasher without detergent and this morning my dishes are still dirty! So, it is going to be hard to remember who said what on posts, but I am going to try!

Quirky, sorry you are not feeling well. Stay in bed and let others take care of you.

Paulette, did you ever make it to the ER?

PatA, your head looks like mine, so I guess most of us look the same.

Amazon, love the scarf, will try to do same.

Wrenn, when do you meet with your doctor?

Audra, I am a math teacher. My best student a few years ago was a boy like your son. He was taking AP calculus in the tenth grade. He does have his issues, but I will be writing his college recommendation for him. He has a mind like no other.

Big storm here today. We are supposed to get 15 inches by tomorrow. I am going to try to decorate for Christmas, but I hope I don't get too tired. AC #3 for me on Monday. Hopefully all the roads will be clear by then.

Try to have a good weekend.

And this is me wig-less...

As far as my last post yesterday....it is actually funny! All that jibberish was added by the aliens! My phone LOVES to deposit random information....IS IT CODE!? And what a freudian slip....

Bald SHOULD HAVE BEEN bold!!!! lol....an someone say we have BALD on the mind!

Paulette: So glad to see you here. Did you go to the ER? How are you feeling?

Talking about the weather... We too are getting the winter storm here in Canada, actually we are not far from Buffalo.

It's about - 14 C ( 6.8F) with the windchill - 23 C (-9.4F). Brrrrrr!

The snow is coming down in big fluffy cotton ball chunks and quickly changing the landscape into a winter wonderland.

It's great if you don't have to go anywhere in this weather, though.

It makes me feel like I want to hibernate. What am I saying? I have been hibernating! I don't really get out that much lately. Just the occasional doctor's appointment and a weekend outing with my family.

Anyway, this is what our street looks like now...when I'm looking out the window.

amazon.....LOVE canada !! seen over boarder feom buffalo ..awhile ago..still pertystmasChristmaschrchc whitewhitwhiwhw missmismi

did not go to rr. hubby and on cruddy terms last nite.didn't wanna go....think I may have to tonite. feeling pretty rough...CRUD!! I DONT WAAAAAAANA GO!

zophran not culprid for craps....allergic to it here. must b chemo stuffff....hydration goddess...now I'm laughing!

how about this grand pet!!!!! I will not tell u how many other NASTY THINGS MY SON HAS! WHERE.........did he learn to love these slitthers! lol...NOT ME!

paulette: As far as the 'incognito' part I want to leave it to your imagination to fill in the blanks.

Snakes, however cute, scare the heck out of me!

Love the pictures Amazon!

Smrlvr, I have done the no soap in the dishwasher too, also forgot to put soap in the clothes washer a couple times already.

Quirky, hope you are feeling better. Not fair that we have to endure the horrible side effects from a treatment that is supposed to help us all.

Lisa, love your sit down comedy!

Paulette, our youngest son had a Ball Python he kept in his bedroom for years. He was actually a sweet snake, I would hold him and let him slither around the living room. Even fed fed him a mouse once.....

Wish me luck Ladies! Going to the hubby's Christmas party tonight. Most of his co-workers don't know I have cancer, only a close few. He works for a big steel fabricating company and parties are huge. Very nervous about going and being bald....have tried on a dozen different caps and none look just right. I need Amazons scarves tying skills! I keep wanting to back out of going, but I know he really wants to go and he won't if I stay home. I know we are not supposed to drink while on chemo however I think a little liquid courage might be in order for the evening. Ugh, think this is the hardest thing I have had to do yet!

Hope everyone has a great evening!