September 2013 Chemo Group
Comments
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Thanks guys!
KJ: That is funny that you decided to chop your hair shortly before being diagnosed. I did the same thing! Mine was about 3" below my shoulders and I cut it about 5" off of it and then made plans to cut it REALLY short but I didn't want to do that myself. I asked my friend who does hair to do it for me and then she did...in preparation of it falling out =/
OH! Another hair issue: I don't think mine is white any longer! Since I shaved it off the last time it looks darker growing in. Maybe shaving it bald twice is the magic treatment lol. I am going to shave it one more time because I still have a strip of old, dead hair down the middle inhibiting growth. -
MamaStewart you have a beautiful family. Love the picture.
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Mamastewart,
Great pic. I'm not a make-up person and only use make-up about twice a year for really special events. My eyebrows haven't completely fallen out yet, but they have definitely thinned (some might say that is a good thing).
I'm figuring on having a crew-cut's length by the beginning of summer. ;-)
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KJ: It certainly would be nice to have some hair by summer. I don't want to deal with hats during the summer!!
I bought some hazelnut cappuccino mix. It tastes like a cross between bad shellfish and brussels sprouts. That is all... -
Mamastewart, I love, love, love the family picture!
I will try to get a selfie up soon. I am still in my cozy clothes, with chapped lips, and zero make-up...I am sure it'll be a doozy! -
OK, I'll try this........
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Went to one store today and parked pretty close, I was still very tired by the time I made it to the door. How long before we get better on that?
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MammaStewart, I love the family pic and your selfie. Thanks so much for posting them. You have a beautiful family and a beautiful smile. Is this the smartbrow stuff you are talking about? http://www.dermstore.com/product_SmartBrow+Eyebrow+Filler_48152.htm It looks really good in your picture. My eyebrows have been hurting for the last couple days so I'm pretty sure they are going too.
Kbee, I love your pic and your smile too!
KJ, you look great! I think what' really interesting about your two pictures is that you have almost the identical expression and lighting in both pictures, it really shows how different we look with and without hair. Great idea to get us to post current pics!
My husband just got home from being out of town for the past 4 days. I'm so glad he's back safe and sound. -
Kbee, you look great. With the red shirt and jacket liner, it looks like you have your Superman cape on too. ;-)
Simplelife, thanks. A few weeks ago I was at a conference and a friend, that I hadn't seen since chemo started, was sitting right next to me (didn't see me come in because he was talking to someone else). He started looking around for me and didn't recognize me until I spoke (I have a distinctive voice). It was pretty funny.
Five days to last chemo.
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mamastewart: your family and YOU are beautiful! Love the Christmas photo! and OMG that smartbrow stuff looks awesome! I'm off to find it NOW!
Kbee-you have an awesome shaped bald head girl!
kjsimpson: Hey I don't count Friday so I say it's 4 days to final chemo for BOTH of us! And thanks for the bravery challenge. We actually went to the movies tonight and I remarked half way thru the movie (hobbit 2) that it was the first time I've been to the movies since I began chemo. That's crazy. I had to catch myself a few times wanting to remove my hat and rub my head like I do at home when I'm watching TV. LOL. Does anybody else do that? Rub their head all the time? I also noticed tonight I've got white hairs that are long enough to lay down now. Some darker ones coming in too. So for what it is worth, here's a selfie from today.
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You all look great! I'm in jammies and tired so will do photo tomorrow...
Mamastewart- Good idea on the headache info...I will ask to run slower, IF THEY WILL, the nurses in infusion room seem rushed and busy, I am always REALLY watching and asking what they are giving me as it worries me..
Your kids and you are beautiful! Great Santa photo and good for you going when you didn't feel like it..
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ps-anyone else get annoyed with the "every 20 minute blood pressure check" during Taxol? Geepus. They drug me out with benedryl and Ativan and then bug me incessantly every second and I can't properly enjoy my pass-out time. One more. Just one more!
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Wow you all look great. What cool pics. Mamastewart, lovely family.
What beautiful smiles, KJ, KBeee. Simple Life, great wig!
I think you had questions about rads, KJ. I don't know how soon after chemo they can do them, but I'm pretty positive they won't have more than one a day. First your treatment is whole breast irradiation, then boosts directed only at the former tumor site.
It's lovely being all done. I am feeling the rad fatigue now, generally at the end of the day. Also I'm not sleeping well.
In anticipation of starting tamoxifen, I have changed my antidepressant from Zoloft to Pristiq, because Zoloft makes tamoxifen less effective. Oh and another thing I'm doing is ordering medical alert ID bracelets for my left arm to warn, no BP, no needles, no IV, due to lymphedema risk.
Hair is continuing to grow...this is my current look without a wig, in my new avatar. -
Girls-
I just found a small lump in same breast 1st was in ...I am freaking out!
Trying to go to onc in am...when they open...had implants and 2 treatments of chemo already, how could this happen?
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What a fabulous pic MamaStewart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 -
Audra, It is most likely scar tissue. That being said, I am a worrier and would freak out too, so I am glad that you are calling MO first thing. If you do not get immediate satisfaction, then call BS. Keep us posted.
Lisasp, Yahoo for hair growth! I like being able to see what I will (hopefully) look like in the coming months.
Peacockgirl and KJ, Looking good!
Funny about the Superman cape look! You can see that I am always cold, and have 3 layers on and the heat set at 70. That is why no one questioned me wearing sweatshirts in August after BMX! -
Has any asked about reducing their dose of Neulasta? I'm still having bone pain on day 11 - I will ask when I see MO Thurs.
Rads- I also have a trip that may interfere with rads. My RO has said he will work around it and has mentioned doing 2 treatments the Monday before I fly out Tuesday. He also said depending on healing I may be able to start 3.5 weeks post surgery, but not to count on it.
Great pics everyone! I'll get one today of my chia pet head. Audra - hopefully you get some answers today and that it's nothing to worry about!
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Audra - I'm a worrier, too, so I'd freak out. But try to stay calm! So much has happened to that area of your body that it could be a million things!
Kbeee - I'm always cold, too. My hubby and I have a constant battle with the thermostat. He has a fan blowing right on him in bed and I have an electric blanket on my side. LOL
Peacockgirl - I never had any blood pressure check during taxol!!! Must be an individual treatment center thing. In fact, I didn't see my MO before my last chemo like I usually do, so they didn't check my weight or BP or anything. Just did labs and sent me back for infusion!
Lisa - Yay for hair!! :-) Thanks for the reminder on the medical alert bracelet. Where are you getting yours from?
I'm still struggling with the issue of whether or not to do a sentinel node biopsy on my good side. <sigh> Meet with my BS and PS this Thursday, so I'm sure I'll get more information then that may lead me in one direction or the other. I just feel like it's pretty pointless. There has been no indication that the cancer is anywhere except my left breast & 1 node. PET scan, bone scan, CT scan, MRI... nothing anywhere else. And usually with a SNB they inject the dye at the tumor site to see where it flows first. If it's my non-cancer side, there IS no tumor. So they just inject in several places in my breast and see which lymph nodes the dye gets to first, and then assume that's where the cancer would be. So we're talking about messing with lymph nodes on both sides for no real reason other than to check a "likely" place the cancer would have spread? Why not check lymph nodes in my neck then? Or my groin? I don't know.... just seems like overkill, and putting me at risk for lymphedema on BOTH sides. But.... I don't want something to show up later and then know I could have prevented it by doing this.
Any words of wisdom?
Also, has anyone NOT seen their RO before surgery? Nobody has talked to me about rads since I saw my surgeon in October. I always assumed the RO would want to have an initial consult before surgery, but that's only two weeks & a half weeks away! Hubby just called MO and talked to the nurse and she said she thinks the RO is gone until after the holidays. Nice. I feel like I dropped the ball on this, but how was I to know??? Shouldn't my MO have set this up already?!?!??! Does it matter if the RO doesn't see me until after surgery? How do they know where the tumor was?
Here's a selfie I just took - not bald because I'm at work (and I hate hate hate how I look bald. You all look so pretty and feminine.... I look like an alien with an odd shaped head).
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I get the BP done before treatment but only on the first Taxol/Herceptin did they check it more often. And I believe that is because of the Herceptin heart issue. -
Oh you all look so good bald, & Michelle in your wig. I look like Ghandi po some little old man with a teeny head. And I am 60 so the face is wrinkled & sagging. This pic was Thanksgiving:
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Love the purple, Vintagegal!!! Beautiful. -
ladies so glad to here you all doing well!!!
I had my weight checked before each ac infusion but not at all with Taxol
Had an ultrasound last Tuesday was told the mass was no longer visible 😉
I have my last Taxol on next Monday and also meet with the ps on Tuesday
Mammastewart your Christmas pic is beautiful
All you ladies look beautiful
(((Hugs))))
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Lociti, So glad to hear that your mass is not visible. You look great!!!!!
Vintagegal, the scarf looks really nice.
LHL, Your wig is very pretty.
So I really do like my wig. I wear it all the time when I am out and about, and sometimes I forget to take it off when I get home, so it is definitely showing a little wear after 3 months. Since I will be returning to full duty at work next week (for a month until my final surgery), I want to have a back up in case something happens to mine. I also know I will wear it for a while because short hair does not look good on me. I went to order it, and my favorite place only had it in a different color. Sigh. I hope it is at least close! There is another place that has it, but that place took over a month to ship last time, whereas I got 10% off and free 2 day shipping, so that it what I went with! Unfortunately I will not be able to swap them out at will as I would have liked, but hopefully the color is close enough that it won't be too obvious! -
Wow, you all look great.
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Lighthouselady - I had surgery before chemo and didn't see the RO first, so I don't think it's an issue. When I had a different type of cancer years ago I had surgery first before rads and didn't see the RO until after surgery. I think the reports give them the information they need. -
Thanks all for kind wishes.
I 'flipped out' last night, I was a wreck, slept 3 hours with 2 Ativan...then woke up terrified....
anyhow got in to my oncologist this am and called our plastic surgeon friend that did my implant reconstruction, our friend, reassured me that he has NEVER seen a new tumor after mastectomy while on chemotherapy, and probably a suture or fat he injected that didn't take will roll into balls....
So got to oncologist, he talked to us for 30 minutes, very reassuring, kind, but he the gist of it was I need to live my life and not let cancer live my life or control it and need to quit worrying about every little thing that comes up...duh...I would if things would quit coming up or if I could do it...anyhow then he examined me , said 'it's a suture', I said are you sure, it doesn't feel like a cancer cyst does? he said NO. definitely a suture ...but to ease your mind we can order an ultrasound...I said OK...I just feel guilty about being so worried, but wouldn't everyone worry? He makes it sound like I'm the only patient there that flips out or worries about any of it....??? He did say there was a patient a few years ago like me and now she is cancer free, happy , volunteers, helps others with this and she used to be a wreck...so he thought he would hook me up with her for some inspiration. / help
So they couldn't get me in today there but nurse offered apt in another town and I 'trying to be not anxious' said I would take the one tomorrow here....so have that at 3pm.
I also have a counseling apt at 0900...maybe she can do something magical to change my whole worry process in one apt in the morning..! ha! she does hypnosis and I am all for that..whatever it takes, I cannot run around like a chicken with my head cut off at every little worry now...I DOOOOO need to relax and just realize I am ok.
The oncologist told me cancer was removed in September, reconstruction done, no lumps then - now chemotherapy x2 - so I am cancer free and just using chemotherapy as an extra precaution....
I had to add, what if it is a cancer and just doesn't respond to this chemotherapy. Then he says we are in big trouble because we will need to biopsy that and whatever it is deal with that with different chemotherapy....BUT you DO NOT have a new cancer...
He must find me challenging to deal with...but you all sound similar, I swear , at this practice they act like I am the 'only' concerned patient...maybe because the others are all 90!
LOVE the photos!
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Wow - I have been off the boards for awhile - lots to catch up on!
Wonderful pics - brave women (who would ever have thought we would post our chemo selfies on the internet one year ago?). WIll post mine soon.
Mamastewart - wow - just a beautiful pic of you and your family and a little snarky comment too (I love it!). Check out copays.org - they reimbursed some of my copays (especially those related to chemo - almost $2000). It was a little of a paperwork hassle but well worth it. I think you have to get in before the end of the year too so do it soon!
For the rads....I first saw my RO after surgery and chemo so no worries on that. I had an initial consult at the tumor board back in July but went with a local RO regardless so went in cold after chemo. My radiation treatment is 33 total treatments of which 25 are whole breast and 7 are boosters. For me this is a straight beam scan from two different angles. I lay on my back on the table and the machine moves to one angle I hold my breath while it shoots and then it moves to the other angle and I hold my breath while it shoots again. Maybe 30 seconds a scan and the lining me up takes 15 minutes. It takes longer to drive one way to the apt but I digress.... I hold my breath to get a better layer of protection between my heart and the beam but it is different for everyone.
KJ - I doubt they would let you do two treatments in one day but they may let you take the week off and then come back in to do the boosters when you return. I think the starting date has to do with how you feel more than anything. Everyone told me 4-6 weeks after chemo and before rads but I wanted to get the show on the road and take advantage of paying my out of pocket max. Anyway, I started after two weeks post last chemo infusion. With surgery, though it may be more difficult as it could be painful or very uncomfortable just to lay on the table unsupported - I am not sure. Also I would ask about drains as I imagine they would need to be out. At the end of the day I try to remember that this is my life and if I need to augment my treatment a little - I dare you to argue! I would doubt that taking a week off would do that much damage to the rad treatment. I am not a doc but I mean people have all sorts of issues that would prevent a perfect attendance so I am sure the docs can work with you if you let them klnow ahead of time and are firm about it. Also check out other courses of treatment. There was a recent study out of the United Kingdom for 5 weeks of treatment (bigger dose) that showed similar efficacies. Not for me since I had a lumpectomy and large breasts (bigger dose equals worse side effects and already have to have a bigger dose for large breasts) but you could look into that too.
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At work so wanted to keep my 'hat' on. No new hair yet.... -
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Alfranco and Josgirl, both of you are looking great!
Another craving... spicy Pringles potato chips. Bring on the salt and vinegar and the buffalo wing flavored Pringles! Maybe it is because they break the bland taste barrier.
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