Starting Chemo in December 2013

Hi everyone back from round 2 it was a long day. Got there at 8 and home at 4:40. I am using the caps and was still changing them until 6. I go back tomorrow for Neulasta and IV anti nausea meds.

Hard to know how it is going yet keeping my fingers crossed.

Robin you do look great.

Toby I get so anxious sometimes I think I am going insane. Last night had  several incidents of irregular heartbeat had myself terrified. MO  says it can be the steroids to see if it continues after I stop them.

Wishing all of you who had TX today minimal SEs and a good nights sleep. Same goes for the Gals heading in tomorrow.

Toby, on steroids also for round two tomorrow.  I ran around like a crazy woman today cleaning & cooking & won't sleep! Must say they do make me feel kind of emotionally uplifted though.  Will be up with you tonight unless i break down and take Ambien.   If you post tonight, i will read it!  I read everyone's posts, but realize I feel a bit shy at times sharing comments. 

Robin, how do you post photos?  I dont have Avatar. 

By the way, I am gaining weight too, but have been stress eating and indulging 

Best to all. Amy

well, i think i found "mountains"  thanks but this was supposed to be tiny and above username. Not big like this!!! 

Momat/Amy, LOVE the pic....

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Rachel, thank you!

round 2 done, about 4 hours long.  No complaints yet, except for a headache that won't go away, zofran is the cause is my guess.  I take 3 pills before I go, then it's in my IV and I also took an Ativan when I got there.

I see people take steroid the day before, I get it in the IV, then I am to take one day after in am and one in pm for two days.  Last time I didn't do the pm because I didn't want to be up all night.....

Have my neulasta shot given to me at work by a former nurse, took claritan today and will for next several days.  Half way through AC!!!!  Hoping for very limited SE...my wish for all of us

I will am also doing 12 weekly Taxols.  My MO said that the low dose weekly Taxol is easier with the side effects.  Fingers crossed it is!

Last night I got in the shower with a GI Jane buzz cut and got out of the shower a cancer patient.  Holy cow! In one shower it all just washed down the drain.  It was like blowing on a dandelion, poof and gone!  I had a little cry but have to say the relief on my scalp is great.  That terrible sensitivity is gone.

Went for my 1 week check up after round 2.  My blood work came back and it's as if I didn't have chemo the week before.  All my counts were normal.  My doctor was in amazed. The first round of chemo, my blood counts were so low she was very concerned that I may get a fever and wind up in the hospital.  Except for feeling horrible 2 days after the Neulasta shot,( I only took Claritin that first day.  Take it for at least 3 days.  The first shot I had no ses.)  I had a great week with very little side effects.  For any newbies, chemo is harder on some than others.  Expect the worst and hope for the best.  Everyone is amazed by how I handling it.  For all of you that are having a difficult time, I am truly sorry and wish you an easier go of it.  This week has been very trying to say the least.  I live in Maine.  We lost our power on Dec. 23 and didn't get it back until 4:30 last night.  This was the week My hair was falling out.  The shedding was horrible and I didn't have electricity to use the vacuum to clean it up.  On Dec. 24, I went to my moms to take a shower, left crying because my hair was falling out in gobbs.  Came home, had my husband hook up the clippers to the generator and had him shave my head.  It was very emotional, but I felt so much better after.  Yesterday on my way to the doctors, I hit a pallet that was in the middle of the turnpike, (Due to 2 or 3 falling off a truck) blew a tire and spent several hours in the waiting room because they had to fit me in due to missing my earlier appointment.  It seemed like the universe was against me.  My luck all week went from bad to worse.  Then I got home and 2 minutes later my power came on and I was the happiest girl in the world.  One thing that cancer does do is, help you to live in the moment and truly appreciate the good things that happen.  I'm wishing everyone a wonderful week end and no SEs.

Robyn

How were you able to add a comment line to your diagnosis/treatment summary?

Barbara

DJJ, I buzzed it on Dec 24.  I can't wit until it all comes off.  It will be a relief to not have the little grippers rubbing against my hats.  I find that very irritating. Plus, when it's all gone I'll be able to lotion it and make it silky smooth. I had a fuzzy head when I got in the shower last night and when I got out I had to laugh.  I told my family that my name should be Patch.  I think I'm going to clip it a little more today.  Even using the #3 guard on the clippers, I'm shedding like a cat.

Moma,

I am heading out shortly for TX#2.  Laying here in bed, procrastinating....

Good luck today!

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Mikesgirl: love your photo!

DJJ: definitely know that feeling, can't wait for it all to be gone....love the dandelion description!

NEskir99: Thanks!!

To those going in today, best of luck....we've got this!

hi Paloverde

My TE fill had some swishing in it at end of surgery, my next fill, a big one, 60 cc was the day they took my drains, two weeks later after my surgery, it was Dec 4, mt first chemo was dec 12, then another fill 4 days after chemo.

The fills were painful for about a week, this last one very much so, so I said I need to do these only twice a month,and PS agreed.  I go again next Monday, but since my R side was a radical modified (nipple and allot of skin and all nodes) it is still much smaller and baseball like,  my L side was modified and only cut on the side sparing the nipple.  I feel the L is already at a good size for me, I only want my B's back.

So I am just going to ask for slow fills on the R for the next few visits.  They are very painful, not to have done bur for a week they are.  I used flexeril for the muscle pain and it helped, and watched for redness and swelling.  I told PS these things bother mr more than the chemo!  

I have been changing my scar taping about every 6 days, and do Biosil around all scars, and the drain scars, I'm surprised how red and big those still are.  

Feel good this morning, day after round 2, going to take my steroid and my neulasta and use the energy while I can!  Good luck to all the chemo ladies today, we are all one step closer!

Yes, I was hoping my drain openings would close up a little quicker, my two are still weeping a bit after 4 days.  Nothing that can't be handled with a band-aid.  Might be worse with this second set on the cancer/node side that were in longer, had more drainage, and I think more swelling to resolve.   With those drains being pushed around every time we move for a couple of weeks, that's got to be tough on the skin at the opening.  

Best to all! 

mollyv.  i think i am misssing some posts, but my hair started to fall out in clumps 10 days into first Chemo.  i had my hairdresser shave my head, now i am pleagued with itchy head and stubbles everythere.  i tell my husband they are his from his beard .  i have a great wig and lots of fun hats and scarfs.  My Daughters helped me embrace the fact that i would lose my hair, but no matter how prepared you are for the loss it is still very difficult.  i have my third infustion on the 3rd,  with one more to follow.  My biggest side effect has been nausea and fatigue.  I go to work and get about 6 hours in and have to go home to nap. 

OneTexasDay, i am home.  You still there?    My cocktail includes Benadryl, Cytoxan,  & Taxotere (yucko). Heparin is always final act.  Hang in there!!!! Amy