Count it all joy - had my port installed on a Tues it was accessed on Fri. The surgeon left the needle in to make it easier but I couldn't shower! Could bathe without getting it wet. It worked out fine.

Good luck ladies 

taxol was tolerable the neulasta shot had made so sick, I have never had much pain from the shot before but the doctor on call said that sometimes it happens with first taxol. Now, I am running 102 fever. Why. I don't understand why it caused a fever. I was doing so well.

Count it all joy- my port was put in on a Tue and used on Thurs, no problems, ask for numbing cream to put on it 1-2 hours before using you will not even feel the needle stick.  With all we have to go through feeling the needle stick, even though it is quick, is preventable. 

Good luck today NEskir and Leealice ( snd anyone else) with your treatments today, fatigue was worse with my third AC but after a week it was much better. 3 more days to feel good before my last AC on Thurs. 

Goldie8469, did you try the claritin before and after the Neulasta, it really works for a lot of people. In fact I went to Sam's CLub yesterday and bought two more big bottles of it, My husband uses it every day and some one also said it helps with the bone/joint pain from the antiestrogen pills  most of us will be on after chemo. 

Hopefully my LGFB class will not be canceled for a third time today , we are getting snow this AM but expect <1 inch.

Anyone going to any BC support groups? My local treatment center sponsors one that will meet tonight, I may go for the first time. A local PS is going to discuss reconstruction surgery. 

Barbara

Goldie, are you doing weekly taxol?  My MO said no neulasta with weekly...I have some body aches this time but I don't know what it's from, I do the claritan for 4 days, start the day before, I hope you are doing better.

RGHSR...After my second round of AC I started to feel depressed and defeated and so much seemed to go wrong with that infusion...I was at the point of just wanting to run away and forget that I had cancer. I went in for my blood work and my doctor looked at me and said what is wrong....I just started crying....she reassured me about my fears and I realized that for me everything happened so quickly and I am divorsed so I have no significant other to help me through this that I never cried...I never thought there would be so much more strength after the tears. Now I finished round 3 and it kicked my butt. I can not take the claritin but the pain has been more doable until this last round and the nauseous feeling is horrible...Mine was on Thursday, shot on Friday so I know that in a matter of a day or two I should start to feel better. Less pain today but I let the big C get away from me this time so I am dealing with that and no appitite to eat anything that will help me go.

Now that I know I have only one more round of the beast and then on to Taxol....I am beginning to worry about that one. I think I read it was much easier than AC....I hope so. All I know is that I will have it on the same schedule as my AC.  I hate having this phobia of taking new meds but when you have panic/anxiety disorder and had some allergic reactions that almost caused me to stroke out you become so very afraid.

I hope you feel better RGHSR....

Ladies, I came across this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt that I think is perfect for us. 

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.  You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror.  I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."

We can do this!

Thanks to all who gave me your port timeline.  Now I'm completely at ease about resuming - hopefully TAC #3 on Thursday.  Funny that it's more  reassuring to hear it from you all than from the surgeon, but sometimes I feel they just tell you what they think you need to hear to keep going on this crazy journey.  But thank goodness for that, really, as it would be so easy to say no more!  The first 2 rounds were so hard, even my MO was saying we may get to a point where the complications I'm having are more danger to me than any cancer cells that may or may not still be hanging around in my body.  There is some relief in knowing 4 treatments instead of 6 is an option, if absolutely need be.  And some fear to hear that it really has been as bad as it seemed.  

Having this enforced break has me feeling strong and ready to go again.  But I hear you all - round 3 and 4 seem to run you up against a wall of tiredness… physical tiredness of dealing with SE's, emotional tiredness of just wanting normal life back, and feeling it far out ahead… there will come a day again when the end feels closer, and your spirits are renewed.  In the meantime, praying you keep finding just the strength you need to persevere, one day (hour… minute!) at a time.   And unexpected moments of peace and relief from pain that give you fresh courage.  Please remember to pray for me when you hear me echoing your words, and you are back at a stronger place again.  

Peace, Mary

lorreymom:  looking forward to hearing what you have been going through

Hoping you are doing well.

Missed you.

Beths1

I'd take a special medicinal cookie or brownie right now!  I have had the metallic mouth the last two days, hard to swallow even saliva without having this taste...odd.

Well I'm not glad my misery has company, but I am glad to know these moods and feelings are normal for what we are going through.  I stay positive and strong mostly for my family and friends, because I know if they see me worried and down it only upsets them more, so when I have my mini break downs I do it alone, which is fine as long as I get it out, because it does make me feel better to just yell and scream and cry about this crap that invaded my life.  

This too will pass ladies, not soon enough for sure.  I'm relating this to labor pains, a pain you never forget, one hard to explain to someone who has never had it, but once it's gone you don't recall how painful it really was...breast cancer and all that comes with it will be the same someday.

Thanks for the perspective Jackieak

I too, am trying to keep up the strong outward appearance for family and friends but lately I feel as if i am crumbling on the inside.

Being house bound with the frigid temperatures doesn't  help either, nor does the lack of sleep that I am  experiencing 

Thanks for letting me vent ladies....tomorrow  is a new day!

Beths 1

I have some special cookies someone gave me, haven't felt like I have needed them yet.  I remember eating them in high school, wonder if I will feel like a kid again.  Hopefully they won't be doing any random drug tests at work, they should exempt me right???

The heartburn and tiredness is getting to me.  Everything tastes the same, crappy.

I have had the red cheeks for about a week as well...I will be asking my MO about it before my next TX to see if I need to leave the taxotere out, too...which I really don't have a problem with!

Leealice, I hope you feel better soon! Weepiness...I guess it's part of our SE's or situation!

looking foward to my trip, leaving tomorrow! Whoo-hoo!

((HUGS))

Thanks! I was so worried about being able to go and now it's here and it's all coming together! I am feeling so blessed~

Brioch78

Your wig looks great. Very natural looking.  I like the two I have better then my real hair. Never had so much body except with perms and a lot of styling time. 

Barbara

Brioche78:   You look beautiful as a blonde!

You Rock that wig!