Cytoxan Taxotere Chemo Ladies- February/March 2013

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited February 2014

    SC, I am so sorry to hear that you ar ein the hospital with an infection in the TE.  I hope that those antibiotics kick the infections butt and that the TE can stay in place.  You are in my prayers.

    Wishing minimal side effects to all of you on this chemo journey.  Each day that passes is one day closer to the finish line.

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  • Warrior_Woman
    Warrior_Woman Member Posts: 1,274
    edited February 2014

    SC - I am hanging in there but I am so sorry to hear of your uphill battle.  When will this end?  You've been through enough already.  

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  • QuirkyGirl
    QuirkyGirl Member Posts: 383
    edited February 2014

    so sorry to hear that SC!  I hope it clears up fast and you're home zippity quick!

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  • FairyDogMother
    FairyDogMother Member Posts: 253
    edited February 2014

    SC- I hope your body will heal soon.  I hope your mind gets some rest.  Big hug.  

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  • keepthefaith
    keepthefaith Member Posts: 2,156
    edited February 2014

    Hi ladies,

    Back fromTuscon. Had a great time with family.

    SC, hoping you get out of the hospital soon! So sorry you are going through such a hard time.

    I am not going back to the rest of the posts, but I hope everyone is doing well!

    I have my last TC next Tuesday. Trying to get my mind set and it's been harder to do this time, even though I know it's my last one. SE's are minimal right now; I sure do get tired easily with the smallest exertion and I think chemo brain is kicking in; becoming forgetful. I'm sure these will pass.

    Have a great week-end and keep the SE's at bay~

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  • Headeast
    Headeast Member Posts: 619
    edited February 2014

    Keepthefaith, you are almost DONE!

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  • SchoolCounselor
    SchoolCounselor Member Posts: 452
    edited February 2014

    Hi all,

    I was on vancomycin and zosyn. They just changed it to dapromycin. Looks like I will be here until at least Monday. I had a meltdown today and needed an anti anxiety.  I am so done. 

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  • audra67
    audra67 Member Posts: 521
    edited February 2014

    Fairydog= That's FABULOUS news!!!  happy for you!!!!  My first BS I saw here in Plano used the inter radiation and wanted to do lumpectomy...I instead chose mastectomy in Colorado with our friend PS...but the inter radiation seems the new and great thing...yay for you!

    SC-  I am so sorry you are in the hospital, good grief you have been through a lot!  I am praying for your quick and safe recovery...

    I am doing OK, 3 weeks post and still exhausted with doing things.  Went to P.T./lymphedema specialist again this am...I had congestion in back behind arm pit area and arm pit...after 1 session of drainage it was gone and T am going 3x/week all month, so hoping for good things...she thought it was not healed after surgery kind of congestion and not lymphedema, hard to say until next week for sure....she also gave me exercises to do on a roll thing...excited about moving forward and having something concrete to do...I need to get a pedometer to record miles and get better...

    The tiredness is annoying...went home and showered then went shopping with my daughter and her friend and lasted 3 hours and absolutely exhausted..just from walking around...AMAZING!! 

    My fingertips just heeled over from peeling and my sore feet are a little better- not so painful , still red...My hair is growing a little all over...

    Still having heartburn/stomach pain occasionally, tonight after eating taco with hot sauce...and I quit Prilosec last week...

    Just wishing I could get better quicker...I feel like this has been such a LONG haul..

    To those of you getting radiation:  This P.T./lymphedema person said that EVERYONE that gets radiation needs to see a lymphedema specialist as that adds risk to getting it...plus lymph node removal of course...but she said a lot of BS or PS or MO's do not ever recommend it and the ladies show up too late as if it's caught early is more treatable..??  Just her opinion and I thought you all should know...PLUS it feels like 'light massage' and is nice..:)  AND our insurance covers it (Aetna)

    GET WELL SC!!!


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  • Palameda
    Palameda Member Posts: 259
    edited February 2014

    SC, how about a scream "this sucks!"

    FairyDog, I had an iort dose during surgery, but still have to do rads. Iort is great: you feel nothing, not even anxiety! I highly recommend anything done when you're under anesthesia...

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  • TeamKim
    TeamKim Member Posts: 568
    edited February 2014

    Oh SC, so sorry!  You are such a warrior -- I am in awe of all that you have battled and conquered in this journey.  (((Hugs)))

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  • SchoolCounselor
    SchoolCounselor Member Posts: 452
    edited February 2014

    I have now been in the hospital since Wednesday with no end in sight. You know that strength that they say of we dip down and find it? It's there.... I'm still looking for it. I have unraveled in a wAys I did  not think possible. Cancer and all that is part of it SUCKS!!!!!!!!!

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  • QuirkyGirl
    QuirkyGirl Member Posts: 383
    edited February 2014

    SC I'm so sorry!  What has to happen in order for you to get out?

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  • SchoolCounselor
    SchoolCounselor Member Posts: 452
    edited February 2014

    My left TE is infected. I have been on antibiotics since Monday. They are doing a blood culture on my draws daily so far nothing. All my docs want to preserve the TE.y exchange fate is the 21st. I think they want me on IV antibiotics until at least 5 days prior to the surgery. So here I am. 

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited February 2014

    Oh SC - I'll keep you in my prayers for a positive response to the antibiotics and smooth transition to surgery.

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  • Headeast
    Headeast Member Posts: 619
    edited February 2014

    SchoolCounselor, I am praying for you. Find strength, breath, fight it mentally. Our minds are stronger than our bodies.

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  • momat927
    momat927 Member Posts: 173
    edited February 2014

    Hello Everyone!  It is 3:45 AM and today will be my last TC chemo.   I am awake because nauseous but that can be from stress of no power and floods. Power came on Friday afternoon  here on my side of the street in Blue Bell. I walked into my home and fell asleep on a chair for hours.  Then I  spent these days before chemo cleaning out fridge, food shopping & chloroxing floors. But I am home!!!  Winter is tough time to have chemo!!!!   Winter chemo should have its own name.  

    Forgive me if I miss responding to individual posts or am a bit confused.  SC, are you still in the hospital ?   FairyDog, grand news!  I think I missed some news from audra and Warrior.  I will try to reread and wait to hear too !  And I look forward to news from everyone, even if to hold you up. I am sorry for inconsistency. 

    The hardest thing for me this week was the unfathomable fatigue through this storm disaster.  I broke down in the hotel because no matter how strong I would normally be, there was not one iota of strength left. Not one tiny strength cell. 

    I usually feel robust with steroids but this time, just exhausted. 

    But, tomorrow is the end of chemo. For that i am grateful

    Hugs, momat

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  • SchoolCounselor
    SchoolCounselor Member Posts: 452
    edited February 2014

    great news momat. I will be thinking of you in the chair. Thanks head and minus. I think what overwhelmed me the most was the loss of control and all the unknown around me. 

    Thanks for sending me your strength, it helped me get through the day. I think I hit my rock bottom yesterday and the only option is up!

    Hopefully, I'll have more news later. Did I mention the antibiotics have given me a yeast infection?

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  • keepthefaith
    keepthefaith Member Posts: 2,156
    edited February 2014

    SC, I hope you are improving as each day passes....yeast infection, go away!

    momat, congrats on your last TX! Will be thinking of you today. Sorry to hear you are having such a hard time and had to leave your home in the midst of all of that you are going through.  The weather has been grueling this year.

    I go for my last TX tomorrow. I am seriously considering not taking the Taxotere. Will talk to my MO tomorrow. I think she will be okay with it, since she wasn't sure I needed chemo anyway. Plus, I do not want to take any more steroids. I think the fatigue and lack of energy is getting the best of me.  My legs ache with the slightest movement. Sorry for whining...poke me with a fork... I think I am done!

    I hope we can all make the best of this week and keep the SE's minimal. This too, shall pass.

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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited February 2014

    SchoolCounselor- Hope you get this infection knocked out soon.  The infection has got to go!!!! 

    Keepthefaith--  I know you are tired and fatigued and feel like you have had enough.  Just have to keep pushing forward.  What you are physically feeling.... the tiredness, the fatigue, the achiness..... yes it's the chemo.  I know it's hard but please keep muscling through this hard time.  Have to remember you will not stay in chemoland forever, you are almost done!!!!  So tomorrow after that last chemo, ring that bell really loudly so everyone can hear that you have finished chemo.!!!!   

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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited February 2014

    momat927 and those finishing chemo--- Happy Dance and Congrats!!!  Time to recover from the adventure in chemoland and on to what is next. 

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  • SchoolCounselor
    SchoolCounselor Member Posts: 452
    edited February 2014

    The verdict is in. Surgery tomorrow to remove the affected TE. Then do nothing for two months, until I am fully healed. I am going to be lopsided!

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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited February 2014

    SchoolCounselor-  Good luck with the surgery!!!!  Thinking of you.  As for being lopsided, it's okay.  I had a UMX without recon in March 2012 and that is unlikely to change anytime soon.  Please try not to fret about that.  Just have to get well!!!!

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited February 2014

    Oh SC - I know that's a hard thing to hear but you really need to get rid of the infections.  Hope the surgery isn't too hard.  Be sure to tell them to give you a scopolamine patch if you tend be nauseous in recovery & afterwards.  I know there are other ladies who have been through what you're facing and hope they'll chime in soon.  I'll keep you in my thoughts & prayers again tomorrow.

    KeepTheFaith - I had a friend who recommended coming off the steroids more slowly.  Two the day before.  Two the day of chemo.  One the next day.  One the day after that.  I found I didn't have such a large crash.

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  • Bluegrassharp
    Bluegrassharp Member Posts: 96
    edited February 2014

    I haven't had the energy to post recently, but I read every day and think/pray for each of you daily. You all keep me grounded -- it's a blessing to know we can all express our deepest individual fears and always get back responses from the group that help us face them with courage, hope and (often) humor!

    The good news from me is that I had my sixth and last TC infusion today! The last 3 weeks have been a little rough -- constant muscle aches head to toe, ankles swelling, breathlessness -- my 94-yr old mother calls it "...that do-less condition." But because I do read everyone's posts, I know how lucky I really am -- no nausea or infection or family upset. I figure the next 2-3 weeks will be unpleasant and even more "do-less," but I'm trying to stay focused on leaving the chemo waste land next month, and on to challenge of rads. 

    ((Hugs)) and minimal side effects this week to all of you!

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  • Bluegrassharp
    Bluegrassharp Member Posts: 96
    edited February 2014

    A Funny Bald Story: So I'm driving home from my last chemo today, exhausted and a bit fearful over the immediate future; and then I get stopped by a hidden cop car for doing 15 over the 30 mpg speed limit! My first thought -- well, really my second thought -- was that I was well and truly screwed because a lab tech had told me 2 weeks ago that my driver's license had expired on my birthday in January! I confessed this immediately to the cop as I handed him all my paperwork; whipped off my hat to reveal my shiny bald head; and explained that I just hadn't felt good enough to renew it due to last chemo for BC today. In the end he just gave me a warning and a lovely story about his mother's successful fight against BC -- so there can be good even in baby-butt baldness, ladies!

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  • QuirkyGirl
    QuirkyGirl Member Posts: 383
    edited February 2014

    SC - thinking of you.  Lopsided (temporarily) but out of the hospital :)

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  • joanmj58
    joanmj58 Member Posts: 68
    edited February 2014

    Hi,all! Had 4th treatment of TC chemo yesterday out of 6 treatments--so I am halfway there! Good news is that I have had very minimal side effects and no neuropathy, bone pain etc. Get the neulasta shot today. Take Claritan--that REALLY helps! After session 6 is finished I start on Tamoxifen. Then a PET scan. That makes me nervous! Hoping everyone is on the upswing!

    Joan

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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited February 2014

    Bluegrassharp -  YIPPEE!!!   So wonderful to hear that you made it through all 6 rounds and now finished with chemo!!!!!  Hope you start feeling better very very soon.    Just so happy for you that you are done with chemo!!!  (Since you are heading to rads, check out the Miaderm radiation cream.  Here is the link so you can read about it http://miaderm.com/.  It can be purchased on Amazon.  I know several gals who had rads that used this cream.  It was recommended to me by another BCO gal whose sister is a radiation nurse.  I did not have rads and didn't find out I wouldn't be having rads until after my 5th round of chemo but I checked out the rads so I would have an idea of where I may be heading.)

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  • keepthefaith
    keepthefaith Member Posts: 2,156
    edited February 2014

    BGH, good to hear from you! congrats on your last chemo! I hope your do-less ends soon! Good for you for getting out of the ticket.

    While I was on the train to Tuscon, I decided to have dinner delivered to my sleeping car. The attendant came by to take my order. After he left, I realized that I had taken my hat off and revealed my mangey little hair-do to him! I laughed at myself  and put the hat on by the time he got back with my food. I wondered what he was thinking, although he never made it obvious that he thought I looked funny!

    Thanks for all of your kind words and advice ladies. I was a good girl and started my steroids yesterday. My face is already flushed. One good thing, I am not feeling COLD, even though my thermostat is down!

    SC, I'm sorry you have to go thru another surgery. I hope it goes well. You have really been put thru the ringer. Healing thoughts coming your way.

    ((HUGS))

     

     

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  • Headeast
    Headeast Member Posts: 619
    edited February 2014

    BGH, Congratulations! Yay!

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