Starting Chemo in March 2014

{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}} sorry. I hope there is another wig place you can go to and I hope you feel better. My side of my underarm is hurting right now. I'm not sure why. Maybe from expander? Ugh

Lori

Darn it I wish we all didn't have to go through this extra junk. 

Alli, so sorry about the pain. Man can we get anyone with a little compassion to help us!! Hopefully you will get relief tomorrow:)You are right you will need to add it to your first post and as ladies add their treatment just edit your post. if it is to much trouble we can just start it on any post, and I can add them. Just if you ladies would add your treatment, dates and that way we can see them as milestones. it really helps to get through this.

Ugh about the the wig lady too. (()) I hope you find a better place!

Yay, Maggie! Glad it wasn't that bad:) For my bag I packed candy to suck on, Biotene gum, suduko puzzles, lap top, charging cord, vending machine money, pen, paper, my breast cancer awareness snuggle, warm socks and water bottle. This I am going to bring treats my first day for my first treatment there were brownies and I was so thankful. mine has a fridge so I will taking popsicles. 

Here is mine. If you ladies just want to reply with your treatment plan that would me be great!

Mom2Bnegativex3- treatment days Monday. 1st tx March 24th 3 tx Taxol and Carboplatin every 3 weeks rest for baby, have baby. Rest 3 weeks then Gembiticin and Carboplatin x3 every 3-4 weeks.

I am Errin Steffen on Facebook. no one knows yet but we can make our group that way if we need quick support we would be right there:)

awww Meg your post gave me a chuckle. Ben andJerry's works well also! I too had my port placed last Friday and was surprised how awake I was during the insertion. I did find the recovery pain a bit worse than the surgery. Mastectomy site is still numb and the Seroma is still not resolving. I was just not anticipating the discomfort the port caused. It is much better now. Have a good night all!

Alli- sorry you did not get your pain issues resolved. That is not acceptable. Hope it works out. 

Cancerisnot, are you seriously telling me you've been asked to wait a WEEK to get results on your PET/CT????  That's an OUTRAGE. Unacceptable. Was the scan done at some kind of specialized imaging facility, or a hospital, or where?

I'm so incensed on your behalf that I want you to give me your oncologist's phone number so that I can rage at him/her. I wish you could see me right now - I'm thisclose to hopping up and down and hitting something. What part of the fact that you've been diagnosed with cancer is unclear to these people? What makes them think that it's at all okay to make you live in the agony of uncertainty for seven whole days while they eat a sandwich and plan their vacations?

I realize that we've just barely met, and I don't know you at all. As a rule, I think we New Yorkers get a bad rap for being obnoxious; I'm more than happy to wait my turn for most things, and usually give up my place in that line to someone who looks as though they're in more of a hurry than I am. But in a situation like this, I would absolutely and without a moment's hesitation get gully on whoever had the unmitigated gall to tell you that you should wait a week for test results that would take roughly an hour or so to read and report. 

I think I shared here that I had an MRI indicate a bunch of additional areas of concern, including a possible bone met. That week, I flew through two CTs, a PET, and a bone scan in successive days. My beautiful, amazing radiologist, who is seriously the pushiest guy in the world, was on the phone with me and sharing the results of those tests before I was more than a mile or two away from the imaging center, because he didn't want me to wait a second longer than I absolutely had to in order to get the news. He was quite literally on the phone with the doctor who was writing the report while I was still putting my shoes on.

I'm saying that if ever there was a time to be impolite, that time is now. And if you don't want to call and make a fuss, PM me a name and a number and I will bring it with heat. God, I'm furious.

Oh also, welcome JoTro. I'm a fellow Kiwi (obviously by the name!) but I have been living in California for the last five years. I get a little homesick, especially now with all my family in New Zealand. My mother flew out to see me for a week, but it's a long flight and expensive and she's going through her final surgery next week (implant!) for her second bout of breast cancer.  Anyway! A derail, just wanted to say hi!

Does anyone know how long the bone pain from the neupogen shots lasts? My last shot for this round was last night and today the pain was horrible. Does it last more than one day?

Hello ladies.  Found out today that I will start chemo on Monday, March 10th so can I join now too?  I will have a picc line inserted instead of a port and my daughter who is an RN says that's fine.  I've been reading through this set of posts since they started and wish to thank you all for all your posts and the raw honesty in them.  My chemo regime will be 3 sets of Fluorouracil/Ellence/Cytoxane every 21 days with the Neupogen injection for white blood cells @ day 7/8.  That will be followed by 3 sets of Taxotere, with decadron, also at 21 day intervals.  Anyone else on the same regime?  Following chemo my onc will re-assess and I'll most likely then have rads (and more surgery if needed as I had a lumpectomy with sentinel node removal).  I hope to continue working, even if sporadically, during chemo.  I'm a legal assistant doing corporate/commerial work so I don't need to see too many clients and can work remotely from home if necessary.  I went shopping today for some of the items on the posts in the Chemo-Before, During and After Forums and I think the check out person in the drug store thought my basket of nausea, constipation, diarrhea, sleep aids, painkillers, baby wipes, etc. seemed a bit much ... lol.  Best wishes to all of us; keep your strength up .. my getting through chemo song is "I Am Titanium" and you can find me screeching that at the top of my lungs while driving to and fro appointments.

Hey lala--I start chemo on March 10th too but will be doing TC (also every 21 days)..and I love that song!

Kiwilady--How was the neulasta shot??  I was hoping for neupogen but since my insurance does not cover self injections at home the nurse is ordering neulasta.  I'm super fond of NZ--I studied abroad there for a semester back in 2007

have a great day everyone! Seems like the board will be going down in 20 mins so I hope those that have treatment today have an easy time and those who have to will be a good day! (())

Alli how many fills did you get? I only had one but will 3 more. Good for you! I have another one on Wednesday. 

Xrayalli, I'm so glad you got it to see you onco and got some pain meds!  That sounded miserable. And nurselaura, I'm glad you got that fluid drained out.  Hopefully your treatments can go ahead as planned.

I had horrible bone pain yesterday from the neupogen shots, I think I really scared my partner when she came home from work.  Thanks to vicodin I survived the night and today I'm feeling closer to human.  Still haven't made it through a full work day, I took today off.  I'm going to try tomorrow to work the whole day. 

Ahhh, here you all are at last!!!

Sorry about my outburst yesterday - I just get so angry when doctors don't understand that there's comfort in facts, because so much of this is unknowable. I'm pretty sure if our places were switched, they'd be fairly anxious to hear what their test results were, and I wish they'd remember that.

Laura, I'm so glad they drained your seroma! You must be sighing with relief right now. And double yay to Alli for the swelling going down - I hope the pain eases and the nerves heal quickly.

I had my second-opinion consult at Sloan today. While the MO there was clearly knowledgeable and the place is gorgeous, I really did feel as though I was "the tumor in Chair 2", as it were. They have their protocols and they tend to go by numbers. That might work for lots of people, but I honestly think I prefer the first MO I saw, because he looked at me instead of at his computer screen, and he spent a considerable amount of time talking to me about options and trying to figure out what the best combination of result and comfort would be. He also made it clear that he appreciated the amount of studying I'd done on the subject, and said that engaged and informed patients are easier to treat because they know that this is part science and part art.  And he wants me right where he can see me when I'm getting an infusion, so that he can address any problems or concerns immediately. I get the feeling that I might see the MO at Sloan if she happened to wander into the infusion room by mistake, but probably not otherwise :-)

Hope everyone's having a good day today! I missed you guys xoxo

I feel kind of stupid. The insurance company just made me cry.

I called to ask them if my plan covers cranial prosthesis as I had a prescription from my doctor for a full cranial prosthesis. He replied to say that he could not tell me unless I could give him a billing code. I explain, I don't have a billing code, I just have a prescription from my doctor, it's for a full cranial prosthesis because I am undergoing chemotherapy. He repeats he can't tell because he needs a code to check, and there should be a five digit code. He's very polite, but I'm feeling upset already.  I checked and there is no code, just a prescription sheet with the words full cranial prosthesis.

He says I need to talk to my doctor to get the number. I say ok, but I'm already starting to break down in tears, and I'm sure he can hear it in my voice. He offers to stay on the line while I check but I say no thanks, I'll call back tomorrow.

Hang up. Melt down, can't stop crying. And I feel like an idiot. Why does everything suddenly feel so hard?