Starting Chemo in December 2013

Missy, love your picture and your post - can't say it better.

Love it Robin!!

Funny story... I normally have not been wearing makeup. It takes up energy that I don't have to spare to put it on. But I wore some to one of my follow up appt several weeks ago. My MO commented on my great color. I had to tell him it wasn't me... That I just put on make up this time!! Ha ha. It was a "faux glow"!! Ha ha. 

Welcome Missy!! I wish I could be welcoming you into something else. I had the big C after surgery and it was the worst pain ever. It put me over the edge. That wAs the night I finally broke down and cried. Take my boobs and hair but please at least let my poop be normal. 

The tons of steroids they pushed in me to keep me breathing are now keeping me awake.  That and anxiety about having to go back in 2 weeks for more. Already worried and nervous about it happening again. UGH!!

Just wanted to post two very good things that happened this week. I was worried all week but  I heard from my Breast Surgeon today and everything is okay with the cyst on my breast. The pathology report came back fine.

The second good thing that happened is I finished my chemo on Wednesday my last of eight dose dense treatments, 4 AC and 4 Taxol.  Radiation starts April 7th.

Hope everyone is doing okay.

robin, great pictures! 

Kate and mikesgirl, congrats of being done with chemo and port removal! That's awesome!!! A lot of happy dance for you!

Mikesgirl, I have a question for you. Did you have a mastectomy and follow up rad? I have tnbc and have seen people did both treatments (mastectomy and follow up rad). My RO suggested only one of the treatments and told me there is no published data showed beneficial effect of doing both. I am confused sometimes. Thanks!

J4Dc, the first time I had Bc (2006 D.C.I.S.) I had a bilateral mastectomy so I wouldn't have to deal with this again.  No chemo or rads were recommended because it was dcis and we took the most extreme step.  Unfortunately, it came back in the same spot as TNBC.  Now I needed the chemo and RADS because TNBC has such a great chance of recurrence.  My tumor was only .06mm.  (The doctor couldn't even feel it. I found it.)  That's why I'm doing RADS too because it really likes that spot.  My ro explained it like this....The chemo treats the whole body where there is blood flow.  In my case, if a cell survived in the scar tissue, it could rear it's ugly head.  That's what we don't want.  We're going to totally blast that thing.  If anything, chemo was questionable, but not RADS. I hope this helps.  Hugs! 

I am also so sorry you are going through the neuropathy......can I ask you what it feels like? I will be doing my 9th taxol on Monday and I keep waiting for it to happen, but so far, nothing.  Every once in awhile i get like a tingly or itchy feeling on the soles of my feet, but i don't think that is neuropathy, is it?  

I have another question....when i had my mastectomy in November, I had reconstruction done with a spacer put in.  At first it was filled with air then they put in saline.  When i had my surgery, they didn't think there was any lymph node involvement so that is one of the reasons why i went ahead with the reconstruction, but upon doing the surgery they discovered there was lymph nodes involved.  So now, I face radiation as well as the chemo which will soon be ending.  I have not met with the RO yet but do i get the spacer out and implant in before radiation or after?  Also, how soon do you usually start radiation after chemo ends? 

Happy weekend to us all!!! Another week down and closer to us all being done!!! woohoooooooooooooo!!

missy, I don't know about the implant and rad. My RO told me they generally do rad 4 weeks after chemo to give you time to recover. Have a nice weekend. 

Kat - Congrats. on finishing up the chemo.  Also, glad to hear that you got a good report from your MO.

Mikesgirl - Thanks for the advice re the PS.  I had my mapping today and will start Rads on April 7th.  Looks like several of us will be starting right around the same time.  

DJJ - Sorry about the setback. We are here for you.  Sending a hug your way.

RobinLK - Cute pics.  Hope you have minimal SE's with this round.

Missy - The TE, tissue expander, will stay in until you have PS after rads.  My PS told me that I have to wait 9 to 12 mos. but I am hearing different time frames from others.  Anyway, I had my TE taken down a little for safety and to protect the skin a little during rads.  Hope this helps.  My rads will be 3 weeks after my last chemo.  Time varies a bit due to scheduling.  I don't think they want to push it out more than 4 weeks after chemo.

Jodi - I guess I will have to check out the rads board to see what ladies are wearing for comfort.  My PS only reduced my TE by 100 ccs and the RO said that was ok.  So, I am only a little bit smaller.

Kim

Am I the only one that gets really pissed off at no make-up selfies to "bring awareness to cancer". How does that happen? Guess they figure we all look like shit.

Djj - the setback is brutal but the best for the long run, I have neuropathy as you know in my fingertips too, it is letting up so I hope it takes a hike stat. 

I'm going for my rad markings on april 9th almost 4 weeks post chemo, should start treatments right away.  boooo to commuting an hour each way for 6 weeks, you guys are gonna hear me on a rant when that starts....get prepared

met with my surgeon the other day,  we have a very close relationship, she has done 5 surgeries on me in the last 4 years we have more of a friendship now and being from a smaller area we know a lot of the same people shes amazing anyhow I told her my stress over the nodule she brought my report up and went through the whole thing with me, it does say its likely a granuloma, she assured me that nothing in that report stressed her or worried her at all and for me to chill basically, I told her I was more angry that no one told me upfront, she said more likely because they weren't concerned but she would let them know that was unfair.  Anyhow in the big picture it seems to be nothing to get worked up about.  it is being rechecked in the fall. 

Jackie - I have some white hardly noticeable fuzzies starting too, wondering if I should shave them and give it a fresh start.

oh and yay !! my dad is home from the hospital for now, still has some issues but hes home.

Hi girls.  My hair started out white and is now filling in more and turning brown.  I wouldn't be too quick to shave the new growth. 

I had the white fuzz that never fell out, i felt like a Chia Pet! I ended up shaving it down to the scalp and this is what is growing back now as of today! I never thought it would start growing back in while still on chemo but i'm not complaining!!

yes, Kimie, good to hear the news about your Dad!

I've lost a few brows, but my lashes are still holding on for dear life!:) Ha

My hair is mostly white/gray anyway, so my white stubbles are not a surprise to me. I wish they were growing faster and thicker, but happy to see them, just the same. It's strange that those of you who have dark hair are getting white stubbles...maybe the chemo takes away the natural pigment.

My RO called me today of all days (saturday?)  and scared the ba-jeebies out of me. I was thinking something was wrong after my planning CT scan...gheez. He was just going over my planning for next week. Hoping to start mid-week. I called the nurse coordinator last Thurs wondering what the hold up was on getting started. ...RO was on vacation. I guess she got him on it for me!

DJJ, I  hate that you have to have a break with chemo. That's hard, but you can do it!!! Your medical team is doing what they think is best for you. Hang in there.

I do have mouth wash from doctor.  And I have been using zilactin-B to numb it.  It makes a flim over the sores, but that aggravated the surrounding skin and caused it to get red.  Today I roughed it out.  No medicine on it just did mouth rinse.  Was thinking tomorrow of rinsing with baking soda mix.  I know this is not a big SE, and I have been very lucky.  Just seeking pro help from my AC pros;)

jodi - oh your poor  mouth...... I only had sensitivity inside of my mouth.  Im hoping one of our gals can you give you some advice on this, there has to be something...