Starting Chemo in March 2014

felt a bit nauseated this am, went to chemo. labs better   got more nauseated, by the time I went home,,,yucko  . But it started before chemo this am. Something I ate, virus.   Ugh   I hate nausea and it is the first time since I started chemo that I had it.   Reminds me of pregnancy.   Ugh Ugh   Took a compazine

 Welcome oddducklady - a mans perspective going thru this a well as a wife's care taking thoughts would be aesone to hear. My husband is adjusting to when to back off and when to jump in and rescue he rest if the family.

Jmg - we're all going to have bad days (weeks) and that's why we're all here.  Know I am keeping you close in prayers. 

As for chemo yesterday, it was the MOST BIRIN THING I DID SONCE MY 12th acls refresher. And the medical peeps know how bad the first 10 are. I packed everything suggested in my chemo bag but have discovered maybe that's meant to stay home as a resource bag and I should just bring the kindle, phone, blankie which I didn't need but everyone was jealous of) and a charger. In for 850, labs (elevated livers now all norm!!!!), iv of saline, one of Benadryl, one of saline lunch, dessert, candy, and about 1230 chemo. Taxotere burned like potassium and my NEW chemo nurse (not he old one I was supposed to have) wanted to know why no port cause my veins "suck and are thin and too irritated" . Ha!!!!!! Vindication!!!!  She finally was one who listened to me like a another vein pro and not some whiny patient trying to tell he how to do her job. Of course the 1.5" x .5" bruise from mondays CT also led some support. She gets the veins for chemo. I get them 10 years later when their veins are worse. So she's taking to onco. He's going to say no again cause now it's only 3 more. But I feel like someone at least listened taut time. She asks Bout the additional scar, so I tapped on my prosthetic eye. She definitely understood my "it's no big deal. I've been thru more" comment. Creepy but totally effective and got my point across !!!!!

On a happy note I LOVE my new short hair. Even the color he added for fun since it was only temporary. He suggested curly hair women try ethnic wig shops and I know of 2 so since feel great going there today

I feel euphoric now that first chemo is over. Hoping this is normal. I'm going to crash when I stop decadron Sunday aren't i!!!???!!!

Have an awesome dy lafies

Ali -aspergillus niger fungal infection after pushed a stretcher through a construction site and dirt scratched my eye. Took 4 months to figure out the problem until it grew enough in the anterior (very front) portion to spill out into visible range. Ended up w a PLL line and intraocular injections of amphotericin b. and 2 infected PLL lines and endocarditis, staph, and ARDS and a hospital stay starting w a 105.9 fever I don't fully remember. Although my husband, coworkers, and the older ED  staff continue to razz me for my bell ringing talents.  Quite the adventure as the high dose steroids I was put on the in the beginning overpowered the birth control pills I had just started.  So my eldest and I had quite the adventure before she was born. My choice came down to her or a 4th surgery that may save 5% of he peripheral vision. Thankful every day for my choice. So in a nutshell, what's a little port scar that a shirt or bra strap can cover when my plastic eye is sitting right out here in my face for everyone to see. It loos good, not perfect, but most just assume its a little lazy.    So poop to a few scars and a nip that takes a sharp right turn  now.  Health first, cosmetics second. 

despite the dire warnings to abort because of the horrid disabilities she would have due to the meds and fever, she's perfect and brilliant ... other than being a teen ;-)

doing the happy dance here in CT! Went for my neulesta injection yesterday (headache skull pain this morning) and my new chemo nurse inspected my arm and the sore reform chemo and the massive bruise from CT. She marched off and brought MO back and made him listen to me. Veins were the only hong stressing me out over this whole thing. I'm on w chemo and rads and no hair and feeling crappy b/c I know in the end I'll be playing w grandbabies. (In many years I mean) Port goes in next week.  And I slept an entire 9 hours last night.  :-)  So much my hubby and BFF who both work nights texted wondering why I wasn't awake. 

Jmg how's your pic line redness?  Be consistent w them. Don't back down.  My 1st PLL (same thing but dumps out into subclavian) did the same and they pulled it for safety and good reason. 

Hope you all have a relaxed weekend. Movies and hot cocoa on the couch all day are my kids' prescription for the 3 of us. Think I'm going to get roped into some puzzle making since I want my dinig room table back after 2 years. 

Can any of you medical people tell me what ..." nonspecific
enhancing foci" means in an MRI report?

Greetings, Marchers! I've spent the last hour or so catching up with the posts I've missed and once again, you blow me away with your love, support, compassion, and pompoms (such a great mental image). I'm sort of embarrassed at how well things are going. Caught the plague cough that's been going around, which sent my WBC spiraling down at the end of last week. MO put me on supplemental Neupogen for a few days in preparation for DD AC #2 last Tuesday. I drove alone to the second treatment just to prove to myself that I can do this. However, it wasn't a good idea and I don't plan to try it again until I segue onto weekly Taxol. 

The cycle so far seems to be day 1, I'm dizzy and ditzy from the Cytoxin -- others get headaches (sucking on an Altoids seems to help), I just get dizzy. Day 2, still giddy from the steroids. I take an Ativan to make sure I sleep on night 1. Then it's pretty much just a bit of fatigue and the evening aches from the Neulasta. Based on your suggestions I plan to start the Claritin earlier next time. Tylenol helps. A week later and the productive cough is still producing (and playing havoc with sleep), so my MO gave me a Z-pack, which seems to be working. 

I woke up on day 14 after my first treatment wondering if I'd been precipitate in scheduling my buzz cut for that afternoon, but when I ran my fingers through my hair and came away with more than a few strands I knew the timing was perfect. For those of you with prickly scalps, try a satin pillowcase or a really old soft cotton one. Silk will snag and catch. 

Wishing you all a good respite weekend. 

Thanks Xrayalli, I figured you'd be able to tell me. I'm really in a bit of a dilemma over my MO recommendation to just have a lumpectomy. I have ILC and I'm not convinced that the right breast is negative. I found my BC myself when I notice dimpling in my left breast. But there is slight dimpling in the right as well. The CT and MRI were negative except for the term non-specific enhancing foci but I'm just not convinced. I go to the PA that works for the MO on Wednesday and I'll see if she can answer some of my questions. I think I'd like them to order an ultrasound since it showed the CA on the left side... I never had U/S on the right. I'm afraid the chemo will kill whatever they can see and I'll be right back here in a few years with BC on the right side. Does that make sense?

I'm learning to go with my gut and what I truly think, especially when it is creating stress and turmoil.  I would ask for the additional tests. POM for everyone if neg, more info for you and you treatment I it isn't.  Thinking of you. 

Thanks for the good wishes, ladies.  I have been in the hospital for the last two 1/2 days....1/2 of root canal blew up...vomited all night; 

face is swollen and pain is unbearable.  Antibiotics and pain meds in PICC for two days.  Now what?  Have to check with my doc wihen

she gets back Monday if i get the tooth pulled and chemo is delayed.  I HATE to do that because I'm afraid cancer willl grab hold easier

but I can't live with this pain/infection either.  I'm only hoping there won't be worse complications with extraction.

ARGH, I still have my period....it came the day after my first infusion, a week early.  It's way lighter now than it was but good golly....I can't believe I am still spotting after ten days.

genny5775, I agree. .. get some further testing.  I think it's necessary,  esp given the ILC dx....and it will certainly make you feel better about whatever decision you ultimately make. 

We were diagnosed around the same time - I remember your story about seeing the tethering while drying your hair.  I noticed a dimple on my left breast about a year ago, showed it to my DH who said, "that has always been there"....so I ignored it.  Actually, I did mention it to my primary, who said nothing remarkable....then I skipped my mammo that year (had other things to do...).  Anyway, my cancer was found during routine mammo - and when I showed my BS the dimple she said, "yup, that's cancer"...(she wasn't so cavalier, I love her...), but that was my only symptom (and I ignored it).

WifeWBC....I'm sorry to hear that her treatment was so much harder on her this time.  I haven't had the nausea, so I'm not sure what to suggest....I have a prescription for Zofran and Compazine in case I need it.  I hope she feels better soon!  I am sending up good thoughts for her.  It wouldn't hurt to call MO in any event; I would!

I go to oral surgeon in two hours.  Finally got final ok from MO.  Nervous as can be because it's in the afternoon.  They didn't want me to fast until 2:00 p.m. so now they can't knock me out.  This has me nervous since the shot from the endodontist to numb me was enough of pain to actually make me cry and make me lift both legs in the air.  I really want to be knocked out.  Maybe I will be well enough for them to knock me out tomorrow....lol.  I hope all goes well; I truly am more nervous than I was before my BC operation.

Welcome, Jenwith4kids....and I hope everyone else is having a good day.  First warm day here today!  (But can you believe maybe snow again Thurs?)

Anybody else with almost constant sinus headache?  fortunately, the chemo nurse said I can take advil sinus which is my "go to" drug for this, but I'm afraid as time goes on blood levels change I might not be able to stay on it.  Which leads to another question... I know that WBCs are going to always be low, but are all other counts expected to be consistent throughout treatment or will they get worse?  Is that where the fatigue comes from?

It's almost 50 degrees here, I'm off for my first walk of the day (I say that because I accidentally scheduled two friends for today!  Thank goodness it's sunny!)

Jen

I am currently getting my 2nd infusion of Epirubicin and Cytoxan. My WBC were .9 last week and are now at 13.! So the Neulasta shot worked and surprisingly, my RBC and hem went up too. Not sure why but we'll take it!