Starting Chemo in December 2013

Congratulations to everybody that is ending chemo this week!!! I am feeling a bit better tonight, and tomorrow will be even better, i can feel it!

I'm 46 and have 2 kids, one is 21 and the other is 18.  My son is off to college and my daughter will be graduating here in June.  I'm divorced, so its hard on my own sometimes getting through everything.  My daughter helps me, but i hate being a burden to her so try not to ask her to do too much.  It's not that she wouldn't and doesn't and everything else, I just want her to be 18 and be having fun, not worry about her mom and cancer! 

Do you all have strange cravings for different foods? I just can't get enough of frozen fruit.....the kind with peaches, pineapple, mango and strawberries.  I put a little sugar on it and just sit and eat bowls full...of frozen fruit.  Its weird as i'd much rather have eaten a bag of chips before this!

DJJ. Nice to get that put of the way, sending wishes that the path report comes back good and you do not get much pain.   Do you have any drains in? 

 Barbara

anyone have a cancer marker blood test? Today was the first time I had one it was CA-15 something.  I wish they would explain the blood labs more that number was 30.1.  I do know my white count was up and they were concerned it would be low due to mouth sores.  

Robin- thanks about my friend. She was like the sweetest lady at our church/school.  Her daughter is a co teacher with me.  I can't go to the service since I just had chemo yesterday.  Anyway, a person with cancer is probably the last thing they want to see.  It was not breast cancer but Hodgkins.  The beat breast cancer 20 years ago, then beat Hodgskins 3 years backs.  She was dx around 3 weeks after me.  I hate cancer.  So hard to see anyone from our team go.  I have known 4 since my dx.  And 4 dx! 3 of which earned their wings. Heartbreaking.  But that is why my motto is just keep swimming.  No matter what just keep going.

I think I might be ended chemo last or at least with in days of whoever is last.  Anyone around May 14?  Y'all better come back and tell me yeah lol. I track you down on your other boards.  Ha ha! 

Someone should be on deck with rads. Someone told me to get men's pack of white shirts that you don't mind throwing away.  Slather yourself in aquaphor overnight.  Rinse either with dove or no soap at all since it can be drying.  I don't know what to do about underarm odor!!!  They said no deodorant. I don't wear antipersperient which I know they don't like! But how are we not going to stink?  Cornstarch?  Oils?  I might be a hippy lol!

DJJ - hoping your path report is good. How are you feeling?

^^^^;). Good thinking!!

DJJ- you rest!  You deserve it! Super proud!!!

Jackie-  I say it myself and countdown.  I think it is a mind trick for me.  I tell myself only 2 more (AC though so weeks apart) but when someone says it to me my response automatically is "Let's hope!".  I think we all feel that way.  

My plane ride was canceled yesterday.  We had to get a rental and drive home.  But, we had another passenger with us.  She flew down too.  I knew who she was because I tru to follow anyone with breast. Cancer in our area.  She has stage 4, reoccurance from almost exactly what I have.  I was really scared to know or talk about it.  But, I'm glad I did because she went to dumb doctors who ignored her and even withheld information!  Here is the story.  Please read and spread:

She went for her scans and they told her all clear.  Failed to tell her she had two cracked ribs on the bone scan.  Huge red flag!  First started with lower back pain, persistent would not go away.  She called Them and they suggest sleeping patterns, stretching...she went to a chiropractor!!  Not knowing about the cracked ribs!  Pain increase and then on a trip to Six Flags she almost blacked out on a ride from the pain in her back.  Her then BF keep telling her she was being dramatic.  She went on another ride that involved strapping something across her chest and she heard a crack.  Another rib and she said she was in serious pain when she got back to the hotel.  He still didn't believe her!  When she got back home, she finally got a bone scan and CT.  They said it would take ten days.  However, the radiologist told her he thought it was there to prepare her.  And it was- ribs and spine.   Now she is fighting for time.  She could have been so much farther ahead.  They stole time from her by ignoring her symptoms and worse ignoring the findings of the original scans saying all clear.  Her original BC chemo treatment was way different too.  They seem to drop the ball and it sickens me.  She is now at MDA climbing up as much as she can.  So!

1. Insist on knowing everything!  When we finish, ask no fractures?  No nothing?!

2. Any pain which most likely will be nothing, but any pain get down they and insist on a test.  Peace of mind for you!  

3.  Slap anyone that ever calls you a drama queen- it's called cancer survivor @!!!!!

I hope I didn't worry anyone. Her story actually gave me relief.  I was worried  about hearing it, but there were tons of warning signs which she agrees.  It didn't have to go down like this.  And it won't for us because she shared the truth!  

watching GMA. Why doesn't Amy Roabach look as exhausted as I look and feel? I know she cut her hair short but she still has it. 

Ladies in DD Taxol... When (if ever) did you feel numbness? It seems like I'm feeling some tingling in the tips of my fingers and toes. It's on the side where they removed the lymph nodes so not sure if it's surgical related or taxol related. It does seem like maybe my pinky on the other side too. What does it feel like? Is it like your foot fell asleep?

jackie, I sympathize with you on the steroids. They were my worst nightmare...rant away!

I am now 7  1/2 wks PFC and I am mentally and emotionally feeling much better than I ever thought I would again. I still have my moments of dis-belief, but overall feeling good. My stamina has improved and I am not short of breath or fatigued. Sometimes I feel like, just when something is over and I am on track, they hit me with something else! So far, rads are easy peasy, but only my 4th day today.

DJJ, glad your pain is not bad.

I stopped reading several years ago, but have now made it part of my on-going self-improvement plan! I am reading "Soraya". She is a Latino singer and wrote a book on her breast cancer DX. Her grandmother, aunt and mother all succumbed to it. My brother sent it to me along with a couple of her CD's. She is a very inspirational person! It amazes me how different one culture is from another in the way they handle their health-related issues, esp. cancer.

TGIF ladies~We can do this!!!

Amy from GMA may be on CMF chemo, I have a friend who was, it's limited hair loss on that, it thins but you don't lose it all.  

Not much sleep last night even after a Valium, those steroids win.  I will go to work and come home when I feel the crash coming...just need to see if I can work the makeup tricks to hide the blow fish look! Happy Friday all!

Morning ladies - I have been reading your posts and have been meaning to post myself.  I am 3 weeks post chemo. I am starting to feel some stubble on my head.... not fast enough.  My legs still hurt when I am on them a lot, but I feel like I am getting stronger.  I do still have down days.  

DJJ - I am glad your surgery is behind you and you are recovering.  Wishing you clear margins on your path report with no lymph node involvement.  

Oranje mama - Congratulations on finishing up your chemo.  Sending a hug your way.

Jodie - I haven't had any marker tests yet.  I think I do after rads.  Let me know what you learn.  Thanks for sharing what you learned from our stage IV sister.  What's her name?   I will be praying for her.     Thanks for sharing the info. that you learned from her, we can never have too much information.  We need to beat this.

RHGSR - I agree that we all need to stay on this board.  I would miss you all if I didn't read your posts.  As a matter of fact, there are a few of our sisters who haven't posted lately... miss hearing from them.   I had tingling in my fingers at different times with the Taxol, but it went away.  My hands still sometimes feel stiff and sore.  My main issues with the taxol were in my legs.  Run it by your MO if it doesn't go away.

Mikesgirl - Let me know how rads went.  I start Monday.  Are you using aloe?

Jackie - Rant away anytime.  Chemo sucks... and the steroid roller coaster is brutal.

Keepthefaith - Are you doing any preventative lotions with the rads?  I need to get over to the rads board and read up.

Take care ladies,

Kim

Count me in as someone annoyed by Amy Robach.  It's sugar-coated cancer.  Watch Amy "take control" by getting a short designer haircut (and keep her hair).  Watch Amy travel to Russia to cover the Olympics.  Watch Amy on GMA as if nothing is going on!

I guess we are supposed to applaud her for being so strong.  But I would find her stronger if she were more honest. 

Recently, an amazing woman named Ann Murray Paige lost her fight with breast cancer.  You can read her obituary here:

http://www.pressherald.com/news/Breast_cancer_writer__advocate_Ann_Murray_Paige_dies_at_48_.html

There are links to a video she made called the Breast Cancer diaries, and if you scroll down, to a speech she gave last year at a Mass General event.  Her speech is awesome.  Just make sure you have some tissues on hand if you give it a listen. 

Holli, my neuropathy varies, mostly it is tingly feeling and other times the foot feels tight light it was in a cast. Not really painful. At times the tingling radiates up the back of one calf.  I find walking helps and it is worse in the evening when I am lying on th couch reading or watching TV.  When I start walking the legs fell good but after 1/2 mile I get some weak feeling in one thigh like Robin, it feels like the leg might give out.  Never does and I just keep walking. MO still hopeful that is will go away eventually. 

DJJ glad you are not having a lot of pain.  No drain is a plus, I hated the drain after my AND. 

Jackie.  Thinking yourself only 4 more taxols and someone else saying it are so different   Have you been able to get the premeds reduced at all.  I feel so much better with lower steroid and benedryl doses.  Still had red checks this am but less hot flushes overnight. 

Robin, maybe that is the pain (from taxol)  I have feeling in my axillary area, just below the incision gets very sore and burning like. I had myself convinced I was feeling lymph nodes there but the MO checked yesterday and the week before and felt nothing. 

Jodi I had baseline markers done. Ca-15 and CEA. In our lab  Ca 15 is normal up to 33.5. That would mean yours at 30 would be normal. A single number is very useful but the change over time is what is followed.  Hopefully your markers will go down or even just stay stable after finishing chemo.  

I am really interested on how RT goes for you early starters. Is it true you can not wear any deodorant for the whole 5-6 weeks, PEW. I will really stink without my daily dose.   I have been reading about different lotions and have not heard what my RO recommends yet. Anyone know anything about Miaderm, it has calendula, all Vera and hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid) in it, very expensive. $33 for a 4 oz tube. 

Nice to hear from those who are done with chemo and starting to get back to normal, or at least their new normal. Gives the rest of us still going through this hell hope that it will get better. 

Barbara

For those of you who have asked about rads lotion: RO has me using Miaderm after rads and not sooner than 4 hrs prior to TX. I usually put it on an hour or so after, depending on what I've got going on. Also said "California Baby"  is an option. You can find CB at Target in the baby section and it is cheaper than Miaderm. Both have Calendula in them. Rt now, it's once/day, but will monitor me and see if I need to use more later on. I haven't been using deordorant before rads. Lucky for them, it's not too HOT here yet!! I have heard Aloe Vera is good for rads also.

good luck with your rads Monday, Kim. You'll do great!

I am not sure if and when they ckd my markers...if they did, they didn't discuss it with me. My RO said they will do a blood draw next wk and then again when I am done. I'm sure my MO will stay on top of it.

Anyone had port removed yet? Mine will be out next Friday. Just wondering if there is anything I should know. Local anesthesia, but at the hospital OR, in case something goes wrong...per BS.

Holli, loved your connection to your Grandmother and her gardening. Mine was the same way. I have a cutting from a lilac bush that she had at the homestead where she was born. I planted iris's a couple of years ago, bc they remind me of her. I think about her when I am out working in the yard. We had a veggie garden growing up. Sounds like your kids will have some good memories going forward!

Not keeping up with the Amy woman. I guess everyone deals with it in their own way...I wish some celebrities would take their roles more seriously and realize what a big influence they have on the public, though. What a let down. My half-sister had BC about 15 yrs ago and her hair thinned out. She was on CMF.

Anyone have any exciting plans for the week-end?

Okay, had my first rads today.  Easy.  You don't feel anything. It was weird though.  When I was done and I had left, I got very emotional.  I put up such a strong front, that sometimes it's overwhelming what I've actually gone through and am still going through.  My emotions bubble over through my eyes whether I like it or not.  None of this is easy, no matter how strong we think we are.  Seriously though, compared to chemo, you blink and it's over.  Happy week-end ladies.