Starting Chemo in April 2014

Hey Sunshine36,

Thanks for the welcome. We started chemo the same day and we are losing our hair at the same time. Crazy! I'm at work today and trying to give my colleagues the head's up that I'll be bald next week. I haven't got a wig yet. I'm going for a consultation/fitting this weekend but I want to see how I do bald first. I have a bunch of cute hats waiting for my tender head.

Cheers,

Laura

Welcome Golfingirl. I am glad you are feeling better and back to cards!! SO scary to pass out!

Janet I did take anti-nausea med preventatively for 2 days - I hate nausea so I really would rather be a little drowsy. Doing that and keeping a little food in my stomach kept nausea away. 

I had a melt down yesterday afternoon….so tired of the body aches & pains…had a good cry - but that gave me a nose bleed - never have those so that must be another  gift from chemo. Oh well I felt better after getting that out!!!

Yes Janet We can do this. Needed to hear that. 

Hi LoveBeingNana,

I would have preferred to stay home today and take one just to see how it goes. But I don't have a ton of vacation/sick time at work. Leaving for weekly blood draws and then chemo is going to eat through it all pretty quickly. I am single and my income is all I have so once I get to FMLA unpaid time off I will be living off what little I have in my savings and that's a scary thought!! So i'm trying to work as much as possible as I feel like it. 

My last meltdown was last week, after I got my port. It's like that's when it really became REAL. I have a PORT in my chest---for CHEMO...because I have CANCER!!   I have been doing ok since then though. I thought I might have one at my first chemo yesterday which is why I wanted my friend with me to distract me and it worked. But I'm sure I will have many more meltdowns over the next few months!! *hugs*

welcome Golfingirl!   

sorry you had the crash ... and I can relate to the chemo brain.  Just feels like i am in a fog sometimes.  Concentration isn't there, hard to get the motivation to start anything.  

Hi All,

It has been a while since I posted. Welcome to all who are new! I had my hair cut into the cutest pixie cut last Saturday. I was short n sassy for five days. I never thought I would look so pretty in a short hairstyle. Now I know I can pull it off! It helped me to my new realization of no hair. Yesterday I woke to a very painful scalp. My pillow was covered in hair and I was shedding worse than any long haired dog I've ever seen. Has anyone else experienced a VERY painful scalp? I knew about tingling sensation and a little tenderness, but I had to take a percocet and still couldn't lay my head on my pillow. I called my infusion center nurse and she told me to have it shaved immediately! Well we broke out my husbands trimmers and viola No More Pain. My scalp is still a little tender, but the shaving helped. I have to say I'm not as fond of the shaved head as the pixie cut, but it wasn't that bad of a transition.  My next chemo (#2) is Tuesday, and I have to say after the first I am anxious about the SE's. I've read that some have it worse the second time around and others find it easier. To top everything else off. My job has elected to fill my position. I told them I was ready to come back to work part-time minus my week out for chemo and my exchange surgery (hopefully in August). Told them I would be back full-time in September. Unfortunately, the company and especially my department is unable to manage being short a full time person. The real kicker is "We love you" "Maybe this person won't work out" "We are going to try and get you in some part time hours" and finally "Let's take it one day at a time". Talk about being left in limbo. I didn't file any FMLA papers and I will be out more than twelve weeks by May 27th. The fatigue from the chemo won't let me work 40 hours as my job is very physically demanding. Guess I need to make a resume. 

Mikishelley I am so sorry about your job! How awful to have that stress added to you. I hopefully something will come along that is even better.

Makelemonade my scalp got really tingly and strange feeling around day 3 after chemo. It has calmed down now but I am waiting because next week I should start losing it. I have noticed it is not growing at all though. I should have gray roots by now!

This is day 9 after round 1 and I have to say I felt almost normal today. I did get tired this afternoon but after a short rest I feel better again. I hope everyone else is doing ok with your SE's!!!

Hello Ladies! I haven't been posting lately because I have been enjoying a few SE-Free days! I got to take my daughter to violin and to run errands, and buy STUFF. Gosh it was nice to go out to something other than a medical appointment! So what I'm saying is that THERE IS SOME LIGHT within the darkness. Now I know that regardless of nasty side effects or hospital stays, there are GOOD DAYS to come. This makes me HAPPY and much more confident about getting through this.

Now, first, I HAVE to say that HOLLY, you gorgeous, GORGEOUS woman! Your cheekbones, those EYES, and that SMILE - Girl, you are STUNNING! When I shaved my head, a friend said to me: "If you were on America's Top Model, they would have done that to you on purpose!" And I am passing that compliment on to you. You look AMAZING!

Nana, I, too, had the body aches and pains. My MO said it was from the Taxotere and that I could alternate Tylenol and Advil, as long as I monitor my temperature. It did help, and the pain only lasted a couple of days. And as for nosebleeds? Yup - had those for the first time ever too. 

Welcome to the new posters (and all those lurking, as I did for a few weeks!). We wish you didn't have to be here, but we're glad you found us. 

mikishelly: I am SO SORRY to hear about your job. That is NOT FAIR. Is it even legal? :S  And P.S. On a completely unrelated note, I, too, had PAIN in the scalp when the hair started to shed - the shave helped immensely. Dare I ask you to share a photo of your cute little bald head? Cuz I KNOW it's cute.

I had my appointment with my oncology team yesterday, and we've tweaked my meds and added a couple of things to combat all those nasty side effects I was experiencing. Apparently, the on-call oncology nurses I spoke to were IN THE WRONG, and should have paged my oncologist as soon as they heard about the acne-like rash - this was a sign of a Taxotere reaction. Add that to the shortness of breath and the "electrical zapping" pain, and my MO was super annoyed. He got THAT LOOK on his face - you know, the one that says SOMEONE is going to be in TROUBLE. Anyway, he's added some anti-histamines, AND a shot of Neulasta to prevent any further hospital visits. So, I am hopeful that Round 2 will be easier than Round 1.

Speaking of Round 2, it started this morning around 9:15am. No troubles AT ALL. Everything went smoothly, and the worst I can say is that I am tired. I will confess that at about 6am, I woke up to a temper tantrum in my head, complete with kicking, pounding fists and screams of "I don't WANNA!" But then logic set in, I steeled myself, put on my new headscarf that a friend sent me from Florida (it has hidden Mickeys on it - so fun!), and headed out with fists raised. Take THAT cancer!

Something I ponder: Is it weird that I like the feeling of normalcy I have at the cancer centre? I mean, no one looks twice at my bald head or my thinning eyebrows, and the looks of pity are absent - I sort of feel like I fit in. I mean, I can't yet say that I LOOK FORWARD to being there, but it IS nice to be in a place where we're all in the same boat, right? I kind of expect the theme song from Cheers to play when I walk in.

Glad to hear you felt good and were able to get out and about, ColdinCanada.

Awake again at 3am - all that water will do that.  Starting Day 3 and still feeling ok, since the Prilosec stopped the heartburn/reflux.  Still haven't taken any other anti-nausea meds other than a piece of ginger candy.  No mouth issues to speak of yet - brushing / rinsing with Biotine.  Did a salt / baking soda rinse as well and that felt good.

Good Luck to everyone getting through the treatments.  I agree - the infusion center was a much better experience than I expected.  It was also nice to have someone right there to answer questions and talk about potential issues.  It was very nice to have friendly and helpful nurses.

mikishelly, you might get some help from ready the section in BCO under "Day to day matters" where it talks about discrimination on the job and your rights.  Also, if there are more than 50 employees at the place you work then it's the law that you be protected for 12 weeks unpaid leave under FMLA.  Big corporations often have the FMLA as the minimum and the general practice for medical leave both paid and unpaid can be much more generous.  I encourage everyone to understand how their company policies work.

ColdinCanada, you have such a spirit that shines through your posts no matter what you are going through.  Thank you for the smile you alway bring me when I read your writings.  You should start a blog.  You have a frat gift of story telling.  Wishing you a continued positive experience with round 2.

Ever forward, I am no expert but have found that most of the nasty side effects last just a few days and come at different intervals.  I had head and neck pain for about 3 days.

I'm starting the day feeling pretty good. Off to the soccer fields to watch DD play in a tournament today.

Have a great Saturday everyone!

Hello All!
Nice to be back! Sorry that I
haven’t posted for awhile! I can’t believe how fast the time has flown
over the past 2 weeks! From April 12th - Sunday April 20th my DH and I have been in Montreal and NYC - our getaway before treatment starts.  I have been catching up on the thread and see you all as my inspiration to get this started!!

Since being home, I’ve had appointments - slept because my DH and I both caught cold while away, studied my chemo regimen, went grocery shopping, cleaned
the house - huh - I NEVER do this!!

Last Tuesday, I had my SYMA
(or MUGA) scan. Very bizarre. The tech explained that there would be
an IV so I asked where he would put it since my right arm has no veins
that you can find and the left should not be used due to the lymph nodes
being removed. He asked how my other tests have been done. I
responded that I have not had any since surgery. He then asked me what I
wanted him to do. What? Really? So for some stupid reason I started
to cry. He then changed completely and became very empathetic. He went
off to speak with a Dr. who said that he could use my left arm. I
wondered later how they do this test for people with no arms - where do
they put the IV then?

Anyhow - things proceeded well after that.

On
Wednesday I met with my Surgeon who is happy with my healing process.
He made it clear that he does not want me to lift any weights until
after my treatment is over. We shall see about that!! I miss my
weights and want to atleast try to do some light weights after 8 weeks
of recovery. I plan to speak with my MO next week.

Thursday
afternoon I too got a pixie cut. I also got in touch with Wellspring
and registered for a few sessions in May - Breast Cancer support group,
Nutrition for Breast Cancer and a Look Good Feel Better class. The
first class is on May 8 - the day I get my head shaved and have my wig
fitted. I hope that I will feel well enough to go!!

My nephew’s
wife gave birth to a beautiful baby boy yesterday shortly after 4pm
named Aaron Michael Sandow - 10lbs 3 oz - can you say OUCH? Wife had a C
section - baby, Mom and Dad are doing fine!!

Today my hubby has arranged a pre chemo party so we are expecting approx 30 people tonight. Should be very nice!!

Tuesday
April 29th is when the fun starts! My port will be inserted at 8am,
then I plan to eat, then I have blood work then meet with my MO to talk
cancer - ugh!!!!

Wednesday April 30th at Noon is my first chemo
infusion. I am scared to death!! I read the chats about chemo with
great interest. This is really NOT something that I want to do and am
thinking that once the port is in, I am tied to this until the MO
decides that I am free! Having said that, my MO is the Head of Oncology
at Credit Valley Hospital and actually led the development and building
of the cancer centre at the hospital. The details of my tumour and
treatment are in my bio - I do know that my cancer was aggressive at
stage 3 and that the two nodes which were impacted with macro. I know
two people who have gone through similar treatment and they are fine
today; one is 5 years out, the other close to 8. Right now, I am very
healthy with the exception of the cancer which tried to kill me so
hoping that I will be okay as I work through this. I know that I will
be monitored very closely. I too was told that the chemo is
precautionary as my margins were clear as were my Bone and CT scans.

I
sometimes think - what if I did nothing? I suspect that the truth is -
no-one truly knows!! My thoughts are that I could possible have
microscopic cancer cells floating around just waiting to wake up. If I
do, chemo should wipe these out and prevent any new ones from growing.
But it can also increase the risk of other cancers or health issues. So
- it's only 6 rounds - FEC-D also known as FEC-T. 3 rounds of FEC
followed by 3 rounds of Taxtotere. Then the hercepton for approx 1 year and Tamoxifen. So
- do I walk away and say forget it - whatever happens happens? I don't
want to end up like a good friend of mine who had a rare form of skin
cancer - ignored it - then by the time it started to grow and ooze it
was too late! So, I'll give it a go I guess.

Funny - I have
reflux - very minor - and while we were i n NYC, my chest began to hurt
while we were walking. This is the 2nd of 3rd time that this has
happened since feeling the lump in my armpit on Jan 27. So, I started
taking my Prevacid a few days ago. This morning I can still feel the
pressure a bit - funny - my hubby told me - don't even say that this is
lung cancer!! He reminded me that I have experienced this for years
especially when I am stressed! I find it off that I now feel somewhat
relaxed - more so than when this started. 

I also have had allergic  reactions to penicillon at times so say - BRING IT ON!!  I admire each of you and draw strength  from you!  I plan to start sharing as I work through my journey and see you all as invaluable support!

Welcome Back Footballnut! So nice you could get away before treatment!

I was scared too but actually the treatment part was really ok. The nurses are great and it was actually a great day. The next several were challenging but definitely doable. I think it was worse because it was the first time and I had no idea how bad it would get, how long it would last etc. But I am on day 10 now and back to living and actually feeling pretty well - just a little tired…. until next time.  You can do it!!!!!

Thanks for your sharing!  I will do this!!  Bringing up the rear for those of you before me!  So good to be back!!

Hi friends!

I have been enjoying my SE free week and had a friend fly in from CO for some great girl time - just what I needed! 

Cold - I also love your posts.  You're so upbeat and ALWAYS make me smile.

This week I went to a "Look Good, Feel Better" program that is in the United States.  If you haven't heard of it, you should definitely ask your MO as I highly recommend it!  You are asked ahead of time about your skin tone and then receive a make up bag full of department store moisturizer and makeup that the companies donate, valued at more than $300!  I have to say that my new Dior Mascara and Chanel Lipstick (YES - Seriously) are my favorites.  I also got a new cute red hat!  Please look into to it - it was such a fun time and really did improve my spirits!  Anyway, just had to share that with all you lovely ladies!

Holly

thank you Lovie - I have enjoyed mint tea in the past and was thinking of making a pot. I enjoy it cold as well

Got my haircut this morning - just a short chin length bob. My wig will be close to that. I was overdue for a cut - the two surgeries got in the way!  Felt strange not making my usual 5/6 week appointment. 

 Ended up parking next to a smoothie place and that tickled my fancy. Just hit the spot. Came home and had some leftover rice from the Chinese food they DH and DS had last night - now time for a nap!  

Other than being tired, and not wanting to even try some foods, the SE are minimal so far - hope this lasts! 

It is a gorgeous day here in SE PA - hope everyone has a great weekend!

Here is the pixie cut. I haven't taken a pic of the shaved head yet, but I will and post soon.