Starting Chemo in April 2014

Linda you CAN do it!!! You have been so courageous and upbeat. I will say the days before I started chemo were much worse than the actual starting!!!! Anticipation is not my friend. Thinking of you.

Sunshine I get it....I have an appointment to get my hair shaved tomorrow but I am wavering. But I do think I am more afraid of the handfuls of hair thing. 

Sharon - glad you got some sleep....my sleepless nights leave me a wreck the next day.

Linda - the only reaction I had to the steroid was aweful acne on my chest and back. After a few days it did go away thouhgh whew!!

Hi ladies!  I've kind of been lurking along these past few weeks. I started chemo last week in Tuesday, and I've had a really tough time managing the SE. I'm hoping to start feeling a little more human soon!

hi all

Tomorrow at 8 am I get my port inserted. Then I go for blood work then meet with my MO at 1:00. Chemo starts wed april 30 at noon. I cut my hair last thurs and will have it shaved when I pick up my bald hat - also known as a wig - lol - a week from this Thursday. While I know that this will bother me I am more worried about weight gain. I know that this sounds foolish but it really concerns me

Also I have had a pain in the centre of my chest that's been there for approx a week. I have mild reflux and have had it off and on for years so have been popping Prevacid. I don't know if it is reflux but I've had this discomfort before. Sometimes it's not so bad. I saw my family dr today and called my nurse. No one is concerned. It seemed to have started in late January when I felt the lump in my armpit. It also starts sometimes when I'm walking. Like I need this right now!!  Lol

I love the pics of all of you and congratulate everyone for getting through this   

Chat soon!!

footballnut- I just lost about 15lbs and am skinner then I was before I had kids. A little radiation in the spine through the throat and stomach will decrease your appetite for sure! I only say this to say I know how you feel about the weight gain. Even though I have some wiggle room I don't want to gain a bunch. Don't feel bad one bit! No one ever wants to gain weight, be bald or lose their boobs!! Big cyber hug to you! 

Katie - so sorry you are having to go through this fight again. You have an amazing attitude right now. Hugs and prayers to you!

Swiss - im sorry you don't like your buzz. My pixie has turned to a patchy mess, its falling out by handfuls, but im a total wuss right now and scared to buzz it I just don't know what im so scared of

Footballing - how cute are you!!!!

Janet - hope you start feeljng better soon. Im also working through chemo, ill admit though that it's alot harder some days than i thought it would be. I sometimes feel like I should tougher !!! Grrr

Linda - good luck tomorrow! !!! Hugs!!!

Stephthegreat - feel better soon ♥

And as for me, blood work tomorrow to check the white and red blood cell counts, then chemo round 2 scheduled thurs!  Wish me luck (and wish me more courage to take the plunge and buzz this falling pixie off!)

Xoxo

Hi Ladies- feeling really good and looking forward to enjoying this week of SE days before round 2.  Shedding started profusely today, day 14, so bald I went.  Here are pics with my new wig and without!

Shelley - You look so great!  Please share how you're able to do yoga with new TE's?  I have been wanting to go, but I am too sore from my fills.  I am up to 400 cc's in each side now.  Mompv and Blueberry - same for you!!! I think we're so on trend here ladies! :-)

Swissmiss, Apple and Jen - I actually felt better after shaving my head.  I knew I had to do it or I'd be also have a mess of hair all over.  You may be very surprised by how you end up feeling.  For me it was like taking control over my situation, not the other way around.  It was very positive.  With that being said, I KNOW how HARD it is though and I wish I could give you each a hug!

Nana - your story is so sweet!  I really love hearing things like that.  I'm sure she was with you at that moment. :-)

Linda - YOU CAN DO THIS!! We all believe in you and are here for support! 

I had round 2 today and so far I'm really sleepy again and my taste buds are off.  My MO said to expect the same SE's this time around and that fatigue was cumulative, meaning it would just keep getting worse with each treatment.  So instead of turning a corner around day 5-7, I can expect 7-10 days this time.  Boo - I hope that's not the case.

I just had to stop by though for a quick check in/update with my sisters.  Hugs and prayers to all of you and the wonderful medical professionals taking care of us!

xoxo,

Holly

mmtagirl you look great!!!!!!!

Thanks all for your kind words!  Time to go to bed. I'll think of you tomorrow when the port is being inserted !!  Ure my strength!!

Ohhh good lord I missed a whole page of updates - lol - see how foggy I am!

Nana - good luck with the cut tomorrow.  You are beautiful now and I'm sure you will be just as beautiful afterwards.  As with all you ladies, I would love to see pics.  I agree with Cold that we have some gorgeous women on our team!

Kite - I'm truly sorry you're back here, but glad you posted.  My daughter is 6 and she also was worried about me being bald and her being embarrassed.  Their honest feelings are so normal at this again as it's hard for them to process the bigger situation.  I just really involved her in the process and she even ended up helping to buzz my head.  I was a little unsure of her reaction when I picked her up at daycare with just my new hat on and it didn't phase her one bit.  I hope that will be the case for your children as well.

Swissmiss - I hope you start feeling better about your hair. I get it!! Today I commented on a friends Facebook status and I saw my old profile picture of me with long blonde hair.  I was a little shocked and said to my husband that I no longer knew who that girl was.  The picture was taken less than a year ago. :-(

Footballnut - You are so CUTE!! I love your haircut.  And I'm with you on the weight gain.  I've gained a few pounds that I'm not real happy about.  I googled how much cc's weigh today on my phone thinking that would make me feel better.  My new boobs are about a pound each, but then my husband reminded me that I no longer have the weight of the old ones.  Oh well!!!

Sunshine - sending strength your way my friend (for chemo and the hair situation)!

Merg - you can bring pretty much anything with you.  I like my smart phone (and charger)!  And of course the hubby.  Today I slept through over half of my treatments (about 1 1/2 hours).  My Onco center has a fridge if you want to bring snacks, but they also have some things there.

Mmtagirl - I seriously thought your wig was your pre haircut photo!!! It looks so great and real and your beautiful facial feature really pop in the shaved photo!  I have noticed that with every one of you ladies.  Interesting how having hair actually distracts from our natural beauty of our faces! 

I just want to say Thank You to all.

merg, longisland, and Janet (and anyone I may have missed) - Hugs and good wishes for you on treatment day. I know it's your first time today, merg and Janet.  We are, as they seem to say around here "in your pocket."

Everforward - that sound like a scary SE!  Glad you are better.

blueberry did they give you anything in you IV for nausea before your infusion??  I am sorry to hear that you had to go back in but I hope you are feeling better. 

Linda starting the decadron last time had me freaking out the day before but I promise it gets more routine. (I refuse to call it easier). 

Sunshine I am sitting here with my long hair dreading that I am eventually going to have to buzz it so my head will feel better. Least time I cut it short and this time I just don't have the nerve to do. So I imagine that it's going to be really hard when it's time. ((Hugs))

SharonDE my oncologist was really stingy I had to go see a shrink to get lunesta for   

Lovebeingnana- I will think of you when my hat order comes soon. 

So infusion one for me went un-eventful which is a blessing. My favorite nurse was ther to hold my hand and make sure everything would be fine. I was shocked at how quick everything is done. I was ther about 3 hours but only because another patient had an emergency. Ativan while it's my friend makes me loopy because I have no tolerance to it. I was able to get Emmend in the IV along with Zofran  and I have some additional stuff for any breakthrough nausea.  My hubby was absolutely amazing yesterday from getting me some food, dealing with my melt down on the way there just with everything.  My biggest complaint is that my mouth is DRY. 

Holly- The yoga relieved a lot of the stiffness and I listened to my body! Did what I could. I have 450cc's  The pain from the fills sucked but I was able to get through and felt an enormous amount of physical and emotional relief. Just go and do what you can. I was weak and very tired but I made myself go. You'll be happy afterward Trust Me!

I'm off for round two right now.

Have a great day ladies!!!!!!

XOXOXOXO's

Dear lovely thread sisters, I just caught up with the last coupla pages, and want to respond to a few of you here.

Kazzy, how are you doing these days? You generously began this thread and I hope all is reasonably well.

Holly, I think you have the essence of cheerleader in your bones, and it is totally contagious! I love your posts, pics and enthusiasm. 

Footballnut, Your photos are so helpful and so pretty. I think it was you who also talked about chest pressure, irritation, and I have definitely had that after tx's for a fw days. Its uncomfortable. I think its the infusion working its magic on sensitive tissues, but who knows. Keep on top of it with your docs.

mmtagirl, such a lovely picture! Inspiring!

merg, best of luck today with chemo. keep us posted.

Sunshine, Amen to buzzing, its such a complex gesture: yes, its control, but its about having this beast of a condition that scares the @&$)? out of everyone, so the underlying rage and shock is strong for me.I will post pre hairloss shot today, if I remember after I get myself ready for the day!

JanetP, I have been too physically and emotionally affected for me to be able to keep working this past month. I am so, so grateful for some short term leave I can take. I worked through much of my first and second episodes, taking time off to the latter parts of radiation as it was daily driving an hour away. I took a week or so for surgery then, which was lumpectomy both times, much easier on me than the MX would have been. I am getting Taxol #4 tomorrow, and feel kind of worn down by it all. 

Linda, Here's to a decent experience at chemo today. Keep us posted.

Swiss, Boy do I relate to your posts! The whole thing sucks, to use an unlovely expression! You have a long,, drawn out year of treatment that makes "coming up for air" kind of hard. I love when I can get engaged with normal things, even dishes or making a list, that kind of thing. My ability to do that varies.

Steph, welcome to you.

Kite, I am a repeat customer, too, so know that you have my support.Hope that your husband is able to offer kind, steady help and good will over all. It makes a huge difference, and with little kids at home, much more so. Best of luck.

Nana and SharonDe,  I relate to you and love your entries. 

LongIsland, All for One! What agreat slogan for this thread!

Tomorrow is Taxol #4, and that will be one third through. YES. 

Big hugs from Maine, Mame