Starting Chemo in December 2013

On the trip in Savannah had a lot of problems with ankles and feet swelling too, had appt with BS this morning and she thinks it is still SE of chemo, will just have to run it's course.  The right arm and hand are definitely more swollen than the left.  In the process of getting set up with a LE specialists two towns over.  It will be about a 45 min drive, I don't care just want quality care.  Did get a RX for a sleeve and gauntlet.  Have a follow up appt in November with BS, will need a mammogram before the appt.  Also I will schedule to have port removed and colonoscopy at same time after rads.  I'm 1.5 years behind on that and my Mom and her Mom had colorectal cancer.  Going to kill two birds with one anesthesia.

The walking this weekend wore me out!  Need to get back into shape!  Still have fatigue and body aches, can't wait for all this poison to work it's way out of my system and start feeling more normal.

Congrats to those that have finished up.   For those that have to travel for treatment.

congrats J4DC!!  

I wish chemo was a distant memory for me too lol!  I can't wait to be where y'all are now!  Good luck with rads everyone!!  

I shared my story at the breast cancer site.  Here is a link.  Share yours if you would like!  More stories could only help more people!

http://m.thebreastcancersite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/bcs/story/earlier-testing389;jsessionid=92CB5213B69456BC280B6618D56B9BF4.xc-e

I highly recommend icing your hands and feet during Taxol infusion.  It had really stopped the hant and foot SE I was getting.  My feet were peeling and tender. Tender finger nails too!  I am ad ament about it each treatment!

To those starting rads soon...has your RO discussed respiratory gating? had minor meltdown today with husband about going back to the first RO in syracuse I saw before my lumpectomy, before I knew I needed chemo. She came in to the exam room to give us info on rads, and how it's done at this center. Husband feels I'm making myself crazy with looking into too many options. She (the first RO) discussed resp gating that she does. It's to protect the heart from the rad beams so that it times it so that the radiation is only delivered during the part of resp that the heart is furthest away from breast and lump area and out of the path of the rad beam. Now This center is 1hr away. Local center is 5 min away. Local RO (same place I had my chemo) does not do this. I actually forgot to ask further about it on 4/30 when I went for consult with him but called today and the nurse said they only use that for lung cancer (not!) and not for breast cancer but that the physicist will call me tomorrow to answer more of my questions regarding this. I had felt confident with his treatment until I remembered about the respiratory gating the RO talked to us about at time of dx (6 months ago, like a lifetime ago). My husband feels that the local RO answered our questions adequately enough when I asked about protecting the heart, and that they plan it after the cat scan and look at the heart and plan the rad beams so they don't intersect with the heart. But in my researching I learned that the heart moves during breathing and a regular 3d CT scan can't detect movt of the heart during resp and if it will fall in the path of the rad during breathing so it could get a part of the heart. They do a different type of scan in syracuse (?4d). I tend to over think everything and worry if I'm doing the right thing and doing enough. I have to weigh all options and review and research again. There are just so many options for every part of this treatment! It's certainly not clear cut and there many new things that are out there.

So anyone discuss resp gating? Who is doing it or not? There is also a deep breath holding tech also which is not done at any of the centers here . I am going to go to syracuse to see her on 5/7 then I'm sch here (Utica) on 5/9  with the local rad onc center for ct scan and then they do the mapping etc but may not pursue the local doc if I like her rationale better and if I'm a candidate for resp gating which I'm not sure if I am until they do their simulation. I'm rambling and processing it all as I type this

Took a 2 mile walk today to think about all this. I'm 2weeks post chemo and why is my 4th toe on each foot NOW numb? Didn't have any numbness during chemo. I was feeling it the past few days, like my toe is double in size, like I'm walking around with an olive on the end of my toe or like there is something between my toes, weird feeling.

Thanks for listening 

Kimie06 posted a link to the heart sparing radiotherapy she will be doing. I think it is similar to what you are describing.

Thanks, ladies! So happy to achieve another milestone with you. 

Hi, lisa, I don't know about respiratory gating. it never came up during my conversation with two MOs. They just told me my radiation will be focused on the right side, away from heart. Maybe that's why. I will ask him. 

Jodi and holli, thanks for sharing the stories! Jodi, chemo will be over soon for you too. You go girl!

I am so ready to lose the chemo weight gain, more than 10 pound! My appetite may be too good. So far SE is not too much from the last taxol. One toenail on each foot is blueish black, doesn't bother me much, hope they stay. Did any of you feel achy of your surgical site after taxol? It bothers me more lately. I wonder if it's the taxol that affects the nerves. 

Have a great night, everybody!

j4dc- the respiratory gating is for L breast cancer because of where the heart is.

Mikesgirl - I was told 8 more, I will be finished on the 15th... so happy!

oranje_mama -   Hoping for clear margins on your path report and a speedy recovery from your surgery.   I also hope that your RO and you can figure out a way to enable you to swim during rads.  

Kim

my tumor was in the 2:00 position. Maybe that will be a good position and away from the heart so that the gating is not needed but I think anything in the L side might be a concern and also how your heart moves with breathing. It doesn't change the effectiveness if the rad for the cancer cells just risk of side effects (and they are long term, wouldn't know if affected your heart till later in life). And I've read that the risk of heart issues is low. I do have high bp and high bp runs in the family (in the women) as well as other heart issues and stroke so it's good for me to be careful and ask about decreasing risk. Will see what she says tomorrow

Quick question for those of you who have had a lumpectomy:

Do I really need a front-close bra and front-close shirt?  I don't own the bra, not many shirts either (I mostly wear t shirts).  Just wondering if this is a "must"?  The nurse said I could have trouble raising my arms to get into a t-shirt post surgery.

Mikesgirl, you are almost done! How awesome!

Oranje, I had lx on right bottom probably about 5 o'clock. I found that I needed some support 24/7 for a few weeks. I bought some simple front closure ones at WalMart for $10. I am also large breasted and found the weight of no support made me sore. I also had an incision in my armpit for the nodes. The scar on my boob is about three inches long. I didn't have problems reaching up to put a loose shirt or tank on. For three days was bound with a tight wide ace bandage to control swelling, had a drain in for a week. The lump was small, 9mm, and they got good margins. Could not wear a regular bra for a couple of weeks, sports bra were it. Had a couple of pull on ones that I needed help with, could reach to the back well to pull it down. It wasn't that bad, was back to work in three weeks.

Hope this helps.

oranje, I had a lx at 2:00 position. A front closure bra is a good idea if you can get one. I got 2 free (a surgical front closure with about 6-8 hooks in front) from the breast care center that gives them for free from a grant for supplies for bc pts. I wore mine day and night for about 2-3 weeks I think. You really don't want that boob moving around much. It felt so much better to have the support even though I am small (B cup). But if you can't get a comfortable front closure then try the genie bra. I wore that after I wasn't wearing the surgical one anymore. They are soft and comfy. I got the one with the lace around the edges and I would put it on over my feet and pull up. I certainly did not want to go through the gymnastics needed to put on a snug sports bra. As to front closure shirts prob dont need esp now that's its warm. Loose Tshirts should be fine, just remember when getting dressed to put the affected arm in first, then when undressing do the reverse, the unaffected first. That way there is more material to work with and you don't have to strain your surgical side. Practice it before hand so you get the hang of it. I'm an OT (occupational therapist) so I'm used to teaching my patients things like this to help increase independence. Good thing my training came in handy for my own recovery!

Good luck. (Btw-I did not have a drain for mine and was not ace bandaged, but I put the tight surgical front closure bra on right away and kept it on for 2-3 days straight)

Keep us posted

Oranje - I came home in a breast binder and wore that. It velcros in the front, and had tabs to pin my drain tubes on.

So....I had my mapping done yesterday. I look like a preschooler who was sent off, with no shirt and a sharpie, to play! Lol. Posting pic, please ignore the armpit jungle. I still have not been cleared to shave. Ugh....

Jodi, do they (your doctors) offer caregiver support? My BS offered to have someone call my husband, someone that has been through what he would be dealing with as a caregiver. My DH declined and I think many men probably don't take part, being men and all. Just a thought/suggestion....

Holli, it wasn't bad. My shoulder hurt from the extended time laying in position with arms up. Took pain med when I got home, probably should have taken one before appt. Shoulder is fine now, and was last night, did not need a second dose of meds.