Starting Chemo January 6, 2014

Hi Ladies ~ it's been a while since I visited our group. I've got pages and pages to read through

I hope everyone is doing well. I am now exactly 4 months out from my last chemo. My eyelashes are coming back. My eyebrows not so much but I'm getting good at drawing them on.    Also, I have got hair! It's short but it's full and soft and omg so curly. I went out today without a hat. That's a first. I am starting to get those pesky delayed chemo side effects that I got last time. Numb alternating with burning feet. Numb fingers. Extreme joint pain. But I am able to get out of bed every single day and enjoy my friends and family. When my kids start back to school in less than 2 weeks I will attempt a very modified workout at my neighborhood gym. I need to get back in shape for a couple of upcoming trips!

My family just got accepted for a retreat to Lake Tahoe through Little Pink Houses of Hope. They are a non profit who provide FREE week long vacations for breast cancer patients and their families. We are going the last week of September.

They "believe a cancer diagnosis does not just affect the patient, but the entire family.  Every beach retreat is designed to help families relax, reconnect and rejuvenate during the cancer journey."

I read about them here on BCO, and submitted an application a couple of months ago. I urge you all to apply. They have many dates and locations to choose from. It's amazing.

I am also flying up to my hometown, Vancouver BC, to visit family and friends and have a girls' weekend up Whistler/Blackcomb with some ladies I went to school with. Some of them I've known since elementary school. I am so looking forward to that. My best friend who just bought a duplex up at Whistler has booked ziplining for us. Now that is something that before my cancer dx I would have said NOPE to, but now it's something I really feel like I want to do lol.

Just skimming through the recent posts it seems a lot of us are done with chemo or close to finishing up, getting surgery and recovering from bmxs. Even though I've been away from the board for a bit I have been thinking about all of you and hope you are all enjoying the summer.

Here's a link to the Little Pink Houses website ~

XO Wendy

http://www.littlepink.org/

Carpe, I have never heard of that organization! I'm 30 mins from Lake Tahoe, but that's right smack dab in the middle of the school year for us or I would apply! How cool that you were accepted. It's beautiful up there in September. 

I am having some of that extreme joint pain you are talking about. It didn't start until one week after my last Taxol, but it's really a pain in the butt! My knees, shoulders and hips especially are really sore when I first get moving from a standing or sitting position. I wasn't expecting this AFTER all the chemo - I never had it during. My lashes are starting to grow back but I have exactly ZERO brows. Hair is also growing, but I have a nice thing spot on top that prevents me from going out sans hat yet. Everywhere else I have good enough coverage, but I look like a balding man up top lol

I did check out the site...what an awesome organization! I wonder how long after cancer they will let you do it? We are heading down to your neck of the woods with my whole family (parents, siblings, niece and nephew) in December, but would love another little break next year. You think that's too far out?

Thank you for the tip CarpeVinum, I just applied!! 

Smartasssmurf ~ great shirts and wow do you look gorgeous with that bald head!

Joint pain ~ mine is getting so bad it's hard to open my jaw when I first limp into the bathroom in the morning for a drink of water to take my thyroid meds. My onc tested for Rheumatoid Arth and other auto immune disorders and everything came back OK. I wonder if it could be the Prilosec I take 2X/day for my GERD? Anybody else on a proton pump inhibitor finding they have extreme joint pain? Today I will stop the Prilosec and try Apple Cider Vinegar instead. I am seriously hunched over like a 110 year old woman and I am actually a very fit, slim person. So aggravating.

Yay for eyebrows!!

Ugh I know, people's fascination with our hair these days is a bit too much sometimes. Every time I see my parents they want a tour of my head and point out things like "it's so soft" and "it's so much lighter (read: gray) back here!". I can't wait until my looks are no longer the focal point of every visit!! This weekend I was out shopping and a store clerk said to me "Oh, can I see your hair??" (I was wearing my hat, as usual) and I had to tell her that I had very little on top, thus why I was wearing the hat, and no I wouldn't be taking it off. The good part was, though, that she hadn't seen me as a cancer patient, she thought I just had a short hair cut and was wearing a hat because I wanted to. She was thinking of cutting her hair and looking for inspiration. It felt so good to think that someone had seen me as something other than a cancer patient!

Belleb- good luck with surgery. 

I was wondering  if anyone has had herceptin without a port? Is it ok, does it burn? I really want my port out. They moved mine in surgery and it's feeling a little nervy. If that makes sense.? I've never liked it but was grateful for it during my 6 hour chemos. I still have herceptin until about March but I think I could handle it with out the port.

I was finished with chemo on 5/12 and I just have  maybe a 1/2 inch of hair but it's still very fine. My eyebrows are coming back slowly . And my eyelashes  are still too short to wear mascara.

Marren-no herceptin here, but I hear you on the like/dislike of the port.

Belle--in your pocket for surgery and hoping no cycle until much later.

Smurf--glad your surgery went well.  I am just finishing radiation and have few side effects, it's been much easier on me than chemo--hoping it's the same for you.

Belleb - good luck tomorrow   Take it easy for a good few days, let others cook for you, etc.

Smurf - you look beautiful in your photo!  I love the shirts!

As for the hair comments, my favorite is "It will grow back".  I'm still wearing hats and halo wig.  Hair is white/gray and trying really hard to be 1" long.

Oh, Carpe, I'm sorry to hear that :-( Hope the Cyberknife does it's job!! If it's not one thing, it's another, huh? Stupid, stupid cancer.

I'm 11 days post-BMX and still feeling really sore and have crappy range of motion. On top of that, my period decided to come back this morning after a 6 month hiatus. Thank God I got my drains out yesterday so I don't have to deal with them at the same time! 

Carpe--sorry the scans were not as good as you hoped--but hopefully the rads for the lesion will take care of.  Poodle hair?!?  I am jealous  mine is still very short and very white.

Tek--I have no real "wisdom" about Herceptin and know nothing about side effects--but I thought it was one of the more effective cancer treatments out there.  I think I saw a study that said it was even effective in Her - patients,  but is normally used for Her +.  In my personal opinion without the option of hormonal treatment, I would do the Herceptin.  

wipa - my skin is weirdly "rough" too. It was so nice and smooth during chemo and now it's not. I wonder why that is??

Yes, I have the same "goosebumps" all over. Hopefully this too shall pass.

Tek - I am on Herceptin, I have been on it for 18 weeks (12 of which were also weekly Taxol). I have had two sessions since Taxol, and will continue every 3 weeks for a year. So far I have had no real side effects that I can tell are from Herceptin. I feel fine after the infusions, and intend to go to work after each one in the future. If I was on the edge...I would take it.

Carpe- I am sorry to hear your news. I hope you get the insurance worked out for the cyberknife. You are right, f* cancer.

Birdlover - thank you for the compliment on the picture. We had a fun day

Belle - Hope you are well. I am 2 weeks out from surgery, and feel pretty good. I need to be doing more stretches. I am glad your surgery went well. I am sending healing thoughts your way.

Thank you for writing about the rough skin...I have been trying to figure that out! 

Chipmunk, I have kind of blotchy white spots on my nails from Taxol. I was just happy they stayed on . 

I am two weeks post BMX, and feeling prety good for the most part. I did not get expander...have not yet decided if I want reconstruction. Heading into 33 radiation sessions. My simulation & setup are next Thursday.