Starting Chemo October 2014

Happy Birthday, She-Angel. Wishing you many many more healthy and happy ones!

One solution I found to the unbidden casseroles showing up was to order and distribute to interested friends the cookbooks I'm liking now by Rebecca Katz. I even discuss with these friends the particular recipes that I think I can eat. (What I can eat is a little limited now due to some other GI issues.) I know: CONTROLLING. But it has worked out great in terms of having healthy food around, and my friends seem happy to do it. (I picked the ones who like to cook.)

Thanks for the good wishes for today's infusion, Sophie14. And good luck with the port on Monday. My MO preferred not to use one. But today we'll be hunting for a vein, which I'm not looking forward to, so you will be saved that issue. Sophie14, I have not had bad SEs so far (knock on wood!), and once you go through it you have some idea what to expect the next time. Helpfully, for me, the steroids get me through the first couple of days, (and they may explain why I'm posting at 6 a.m.!). If you would ever like to discuss real-time, please PM me.

Wishing everyone a good, healing day.

She - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!  You made me laugh about the food and some people not being good cooks.  I do appreciate that so many people care enough about me and my family to help out, but some times, the food isn't very good.  Most of the time, I'm not eating it anyway.  My husband and daughter have lactose issues, so when people do offer, I politely work into the conversation about no dairy.  It is a different ball game when people just stop by with food.  I really do appreciate one friend that sends a gift card every now and again for food.  It is really easy for my husband that way.

Nottoday - good luck today!  I hope everything will go well with the infusion.

Sjacobs - you and I are chemo buddies on Friday.  I go at 9:00 so I should be done by early afternoon!  I am hoping to get one more in before the end of the year, but that would put me the day after Christmas.  I'm not sure that my MO will be in that day, but I will find out on Friday.

cbooklvr - the Holiday Beauty Party sounds really fun.  My BS hosts a monthly support group and their party is on the 11th.  She invited me, but I don't go to the monthly meetings and don't know anyone so will be foregoing the Christmas Party. 

Hopefully yours, mine and Sjacobs SEs will not be any worse than last time!  I am planning to stay at home and just hang out with my husband and kids, nap and watch TV.  I might even read a bit if I can find my reading glasses.  LOL

So I saw the plastic surgeon today to get an idea of what we are doing. A very personable man who said the #1 goal is to be cancer free, then on to what my expectations are. I just want to feel and look natural in my clothes and if we can do that from a DD to a full C, then I could be OK.

Now it seems I will be going through the summer months and he already said no pole for 2-3 months after and my kind of workouts also will be a no go, but I can walk and they will give me arm exercises...oh and no swimming. I really will be like a bird with clipped wings. Good thing the police agility test is not till the end of September I should be able to lift the 150lb dummy by then.

I know I am tired but it's hard to give in to it sometimes, I think if I don't see how far I can go. I may never know I can go that far. But I am learning to pace myself.

Happy hump day, back to work for me tomorrow. If you see me posting at lunch time I am fading.lol

Greetings, all,

Wishing cbooklvr, ml14333 and sjacobs an uneventful infusion day tomorrow followed by minimal side effects.

Hang in there, She-Angel. It's a great start to connect well with your plastic surgeon!

MJS1266, congrats on completing the AC regimen. Thanks for the heads-up on the elastogel mittens and booties. I will look into those.

I had a neulasta shot today and completed the dexamethasone tonight. Looking to 3 days of napping!

Hugs to all of you.

Almost finished with #3. Went faster than usual because I did the blood work yesterday. Also no benedryl this time. I have mixed feelings about the Benedryl. I didn't like the way that it knocked me out, but I was looking forward to gettin some sleep today

They could do the tram flap after I am done with chemo, which I just finished and now I need radiation for 6 weeks. I can have the tram flap but I do not want to go through 5 weeks of downtime so went for the implant.

Fabian59: Congrats on finishing chemo! Hope you feel better and better and rads and ps go well!

oh iLOVE , my heart goes out to you. Please call your MO about the side effects. You don't deserve to feel so horrible.....as I wait my hour for another Zofran

How old is your son? Do you have insurance? Support from family, friends?

Llovecoasters, so sorry you are having a rough time. Agree w Tobycc, I'd get in touch w mo right away for some se relief. Wonder, too, if it would be ok to take a respite from treatment. Also, appears from your profile that you are a teacher? Could you ask your colleagues for support?

I love.......please please get with MO. Not only for SE, but perhaps a different regimen? If you like your MO. And Center, they will listen. AND they have the staff to call CIGNa...not you or DH. Would your son be dragged to a support for teens? There is another BC site that has free social workers, financial aid. I will find it and PM you. Are you in Orlanoo? Hugs and prayers

Morning all,

I'm getting off to an early start today. Trying to get some work done - and since I can't sleep (6 days post-infusion) why not!

llovecoasters, I hope you are having a better day today. I find that Neulasta leaves me feeling very flu-like one day, and then the next day, the symptoms lift, and I feel pretty good. In any case, I've left you a pm.

Hang in there, ladies. We are going to get through this!

Ilovecoasters, I'm so sad that things are not improving for you. Everyone else has made some good suggestions, I will tell you that I am praying for you.

llovecoasters, you are not the unlucky one, you have a lot going on but do not be discouraged and do not give up the fight. Your husband may be exhausted and your son is having a time, but they are doing the best they can because you struggle and there is nothing they can do to take that from you. The bills are mounting, let them mount they can't get blood out of a turnip, the #1 thing is that you get better, you have people that are depending on you to get better to be there to talk to, to console to laugh. There are services out there that can help with cost, I know its hard for you without a family support system nearby but enlist your local Christian charity groups. My doctors office had payment plans for financial issues and as they told me, it will get paid one way or the other. There is always more than one way to skin a cat, it may take a bit of time and a lot of emails and phone calls but it's easier when you are at home.

When you feel like crap it is easy to say I am tired and I want to be done, but this is not your fight. God fights for us all, he wants us all to be drawn closer to him and although we may never understand why this befell upon us there is a reason for it. There is someone watching and listening and taking what we say as the law because it's all they have to hold on to because they are going through the same things except they are signed on like I was and afraid to engage. We are helping and supporting more than just the one's who post a reply. There are days when I am exhausted, depressed and it hurts to touch me but I refuse to let the enemy make me think I am ready to give up. I dreamed the other night that I was Wonder Woman, the strangest dream in a while but I took that to mean I am stronger than I think and got up with a bit of renewed energy...for all of 4 hours before I needed a nap.

There was a moment that I thought it would be easier to walk out in the surf and let the water engulf me when I first found out that I had this thing growing in me. I stood on that beach for a long time, my husband had gone to the store and I had no one keeping a watch over me it just seemed so easy but as I watched the water and it continued to mesmerize and relax me as it always does I had this total since of calm and peace and I heard in my head "calm your mind and turn your worries over to me, I am here and have been here all along" that was my turning point with worrying about the things with this. I still get anxious moments here and there when I get denial of claims from my insurance or when I see another letter coming in, but I can't worry with that and won't as I remind myself it's going to work itself out with our without me. As my husband says there is nothing else until I am better he could give a hoot about what is stacking up. I will continue to pray that you see a movement soon that restores your sense of balance physically, mentally and emotionally.

"Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give your rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light" Matthew 11:28-30

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

I also have Cigna Insurance and I had a surgical assistant that I was never told about or authorized. I see where she has filed another claim with Cigna which is still in the process which is more than the first. If my surgeon had checked to see if my insurance was going to pay it is one thing but she did not. If the insurance does not pay her bill (which I have not yet received one from her yet) then I am going to send it to my surgeon and tell her to pay it as I was never told or authorized her to be in the operating room with me. My surgeon can pay the bill out of what the insurance paid her. If she gives me a hard time I will not go back to by breast surgeon. Just saying....