November 2014 Starting Chemo Crew

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  • cc3373
    cc3373 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2014

    Tallylassie, ugh port or vein just ugh! I am thinking of you and hoping you feel better, does the illegal brownie really help?

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  • cc3373
    cc3373 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2014

    Dee, I agree I am so very grateful for having all of you in this journey, this is a beast, but lol the song comes to mind were not gonna take, no, we're not gonna take it, we're not going to take it anymore... Of course we do have to take the chemo and all it brings, but at least we're not alone :)

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  • Charlottesmommy
    Charlottesmommy Member Posts: 36
    edited December 2014

    Marcella, enjoy your trip to NYC for New Years, you will be in my neck of the woods.


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  • jovigal
    jovigal Member Posts: 41
    edited December 2014

    Hi Janiner So sorry about what happened yesterday. I hope things went better today. Thinking of you.


    Charlottesmom- shingles too?? That's awful. Are you doing ok?


    Just finished round 2 yesterday. Feeling ok today. Working on coping with my shaved head. I get a surprise everytime I look in the mirror!image

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  • enlm20Erica
    enlm20Erica Member Posts: 216
    edited December 2014

    Jovigal... my friend told me today that when u cut your hair off it only shows how beautiful u really are, and I must say you look beautiful! Our hair is just an added bonus. Congrats on getting 2 rounds over and done with!

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  • karen1971
    karen1971 Member Posts: 37
    edited December 2014

    Erica-Jovigal: you both look amazing shaved.
    for all the ones that have a port in them. they are a pain. the nurses had problems with my port and when she was trying to get the needle in it. Man did it hurt. but she finally got it in.

    Charolettesmom: i know how those shingles feel. i have had them 4 times. one time when i was little. i am so sorry you have them knowing what you are going through. prayers.

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  • Janiner
    Janiner Member Posts: 58
    edited December 2014

    thank you to all of you for your thoughts and prayers today regarding my lovely lovely little port. I'm happy to report after icing all night off and on and putting the cream on this morning and then I iced more right before the port chemo therapy appointment. The girl came at me with that needle ready to poke me and I reminded her that she only gets one chance. She didn't seem so concerned and then she shoved that thing right in and it didn't hurt one bit and off I went to finally get my chemo yay. I cried with happiness and told her thank you thank you thank you so much. So thank you again to all of you who thought and prayed for me today was much easier and I imagine this is how it should be for all of remaining chemo infusion. Hope all had a great day please take care. Janine

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  • cc3373
    cc3373 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2014

    Janine SO happy to hear it went well for you :) hugs, you did it! Whew :/

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  • cc3373
    cc3373 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2014

    Charlottesmom, hoping you feel better, I will keep you in my prayers that they heal, Asa's for you , gentle hugs and much love to you

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  • Charlottesmommy
    Charlottesmommy Member Posts: 36
    edited December 2014

    Yay Janiner!

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  • bonnied
    bonnied Member Posts: 74
    edited December 2014

    Good morning! It is nice to hear everyone's stories and that we are all hanging in there. I like my port and am glad i got one put in. It is healing nicely. Does everyone with a port have the emla cream? That worked nicely for my first chemo so I will use it again. Didn't feel the needle stick…well, only very minor but all was fine. YEsterday was day 4 post first chemo and I was very tired and mildly achey. I took a nap in the afternoon and slept like a bad dog last night. All good. It is weekend so will take it easy and rest. I noticed that i was not focused, especially when cooking. My husband noticed it too. He is very helpful and wants to be there to take up the slack for me thru this crazy journey. It is OK not to be yourself with all of this. Peter and I talked about the changes and I asked him to be patient with me. It is good to lay that stuff on the table. Everyone close to you is affected by what we are going through.

    Taste buds are blah. Boo hoo!

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  • enlm20Erica
    enlm20Erica Member Posts: 216
    edited December 2014

    Hi all! Just sending well wishes to Chris, Marcella, Astarte and I think someone else is going to chemo tomorrow but "chemo brain"is getting the best of me right now, please let me know if you're going in tomorrow and forgive me for being forgetful. I also will be going in tomorrow at 12 noon, and currently I'm running back and forth to the bathroom due to the ton of water I've drank today 😭 lol. Although I'm absolutely dreading round 2, I welcome it..only because it gets me closer to round 3 which is right before round 4 which is the END of chemo lol. I pray everyone's infusion goes smoothly, no port/vein problems no allergic reactions no set backs of any kind! We got this!

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  • Dee4C
    Dee4C Member Posts: 27
    edited December 2014

    Hi all, I'll be sending HUGS and prayers to those going for round 2 tomorrow or this week. Erica, Chris, Marcella, Astarte, and anyone else out there. Hope it goes very smoothly and uneventful with minimal SEs. Erica is right, this brings you one treatment closer to being done!! Good luck ladies!

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  • cc3373
    cc3373 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2014

    Erica, Marcella, Astarte all who go to chemo tomorrow & this week, thinking of you and riding out this round with you, praying for no side effects and good energy for all of us. Love and hugs

    Erica yay for all the water intake, I know how those bathroom trips are, it feels like every 5 minutes, it's not ;)

    I'm very much dreading round 2 3 & 4 and then stupid taxol follows that for 12 weeks after a short break...but at least after this round Erica we are 1/2 way done yippee - sort of, ugh I do not want to go, I wonder if Cancer patients run away from chemo?

    Dee thank you so much, hugs :)

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  • enlm20Erica
    enlm20Erica Member Posts: 216
    edited December 2014

    Chris, I absolutely do not want to go either. It's funny I wondered the same thing.. seriously. ..I wondered if anyone stopped chemo before they were finished and wondered if one round was good enough for them..too bad I won't know, I'm not chancing it....but reeaaaaally wish I could "one and done" it.

    (((Hugs))) to you my friend. #NoSideEffects

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  • cc3373
    cc3373 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2014

    Erica

    You rock my friend! I so could honestly one and done this stuff. It's this feeling of ok the drugs went in and did their thing, let's escape before the bad stuff happens! But it already took our hair so you and me we're gonna finish it and do just fine. We can't chance it. I'm still thinking of saying no to Taxol (shudder,nerve damage), but then I want to say no to rads, and no to whatever hormone drug I get too and just act like this isn't real and did not happen!

    Are you done with your fills? How are you feeling otherwise?

    I haven't shaved the head, most all the hair is gone except a few strands for a tiny ponytail...it's cold tonight so I'm wearing a hat on the sofa while watching tv, this one was from Ocean State Job Lot...

    Hugs back and #nosideeffects


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  • enlm20Erica
    enlm20Erica Member Posts: 216
    edited December 2014

    Chris

    Yes! Lol that's EXACTLY how I feel! Let's get out of here before the bad stuff happens lol. Sad to say the "unknown" won't let us ditch this stuff. Love the hat, very cute! looks comfy and cozy. I'm not done with the fills probably gonna go 2 more times then call it a day. Oh, I just thought about it.. did u take your dex?!? I didn't and on the pill bottle it says take day before and after chemo! I'm probably gonna take it now tho. Ugh, I wish they could just give it to me in the IV like before. I don't have to do rads but I totally understand why you wanna "Just Say No". We just have to hang in there. Much love to you. You're in my prayers and I know I'm in yours so all is well.

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  • seagirl
    seagirl Member Posts: 16
    edited December 2014

    Hi Everyone,

    I have been so busy and I finally checked in wow! so much has been going on.

    I love all of the photos! You all look beautiful with your shaved heads. I will be shaving it off tomorrow so I will post some pics. My hair has been coming out in handfuls ...I was hoping for a few more days but it is not gonna happen.I was sad about it last night but you all inspired me. I also looked at the hair forum where people have posted photos of their hair GROWTH and realized that this is just a small period of time. I am looking forward to when we share photos of our hair growing in--it will be here before we know it.

    Bonnied, my taste buds changed too but then after about a week it got better. I hope it is the same for you.

    I wish all of having chemo this week an easy time with minimal side effects. Just remember each time we go we are closer to the end.



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  • cc3373
    cc3373 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2014

    Erica - stupid unknown, boy do I have something to say to old unknown and old Cancer :p

    Well good I'm not feeling that feeling alone, I'm in good company :)

    Thank you, the hat is comfy and kept my poor balding head cozy tonight, thank goodness for hats! And that its winter, you can find plenty of styles and it's not odd to be wearing one, or at least in the northeast :) small but grateful blessings there!!!!

    Yay for only 2 more fills, is that weekly? You're so brave doing reconstruction & fills - big hug but gentle one that you're almost there !!!

    Nope didn't take any pills, goodie I'm probably in trouble, but last time they told me don't takr them before chemo, they are awful bossy sometimes (kidding ;) if they don't give good stuff in the IV I'm going on strike!!!

    Think rads is gonna suck as I'm pretty sure I remember the rad Onc said supraclavicular (spelling?) and that means the nodes, tender areas for frying my skin & tissue - maybe he'll do a conservative dose vs the blast :p

    But true, have to hang in there, focus on God and take it one step at a time.

    Thank you for the love and the prayers, I needed that tonight which is technically day... I'm sending much love right back your way, you are in my prayers, were in a Good hands, all is well


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  • cc3373
    cc3373 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2014

    Seagirl, love that idea of seeing the photos of hair growth, thank you will be checking them out :)

    So sorry on the hair loss, that had been my journey this last week, it goes way too soon and way too fast doesn't it? But we'll get it back, thinking of you and sending hugs!

    The end - can't wait :)

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  • TallyLassie
    TallyLassie Member Posts: 56
    edited December 2014

    Love the hats. I told my husband last night that a nightcap is now something I wear, not something I drink!

    Good luck to everyone getting their chemo cocktail today!

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  • VintageGal1111
    VintageGal1111 Member Posts: 705
    edited December 2014

    Hello~

    I go tomorrow for my taxol/pergeta/herceptin. Hard saying if this is # 2 or 3. I had a dose dense 11.11 of taxotere with the pergeta & herceptin but it was very bad. We had to wait 3 weeks, along with many other issues & procedures due to this recurrance.

    Good luck Ladies! Any questions I can help with, fire at me. I did my A&C last Fall, then 12 rounds of Taxol along with Herceptin. I was just going for my LAST herceptin when the HER2+ came back in October. (sigh)

    So here I am, stage IV when I didn't really get past stage 3....

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  • Metta
    Metta Member Posts: 84
    edited December 2014

    Janine, so sorry about that horrible port experience, and charlottesmom, I hope you are okay and that the shingles doesn't delay chemo too much.

    Yeah, don't you guys dread it SO MUCH? I have my third round this Wednesday, and while it's great that I know what to expect, it's terrible because I know what to expect! My doctor gave me two new anti-nausea drugs, so that's good. I don't know why he doesn't prescribe Emend.

    The good news--and I hope you guys will see this, too, after your second round--is that my oncologist says my tumors (breast and node) are smaller already. And Taxol can shrink them 30 percent more, and herceptin & perjeta even more.

    Vintagegal, I hope your doctors are optimistic. Herceptin and perjeta are miracle drugs for HER2+ people. My oncologist said he has seen stage IV people with HER2+ cancer all over their bodies completely recover after Herceptin. Sending good vibes your way. You have very good odds!

    I'm scared about the next round because I got an infection last week from the three (benign) biopsies I had the week before chemo started. I knew those suckers hadn't healed, and suddenly I had a lot of pain, swelling, redness ... and then a fever of 100.8. Had to go to the ER, but my surgeon just prescribed Bactrim. Although the pain is gone, the lesions are still there. They're like huge tumors. I'm worried that they will get worse during my next round and that I'll have to be hospitalized. Ativan, take me away.

    Thank you to everyone! So glad you are here.

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  • Charlottesmommy
    Charlottesmommy Member Posts: 36
    edited December 2014

    The shingles aren't that bad... I guess I caught it quick enough that the rash didn't get too big, i just get the nerve pain dancing over my lumbar spine when I sit down for about a minute.

    Chemo tomorrow plus an infusion of iron. Listening to some Etta James and friends on Pandora tonight.

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  • enlm20Erica
    enlm20Erica Member Posts: 216
    edited December 2014

    Chemo went smoothly today here's a pic of one of the many times I got up to go to the restroom☺ hope is doing well... prayers for those going tomorrow. image

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  • cc3373
    cc3373 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2014

    Erica you look beautiful :) I made a lot of those walks myself today! Definitely prayers for those going tomorrow

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  • cc3373
    cc3373 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2014

    image

    At chemo today with Cuddles, a build a bear built just for me by a great coworker friend, I need him today, got chattering teeth and pronounced shakes from cold during Cytoxan infusion. It's rough tonight, bad nausea, pills, ginger tea, ginger candy not helping and not feeling good about water, onto GatoradeG2 and saltines, still not there, walk in cold air helped a bit then got heaves, and having D with bleeding. Need prayer tonight if you can. Love and hugs to all of you and hoping those with SEs know I'm praying for you and praying for those who have Chemo tomorrow and this week

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  • Charlottesmommy
    Charlottesmommy Member Posts: 36
    edited December 2014

    CC, Prayers these nasty se's go away soon.

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  • cc3373
    cc3373 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2014

    vintagegirl1 thinking of you and keeping you in prayer for tomorrow , I am praying it won't be as hard on you this time and that SEs are minimal, but healing impact is just what you need, love to yo

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  • cc3373
    cc3373 Member Posts: 100
    edited December 2014

    charlottesmommy, thank you, am praying your lumbar spine nerve pain just goes away and those shingles diasppear for good, hugs and wishing you minimal SEs tomorrow, will have to try Etta James, music for the soul, love that idea

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