Chemo group starting December 2014

april25 - Glad the Tylenol seems to be helping.  I understand what you mean about the liver and all of the drugs we are forced to take.

All of the kids and grandkids left about 9 o'clock.  Wonderful Christmas celebration but I see what some of you mean about a lot of noise being very distractive.  My 31 year old son revealed his newly shaved head in honor of his mother (big move for him since he is my hippy child that had beautiful hair past his shoulders that laid in perfect ringlets all over (most women pay big $ for hair like his) my daughter wanted to do the same but we managed to talk her out of it.  I am now having trouble winding down.  Not a bit sleepy and having chemo at 8:30 in the am.  Hope I get some sleep, must be the steroids although I don't remember it affecting  me in this way the during the first chemo.  I did forego the Ambien and took a xanex so I won't be so anxious tomorrow.  Good thing they will let me take that before chemo as well. 

Hope everyone facing side effects right now is feeling better for any plans they may have tomorrow and Thursday.  Merry Christmas to all of you amazingly strong and supportive women.

Thanks for the tips. I'd heard ginger might be good.

Now I'm getting foot cramps! I saw that it's a sign of neuropathy... wonderful...!

April 25 - I have been trying ginger tea, just dip a regular tea bag in a cup of hot water for a few seconds, and soak half inch cube of ginger in the tea, its been helping me a lot, and also comforting in this cold weather. But I can take the tea very weak.

I have also been eating ripe papaya with activia, you can get ripe papaya in Sprouts, or in any asian store. This has really helped me with constipation, in case anyone has this trouble.

Thanks for all the helpful tips, and Happy Holidays ..

Good morning chemo ladies, I thought I would check in and say hi. I have been under the weather since Monday with cold and some flu like symptoms (slight fever), loose mucous, fairly productive cough, and now some achy overall body stuff. I am staying put. Glad to be home and not traveling especially with chemo going on. I think I am going to call the nurses station this morning when they open and see if i can get an antibiotic before holiday tomorrow. My A/C #3 is next Monday Dec 29 and I sure don't want to be sick and going into the next round. I sent some invite emails to a few of you to join the FB group. It is the most active group on my FB stuff!

I am trying to keep my protein intake up with shakes, bone broths, water and herbal teas. I think it helps to manage SEs. My head is mostly bald now. I kind of feel like a newborn baby bird with the little stubble on top! My scalp sure itches though and is sore. I have a soft fiber jute brush that feels good on my head when in the shower.

Our adult kids will be here Christmas night and are all in other places between now and then. I thought I would do a christmas supper of fun finger food that will b e easy to bake tomorrow.. Working on the bis and pieces today while it drizzles outside. On the menu: mini filet mignon sandwiches on soft rolls and horseradish cream sauce (horseradish is good for you..), mushroom in filo packs, asparagus & blue cheese rolls, duck pate on baguette toasts. With all the generosity of neighbors and dear friends, i am not worrying about sweets since drop by gifts have taken care of that!

II had a FB friend stop by last night with a lovely gift of a pretty homemade apron (she and I are both foodies) and a lavender body scrub made by her friend. Her visit was a total out of the blue surprise.

This week also I heard from two chemo angels, one in Illinois and another down in Georgia! I hope you all have had friends, family and others reach out to bring cheer to you over the holiday seasons. Whatever you celebrate in December, be it Hannukah, Christmas or other end of year celebrations, best wishes for a calm and healthy time with loved ones.

xxoxo

bonnie

Good luck Wheelygirl and Leftyloo (and anyone else going today) with 2nd chemo.! I'll be having mine a week from today. My onc. told me that 2nd round should be no worse and maybe better than first. Hope this is true for all of us. Pls. let us all know how it goes.

My next thing will be the head shave--yesterday (right on schedule) my hair started falling out. I'm hoping it will just be "shedding" until Friday or Sat. when I can get my hairdresser to finish the job. My husband seems more upset about it (sorry for me) than I do at the moment, but I'm sure it will be traumatic when the time comes.

Very best holiday wishes to everyone out there--your posts keep me going! XXX

bonnied -- Mmmmm... Your finger-food menu sounds divine! I don't think my stomach will take it at this point, but I can dream about it!!! (love horseradish... and on filet-mignon!!! just wow! ... and mushroom filo! and duck pate! Yummy!)

I hope having your family around you, supporting you, will help you get through this time. Many happy wishes to you!

---

I felt terrible yesterday, 6 days after my first chemo. Feet cramping and diarrhea all night--first time my sleep was that disturbed. I still haven't felt like eating, but today I feel a little better, despite lack of sleep (I slept in all morning--that helped!). Today is close to nadir, so maybe things will be better now??? Hair still not falling out, although scalp is feeling a bit odd at times, so I'm guessing it's coming soon...

Well, so much for thinking I might get through the chemo with little problem! agh. But if things don't get worse, I think I can bear it... worried about not getting enough protein and hydration, though...!

hi all - round two was smooth for me with just one jab in the vein too many for the IV, but managed not to scream with the ativan in me!

ate a banana and and egg salad for lunch while there and super hydrated with carbonated spring water and a tea. got home and the bf and i had a walk, then i came home for a nap. upon awaking, i vaped some marijuana to get an appetite for dinner, then had a delicious spaghettini with pesto, turmeric, and tomatoes!

WheelyGirl

i too, found the steroid made me wired the 2nd time around last night trying to get tired, and this morning, too! i mean, sometimes i really dig that feeling, but not through the night i want to remain calm for!

Not sure if the feeling in my head last night was chemo fog or all of the pre-meds I was taking.  That feeling is much better this morning.  Am taking the Zofran and Phenergan (spelling) this time around as the stomach upset showed up right away this time unlike 1st round.  I actually slept better last night than I have in about 2 weeks.  I took the Xanax instead of the Ambien although Oncologist doesn't like that because the Xanax is much more addictive and should not be used as a sleep aide but when you are as desperate for sleep as I was you sometimes behave like a child and don't listen to adults, lol. 

I feel pretty good this morning except I'm hungry but the thought of any food in my mouth makes me queasy, to bad we don't have medical marijuana yet in Florida, hopefully that will change soon.

Leftloo - how are you feeling today.  How long before you know the results of the brain MRI?  Hope all is well for you!

Merry Christmas to everyone hope you are all able to enjoy your Christmas with family and friends today!

Omg... chemo is totally kicking my butt... 8 days after first round. I can barely make it to the bathroom and back to the couch without being exhausted. I get tired just trying to drink something. I'm hungry but too tired to eat. I was thinking of going to my sister's for Christmas but can't even get up to get dressed. I've got a doctor appt. tomorrow but I think I'll need to take a cab.

To top it off my power went off all afternoon and evening and is still off! Good thing this is S. California so I'm not going to freeze to death! But it is kind of pathetic lying alone in the dark on Christmas day. ..

April - so sorry that you are feeling crummy. Any place in your home where you could sit outside in the sun for 30 minutes and just rest with the warmth and fresh air around you? Southern California just sounds perfect to me right now...getting ready to leave for chemo and it's snowing here...again...and cold. I usually love the snow, but that's when I have either my ice skates or my snowboard strapped to my feet!

Best wishes,

Akitagirl

April - it is very important to drink at least your body weight in ounces daily during chemo - both to stay hydrated and also to flush toxins out. You may be an individual who needs a fluids infusion after each session of chemo - this is fairly common. It is also important to ingest protein - ideally 100 oz daily if you can. Chemo damages soft tissue so you need protein to help you heal - this is true after surgery as well. Try protein powder in smoothies or shakes if chewing protein doesn't sound appealing. Scrambled eggs, peanut butter, fortified cereal, dark leafy greens, and of course typical sources like meat, fish, and poultry. Another reason to keep up your protein is that this helps keep your hemoglobin up - all blood cells are damaged by chemo, keeping hemoglobin up means your blood is oxygenating correctly and providing energy. If your hemoglobin drops too low you may require a blood transfusion. Your MO should be doing regular CBC to monitor all your counts - I had these weekly throughout chemo.

Hi ladies - Sounds like round 2 can be pretty scary. I am scheduled for next tuesday.

April25 I hope all is well with you. Eating and drinking can be difficult - especially when most things taste so yucky. I will say an extra prayer for all you ladies who are experiencing a tough round 2.

ThinkingPositive - from what I know "normal" is between 4500 and 10000. If your doc isn't concerned and you feel good (not ill) then I would take that as a positive. Watch for typical signs of illness/infection...WBC fight off infections, when they are elevated in normal circumstances - and we are far from normal circumstances - it usually means you are fighting off infections/illness. If start feeling ill at all...check temperature, tummy troubles, throat, etc - I'd contact the doctor.

Akitagirl - have fun in London! I hope you SE's are minimal and you can enjoy your trip!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!

One more thing, I had my blood work done this am... they took from finger, but when I got my port accessed they took a vial of blood to be tested..has this happened to anyone?

thanks wheelygirl...think I posted the same response to you under November...sorry about that!! Thanks for answering my questions, you have no idea how much of a help it is to someone like me who is just a constant worrier... need to figure out how to stop that and shut my mind off from thinking..

Sometimes a finger prick can be done to take a quick look at your hemoglobin, like the readers they use when you donate blood. If your hemoglobin, or other blood counts are low, they will delay your chemo, so it may be how your center does this. A number of centers can instantly process a CBC by finger prick or tube, but do a send out of the CMP testing that is done throughout chemo, which is the test that shows more metabolic processes, like liver and kidney function. This is done periodically because chemo drugs are filtered through one or the other. This test is done by an outside lab at my center so would require a larger quantity of blood in a color coded tube.