Starting Chemo March 2015

Wow! All of you posting pictures look fabulous! I agree on wig #2 and love the butterfly scarf. We have a Charming Charlies in Reno, too, so I'll have to check it out. I haven't been there in several years so I hope it is still there.

Had my first chemo yesterday and it was pretty uneventful, which is good. They ran everything slowly since my mouth heated up during the taxotere. It never got worse than that so they finally were able to bump it up occasionally. Had the sinus pain from the cytoxan but that has disappeared for the most part. Started having a little heart burn but took a generic for Pepcid and it disappeared. I will just keep taking it every 12 hours for a while so I don't get it again. I was able to go for a walk when I got home, which helped clear out some of the fogginess I was feeling and then went to Kinko's with my husband and girls to get a project done for a dinner my husband is hosting this weekend. By the midpoint of being there I was DONE - fatigue hit hard and I also had to pop a compazine since I was starting to feel nauseous. I drank a ton of liquids yesterday and before bed. Slept okay other than having to get up to pee often. I woke up feeling pretty good - not necessarily like my old self but without feeling terrible. I had some breakthrough nausea and fatigue again today. Ran some errands and got my neulasta shot - forgot where I was driving to at one point and also locked my keys in the car - lol!. I definitely have some chemo brain going on. I think I'll make sure I have a driver following chemo day next time.

Meme- I quite agree that however many bags you already have, this will be a special day and you were right to buy yourself a new one. BRAVA !!!

PrincessOfMeh- I'm sorry I didn't attribute your comment properly to you. I feel we have a special bond now haha.

I have just spent another afternoon passed out on the couch for hours. Four, to be exact. I seem to feel fine, but then the next minute I'm on empty. I slept well last night which is great. but I still wiped out today. Jack the wonder dog thinks it's great. Like a stone in that warm cavity at the top of my legs. Luckily, before I so unceremoniously checked out, since it was a beautiful day here, we took a nice walk AND a drive in the car for no particular reason. Said drive ended with a shared soft serve from the dollar menu under the golden arches. Which means voracious me ate most of it and I let him lick the last bit and eat the cone. Now that he has a job work working with the public he must watch his figure.

It WAS the long test…EKG. Is that not what you other ladies had?

Italy: Totally with you on the coffee, assuming it still taste good. I drink one, pretty strong cup a day but I still want it.

Katy: I am so glad I am staying in this group. I really enjoy your posts. I am so glad you slept better last night.

I have been taking a lot of Xanex at night but I didn't take any last night and actually slept pretty well.

Now that I have my start date, I am all in a rush. Wig shopping tomorrow. Several hours of pre chemo physical stuff tomorrow. Port Friday.

SC: We thought about the timing of insurance too. I don't think there is going to be much I can do. My schedule is 5 months chemo, 1 month in between, BMX with recon, possible radiation and then stage 2. I don't think it's possible to cram it into 2015. So it is what is it is. I am lucky that DH is completely on board with my plan and my doctors now. He was giving me grief about NOLA but he is totally on board now. He has also started letting some emotion out. He is not very expressive with his emotions and the first doctor made him feel like this is no big deal but the NOLA doctor made him realize that well, I could die, to be blunt. He was tearing up the entire day yesterday. It was hard for me to handle. He is usually so stoic.

super nannymom, I would take the Clairitin the day of the Neulasta shot at least one hour before the shot, nd take it for a week after that. They say four days is enough, but I think Rleepac had severe pain after the four days.

Still have hair 16 days post chemo, but it is coming out every time I comb it. Good thing I have a lot of hair, so far it still looks normal. And yes, I know I am fighting a losing battle, but I'm keeping it until I have to let go completely.

Trvler the coffee tasted crappy for about five days, but I needed a bit of caffeine. One day I didn't have any and felt like crap. Then realized, oh no caffeine and drank a cup and immediately felt better. I did switch to black tea for a few days because it didn't taste as bad.

25 mile bike ride tonight woohoo! Still holding strong. Chemo no. 2 next Wednesday.

trying to stay tough and as normal as possible. My oncologist said do anything I am capable of doing, so I am. It helps that I have my friend Cheryl to motivate me and go as slow or as fast as I can. She is truly a gem! I'm sure after round 2 or 3 I may not be able to ride, but I can still walk and hike. But I'm going to ride as much as I can

oh, one more thing before I head to bed. Anyone else on AC having nail problems? I started getting pain under my thumb nail yesterday - felt like a paper cut but honestly can't remember cutting myself. Still hurts and seems to be getting worse. I thought nail problems were with Taxol/Taxane?

Anyone?

My 89 year old friend who had her double mastectomy 6 weeks before me has discovered she is riddled with bone mets. She is in a lot of pain. I had been suspicious of this because of the size of her tumor (over 5cm) and so much lymph node involvement that the the surgeon couldn't get it all out. She has decided to go on hospice, and has already has two doctors (you need two here in OR under the death with dignity law) to authorize her for "the pill" when the time comes. She's in a lot of pain already, and she abhors the idea of living in a wheelchair. And is frightened to death of pain. She has a good head on her shoulders though, knows what she wants, and has talked to all the right doctors. Apparently her CT scan lit up the room, it's everywhere. I'm sad. A little scared too, as now I will see firsthand what it's like to die of breast cancer. Her goal is to make it to her 90th birthday, July 2nd.

Hope you all don't mind me sharing what's weighing heavy on my heart tonight

And my goodness Slothabout! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, (belated, so sorry). Indeed how surreal it must have seemed to stand there looking at yourself and your father in the mirror, wondering how the H you got here. I'm glad you decided to do something nice for yourself, and found some things that fit and made you feel a little better.

Even those of us here, who have the best shot at "knowing 'just' how you feel" (how I hate that expression more than ever) don't understand what it's like to stand in front of that mirror and all that it entails for you. It's a journey each of us walk alone. But I assure you that we are walking as close to you as we can, that we will try to understand, and we will have your back.

Katy

Katy: I am so sorry about your friend. I don't mind you posting.

I was having my EKG yesterday and I was thinking I actually fear all the pain and suffering more than I fear death. There was a woman (who actually had her husband murdered and got away with it.) They made a Lifetime movie about her. She got breast cancer and they told her it was fully treatable but she chose not to get any treatment at all and of course died. They portrayed her as a very selfish narcissist (which is probably true) and she mentioned not losing her hair when explaining her choice to not get treatment. Now granted, she was probably going to be brought up on murder charges eventually but she might very well never have been. But a part of me understands the decision to not get treatment. I am scared to death of both treatment AND my afterlife with all the hormone blockers and possible negative things. I am trying to be optimistic. The bottom line is, you just don't know WHAT to expect. But I REALLY appreciate it when the people on the other side come back and tell us they made it through ok. (THANK YOU PEOPLE WHO COME AND TELL US YOU MADE IT THROUGH OK!!!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Slothabout!!

what day is your bday T? Mine is next Monday the 23rd, next chemo on the 26th. Thanks for saying posting it was ok.

Jackbirdie, please feel free to share whatever moves you on this thread.

Good thoughts to rleepac and all having infusions or procedures today.

I'm feeling the fatigue pretty hard today, and had a bad night with upset tummy, so today will probably be a quiet one. I will try to get my 2 mile walk in, but that's probably as ambitious as I'll manage today. Well, maybe I'll continue stripping my hair - it's very very loose and my scalp feels very weird. Somehow, I just want the shedding to be over.

Gentle hugs to all.

Katy, this is YOUR group and you need to share. Thank you for sharing, because it is why we all have come to this group. We need to be able to share and bear one anothers burdens, sorrows and triumphs. We are here for you - you have a roomful of virtual shoulders!

Trvlr - well said!!! I told my DH that the surgery didn't bother me, but the chemo has me STRESSED out. I even asked in my MO's office if it was REALLY necessary(to which my DH and MO gave me the look)...I know the answer, I just don't like the chemo path-even though I know it is a means to an end. Each of you who share your experience, helps make the inevitable bearable for those of us who have not started. Port next week...chemo the week after that...and the anxiousness can easily overtake me if I didn't take a deep breath and read these boards!

Katy - so sorry to hear about your friend.

Today is my second round of AC in about 30 minutes, my hospital is just down the road. Just took my dose of Zofran in preparation.

I met with my doctor yesterday for my blood work and check-up. She mentioned something to me that I thought was interesting. She said that women that had very few pregnancy side effects (eg., morning sickness) seem to do better with chemo and the side effects with nausea.

I'm a little anxious because of my port issues last time, but at least I know now that my port works since they drew blood from it yesterday.

Off to pack my stuff!