Starting Chemo March 2015

NurseJules, none of the after chemo drugs will work for me because I am Er/pr negative. I am doing Herceptin because I was found to be slightly her2 positive after three rounds of testing. I came back with a low level amplification of the her receptors. So I view my cancer as very close to triple negative, which is scaring the crap out of me. I have chemo and herceptin, and that is it.

So I guess I out on my big girl panties (or big boy panties if I go to Whole Foods) And do the six rounds.

I haven't been in Seaside Market in about six months. But I do eat the Cardiff crack (burgundy marinated tri tip) at Cafe Topes in Carlsbad all the time. So yummy!

My DH is LOL over the Cardiff Crack. Our favorite. Such a beautiful place we live in, yet all I feel is guilty for sitting inside watching golf. This is really a mental battle as much as a physical battle.

Hi, all.

I think I'm the lone Canadian in this little group, but would love to meet you all, and including Sharon. I will do some checking, but I think that I have to be at least 6 months out from active treatment before I can get international travel medical insurance. Those of us North of the 49th parallel are regularly reminded of the nightmares that can ensue when unsuspecting Canadians suffer a medical emergency in the States. Most recently, a lovely couple from Saskatoon took a trip to Hawaii when the wife was around 7 months' pregnant. Things went sideways, and their baby was born prematurely in Hawaii, and between the complicated delivery and a stay in the NICU, their medical bills totalled just over $900,000. Last I heard, they were fighting with their travel insurance company, who were denying coverage based on a urinary tract infection. Your can get travel medical coverage (I looked shortly after dx, because we go to Mexico every year), but I think I remember that you can't have had any active treatment within the preceding 6 months. My chemo is scheduled to end in June, and I'm hoping to have my second mx in August, so the spring would likely be the earliest I could come. I would love to be included. Canadians aren't so exotic maybe, but a little international flavour couldn't hurt.

Bekah, I'm with you on the nausea. I take anti nausea meds continuously for about 10 days. My last treatment was a week ago Monday, and today is the first day that my tummy feels even a bit settled. Of course, it doesn't matter what I eat, it all tastes like a shit sandwich. My saliva has been very foul tasting since treatment #2, so I just eat the least repulsive things I can think of on any given day I eat to a schedule, because I lost about a pound a day in the first ten days after my first chemo. I could stand to lose at least 20 more, but my medical team is pretty adamant that I try to maintain my current weight. So, I eat, and have kept my weight stable. It isn't easy, but I just regard food consumption as part of my treatment plan.

My hands are dry and old looking, too, despite using lots of lotion. On the positive side, the immune suppression has put my psoriasis (on my right hand in particular) into remission, so although dry, it is more comfortable. I actually have unbroken skin on my right palm for the first time in over a decade!

I can't seem to post photos from my iPad, but will try to fire up my laptop soon, so I can send some mug shots. It's nice to see everyone's face.

Best wishes for mild SEs this weekend. Gentle hugs to all.

Theresa, I was shopping today and didn't even realize a guy was behind me saying, "sir! Sir!"of course I just kept walking not realizing he was trying to get MY attention!

Then I came home feeling good and ready to do some lawn mowing, checked the mailbox and found a letter addressed to me, inviting me to pre-purchase a cemetery plot! All I can think is that the place I bought my wig online must sell their mailing lists or something. I doubt it was a coincidence but it sure did piss me off and I tossed it right in the wood stove and got busy mowing that lawn. Not in the market for a cemetery plot, thank you.

Where's wpmoon and Princess? Check in gals...we are a bunch of worry worts!

DH and I are avid travelers. We would love to head to the beautiful PNW for a meet up next year. Travel is our greatest passion, and being unable to pursue it lately has really been hard for both of us. It's just more incentive for me to get rid of this cancer. The world is waiting.

I was finally able to escape the bubble today and enjoy the fresh air for the first time in so long. I even wore my wig! The wig just came off, and I have turned back into a tired little pumpkin, but I have learned to cherish rare days like today.

Yes, I've had tachycardia, and I try to focus on deep breathing/relaxation exercises to help it. Add in some Xanax/Valium stew. It seems to come on as I lie down in bed at night, I know this can be a sign of many things (menopause, drug SE, anxiety) but mine seems to come along as a preview to a lovely night of sweating/freezing. 109 is not too high though, but if you feel symptomatic (short of breath, fainting, etc) you might want it checked. I have found it to be self-limiting, though, and they would not treat anything below 150 unless it doesn't go away. All these lovely SE I had no idea even existed! And I've been a nurse for 25 years (never a cancer nurse or patient though).

Thanks for the advise on nausea, all--I have just decided to keep on it around the clock for a couple days rather than obsess over taking too many drugs. This is all temporary, after all.

thanks for the reassurance Jules and Bekah. I just woke from a sound sleep to a pulse that was galloping like a herd of horses! Strangest thing. By the time I got the BP cuff on it was 125 . This does not feel ok and its keeping me from sleeping. Will take another .5 ativan

Yes, I've had tachycardia too! The MO wrote it off as anxiety, but I'm sure it's related to chemo. See? I should've just asked here first. My MO is ok, but he often makes me feel like a hypochondriac. Has anyone got relief from acupuncture or alternative medicine? (He also isn't very into osteopathy.)

I love alpacas! They raise them at a college not too far from here, and I love visiting them. Their wool is so soft, and they are quite fascinating. I'd love to visit you on your home turf one day as well, Sharon!

You ladies are awesome. I take a break and it's beautiful pictures, funny stories and the middle finger (which I f'n love)

So far ... my port removal and new port surgery is scheduled for 5:30 am Tuesday. That is ... if they get my blood work in time (I go Monday at 8 am) I'm at a loss to explain how hospital's do emergency surgery on people without this blood work being completed in 24 hours. I might have posted this already. I can't remember.

I went on Facebook this a.m. (like an idiot) and it's pictures of everyone on their fantastic vacations. That pissed me off. It shouldn't as everyone's life should not stop because my own has. Even if I didn't have cancer we wouldn't be on some exotic or beach holiday over spring break. So I gave the middle finger to my FB page. All is well.

Regarding Oregon...I'm in...I'll stop on my way back from Hawaii.

Day 2 after the 4th round of chemo, this time with the change in meds to include herceptin , no nausea and I feel ok but the joint and muscle pain is kicking in and my gawd if I dont get a good nights sleep soon I'm going to lose it. Night 3 of just lying there , my brain not shutting off for 2 minutes. I have a feeling the 3 days of steroids is the culprit and I'm hoping to sleep better tonight. As long as I don't pass out through Game of Thrones I'll be happy. 2 more rounds of chemo and I'm tolerating everyone pretty good so far although the whole situation is daunting and scary and I know I'm preaching to the choir. Anyone having issues with steroids and not sleeping? I feel like a zombie.

ninjamary, I know what you mean about the facebook vacation jealousy - I was supposed to be leaving this Friday for ten days in Copenhagen. Obviously that whole trip had to be cancelled when I got the diagnosis and I think it's going to be especially hard next week because it will be my husband's birthday, which is the reason we planned the timing of the trip the way we did. Instead of eating our way through Denmark I will be in a chemo chair! I am already working on planning a weekend at a nearby fancy hotel & spa (http://www.fearrington.com/the-fearrington-house-i...) for when I am done with chemo. It's going to cost a fortune for a 2 night stay but we deserve it, dammit!

I also have tachycardia, usually days 3-4 is the worst. My pulse runs around 90 even when I am healthy.