April 2015 Chemo Crew... Starting in April? Please join us!

sheshe I'm very interested that you have received 4 infusions and getting surgery then determining if you need more it makes so much sense! So if you have a pcr they are not going to do the last 2 infusions? I'm having a difficult time with the taxotere with allergic reactions so it would be nice to only do 1 more rather than 3 more! Really hoping for a pcr for you that would be awesome!!

Littleblueflowers you have such amazing views from your house I'm so jealous we don't have views like that here in michigan although we do have the Great Lakes which is beautiful in the warmer months

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Have been reading posts all week but really having issues recovering after #3 and have to head back to the chair Friday for #4.  Definitely considering taking full disability now and getting me time to take care of me.  I'm getting now that the effects are cumulative and coming harder and longer to deal with now. Mostly fatigue as we are all experiencing.

Karen30 know all about those fissure issues. Sorry you are going thru and hope healing comes fast.

Allicat CONGRATS on finishing chemo! Looking forward to your share about radiation. I will be headed there too.

Littleblueflowers that view is priceless! Just too much rain here in Northern IL but good for the crops.  Just wish it wouldn't be rain EVERY weekend. Errrgghhh

So many others of you have posted and shared. Keep sharing. Everyone hang in there. We are doing this together.

Denise, no fevers here, although I've had some days when I checked frequently because I felt so sh*tty. Are you doing weekly Taxol?

Lynne

I am grateful for my mother, who is visiting.

GM - I survived pre-game steroids! I had to take them at 9:45 (5 pills - 20mg) and set my alarm for 3:45 AM and take 5 more. Directions said to take with food, but at 9:45, it wasn't that long after dinner, and I decided I wasn't going to wake up enough to choke down some crackers at 3:45, and it was ok - not sure what I'm doing to my stomach???? But, I slept ok! It did take a little while to go back after 3:45 AM pills, but I did and was good until bathroom run around 5.

First Taxol today, my sister is coming to take me and stay until they get it started. I insisted she then go have lunch with my mom, and she insisted on coming back to drive me home.

I'll try to check in later to let you know how it went.

Even though no work - gotta get the kids up and off to school and drive my DD1, so gotta run . . .

Lynne

good luck lovelylynn. I start my first taxol tomorrow. And littleblueflowers I hear ya about the back issues. I've had them since my surgery and chemo started. Some days my back loves me and others not so much. Like today and last night the whole right side of my back hurt- my muscles are so tight throughout my whole back since ive had these expanders placed. I've been meaning to speak to my ps about seeing a chiropractor but keep forgetting.

GL to all visiting the chemo bar today! Wishing all you of low to no se's.

Allibeths, For sure! Come over any time! And I love your page..We are survivors. How weird to think that this was killing us at diagnosis, but it isn't any more. Like, we really could have died, but we didn't. Huh. That's brain food right there...

What do you guys use for DRY EYES????? Visine is NOT cutting it!

Littleblue, what a view, I want to move to Montana! Hope your back is feeling better.

Scarlett, I realize that some people just don't know how to deal with cancer. My father whom I used to speak to every week, has sort of become a bit distant. We definitely don't talk as often as before.

Andrea, you should absolutely tell your husband how you feel. He's not thinking of how this is effecting you, and you don't need that. Once in a while is fine, but not every night.

Congrats KSusan on finishing chemo!

Addie, you and I both start Taxol tomorrow!

Good day all!

Thanks all for the support - DH really is amazing, he's so supportive but at times he does feel helpless. We had a good talk about his absences and things should improve. In the meantime, I have been making plans with friends and my daughter...

Very tired after TC#3 on Thursday. I have been spending much of the day sleeping, aside from going out to get my PICC dressing changed and having coffee with a friend. Speaking of which, I asked my friend to drive me because of the chemo fog. Do other people avoid driving for 5-6 days post chemo? I just think it's prudent. I have a doctor's appt. tomorrow and have another friend driving me, then I will take her out to lunch.

Littleblue: so glad your back is better! Also, your pics of the landscape around your place are lovely...I think we should all post pictures of where we live. Mine is of my backyard, looking towards the lake and Mt. Prevost (Duncan, BC).

ksusan: it's so great that your mom is there. Enjoy her company!

Kbeee: I miss my ponytail too. I have had long hair most of my life and it sucks that I have none now. Post a pic of your new do when you get it!

Andrea

Hi - took my ativan already, so don't know how long I'll last or how coherent I'll be.

Taxol infusion went well all things considered. They couldn't get a blood return from my port, so took blood from my arm for labs. My numbers were almost unchanged from last treatment, which surprised me because I have been feeling so much more tired and weak and out of breath. But, it means that I don't have to take Neupogen shot tomorrow YAY.

They had put clot busting medicine in port, so I had to wait another ~30 minutes before they tried to access, and it still would not get a return. ON finally put in another set with a longer needle, and voila. After that, she gave me the Benedryl - 50mg! I felt it almost immediately, and I could not stay awake. They also gave me more Dex. Then another 30 minute wait (she originally said 45) before they started the taxol so that they could be sure that the medicines were through my system. No one had mentioned that. So, it was 12:40 before I had the Taxol going - my poor sister waiting through all of this. I felt nothing, no reaction at all. So, next time I won't have to take premeds, and they may be able to back off my Benedryl too.

By the time I left - 3:40 PM (got there at 9:45 AM), I did not feel any effects of the Benedryl. My sister drove, and I think I will continue to be driven to and from these, but I feel like I will be fine to drive back to Maine after I get home from next Taxol infusion. I feel fine now, maybe even a little wired, that's why I tool the ativan.

Oh, I got clarification on the L-Glutamine, I started taking it today, which is the right answer - 3x a day for 3 days, 10mg. I put 2 tsp in a large glass of ice tea and drink it down. It's not bad, but I'll be glad when day 3 is over.

Also, I have proved my theory that steroids get rid of the mouth sores - did I say that already?

I'm rinsing still, but is this as much of an issue with Taxol?

Also, mentioned the cardboard taste buds to NP, and she said she didn't hear much of that, but admitted that Taxol does mess with taste.

Jeez, guess I had more to say than I thought.

Thinking of all the chemo-sabes tomorrow - I'll be thinking of those going for 1st Taxol. DD is definitely a LOOONG day.

So grateful to be on the other side of half way done!

Lynne

What do you mean that steroids get rid of mouth sores