April 2015 Chemo Crew... Starting in April? Please join us!
Comments
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personally, I don't know how any little cells could survive chemo and all the radiation. But I guess they sometimes do.
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Sue, I'm with you. I feel the destruction in my body every day. Any little evil demons are eating poison and dying!
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running a fever went to the er for bloodwork- 11 mins from door to private waiting bed! Please let my counts be ok!!!
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Oh no Princess! Hope you feel better soon!
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Ear still causing me issues, so I went to pcp today and ended up with an antibiotic. She says it's not infected yet, but looks bubbly, yellow and irritated and may turn into an infection soon if not resolved. Antibiotic turned my stomach this evening...blah. And, I am sooo tired. I just can't rally this time. I hope I'll feel more energetic once this ear dries out.
Princess, good luck at the ER. I hope you aren't too uncomfortable with the fever and that you don't end up having to stay.
Little Blue, I'm glad your infusion was uneventful and hope your side effects are non existent.
Andrea, congrats on reaching your last infusion. I hope you are feeling like your old self in no time.
Addie, sorry about the TE pain. I hope it's short lived. I'm with everyone else on the weight gain being water weight from treatment. Between surgery, chemo, and having your TE filled, your body has been under a ton of stress. Once you finish treatment, I bet your weight will readjust itself pretty quickly.
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Hope you get outta that ER soon!
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DizzParkmom, I hear you....after round three, I am having a hard time rebounding. Now, I have something growing on my lower eye lid....sty (spelling probably not right) and my MO says go see my eye doctor and he is closed today. In the meantime, my eye hurts and it is causing vision in that eye to be out of focus. Always something. I may try my PCP and see if I could can get in today. I know you travel too and I am sure that is getting old. Hope your ears get better soon!
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SueH58, that salad looks amazing! Thanks for the idea.
Sorry for all the SE I'm reading about- it sucks! I had constant problems with my eyes. I had recurrent styles that antibiotic drops did little for. A warm wet compress helped with the discomfort a bit. Speedy recovery wished!
A very Happy Fourth. July to my American sisters! I hope everyone an celebrate a bit this week end!
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Sly, Good idea! I will try a warm cloth. Always something.
Happy Fourth of July to you too
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SueH, that pasta looks fantastic!
Dizz, hope your "bubbly" ear clears up soon!
Princess, let us know what happens with your ER visit! Hopefully it's nothing major.
Re remission/NED - I struggle with this too...I have serious doubts about being "cured" after this...I have had three primary cancers so far. Had chemo after my first one (colon), too. Hoping I won't have any more tumours, but can't get any good answers on why this keeps happening. But it's reassuring that my PET scan of April was negative. And I will have genetic counselling/testing later on. It's the five year mark that's the biggie..if you have been cancer free for that long you are considered "cured".
Started the dex yesterday so I'm having trouble sleeping. It doesn't help that my cat woke me up at 3 am meowing at my second floor window...she was on the roof. I had to wake DH up to pop out the screen to let her in. Stupid animal. I guess we just have to make darn sure she's in the house before we go to bed from now on.
And I have heartburn...had to take Diovol (liquid antacid). It works well, anyway.
Almost done this chemo business...so excited! Only one more week of feeling lousy in this heat...
It's 18 degrees Celsius (64 Fahrenheit) right now and it's 4:45 am. We can expect it to get up to 33C (91F) today, maybe even higher. No end in sight.
Andrea
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yeah I was told some doctors don't like to use the words "cancer free" they prefer to say "in remission" when I'm done with all this crap I better be cancer free! And a 10 pound weight gain just seems like so much to me. I've gained it all over so my clothes still fit but aren't as loose as I like them to be. My goal is to not gain anymore.
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My first surgeon was the one who said I would know I was truly "cured" of breast cancer the day I died of something else.. Great doctor, but a little short on tact, especially since I wanted to hear the word :cured". However, I appreciated his brutal honesty, since I've never become careless about follow along. My current surgeon's response is "Breast cancer....tricky business". My current oncologist never uses the word "cured" but says things like "I think we have this under control". So the way I look at it, some people will be dealing with BC as a "chronic" disease during times of their life...like asthma, diabetes, or heart trouble. Treatments get better every year and one day there likely will be a true cure.
If that sounds like I'm minimizing everyone's fears, trust me, I'm not. I have plenty of days when I spend way too much time looking at survival statistics and wondering which side of the chart I will be on. It catches you unexpectedly at the most surprising moments and can be overwhelming. But I know from my previous experiences that fear eventually becomes exhausting and after a while, for the sake of your own sanity, you have to believe you will have a long, productive life, regardless of BC.
As for "survivor" I have trouble defining myself by my breast cancer. I've survived lots of things so far - bad parenting, car accidents, painful relationships, etc. BC is just one of many on the list...so I guess I'm a "life survivor".
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happy 4th everyone....happy belated canada day!
i am also on facebook.....
its interesting how different doctors view the overall goal of treatment. when i got the diagnosis and was told my by ob to find a breast surgeon i totally thought, cut them both off, and be done with this crap.
Then at my first appointment with the surgeon she mentioned cure, but thought lets do some genetic test due to my age (39) and then when my tests back (everything was neg - had more then brca tested) and we thought we can do this with just a lumpectomy, it was then decided chemo first to see if the tumor shrinks before any surgery to make sure the chemo is working, the MO i now have also said cure....that is the ultimate goal with what i have. the place i go to is a cancer center, so they ultimately, want cure....and who wouldn't. Now after 5 rounds of chemo, in which 3 of them had a reduced dosage rate due to liver enzymes being high, i stress, was that the right decision,...to lower it...what if its not strong enough, what if a random cell in my lymph nodes starts going places...i guess its anxiety since i have an appointment on monday back with the surgeon to get that stuff all decided.
on a side note....i work in a community where a lot of business people know me due to my job and the service club i have been a part of for over 13 years and when they find out what is going on and what i am going through, and that i am still working everyday, but on chemo days and stuff....they are surprised, and can't believe i have a good spirit and positive attitude...but honestly, at times it a huge act. I don't like to show how vulnerable i really am, or how inside this is literally killing me on how i see it affecting my daughter....does anyone else feel like they put on a show for public and even family, but when its just you, you are a total mess?
i realize i am just totally rambling on...need to get my daughter in the bath before my mil picks her up for the day so she can play with her cousin who is visiting from AZ before they go back home tomorrow!!
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gkodad, interesting perspectives of your various doctors. I don't even ask if they ever consider me cured because I know they do not have a crystal ball. I was very, very low risk to recur, especially how I did, but here I am. Others have a super high risk and live fro 50 more years. My mom had BC in 1992 and has done great since then with no problems. They can give me all the statistics they want, but I figure the stats are either 0% if you don't recur, or 100% if you do. I do have days where the fear gets the best of me, but thankfully, the rest of the days, I just try to live my life and ignore the fact that I have BC.
Addie, That 10 pounds will come off faster and easier than pregnancy weight. Just make sure you are eating plenty now so your body can heal itself. I hope the TE pain is better today.
Andrea, SO happy this is your last trip to the chemo bar and that in a few short hours it'll be in your rearview mirror. I hope it is not too crazy hot there!
Scarlett, My BS told me the day I had my BMX that I was a survivor. He said that they aim for curative unless you are stage IV, but the reality is, as some have said that we never really know.
Littleblue, how are you feeling? How many more Taxol remain?
Princess, I hope those neutrophils were high enough that you were able to come home. I am so glad they got you to a room right away.
I am not really liking the fact that my "bad days" come on the weekends. I wish they were midweek! I am however grateful that there are just a couple bad days each cycle and then I feel totally normal again. I was worried when I felt worse last weekend that I'd feel that way for the next 6 weeks...such a relief to have it short-lived and glad I write down daily symptoms so I know what to expect round to round as far as when things will resolve.
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Princess, how are you girl? Feeling any better?
Dizz, hope your ear clears up! That's not fun.
Slv, thanks for the 4th of July wishes! Hope your Canada day was the best!
eye styes...ugh.. not fun.
Gko, about remission vs cure...what your MO said is pretty much what mine said. That they are planning to cure, but there is no way to know until you die of something else.
kbbeeee....I like your style. Cancer- you either 100% have it or you just dont. Statistics are pretty meaningless for the individual.
Today, I notice fine white fuzz on my head. Yesterday I got a yeast infection.....coincidence....I don't think so. 😕 Later, neulasta, which is almost as fun as chemo....yaaaaaaaaay weekend!
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I have substantial hair fuzz on my head that survived A/C. but the Onc nurse says Taxol will take the rest out. I feel bad for those little hairs -fighting to survive A/C only to blindsided by Taxol. On the other hand, maybe the same thing is happening to any stray cancer cells that might have escaped and managed to survive A/C.
So far today, nothing but a bright red, itchy steroid face, which did not happen with A/C But no nausea or diarrhea and no need for back up Zofran, which was necessary on A/C, so hopefully stomach stuff will be better. Neulasta this afternoon, along with steroid crash, so we'll see what tomorrow brings.
Hope everyone has a great 4th of July and enjoys some great food and fun with friends and family.
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hi ladies!!! Thank you so much for the "get out of there" thoughts! ER VISIT was long but uneventful- counts were way low but not intervention low and after a couple hours my temp was back down! So no antibiotics and no hospital stay! Thank goodness! Just tired!
Ladies - you are the best support a girl could have!
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Andrea, so happy your getting your last infusion!
Kbee, you answered my question before I had to ask. Having a really bad day today...Emotionally, I'm a mess, and I feel pretty awful. Just walking and talking gets me winded. I've gotten used to having a week off from treatment. Wanting to know. .will i ever feel good? Does everyone get a neulasta shot after weekly taxol? Im no longer getting it.
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Princess-OHNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
At least they got you immediately away from the public and the germs!
Hope they make you comfortable while you are there, but you don't have to stay.
Thinking of you, and sending cooling thoughts and mojo your way. And a hug, but not a "warm" one, hee
Edit- seems my timing was way off! Glad you are outta there! Take care this weekend, K?
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Gkodad and Kbee - Were your "recurrences" considered a recurrence or a new cancer? I know Andrea's were all new cancers which is considered better than a recurrence. Gkodad - your first cancer was so small and such a low grade I'm hoping it wasn't considered a recurrence.
Addie - Please don't be mad that I called you a silly goose. I know how frustrating weight gain is, especially at your young age. What I was trying to say, though, is that 10 lbs is not that much in the scheme of things and I know you'll lose it post chemo.
Have a sunny day everyone, with minimal SEs.
Sue
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Gingeel, Neulasta is not given with weekly Taxol because you cannot have chemo until day 14 post Neulasta. If counts are too low, it's cousin Neupogen is given, which does the same thing, but is not time released. Last weekend when I had my low, I was soooo afraid I would not feel better until chemo was over; I was thinking this is it. This is how I am going to feel fro the next 6 weeks. Then poof... I felt better within a day or 2 and was out for a my long walk/run with 5 days, feeling great. I am hoping you'll be feeling really good again really soon.
SueH, Good question. The first of my new tumors was right at the spot of my original tumor. Even though the pathology had changed, it was still considered a recurrence. Then in my re-excision surgery they found a second one (SURPRISE) hiding up in the soft tissue near the pec muscle/armpit area, which was not visible on any of the imaging. There were no breast cells found by pathology at all on this second one, which left them all scratching their heads. They still do consider it a regional recurrence though. It's pathology was similar to, but not identical to the other recurrent tumor. Mt theory (which has no scientific basis, but is the only thing I can figure out) is that when they did the original vacuum biopsy in 2013, they were in and out of that tumor and jamming that needle all over the place. I am guessing as it passed through the cancer that it drug some cells with it to other areas. I think it left some right below the skin (recurrent spot number one) and up higher (recurrent spot number 2). That is the only way I can figure the cells got up there, with no cancer in between. Since I was node negative, I did not have radiation last time; that probably would have blasted them. I will be getting radiation this time to hopefully blast away any stragglers this time.
godad, So odd that Taxol takes hair, yet hair starts to grow back while on Taxol. Bizarre.
Littleblue, Boo on the beastly yeasties. Hope it clears quickly. Yay for the hair fuzz. The fine white fuzz comes before the "real hair" and once it comes, it tends to stick around.
Princess, I hope those counts come up before Tuesday so you stay on schedule, and that the fevers stay away.
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I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. also was found in bones, liver, and brain. Liver was full of legions 5 total largest 6x6x6cm.My liver is almost twice its original size. My Dr. told me there was no medical cure for my cancer and I had very little time left. said chemo could extend my live from 6 months to two years. I don't believe he expected me to be around the middle of June without chemo. I am taking 3 parts maple syrup and one part baking soda. Getting stronger and feeling better. I have eliminated sugar, white flour, and red meats from my diet. I take 3 to 4 teaspoons of my baking soda mixture a day. I make it by heating the maple syrup then mixing in baking soda for 5 min. keeping mixture between 100 to 120 degrees F. I supplement this with turkey tail mushroom and milkweed thistle seed. Getting stronger, pain getting less each day. They gave me a cancer blood count first one was 1781 then 2 weeks later I took another and cancer count was 801. Mix mixture before taking never MICRO WAVE -
I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. also was found in bones, liver, and brain. Liver was full of legions 5 total largest 6x6x6cm.My liver is almost twice its original size. My Dr. told me there was no medical cure for my cancer and I had very little time left. said chemo could extend my live from 6 months to two years. I don't believe he expected me to be around the middle of June without chemo. I am taking 3 parts maple syrup and one part baking soda. Getting stronger and feeling better. I have eliminated sugar, white flour, and red meats from my diet. I take 3 to 4 teaspoons of my baking soda mixture a day. I make it by heating the maple syrup then mixing in baking soda for 5 min. keeping mixture between 100 to 120 degrees F. I supplement this with turkey tail mushroom and milkweed thistle seed. Getting stronger, pain getting less each day. They gave me a cancer blood count first one was 1781 then 2 weeks later I took another and cancer count was 801. Mix mixture before taking never MICRO WAVE -
gene - how was your breast cancer discovered? So sorry it had already spread. Prayers for you.
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Yay, Princess!
Everybody stay hydrated out there. It looks like a hot weekend--if your arms or hands are getting swollen, try raising them above your heart and twiddling your fingers + pumping your arms slowly at the elbow--this moves lymph back to your trunk.
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Sue58 - my first cancer [left breast IDC/DCIS mixed] and last cancer [right breast - ILC] were new cancers. The middle one was a toss up, as it occurred in the left breast but not at the site of the original tumor, and was just extremely small DCIS. My reports all call it a "possible recurrence" but at Stage 0.. Since DCIS in a breast where invasive cancer has already occurred increases your risk for another invasive cancer, and since no additional radiation can be given after a lumpectomy with radiation, a mastectomy is usually recommended. But no additional treatment, and no real impact on prognosis. I guess you could call it preventative surgery, since there is no way of knowing if DCIS will morph into invasive cancer. I just wish I had done a BMX then,,,but no one really thought that was necessary.
This last one was 'sneaky" ILC, mixed with LCIS.. The LCIS probably had been there for quite a long time, identified as breast density, and something encouraged the invasive component to develop. But ILC doesn't form a lump and never showed up on mammograms and ultrasounds. In Feb, I insisted something was seriously wrong - radiologist agreed an 8mm area "might" be suspicious. MRI showed 5cm area and that turned out to be right, along with 2 positive nodes.
So - long answer to short question. My prognosis is better because this is not a recurrence.
I think I'm the only ILC lady in this group - a distinction I could have lived without. Not that you aren't all a wonderful group!
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sueh58 no offense taken. I know I will lose it-eventually. I feel like I can't do much with my upper body because my ps said absolutely no upper body exercises that use the chest muscles- so I guess little girly dumb bells will have to work
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I had surgery in late February and only got the PT's clearance for the girlie dumbbells a couple of weeks ago.
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can we define girlie dumbells? Like...how much weight?
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I was going to ask the same question about "girlie dumbells". I was told no weights until the port is out, but wondered about water weights in the pool. Seems like I'm losing so much muscle mass...I hate to be so weak when this is over.
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