Starting Chemo May 2015

Congrats to all that have finished chemo !! I have 4 treatments of Taxol starting 7/27 and am a little anxious of not knowing what to expect SE wise then I look ahead to surgery before the end of the year.

For those of you half way through, like me, know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel that can't come soon enough!!

Thank you EVERYONE for all your support, cheers, and for listening to all of us when we need to vent. I don't know what I would do without this site. We are strong women and this is just a bump in the road. God has a plan for all of us, and through this, what doesn't kill us will make us stronger!!!

Here's something you can do when you are feeling down and depressed. I think about things that I will do when i finish chemo: Going to the mall again, going out with friends, doing things with my kids, a vacation..anywhere!!, going to restaurants, having food taste like it did before chemo, enjoy a cocktail with a little umbrella in it, the holidays, etc.

We cannot let the CANCER win!! We shall overcome this but we have to FIGHT for ourselves!!

Peace and Hugs to ALL!!

Sunshine- ((((hugs))))))

me too MySunshine, no pain thankfully, but I have absolutely zero energy... I'm up for maybe an hour then back to bed for three or four. I can barely raise my arms.

((hugs))

TC #4 is so far the worst. I am constantly reminding myself it is the last one. I will keep those who aren't done in my thoughts, prayers and hugs. Pain is better but energy is non-existent. I have labs tomorrow and PS appointment on Wednesday. AND my darling granddaughter who wants to spend time with Grandma. Saturday she came over with flowers and asked if it was a sick day. I said yep and she said she would just snuggle with me. Not being able to be Mom and Grandma this summer brings me to tears every time I miss something. This sucks

5 days after last T/C. My ankles and feet are swelling and the skin on my heels is peelin in big sections. Anyone else have this? I have been sleeping 20 hours out of the day, Totally exhausted. Keeping mouth sores away, do far, but sure having trouble eating much and very difficult to drink the amount of water we are supposed to drink. Body hurts. No one tells you all this! Just hsve to get through it, but the swelling and peelimg is pretty bad. Hope the rest of you are getting through thi.

Had Taxol #2 on Thursday. Taxol has been a little harder on my stomach than AC, although the overall gross feeling isn't as bad (although I did have a weekend of nausea...ugh! Thought Taxol wasn't supposed to give you nausea!). The fatigue is different...it's still there, but somehow not as dibilitating as AC. Also my hands are crazy dry, I have to slather them in lotion all the time. So far no pain or neuropathy...fingers mega crossed that it stays this way!

Sometimes I think, ugh 10 more to go, but then I remember that I've already done 4 AC and 2 Taxol, so that's not too shabby!

I had numb lips from the Benadryl. It would start within a minute of when they'd give it to me. Feet peeling from Taxol, but it's better now than when I started. Lost one toenail.

I have to say I haven't minded the wig as much as I thought I would in this 90 degree weather. But my energy level is flagging badly, and I think it's the heat and the drugs combined. Today I just want to nap--and it's really not in the cards.

I am also sleeping the majority of the day. Feet and hands are tingling a lot but do not seem to be peeling. Just sitting on the couch is exhausting! Hoping to have more energy tomorrow

stefLlove- are you getting DD taxol x 4? I mowed the grass in 95• weather (humid). After camping in woods. I passed out at 8:30. Lol

shanann, nope my MO switched me to weekly taxol for 12 treatments bc she also wanted to add in carboplatin every third week. couldnt do carbo if I did DD taxol

mysunshine, this was def the first time in a LONG time that I had energy. I'm having a much better time with SE on taxol than when I was on AC. I know this wont last too long since it's still cumulative SE so I'm trying to go whenever I feel up for it! As for my treatment so far I've had the 4 AC's and 2 weekly taxols. The third will be on this Friday. There were definitely days last week when I had to literally sit down multiple times while getting ready in the morning just bc I felt so crappy. It's hit or miss with my energy!

#4 of 6 Today. The decrease in Decadron down to 2 mg the day before has not made me a hungry or jittery or raise my blood sugar. Had lunch with a friend and counseling session before going into work. Wish I had good news on the Mom front. She is now non verbal and not eating. Sad and feeling helpless trying to leave it in God's hands. Good night my spa buddies.

Ugh. Thanking God for a really great radiation oncologist but not pleased with her news. In preparation for radiation she reviewed my PET scan from February (the one which the report said the doc didn't see any cancer other than the tumors we knew about). My radiation oncologist didn't like what she saw in two areas so she ordered another PET scan and I found out yesterday that I have two areas of cancer not previously identified - under the pec muscle on the chest wall and in the internal mammary glands. What is the biggest discouragement to me is that the chemo seems to have not affected the cancer at all which means that I think I just wasted my time on chemo. That's the left breast. She also wants two areas biopsied on the right breast lymph node area that look suspicious. I really thought by having my bilateral mastectomy two years ago that I wouldn't have to deal with recurrences like this. I'm beginning to wonder if this is so aggressive that I'm just not ever going to beat it.

Add to everything with me... my brother has been caring for my Dad who has Parkinson's/dementia in his home in Taiwan. Dad got to be too much for his caregiver (he'd gotten combative) so my brother brought him back to Michigan and now Dad is my responsibility. He's currently in a hospital 40 minutes away for dehydration and now I have to figure out where he is going to live.

I REALLY need a vacation! :-) Thanks for listening to me dump. I'm okay with all this. I'm okay even with dying - we all will someday - and I know where I'm headed after this life so I'm at peace about that - but I still have a lot of living to do so we'll keep fighting this. Never a dull moment - and I could use one!

sharapril- I usually have treatments every 2 weeks, and start to feel mostly normal 4 days before the next treatment. At the halfway point the Oncologist gave me 4 weeks before I begin Taxol, so I'm in the 3rd week and feeling great (runny nose). I mowed, ate, and passed out for the night. LOL. I'm having night sweats, but they aren't as bad the further away from each treatment. You're starting DD on Monday, and I start on Wednesday (7/29)💉. I'll be thinking of you. ❤️

klanders- I am so sorry to hear of your news. I am sure all of us in this community wish you the best of luck. I know it sounds so cliche but hang in there and take one day at a time. Hell, I take one minute at a time. And remember to BREATHE!

Jackiebird, just finished 4 of 6 and 1 flight of stairs required sitting. Walking 400 steps out of breath. Much like Steflove. Dozed just sitting at NH with mom. Glad to share she is resting and calm. Klanders, I feel your pain. Be kind to yourself and try to find a NH for your father. It is a tough decision so talk with social worker, nurse manager and doctors. Visit the NH's speak with sw and admissions. Usually the social workers will talk with each other. Sorry that it is all put onyour plate. My theme song is from Toys-r-us "I don't want to growup I'm a toys-r-us kid.… "

Ugg here comes the indigestion.… simethicone time, feel waterlogged already over 100 oz today.