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

Yaaaayyy!!!!

Ugh, so MO's office called back with an appointment for me today for my edema. Why can't they just call somethng in? I'm going to cancel - I'll just suffer with it.

Lynne

Renee - thanks for the encouragement, at least I know it won't be a waste of time. I should have mentioned that I have an appointment with MO tomorrow, so I'm only going to wait one day to be seen. My feet aren't too bad yet today - I had this vision of going in and having NP asking "what edema?" Of course, I have the pictures to show them :-)

I'm off to the beach today - we are leaving after lunch and staying until the fireworks.

Lynne

Goodness! I am sorry to have disappeared on you all, but I made the mistake of scheduling stuff post-chemo with the mindset of "I should be good by then..."

There were a couple of things I had to deal with that I didn't schedule: my 6 year old going to Camp Kesem for the first time - a camp for kids with a parent affected by cancer. My 5 year old's birthday party. My husband heading off for work.

I have to go back and catch up on your individual progress, but I'll bring you up to speed on mine: I am almost 2 months post chemo.

I had terribly sensitive skin, with hives for the slightest bump, which equalled lymphedema in my right hand. I bought and wore a compression glove and sleeve anytime I drove somewhere or did laundry/house work. That has since subsided and I no longer have sensitive skin/hives and I feel less vulnerable.

My legs are fatigued and shaky, not so much going up stairs, but mostly going down stairs. They feel like jello, after a really hard workout. I also have stiff muscles/joints and sensitive feet in the morning or sitting in one place too long. After I move around it gets better. My wrists were kind of weak, but has somewhat improved in the last week. I think I have been retaining water in my legs. I have not lost my extra ten pounds after my last round of chemo.

I'm receiving a shot of Lupron, once a month to suppress my ovaries until my hysterectomy in December. Same side effects as my chemo pause...

My hair has started to grow. With the summer heat, I have gone without a head covering, except if I want to look pretty pretty. Most people are kind to me and little kids cannot help but stare, but it's cool and temporary. (I say, "I've been pretty for 43 years, I can deal with looking like this, if it gets me another 43 years!") I also have the skunk head look, dark on sides and white/less hair on top. In the last week, it has begun to feel soft instead of pokey. I use a scrubber, Japanese washcloth, on my body and have started using it on my head as well. It exfoliates nicely.

All my body hair is coming back too. My husband's friend asked if I started getting ingrown hairs yet, (his mom had breast cancer,) and I have not. I think it's because I use this exfoliating cloth and we have a water softener: Salux Nylon Japanese Beauty Skin Bath Wash Cloth/towel

I still have an open wound from my mastectomy in March, but have my reconstruction scheduled on 24 Aug. I have a hydrocolloid bandage on it, but it's just covering the hole surrounded by necrosis. The Doctor will remove my tissue expanders and replace them with a DIEP flap. I'm a little worried about this surgery/recovery. My husband will be deploying about 2 1/2 weeks later. My mother in law lives with us and helps out a lot with my 3 little boys.

I have been off all medications for a few weeks now. Prilosec was the last one.

I hope to check in more often, but I guess I'm trying to pretend everything is back to normal, even though my body reminds me every once in a while that it's not.

Blessing and smiles to you all!

I wish I could blame my new urinary routing on the lack of hair, but it started after surgery and before chemo.

@!!!

Slyv - YAHOOOO!!! You are done - made it, finito, finale, El Fin! So proud of you.

Gingerchi - you will be done. you will be done. you will be done with chemo. Oh YES, you will be done.

BC retreat - I am going to call them up and see if they have scholarships So more to come on this Gingeel and LovliLynne!

Littleblue - heeheehee. So I had met with colleagues that I love (3 of them) and we talked about stupid people at work that make our environment toxic. I told them about your eloquent offer to moon those that are NOT nice to the rest of us. My colleagues loved it and we decided to buy moon stickers. Oh God, I will be punished. And we are considering sticking them on people's doors or simply handing them out at the next full meeting. (happy for juvenile days where I can laugh - it has been a long time coming).

All of those still on the chair: you are in my thoughts everyday and when you are done I will cheer (and cry)!!

Some things I am enjoying: being out in nature more, pilates, reading 'Eat, Pray, Love" and "Spontaneous Happiness'

Thank you everyone-I AM DONE! No fanfare, no bell ringing but I'm done! I still have to decide if I want my ovaries out as I have a cyst that's been difficult to ultrasound. Being TN she said she would take it out if I felt strong about it but wants one more US In November. And I have phase 2 of my reconstruction but have to loose this chemo weight first. Probably looking at March. But........ I'm done! Yipeeeee

We will all be done, keep looking forward those still in the chair.

Hugs

Yay, Shari!

Oh, and gingeel...I have a prescription med the GP gave me, it works if I take it soon enough but sometimes I only have a few seconds' warning. And I drink TONS...it seems I am always thirsty. On the upside, I am not very hungry and think I am losing weight!

I'm one of those sudden, urgent pee-ers too. Bah. Oh, and I have thrown up a couple of times with the headaches and pee myself then. Gotta love stress incontinence. Not.

Andrea, I'm so sorry your going through so much with these migraines, they sound horrible. Glad your MO is ordering an MRI- better to be proactive and hopefully find out what's going on. I hope you get relief soon! What absolutely beautiful grand kids! 

 Alibeths didn't your RO tell you what lotions to use? Each one seems to have their preferred ones. I went against my RO and used emu oil. There were a lot of women using it on the summer 2013 rads thread with really good response. My skin held up so well that the techs kept asking what I was using and when I told them emu oil, I got scolded. I continued and at last boost only had a couple pin head blisters. I believe emu oil may be considered an antioxidant which I recently found out which may be why some ROs frown on but I've also recently read that a lot are now recommending it because it works so well, so buyer beware! I also got a frogg togg chilling towel and laid it on my chest for the 2 hour drive home. You can get them on Amazon.

Hope this helps a biy

2 hour drive to radiation?! Omg. In starting Monday. She didn't tell me any lotions!!?

Good Luck Ging!

Allibeths- my RO just said lotion- no particular kind. They will probably give you samples. Ksusan posted her super awesome regime on the summer rads thread a few pages back when I was freaking out. Its very comprehensive, and I'm going to adopt a good part of it, depending on how my skin reacts. Right now, before rads start, I'm using Burts Bees baby bee unscented lotion to keep my skin in good order. Once they start- I'll probably step it up. I have emu oil and a lot of people like Miaderm or Aquaphor, or natural stuff with calendula. Also, on the Summer Rads group, several of us have posted playlists to keep from freaking out. My personal go-to is Light it up by fall out boy- What's yours???