Starting Chemo in Nov 2016

I just had to giggle at myself. My best friend is coming today and we are going out to get some things and have a day together. I was just sitting here fiddling and thought, Oh! I better run and finish getting ready! I ran into the bathroom and immediately reached for the brush and hair dryer......looked in the mirror at my head and went, oh yeah! Then burst out laughing. Threw on some moisturizer and eye liner. Ready!

Good morning Ladies!!!! I hope we all have a wonderful day. Just want to say you all are amazing!!! Super Heroes!!! Number 2 (10 more to go) for me tomorrow, I am having a little anxiety even though I promised myself I would not. I have a prescription for a wig, should I just go and get one? When should I expect my hair to really start coming out?

I also am interested in Medical Marijuana. Is that something you have to ask for or is based on symptoms, that your Dr prescribes it? I leave in AZ, so I know they do dispense.

Have a wonderful, chins up!!!!

My post from this morning was the first time I ever posted on this site. After posting I realized there where 100's of comments in the thread and so many amazing November ladies feeling just like I am! For those of you on your 1st and 2nd Treatments, I can't thank you enough for sharing your experiences!! I really feel like I can go into this more prepared and warrior-like!

Got my port in today. I think it was an easier procedure than I had thought it would be. For some reason, I thought they put you under for the install. Instead, my interventional radiology dept put me into twilight. Fentanyl and versed. I was conscious through most of it. And talkative. My social retardation comes through as chattiness. I overcompensate with being a talker in stress situations. So, that what I did. And my poor nurse kept pushing more drugs because she thought I wasn't sedated enough. I was. Anyway, I was far more worried about the port install than I should've been. Although, I have a feeling that once all the numbing agents wear off later today, I'm going to wish I had way more fentanyl and versed just lying around. lol

My first chemo is Monday. And it's another stressful unknown. Not as much as the port install or the mastectomy. But I worry. More for the Side Effects than anything else. And not the normal side effects, but the dangerous ones. I would be okay with some nausea. I would not be okay with heart damage. And when I brought this up to the chemo nurse at chemo class, she told me that every side effect from chemo can be managed. Cancer can't. Cancer kills. So, that pretty much puts things into perspective and yet I am still apprehensive.

Welcome to all the new ladies joining the thread. I've been reading it all. I haven't been able to respond, though. It's hard enough just trying to sit with my own fears that sometimes trying to type isn't the thing my brain can let me do. Watch stupid movies seems to be about the most strenuous mental thing I can manage on some days.

SleeplessinCO, Last night I simply drank a cup of chamomile and lavender tea in the evening not long before I went sleep. I still woke up way too early, and I also woke up when my alarm went off, which means I fell back to sleep, again. Yay! It's the little things. I'll try tea, again, tonight and will ask my MO Thursday if she has any other ideas.

How did your first chemo session go? Well, I hope!! And for anyone else who had a session today, 1st, 2nd, or 8th, whichever. I hope it went well!!

Fight on Warriors!

Welcome Frodriguez, 2blessed,

You will find this thread very useful. Read the posts here and you will pick up lots of tips and info.

Congrats javamama and natster!

I apparently already have chemo brain because I swear I posted about an hour ago and now I don't see it. I had my first chemo today and it wasn't bad at all. Now I'm just waiting for the side effects but they gave me plenty of drugs for just about everything. I also got the marijuana script, so I'll let you all know how that works when I try it. They gave me steroids in the IV and I will take pills for 3 days. Neulasta shot tomorrow. The fun never ends.

Pmevans50, I've never liked tea for some reason but I wish I did. I may have to try it again.

Javamama, I was awake thru my port install too. Kind of weird but no pain and no nausea so I was happy about that. It hurt for a couple of days but not unbearable. It is scary when they mention possible heart damage but they won't do chemo if your heart's not strong enough. I've had to put my faith in the docs and hope for the best. My sister is a 23 year survivor, so I'm optimistic.

I'm feeling more like a warrior today. Thank you ladies! And if I already posted all this, forgive me for being a little loopy. I hope everyone else who started today did well!

That's a cute wig on you Nfullblume!! I'm glad you found the Look Good, Feel Better workshop worth it; mine is next week. I hope the stupid cold doesn't make you have to wait tomorrow!!! Feel better.

nfullblume - You look great and thank you for the funny TMI story! I guess that will be a shocker.

Javamama - no need to apologize. I think this is the best place to vent. We all understand. One thing that helps me is reminding myself how lucky I am that I have the cancer and not one of my kids (21 and 23 year old boys). I know there are parents out there that have children with cancer and they wish they could trade places with them. I'm glad I'm not one of them. I'm thankful my boys are happy and healthy, and I will beat this so I can be a grandma someday like my sister did.

Now when is this friggin chemo headache going to go away?!!! 😩 So annoying!

Sleepless,

Congrats on your successful chemo!

Javamama, we totally get it. And you're more than welcome to vent as long as it takes to get to the point that you're ok with it. Every woman has to get to that. I agree that sparing our hubbies or loved ones the whining is a good thing. Good luck with the port. Where did they place it? I would bet it's different with mastectomy than lumpectomy.

Javamama, I was told to never apologize for how I feel during this time in my life. We get it!

Nfullblume, you have a great shaped face, anything would look great on you!

One down, SleeplessinCO, I go tomorrow for my first treatment. I'm surprisingly calm although I did make sure I could take a Xanax if needed!

Welcome Frodriguez!

Good luck to everyone who starts tomorrow!

thank you guys for the compliments!

Valstim, thanks for the positivity! We love hearing when someone else got through the journey easily.

Frodriguez, I'm sorry you're dealing with this at such a young age. We have a fair number of youngerfolks in November. Good luck! Keep us in the loop on how it goes!

Pamela23, you're gonna rock it! Good luck tomorrow.

Leslie, the makeup they give from the class is worth like 400 bucks. Lancôme, Estée Lauder, Clinique. Very high end stuff. Learned some great tips on scarves and wigs. But I loved talking to the other ladies in the class. We had 4 with breast cancer and 2 with lung cancer. The 4 breast cancer ladies were bald. It was very comforting being around them with their wigs off. It helped me to learn my new normal.

Amyemn, Leslie and Amw5 have shaved their heads. Gmmiph, are you getting close to shaving yours? Latinmxy, I think you're a day ahead of me, you close? I think I might have a day or two before it's coming out heavily on my head. I think Thursday is d-day for my locks!!

Pink, I don't believe your MO will let you get a flu shot now. I waited too long as well and had my husband and stepdaughter get one instead.

Good morning my dear sweet pink sisters. Thanks for all of the prayers and the love that you gave and showed me on my first day of chemotherapy. I truly appreciate each one of you. I was quite tired afterwards and a wee bit nauseous. Plenty of anti nausea meds were given to me (through my port) before chemotherapy started. Once my chemotherapy drugs (ac) were administered to me, I began to get so tired. Once I got home, I began my resting. I've always drank plenty of water, and I still do (along with a some ginger ale here and there as needed). My taste buds are gone for now, but I will still eat foods that are kind to my tummy, get in a great amount of water and sip on some ginger ale as needed) I will also take my prescribed meds. I believe in God. He's been so good to me. I will continue to pray for all of us. Please stay strong. (((hugs)))