Anyone.Starting Chemo in October 2016?

Dear Kate and Lyn - I am sorry to hear about the financial issues. A layer of the process you definitely don't need.

Lyn, how is your dog Katie, doing? What are her/your options? I would ask you your friend to update the GoFundMe with your new situation. I don't know what the rules are on this site but I would appreciate it you would PM with the link for the page.

Connie - how are you doing?

As for me, I had may last chemo yesterday. Imaging and scans this week in order to meet with my surgeon next Tuesday. I hope to walk away with a date for my lumpectomy.

hugs and prayers to you all - Kathy

Kathy / KLNiss, your final chemo DONE. WAHOOOO! Please let us know what the surgeon recommends after viewing the scans. Fingers crossed for a lumpectomy.

You're so sweet to express concern about Katie and me. She seems to feel fine. Since she's almost 12 years old and my personal circumstances are challenging, I don't think it's logical to pursue chemo for her. Interestingly, dogs seem to tolerate chemo far better than we humans. Since it's relatively inexpensive & doesn't require a specialist, the vet did chest and abdominal X-rays. Other than a slight protuberance over the spleen, nothing was disclosed so I hope that means she'll still enjoy some quality time with her "sister" and me. :-)

I don't recall if I mentioned that I found a radiation oncologist who offers prone position and is receptive to the shorter "Canadian" protocol. The location isn't nearly as convenient, but with my generous bosom and a left-side tumor, I think the prone positioning will best protect my heart and lungs.

Hang in there, Connie!

Lyn

Hello Octo-chemo ladies

I'm 5 weeks PFC and I seem to be more tired than before (during chemo).... Glad to see everyone is done/almost done. each and everyone of you is in my daily prayer., keep pushing on girls

I've been MIA for a bit so sorry for the delayed response.

VLH - I'm sorry about your dog. I can only imagine how much harder it must be to go through your own medical issues and trying to help your dog through as well. I'll say a prayer for sure.

KLNiss - Congrats on finishing chemo!!! You must feel great. Hopefully you're recovering well.

Personally, I had my lumpectomy 3 weeks ago and have had just a few minor complications. I can definitely tell it's taking me much longer to heal up from everything (than it did before I'd undergone chemo). No talk yet on when I might start radiation. And to be honest, I'm not really sure I want to do radiation, though I'm sure they'll tell me it's for the best. I just want to go back to normal living and not have some many medical appointments (or medical bills) that I have to keep track of.

I have 4 weeks of chemo left. I'd be done if I hadn't had to have 3 cancelled at one time and 2 at another. I'm really having emotional issues....breaking out in tears and can't even tell you why. Then radiation will start....starting to wonder if life will ever seemanything resembling normal again.

Hi Gail - I just finished this week. You are almost done! That's great.

K

Thanks, Fighting. Katie doesn't have any symptoms at this point so that's good. With my history of cellulitis and given that I've had chemo-related skin stuff, I'm dreading radiation. The recurrence rate with triple negative cancer is scary or I would be tempted to skip it.

Connie, I don't think answered your question about how many treatments with the shorter Canadian protocol. The radiation oncologist that I saw for a very preliminary consultation back in August said 15 regular treatments +1 boost. I hope I'm remembering that correctly. Since he doesn't offer the prone position, I have an appointment with a different radiation oncologist on March 22nd and we'll see what she says. Here's the link that talks about the shorter protocol:

https://newsatjama.jama.com/2013/09/20/study-confi...

Six months is tough, Gail. I hope radiation goes smoothly for you.

Lyn

My chemo ends March 27th. My appt. with the radiation oncologist is April 10th. I knew nothing about the prone position radiation until the chemo nurse practitioner mentioned it because I had a breakdown thinking radiation wouldn't be done so that I could go to my oldest grandson's high school graduation June 2 clear up in Cleveland. The tears started coming and that poor lady didn't know what to do with me....rofl. That's been my target all along....get me through this so I can go to that. When that was in jeopardy, I lost it. Of course, I don't know if they'll consider doing it but I do know they do offer it. As we'll be driving 1 1/2 hrs each way for radiation, the shorter protocol sure would be nice but she never mentioned the possibility when we met with her last fall and I have no clue why or why not.

Lyn, I have triple negative also. I cannot even imagine going through this again. I am choosing to believe this will be the end of it and burying my head in the sand about percentages of reoccurrence for the time being at least.

Thanks for clearing that up for me, Lyn. I had a positive node and chemo so not short rads for me!

Lyn - Don't you get some time to recover from chemo before rads? I have a month "off" in between.

Gail

my last chemo was supposed to be this Wednesday. However, my skin condition has gotten so bad in the past week (side effect from chemo) that it will be either cancelled completely or postponed. I was supposed to go last Friday for a mammo, ultrasound and appointment with my surgeon but that has been postponed because of my skin. I am not going to gross you out with it, but it covers my entire chest and breasts. I drive three hours each way today to see the dermatologist, the next again hopefully on friday for the scans and surgeon. If my scans are good, I will forgo the last chemo because I don't think I can make it through it. Energy is nonexistent most times.

The a/c has been tougher than the 12 weeks of perjeta, Taxol, herceptin, and even that wasn't a picnic. I'm sick of complaining and feeling crappy. Hopefully my skin will start looking more like . . . . Skin . . .soon and my scans will allow me to cancel my last chemo.

Congrats to everyone who is done, and everyone who is still hanging in. I wish energy for you, and optimism.

Nanci

And just like that, Taxol #12 is done. My onc moved my
normal Tuesday appointment to Monday in advance of the “snowmaggedin” that
never materialized in my neck of the woods. Glad they were able to accommodate &
I could stay on schedule however it was a bit anticlimactic – I was in a
strange center with nurses I didn’t know & who weren’t aware that it was my
last “active” chemo treatment (sounds like I’m having a personal pity party). I
had planned on cake & celebration with my normal team – will now be doing
that next Tuesday when I go back for the first 3 week dose of Herceptin alone.
Thankfully, I was able to get the bakery to store/freeze the cake for the week.

Not sure how the others feel but to me, this “abrupt”
(though it’s been 5 months coming) end to active chemo feels weird. Part of me
is glad this leg of the journey is over but another part feels like I should be
doing more chemo to keep the cancer cooties at bay. Of course, when I said that
out loud to my onc, she looked at me like I had 3 heads and my husband just sat
there shaking his head. Guess I’ll get beyond this feeling as time passes. Next
up is radiology appointment (tomorrow) so I’ll know more about what that will look
like after that. Dreading the SE’s that will come with that – I’m one of those
fair skinned Italians – concerned about skin burning already. I hope I get a
good break in between – I’ve already booked a getaway to Maine with my husband
complete with a couple’s massage. Not giving that up for anything!!

Lyn – how are you doing? Have you done your final Taxol?
Early on, my onc told me one of the SE’s for low hemoglobin is shortness of
breath & racing heart. I had it drilled into me every time my blood work
came back with lower than normal hemoglobin – mostly due to the thalassemia I have.
Might be something you want to check. How is Katie doing? Better I hope – just to
have one less thing to worry about at this point.

Kate – how is radiation going for you?

Nanci – I do hope you’re feeling better. I started noticing
redness in my cheeks from time to time during the last couple of Taxol
treatments but nothing like you are experiencing. I hope you find relief soon and
can move ahead & get back on track.

Connie – I hear you about losing it. I lost it a couple of
times – particularly during AC – I was so scared of catching something and
winding up in the hospital especially when the WBC was in the virtual toilet. I’ve
had enough of hospitals and appointments to last me a lifetime – the thought of
catching something and winding up in the ER scared the hell out of me – I broke
down every time I got the neutropenia talk.

Hugs to all and here’s to more of us seeing the end of this
tunnel and moving forward.

Julianne

For cryin' out loud, Connie! You just can NOT get a break. I'm so very sorry. I was neutropenic after 3 of my 4 AC treatments, but no neutrophil or platelet issues with Taxol so I'll bet getting rid of the Carboplatin will do the trick. Keep us posted.

Yay, Julesbabe55!!! I totally get the anticlimactic thing as well as clinging to the chemo since it feels like you're actively chasing the cancer cooties. I did forego Taxol #12 at the other facility and my regular nurses clapped, threw confetti and gave me a t-shirt so that was nice. I couldn't believe it happened, but I managed to catch the loop of my IV on the wheel of the cart and ripped the darned needle right out of my chest during a potty break! All the times that fluids required a trip to the necessary room and I save that "faux paw" for my final treatment. I was fumbling for the little clamp & only later thought, "You dweeb, just pinch off the line until you find the gizmo." Doh! I used a Tide pen right away, but haven't been able to get the blood and poison stain out of my favorite no-iron, button down shirt so it must be deemed a sacrifice to the chemo gods. :-(

The trip to Maine and romantic massage sound perfect. Katie doesn't know she is sick at this point so I'm very grateful for that.

Thank you for mentioning the hemoglobin again. Mine has been consistently low (10-ish), but not far out of range so the doctor hasn't been overly concerned. She did get a test to determine if I would benefit from an iron supplement, but the results suggested that I would not. What kind of specialist do you see for your thalassemia? I'm wondering if I might be especially sensitive to marginally low hemoglobin? Since my echo came back not showing significant change from the baseline, I don't think this is a heart issue. Still, something is clearly going on when just waking briskly through my house, doing a load of dishes or taking a shower cranks my heart rate up to 100-115 bpm. I'm also concerned about the darned neuropathy becoming permanent, but remaining hopeful about that.

I had five blasted medical appointments last week and four next week so it feels like this stuff drags on and on. (I feel guilty saying that in front of you, Connie.) Next week is two lymphedema treatments, the initial consultation with the radiation oncologist who may be willing to do prone position & the shorter protocol plus my first diagnostic mammogram since all this "fun" started last May. I can't even consider that they might find something after all this nonsense. Picture a bald, "mature" woman with her fingers stuck in her ears, jabbering "I can't hear you, I can't hear you, I can't hear you!"

Lyn

Darn, Connie!

Lyn

Gail, were you able to finish treatment?

Lyn