Starting chemo July 2018

Rose. "GRRR," is right! Would you like for me to come over for a group growl? Lol. My grandson was stunned when I refused to share my taquitos with him! (So was I, to be honest).

"Oh, the things you will learn. The things you will learn."

And on a positive note - I think I haven't received as many compliments regarding my hair in my entire life as I have received in the last days. wearing a wig. I think I will bring it to my hairdresser once my hair will be long enough, and demand the exact same styling 🙂 next year

Hello! It's 3am I'm wide awake and I have to work at 9am. I am a very busy hairdresser. I never thought being a workaholic would be a problem until I had to adjust my lifestyle to needing to be a workaholic. But with that said I still must work. My mouth sores ended up being thrush which was a result of the two anabiotic's that they put me on for diverticulitis so, I now am on another anabiotic which is actually an antifungal. I totally understand what you all are saying my hair as my daughter says I now look like a cancer patient. Ha ha. It's blotchy you can't just shave it completely so have some dark hair patches and pieces hanging on so it's more obvious. I shaved it down to a number two last week.The dry mouth and metallic taste is the worst. Food taste like nothing and I've been eating only comfort food. I've been looking everywhere for tapioca. Rose eatting the rice concoction you describe sounds so great. JKittle I got the magic mouthwash thank you!!!! Thanks Misha, teenstar and silver it's improving.

How are you ladies keeping your silkier scarves on? I'm having a hard time, my scarves slip and you can see my not so pretty yet new scalp. Jaboo we need to just look at it touch it and learn to love it. I'll try with you. I'm trying a new shampoo/conditioner called analog by R&Co just to condition my scalp I'll let you ladies know how it works. Happy Saturday it's going to be a long hard one but I've got this! Love and light to ALL of you ladies.

Have any of us seen a response to chemo yet? What day did it start?

It's raining ☔ here today. I'm just going to take it easy and play with the grands. Oh, and I discovered that my dresser is perfect ballet Barre height. I've started stretching out there and it feels so good!

Have a super weekend, without SEs or worries. Back for more on Monday. 😧

Gina

Dear all,

TC #3 (of 4) went off uneventfully on Friday, 8/10. No additional side effects so far, except increased fatigue the day after and the next, but I slept well last night and got up around 5:15 am today - beat the birds by at least 45 min.

I don't think I've lost any more hair since right after #2. In fact, my buzz cut might be growing. Still have enough brows and lashes to look pretty normal, but I agree the second looks I get from shop people particularly kinda bother me. You, know people you see regularly, but who you don't really know. I actually prefer when people ask what's going on.

Still a little transient neuropathy in toes, mild, easily controlled nausea on 1st 2 days after infusion, fatigue early on but that had been revolving. Hair loss is the biggest side effect and I don't think I'm going too lose it all.

Hang in there, sisters.

Mary

I'm waiting to start AC 2 today. I'll check back when I'm in my chair.

Here I am in the chair! Sitting under an air vent and freezing! Just got tips from my nurse about taking the meds at home-turns out I may have been overdoing it with the meds and making SE worse!

Also told me to drink cranberry juice because water doesn’t go down well in these first couple of days.

Doc says my tumor is shrinking so that’s good news! Great to know I’m in such good company!

Mary-I’m happy that your treatment went well on Friday!

#3 almost done!

I never nap, but just slept on the couch for a hour! Wow.. My insomnia has been bad lately. I try to be in bed by 11pm, but wake up every 2 hours, usually to pee 😑 I go back to sleep, but rarely sleep past 6:30am. This past week it's been 5am almost every morning. I do like being an early riser but 7 would be better!. Got 15 ambien from MO, took it 3 nights, 2 of them my sleep wasn't any better at all. The other night, I did sleep 5 hours straight and then woke up to pee or had a hot flash. Hard to remember which it is anymore 🤣 lol I'm glad I felt comfortable to walk around my bf this past weekend with nothing on my head. He's been so good about all this. I decided instead of getting a wig with my free coupon at my cancer center's boutique, to get 3 pretied chemo scarves. I really like them. They're from turbanplus.com Made in U.S.A. Very comfortable. If I had my chaps and m/c helmet on, ppl would think I'm just a biker chick and not give the cancer stare. Lol. Way too hot for wearing leathers now, but I might start wearing my leather jacket out more now! Haha. Dig my Harley boots out too from the back of my closet. lol. Haven't rode much in the last few yrs, and honestly the way ppl drive around here and all the accidents, I think I'd be a little chicken. Definitely never again without a helmet. Maybe next year 😎 I'm going to try to drink even more water with this round and no more eating snacks I shouldn't. Definitely learned my lesson! Lol That rice concoction was good, but after the 3rd day on it..🙄 Bf braved Walmart for me yesterday, so fully stocked on food! 😍 I have a lot to be thankful for. I spent the weekend in my apartment. Last weekend going to a movie with my son and visiting friends was great, But kids going back to school soon, there's always more sickness and germs flying around then, so from now on,I'm quite happy being a hermit. I go to work and that's it. I was kinda a hermit already before BC so yep, I'm good here in my very clean apartment (I am an ocd housekeeper..) for as long as need be. I have a great deck out back with a beautiful view of a river and fields with wildlife and trees in the backyard.Its a good way to try to let go of the stress of the day by looking at my sunsets 🌅 I hope we all have a good week with minimal SE's.

Rose

PS. Forgot to mention I did 3 miles on the treadmill Wednesday and 3 more yesterday. Trying to fit it in when I can, but trying to be careful not to overdo it.

Gina I’m with ya on the Dexamethasone or Decadron. I’ve decided I need to eat more when I take it and it makes me feel less shaky.

Rose I love that you shared your biker clothes! That’s bad-ass! I am not wearing my wig either. It’s too darn hot here plus I think I need to have the wig styled-it falls onto my face and annoys me.

Hope everyone’s week is going well!

The 3rd AC sucks. No big SE, just several small ones and all in all - it sucks. Am really really tired, a bit nausea, a bit more of body aches everywhere and nowhere, headache a bit, various teeth are hurting one after another, slept for 2 hours in the afternoon. blah blah, urgh!

BUT we went to see Tom Cruise doing his own stunts to the cinema and I really enjoyed it 🙂 Good to take my mind elsewhere for a bit.

I'm not gonna lie, round #3 AC knocked me down fo a few days, but I am slowly feeling better now. Took Wednesday-Friday off work. I was just too weak. Challenging enough just to do my own housework, but today I can feel more spurts of energy, plus I just got the best news ever from my landlord! My next door neighbors are giving their German Shepherd pup to their grandma. They had been keeping that poor dog in a cage right by my bathroom wall. This has been very stressful for me as an animal lover and as a person going through chemo. We all know how much we're in the bathroom.. So yay for hopefully more peace and quiet around here, Max the German Shepherd will be enjoying his new life on a farm soon and I even got $ knocked off next months rent for all my aggravation. Lol #MiraclesStillHappen Take care everyone and stay strong 💪

Rose

I am on the TCHP regimen, I totally agree about the side effects. I go for round 3 on 8/23, it's absolutely dreadful. I know it is a temporary thing and it will pass once treatment is over. I feel so bad with (nausea, extreme fatigue, diarrhea, bone pain, poor appetite, bad tasting food and drink) for a solid two weeks. Week 3 I finally start to feel better, I have energy then in a few short days it's time to start the next cycle. I have so much anxiety about my side effects and was able to start some anxiety meds which have helped some. There are days I think I can't possibly take anymore. It has been a struggle since day one. One day at a time is what I tell myself

Dawn, glad to hear your SEs are manageable!

RoseRed, similar with the 3rd AC, aren't we. That's terrible that they kept a german shepherd in a cage that's outraging, and a pup at that! ... As a country person, I really can't imagine what the people were thinking... What a relief for you and for the poor dog that they are giving him away to live at a farm.

JKittle - - yay for your last AC! Please keep us posted about your scan results.

SunnyDee, you really get the SE full force, don't you! I'm sorry to hear that! Have you spoken to your MO about it, maybe s/he can help some with premedication adjustments? Just thinking...

Have a good week everyone

I must say not having to shave my legs is awesome 😎 My legs have never felt so smooth. Lol I still have most of my eyebrows and lashes. Hair still on my arms too. After infusion #2 I was losing some lashes and hair from eyebrows, which then freaked me out so much I tried for days to avoid at all costs touching my face in that area. Well no more of that nonsense. Gave me even more anxiety. I'm back to using my favorite exfoliating facial wipes with cucumber, aloe and green tea every morning and it makes my face feel so good.

Rose

Well that sucks! Sorry Ja