Starting Chemo in JAN 2007

Hello Ladies:

I just want to clarify to IowaCindy that there is a distinct difference to Blue & Pink Jobs. Blue jobs are ONLY done by men...and that includes shoveling the walk and driveway. In fact, I can actually turn any household task into a Blue job....my darling Dan actually had the nerve to ask me when we are going to find a "Pink" job. The utter gall!!

My best friend is currently making me a Knitty Titty, and we are having a blast with this. I'm going to walk along the lake edge to find some nice round rocks to "weigh" it properly. When I say my boob is as hard as rocks, you'll know what I mean....Haha. There is a warning in there that you may run into difficulties wearing this knitty titty thru security at airports, as they may confiscate it as a weapon. Yikes I would love to see that

MRI came back that whatever is on my liver has not changed in any way. The oncs are going to keep an eye on it, and after chemo is done, if it is still there, they may do a biopsy.

Chemo #4 is on Monday, this week's girls...here's a BIG HUG for all of you. I'm taking the movie "The Departed" to watch on my DVD during chemo. Anyone seen it yet?

RitaJean, I loved that poem. Caya hope you get out to enjoy the day. Mer1957, do you have a date for surgery yet.

Lynn, I will try to get an email off to you. Hope you are doing well.

Dar, with the beautiful Alberta sunshine, get out and enjoy the day.

Glad to hear from you Robbin...hadn't seen a posting from you in a while, so I occasionally go and visit your website.

Trust everyone is well...Joni

Hey ladies, lots of food for thought and good humor as well from all of you. Nice to hear Mizsissy escaped to Detroit, I've been trying to merely find the energy to go to Wal-Mart all day. I'm tickled to hear all of you talking about Michigan; I don't live there but I wrote the Weird Michigan book for B&N last year so I've been on just about every road in the state, many more than once. Ah the pre-chemo days! I wonder, does the original energy level come back to us eventually once all the treatments are done? It's hard to imagine now. I know the exercise is supposed to help but there are only a few days out of each cycle that I'm able to manage any. And then it's just very light aerobics. I'm also most nervous about starting Taxol. I'm feeling extremely toxic after my 4th and last AC, like a human landfill. But hopefully tomorrow I will make my first appearance in church in my wig. Let 'em look! Hugs to everyone from the Wisconsin blizzard zone - Skye

Vicky, that's very encouraging to hear that it has been better for you than AC. No naps? I think I had 3 of those today. Are you getting the Taxol or Taxane every week? My schedule will be TX every other week for 8 weeks, with Herceptin every week for a year. I wasn't aware of the allergic reactions, what happened to you with that? Sounds a bit scary even with the nurses there! Thanks for sharing this, - Skye

Good evening all - I hope everyone had a good day.
joinmb - I didn't get out - too cold, but I did manage to do 40 minutes of an old Richard Simmons dancerize video I found - I find these are the perfect level of aerobic/movement for me - enought to break a sweat, move to the music ( love those golden oldies) - I do about a half hour of the video, then fast forward to the last 10 minutes or so for the last 2 songs which are winding down to the cool down and final stretches.
skye - sorry to hear you and some of the others have been so fatigued - I was very weak and nauseous this time on my second round for about 4 -5 days, then was better. Then I caught a cold from my daughter earlier this week and was wiped out again for 3 days - but today I felt better, and the neuropathy was barely there today, so I did the video .
I'm scheduled for my third and last FEC chemo this Thursday, March 8th - then I start Taxotere on March 29th for 3 rounds. Herceptin will be for a year, every 3 weeks.
I hope everyone enjoys their Sunday.
Good night everyone,
Caya

Wow Robertin, that sounds so interesting. Are you able to make sense of the research and such when you are feeling so out of it? I still cannot concentrate on People Magazine for heaven's sake. I give you lots of credit.

I hear you on the exhaustion. I have been out of the house once since Thurs. Not planning anything today or I'm sure I'd end up being pushed around as well.

Water tastes terrible--yes, like swamp water. Cannot find much that tastes good or appeals to me. Maybe I'll lose some weight this time. #3 is really taking it out of me. Today is a little better though. A little.

Hang in there all. We are getting closer to the end.
Amera

Robertin, I'm so impressed at what you do! And that you can handle physics equations with chemofogbrain. I find I can only write if I'm not tired, and even then I have to rewrite more than usual. But I love the idea of being able to focus on that faraway moon of Saturn; that universe just keeps turning despite our physical tribulations. I am sure that had I made it to Wal-Mart yesterday I would have wound up in the wheelchair, too. Oh well, that is what they are for, right? And you are so right about the water taste. I've started making weak green tea with lots of ice which helps some. Try sugar free popsicles too.
Caya, that's about the level of exercise I have been able to do, but I've yet to make it for half an hour. 15 minutes is about tops on a good day but I try to manage a couple of sessions per day. Mostly in the second week of the cycle.
Dar it sounds like you had a whole constellation of things to react to, you deserved some weepy time. The 4th AC for me was not any worse than the 3rd, except about days 4-6 I really started feeling the toxins...that mouth taste increased, and I swear my sweat smells chemical. Now day 7 that is all starting to fade, so hang in there for that first week and you will get through it. I think the good news is that if we feel those effects, it means our bodies are managing to excrete the chemicals somehow. - Skye

Mizsissy- I too caught a sore throat/stuffed nose this week from my 17 year old daughter - told all I could take was extra strength Tylenol (for pain), Vicks inhalers and Otrivin ( for three days max). I am much better - but I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will be okay for my chemo this Thursday.
skye - hope you have more energy soon. I'm going to try to do another video today. For the water, I put alot of lemon slices and lots of ice in each glass. You could also try boiling up water, pouring it into a glass pitcher, putting 5-6 of teabags a decaf fruity tea (peach, rasp etc.), let it cool down, then put in the fridge. Drink with lots of ice. I don't add sugar, but you could.
shorti - you are not too far from me. My brother-in-law has a cottage in Jackson's Point, we have driven by Bradford many times.
robertin - you have a fascinating job - good for you that you can keep up with it during chemo.
Caya

I can do some thinking, and the second week is definitely better than the first, but I do keep detailed notes, because I forget what I am supposed to do or what I said. So, my Franklin planner is my pal. I love my job, and I'm glad I have it as a distraction. Also, I get lots of vacation (6 weeks a year) and that makes it very worth while. OK, I did some cruising of the cancer.org website and came across this site http://abovetheclouds.photosite.com/ The password is bcsisters. This gives HOPE, lots of hope, and when you're vegetating on the couch, it keeps you going. If you go to "hairgrowth process", click on slide show and you will see this girl's hair, starting at 2 weeks post chemo. Wow! I'm excited. Also, look at her hair before and after chemo. What curls!
Also, I looked at the posts regarding Taxol and radiation, and I can handle the next chemo, because it's definitely the last of the nasties.
Enjoy your Sunday girls.

Finally catching up.

First, Aladora, that's quite a pathology report. I can understand why it gave you pause. I am very glad you went ahead with your lumpectomy and chemo without wasting time for the BRCA results; at least you're containing things. I say: go for those porn star boobs!! How have your female relatives fared with BC??!!! You are a constant source of strength and positive energy for me, with your upbeat attitude, your delight in your son...now YOU beat this thing!!!

Lynne, Amera, Skye, hope you are all feeling better soon.

Robertin, it doesn't matter to me one bit that you aren't a prof. Research is just as if not more important, more power too you. And Skye, we're proud of you with all your publishing ability!!! Maybe you can give me some pointers on getting that book, The Cat Who Could, published someday.

Finally, Caya, hope your cold is better. I started a thread on this cold/infusion issue and just got some very good news from a gal who had PNEUMONIA while taking AC. Because the white blood count only goes down the 2nd week, she was able to go ahead with infusion and was already better by the second week.

Hope I didn't miss any important news. Just read the most recent page...my best to you all.

Mizsissy

PS..STILL haven't made it to church since mid-January, but DH and I have a Book of Common Prayer and we do a service at home, here in front of the fire with our kitties. I think it works quite nicely.

Welcome back Mizsissy, sorry to hear you landed the cold but I hope the jazz was worth it. Thanks for the nice comment on the publishing, I think it's mostly a matter of hitting the right publisher with the right book at the right time, and in my case I've also been lucky to have been approached by some of them based on other work. I have a YA fantasy novel pending approval at one place right now so am keeping fingers crossed.
For everyone with colds, here is something that has helped me have my first winter EVER without a single cold or flu. Ginger herbal tea. A pinch of cinnamon and maybe some honey makes it even more potent. Every time I start feeling a virus start I have a cup or two, hot, and it just blasts it away, Yesterday the dh started sniffling and sneezing, feeling peaked too. Altho he hates any kind of tea I told him if I can do chemo, you can drink this, so he did. All symptoms gone! I use an organic brand called Ginger Aid but I think any good herbal ginger tea will do. Ginger also aids digestion and will not hurt you in any way, it's worth a try. (More ambitious people make their own infusions from fresh ginger root) Hope all of you get better very soon! Skye

Thanks for the info. That's what I heard that radiated tissue didn't expand but I don't know what kind of space they need with a lat flap, I think the implant is smaller. I'll have lots of questions to as the ps and a big decision to make.

Mizsissy - I hope you feel better too and get your chemo tomorrow.
robertin - thanks for the tip to the abovetheclouds website. I am very curious as to how my previously long, very thick and very curly hair will grow back - also what colour - my onc. tells me I'll be "blonde" - i.e. gray - but I was about 60-70% natural brown before chemo. actually who cares as long as we are okay..
skye - thanks for the tip about the ginger tea - I'm going shopping tomorrow and will stop at the health food store and pick up some - I'm sure this will also do wonders for the nauseau I'm sure I will experience next weekend after chemo #3.
all the best to everyone today. thanks to all of you, I really feel I have connected to everyone is such a short time.
caya

Mizsissy, those chemo colds are the worst. Hope you are feeling better soon. I think that as long as you don't have a fever you will be all set. But be prepared for a long cold--they seem to last forever with the chemo.

Hope the tea works. We may have a new remedy right here. I should keep the fixings around just in case.

I know what you mean about looking forward to the next round. Once I feel better, I want to just finish the rest up. You are heading towards #4--your last, right? YOu lucky duck!
Amera

That was a great website...neat pictures. (password is bcsisters) Thanks Robertin!

I am glad you had a good time Mizsissy...you guys deserved it.

My experience with not feeling well the day of chemo is basically that they look at your counts and take your temp. If both are ok, they go ahead. I think it would be ridiculous to expect to feel great...it takes longer than 3 weeks to throw off all the effects of the chemo I think! They took me even with my residual bronchitis...and I have to say I continue to improve in that respect (steroids seem to work very nicely as decongestants, thanks!)

Today I feel pretty good, but I have a yuck taste in my mouth, and I get unexpected attacks of the sleepies. Other than that I think I am past the worst of this round. Yay! I am halfway done.

mer1957-I think flap surgeries are a whole different animal than expansion ones, so the same limitations may not apply. Definately ask your PC...there are so many options.

Well, I can not focus on this screen any more...my eyes have been very tired and sore. Took me forever to catch up, and now fog descends. sigh. have a good evening