The Chemosabe March Cruise

Playwright - I loved your second to last entry. Are you going to go bald and beautiful? Wish I had the nerve.
dmknanny - you look beautiful!
I am feeling pretty good today after tx number 2 yesterday. My worst day last time were days 4 & 5. I am hoping for not so bad this time. I go for my neulasta shot - and while I know it is a good thing - I dread the achiness I get for a week afterwards.
Hope all the bar reservations from this week are tolerating their cocktails and enjoying life in spite of them. Gentle hugs to you all - Jacque

Bar Reservations week of April 8 - 14
Monday: Jacque
Tuesday: Rosebud (#2), Whitecotten (#2), Cythnia (#2)
Wednesday: PMarsh (#2), Keenie (#3), Taurie (#1)
Thursday: Sybilvox (#4, last AC), Fireba (#2)
Friday:

I don't like cruises but I will join yours. I am taking xeloda for bone mets in my shoulder . Anybody out there with the same drug? It's administered orally twice day for 6 months. Finished radiation today.

LisaSDCA
I do the Neulasta the day after chemo. No Neupogen at all and I'm doing TAC. Also I havn't had any se's as yet from the Neulasta.

Angel

Welcome aboard Arnee!
Prayers for you Nancy, that your wbc go up.
So glad you had such a wonderful weekend. Mine was great, too. I got to go wedding dress shopping with my future daughter in law. I have two sons and no daughters, so this was a real treat for me! The wedding is still a year away - but it is fun beginning the process to the big day!!! Jacque

Welcome to the March Cruise, arnee. Unfortunately, I don't believe anyone on this ship is taking xeloda. Congrats on finishing radiation. I know that's a great feeling. Did you have many skin issues with that?

Lisa, I don't know how you give yourself daily shots. Ouchie! You get the junkee of the week award. In my area, the people on DD automatically get the Neulasta shot the day after infusuions. Others, generally on an as needed basis. My red blood count was low last time when my white was down and I was given an injection of something.... have forgotten the name of the drug. Hope you can get all your levels where they need to be!

Nancy, I hope your WBC bounces back with no ill effects from the injection. Glad you got to spoil the grandbabies for a little while!

Jacque, Shopping for wedding dresses sounds like fun! I have not had the pleasure, but maybe my #2 son will hang around town long enough to get married here and I can tag along with his bride to be (when he gets one!)

I have had a much better time this go round (#2). I was only sick for 1 1/2 days! I did get the dreaded "C" twice, so far, though (this time). It is just not fun! I know at some point I will figure out how to stay on top of it without giving myself the horrendous "D"! What a balancing act!

I went to the Look Good, Feel Better program this morning. I was a little disappointed. I got lots of great make-up, but they didn't really incorporate anything about wigs. They had a wig room, but suggested I make an appointment to come for the specific purpose of getting a wig. I didn't really want to make another trip across town, so she let me pick one out. It's not a great one, but maybe if I can get the front looking better, it will work out well. It's always the front, isn't it? There were also no scarves or anything. So I guess in my area, it's basically a make up program. I did have the wonderful opportunity to meet two other women in my area with breast cancer and we plan to start attending a local support group together, so it was time well spent!

My friend just left to go back to the beach. I really enjoyed visiting with her and she cleaned and cooked for me. We also had a nice time visiting. She is a homeschooling Mom and it was precious break time from school, so I know she was anxious to get back home to get some things done. Hopefully, she is not too upset that I was not more in need while she was here. She did mention that it may have been better for her to come more at a time of crisis, but I told her we can't really predict those times! At any rate, I'm glad she came and she did say she had learned a lot.

Thoughts and prayers to those getting infusions....

Miss S

for those of u who want to post photos, so we can see how beautiful u (or yr grandbabies or whoever) are, here's the scoop:
i found this out by accident. a lot of times, i come here when i can't sleep (and usually say Hi to Angel), and i look to see who's online and what they're looking at. and if the thread sounds interesting, i'll look at it, too. so, here's what i found out (on a thread called something like "Time to See What We Look Like"):
go to photobucket.com and register (free)
upload yr photos
below each photo will be three hoohahs: a URL link, a HTML tag, and an IMG code.
open up another window and come to breastcancer.org and the Chemosabe March cruise.
write yr post and preview yr message
under "Instant UBB Code" click on "Image". a popup window will appear
go back to photobucket and copy the IMG code under the photo u want to post
paste the IMG code into the popup window and click on OK (or whatever it says)
voila! u can post multiple pics obviously, but u have to do it one at a time.

arnee -- welcome! this is a fabulous forum, with great women (and even one supportive DH!). feel free to discuss anything here. i'm glad u found us!

My daughter to be has selected three dresses that she likes. They are all very similar in appearance and I think all the same designer. She wants a vintage look - rather 40s-ish. She is a beauty - so all the dresses looked gorgeous on her. When she has decided which one to get I will post one of the other photos. I am sworn to secrecy on which dress she selects! Jacque

Rosebud!!!! Brrrrrrrrrrrr! Keep that cold weather away from me! *turning the heat up*

Glad you're feeling good!

Miss S

Jacque -- had to open a trial of Microsoft Office Picture Manager, as my Kodak Easyshare wouldn't make my chosen avatar pic small enough.
Download yr chosen pic to that, and on the sidebar will be an option for resizing yr pic. click on that, and then choose the max size they allow here for avatars (64 x 80, i think)
then, go ahead on this site to yr MyHome and add the link.

Hello everyone!

I have not been posting, but have been following the posts daily. I enjoy reading about everyone’s treatments and the positive posts are very encouraging to read.

My wife has completed two AC dose dense treatments. She had a setback last week when the skin around her port became infected. They tried to save the port by treating her with heavy doses of the IV antibiotic Vancomycin, but it did not work. She had the port removed last week. It was a tough week emotionally for her because of this. It seemed like such a major setback, as she spent every one of her off chemo days at the doctor’s office or hospital.

Her doctor gave her the week off from chemo and she had a new port placed yesterday. Her original port surgery was very painful for her and the port never felt just right. This time she had a much better procedure and the port feels great already.

She returns for AC #3 on Monday. She has been tolerating the chemo OK, but has been having a tough time with constipation. When she had chemo 16 years ago it was the severe nausea and diarrhea that was the problem, so she was not prepared for this. It appears that the newer antiemetics she is taking are working great for nausea, but they are the cause of the constipation. Emend and Aloxi were not around back then. She will be taking a more aggressive approach on Monday.

She is a tough fighter and has rebounded well. She has a renewed positive outlook and ready for Monday. She will be getting two more AC then on to the Taxol with Arimidex and Herceptin.

I wish everyone a good week and continued success with their treatments!!

Taurie, so happy to hear you went to the bar and do not have a hangover. Remember to keep drinking those fluids...it makes all the difference inn the world.

Barbkirk...good to hear from you. So sorry about the port issue but am happy that that seems to be taken care of. Playwriter is correct about the senekot and or colace. Will be sending positive thoughts and prayers for the visit to the bar on Monday.

Rosebud...I lived in Minnesota for 11 years and I remember having those Easter egg hunts in the snow....bet it was pretty but I've got to say, I'm much happier with flowers blooming at Easter time.

Girls, let me know if you are stepping up the bar next week.
Nancy