Starting Chemo in JAN 2007

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  • Nancyab
    Nancyab Member Posts: 276
    edited April 2007
    TPPJ, AHH the young blended family, I had that and still do. What I inherited is now a 24 yr bum that lives in my upstairs guest room. Known him since 2... came to live with us at 12 when no longer managable by "mom". Or should I say ruined by Mom. Dh and I have struggled with this kid and we said our goal was to make sure he got out of high school ( that was a nightmare) and put him out the door. We did just that and in Sept 05 it came back! my DH feels guity and won't make him leave. AHHH the blended family. What more can I say. Sorry your visit is happy cause it should be. That's a shame.
    Ladies thanks for the sun advice, I will have to get some sunscreen cause of spending years on our boat I do know that stuff expires and if it's bad will burn you instead.
    Have a sunny gardening day, that's what I am going to do.
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  • Amera
    Amera Member Posts: 452
    edited April 2007
    Yeah, the sun is out here too. I was really looking forward to getting a little color on my greenish-white skin. I know, I know, not good for me. But now I'm hearing you have to be extra careful with sun and chemo for up to a year!? I know that with rads you need to be careful but with chemo too?

    I guess I need to invest in that tan in a bottle stuff. However I cannot use anything like that with rads. I guess it's greenish-white for me for a while. Darn!
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  • mer1957
    mer1957 Member Posts: 534
    edited April 2007

    Thanks for the encouragement. I will be sure to take my Pepcid AC that morning. I decided to wait on reconstruction until after rads. Then I will know if I really want to go through it or not. I have been through so much, I am maxed out - chemo, my husband's brother, our business problems. I haven't missed any work through all of this except for appts, have taken care of the house, exercised almost every day and kept track of the kids. My younger son is coming home from college next week. I just can't add in the discomfort of the plastic surgery, the appts for fills and then have a 50/50 chance that something could go wrong. I'll deal with that next year if I have to. I told my surgeon who is doing the mastectomy about my concerns about the ps she referred me to and she says she has many others she has used. I guess the guy she referred me to does good work, just has a bad bedside manner. Surgery is 10 days away - I'm hanging in there.

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  • mer1957
    mer1957 Member Posts: 534
    edited April 2007

    Yes Nancy this is what empty nesting feels like. Remember we raise our kids with wings to fly away from the nest. If they do, you've done your job well. I remind myself of that often as it feels lonely in this big house.

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  • Lynn12
    Lynn12 Member Posts: 1,008
    edited April 2007
    Good Morning everyone,

    Well, I just had a lovely day yesterday and wanted to share. We left for Boston a bit late and literally stopped at the rest area and wolfed down a quick lunch, parked and checked in at the PS office 15 minutes early to fill out papers. The recepionist didn't have my name on the schedule, what? huh? I made this appt. 2 months ago. Turns out it was rescheduled for NEXT Friday...I never got the message, maybe they didn't call, maybe my 15 year old didn't tell me they called. So the Dr. isn't even there...argh! But the 'Fellow' is and if we could wait about an hour, we can at least see her to asnwer some initial questions. So we have a very relaxing time outside in the beautiful sunshine and then go in to see her. She was fabulous! Explained every option I have, drew pictures, answer EVERY one of our questions. Then, the Dr. comes in (he came back just to see me) and finished the appt. We were very appreciative. They said I have enough fat to definitely make 2 B cups, maybe C. He's letting me have the surgery 5 months after rads, so December. I should call them next week to book the date and get a breast surgeon for the mastectomy on left. Total surgery time 10 - 12 hours..yikes! I am very happy with him and am excited to have my attention on something other than chemo.

    Then we meet my daughter, have a glass of wine and chatted. It's about a 15 or 20 minute walk to the Northend from where we were and I was already tired. So DH takes a 20 out of his pocket and walks up to a limo that happened to be sitting right there and said 'my wife is getting tired, could you give us a ride over to the northend' and he did! So we get a limo ride over to dinner, Shelley was just amazed! I semi tasted my dinner and we had a lovely time in a nice little qaint restaurant. Stopped at a pastry shop for Cannoli, then time to head home.

    Dropped Shelley off at her boyfriends house and hit the Mass Pike west. I am now exhausted and put my seat back thinking I'll nap a bit. DH puts the Redsox game on and we're losing 6 - 2 to the Yankees..ARGH! I ended up sitting back up because those Redsox came back and took the lead 7 - 6 in the 8th inning and ended up winning. GO SOX!

    Got home at 11 and went straight to bed.

    Mizissy, I live in Easthampton, right near Amherst and South Hadley! I've been living out here my entire life. I really love it.

    Mel, hopefully your swelling will go down. Enjoy the weather.

    Viddie, please do go see Dr. Lee. One of the options is to take flap from your back and move it around to your boob. This is done in conjuction with an implant and makes the breast much more natural than implants alone.

    I'm a bit achy today, both bones and muscles. I am going to put on sunscreen and get on the deck and rest today. Tomorrow I will do some gardening.

    Have a great Saturday!
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  • jonimb
    jonimb Member Posts: 900
    edited April 2007
    Hello all:

    Tae, glad to hear that they were right on top of things for you with the Taxotere. My very first chemo the lady that was getting Taxol had a reaction to the Benadryl they gave her, and they had to bring in a whole team of doctors. Now, they know, so they will monitor you closely for your next and LAST one.

    Shorti, are you ready for your last one on Monday??? And Caya I think you only have one more to go too. Such great news Caya from your oncologist

    I hope all you guys that are having great weather "feel" for us here in Alberta...we have about 6 inches of snow on the ground....BUT...the forecast is about 15 or 16 by Wednesday....that is about 62 F.

    Melia, sound like you're having fun with your kids.

    Mary, for your mastectomy, make sure you take a button up shirt of jammys with you, as it's hard to lift your arms straight up for a couple of weeks.

    Nancy, I had a weepy day yesterday too. I really didn't feel well all day, so after a light supper I went to bed, and actually took a sleeping pill. That's the first sleeping pill I have taken since January.

    Lynn, it sounds like you have an excellent medical team, and it's really nice to have all your questions answered. It also sounds like your husband spoils you, but then again you deserve that.

    Mel, compression stockings?? My sister who is also an RN is taking me next week to get fitted for a compression sleeve, for flying and such. Also, the big garden center opens on Monday, so we are heading over.

    My other sister (lives on Vancouver Island) wants me to come out for a week or so to her place on Mayne Island (islands between Vancouver Island and Vancouver Mainland), so after my nephew's wedding on July 7th I'm going out there for a week or 10 days. She is right on the ocean, and has a beautiful view of Active Pass.

    Cindy, here in Alberta, my onc stressed that it is imperative I wear sunscreen every day, due to the elevation, and the chemo.

    Going to watch the hockey game this afternoon....

    GO FLAMES GO!!!!

    Love and Hugs to all...

    Joni
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  • jonimb
    jonimb Member Posts: 900
    edited April 2007
    Susan....are you around. If I'm coming all the way out to BC in July, it sure would be nice to see you. I could hop the ferry to come into Victoria....also if I go back with my sister to her regular house, she lives in Nanaimo, so I'd love to meet you.

    Let me know.

    Joni
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  • Amera
    Amera Member Posts: 452
    edited April 2007
    Quote:

    Viddie, please do go see Dr. Lee.



    Lynn, I didn't realize this is who you were seeing. My husband saw him to remove skin cancer from his nose. It was a very delicate operation and you cannot see a single scar. He is amazing--and very, very nice as well.
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  • Robbin65
    Robbin65 Member Posts: 251
    edited April 2007
    LUCKYME,
    Quote:

    I'm having a bilateral mastectomy. I am a D to DD cup right now, but have always wished for more like a C or even large B so I have no regrets about going down a couple of sizes.



    I have the same problem. I am a DD. I wanted to get a reduction out of this whole thing but my surgon did such a good job with my lumpectomy you can't even tell of a size difference. I guess I am stuck with these things. I would have wanted to go way more smaller like a large C or small D.

    When I was first diagnosed I was looking for another woman whom was dealing with the same issue. Let me know how it turns out.
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  • skyedivine
    skyedivine Member Posts: 839
    edited April 2007
    Hi Ladies,
    Melinda, congrats on your last one! Monday I'll be joining that club.
    Nancy, I remember the year my youngest son left for college and his brother had already been away for 2 years. I used to literally kiss their picture! But I got over it, and now the youngest has moved back in, temporarily and part time but it sure was a blessing to have him here thru the last bad Taxol. These days, empty nests don't seem to stay that way forever.
    TPPJ, sympathies on the family dinner that went south. My extended fam, God love 'em, is unpredictable that way and not due to blending, necessarily, just personalities. I use the C card shamelessly that way, having put the word out thru my mom that my survival depends on emotional tranquility. So far it's worked like a charm.
    Lynn, glad you had such a lovely time. Your dh did a great thing with the limo. Who knew they would do that?
    We are heading out to buy fruit for the fruit platter I'm taking to the chemo room on Monday, taking the long way for a lakeview drive. Bald blessings of the day, everyone. - Skye
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  • skyedivine
    skyedivine Member Posts: 839
    edited April 2007
    Hi again,
    Just one more quick post to ask about something that hasn't really been discussed. Now that we are all nearing end of chemo, I'm curious how many have been using vitamin, herbal or mineral supplements, which ones, how much dosage, and whether you or onc thought they were effective. Also how you found out about them. I know this topic is somewhat controversial but all the more reason to discuss it.
    I'll start off; I take one or two, one-third eyedropper doses of tincture of astralagus per day, one or two teaspoons of Kyo-green (kelp, wheat grass, etc.) one teaspoon of flaxseed Omega 3 mixture, 3-4000 IU vitamin D, a multivitamin, 1-2 capsules milk thistle, calcium citrate/magnesium, COQ10 100 mg, glutamine 1 tsp to 3 tbs/day depending on chemo cycle stage, and just started with extra Vitamin C in powdered form. Also 1-2 cups of nettle leaf tea/day and fennel seed tea as I want. Only the glutamine was recommended by my onc but he has approved of all of it. He thinks the supplements have definitely helped me tolerate chemo se's but says he wishes he knew which ones. I think all of them have helped but of course have no way of knowing. I picked each one after reading a couple of books that explained supplementation.
    I was hoping if we all chip in with which ones we have taken, we might arrive at some kind of unofficial concensus. I plan to stay on them thru rads. - Skye
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  • mer1957
    mer1957 Member Posts: 534
    edited April 2007
    Are we more prone to sunburn or skin cancer? My onc didn't say anything but I know all doctors warn about the sun. I just wonder whether we are going to burn quicker or get skin cancer faster?

    Jan - I tried sending you two PM but not sure if they went through.
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  • viddie
    viddie Member Posts: 547
    edited April 2007
    Hi all,

    I hope everyone is having a great day and enjoying the sun- finally sun and warmth!!

    Skye,
    I am just taking calcium and vitamin D. I just started taking vitamin B6. How many mg do you take of vitamin B6? My oncologist told me to stop taking Fosamax while I am on taxol. She didn't want me to take a multi-vitamin either.

    Mel,
    Thanks for your information on the Diep surgery. I will at least meet with the surgeon to see what he says and to see if I have enough fat to do the bilateral Diep surgery. I always worked hard to stay thin, and now I wish I had more meat on me. LOL.

    Robbin,

    If you want a bilateral mastectomy, it might not be too late. You could see a surgeon and tell her you want it for "peace of mind". I only need one breast removed, but I asked for both removed for peace of mind and my insurance is letting me do it.

    Lynn,
    I am glad you had a great day and night. Your DH is a darling- getting a limo is so special!
    Thanks for the information on Dr. Lee. He sounds great. I have an appointment on May 11, and I will at least listen to him and see if it is even possible. If I have to have supplemental implants with back flap or Diep,I will just go for implants and stick with my current surgeons, but if he can work with me on straight Diep surgery, that would be great.

    Amera, thanks for the vote of confidence on Dr. Lee. It is nice when you know of someone who used a surgeon and had great results.

    Have a great day.
    Viddie
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  • Robbin65
    Robbin65 Member Posts: 251
    edited April 2007
    Viddie,

    I already tried that avenue. They would not let me. I wanted a reduction and my insurance would not pay for it cause I only had a lumpectomy. Thanks for the tip though... They said that a reduction messes up all the scar tissue and it's to hard to detect a reacurrance on a mammogram for breast cancer. Oh well, thanks for the tip though...

    Other than that I am getting my port out on Monday and starting my rads.

    This may be the last strom that hits the west coast and then were in for 80 degree weather the rest of the week.

    HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE....
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  • ErinsGram
    ErinsGram Member Posts: 212
    edited April 2007
    Hi Lynn - I just dropped in from the Feb thread. What a wonderful outing for you. I know I could probably track back thru all the posts to find this answer, but who is Dr. Lee and where is he located? I've had my 4 AC and will have my 2nd of 4 Taxol Monday followed by 5 weeks of rads and then remaining mast & reconstruction. Not sure I have enough excess to do a tram and my hospital (and employer) doesn't do the micro procedures. If I can't do the tram I'll need to go out of network but I sure hate to have to go the distance for NOLA. Thanks in advance.
    Phyl
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  • Lynn12
    Lynn12 Member Posts: 1,008
    edited April 2007
    Hi Phyl,

    Dr. Lee and Dr. Tobias are the only 2 PS in Boston that do DIEP surgery. They are affiliated with Beth Israel in Boston. I posted on the PS forum asking and everyone there gave really good reviews. Here is the website:

    http://www.bostondiep.com

    Best of luck!
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  • NOLONGERREADINGORPOSTING
    NOLONGERREADINGORPOSTING Member Posts: 778
    edited April 2007
    Lynn,

    That sounds like such a nice outing in Boston...how glamorous to be whisked away in a limo. I was there last September and we stayed at the Park Plaza; my husband was a speaker at a conference. He was busy all day almost everyday, so I roamed around Copley Square, and went nuts over the fashion scene. I loved Calypso and the leggings that were the rage then, especially after living like a hick out in Pinckney where you really see the underside of lake living at the local Busch's.

    We ate at Durgin Park; instead of taking a taxi we walked over through Boston Gardens, and took a look at Beacon Hill. Once we were in the restarant I looked around saw all the Bostonians and remember that once I had been one (1969-1975) and never dreamed I would ever get out of Boston...they seemed like aliens to me now.

    Skye...all those things are you taking would totally scramble my brain now, just remembering when and how to take it and why I am taking it. It's about all I can manage to remember to get my Prozac and Centrum Silver down in the AM and the Keflex at night (I'm on low dose for 3 month to keep away the UT infections).

    My biggest concern about drugs now is that I will have to change SSRIs in order to take Tamoxifen. Effexor--the antidepressant drug of choice for tamo users--has a nasty breaking in and getting off period, and I am quite happy with Prozac. Wish I didn't have to change, but the onc at UM agrees with me that Arimidex and the other AIs can greatly accelerate bone loss, which none of us needs. Maybe I can just stop the anti-depressant altogether; sounds better than what you go through with Effexor.

    Hot flashes seem to be tapering off....is it because we got rid of the winter bedcovers? Didn't have a single one today and can't remember one yesterday.

    Suddenly my eyebrows have some darker hairs, like they popped up over night. Strangely, I am quite embarrassed about having so little pubic hair; I look like an androgenous space alien. Is it OK to use Nioxin *everywhere* ?!!!

    Not sleeping. I kind of get still and quiet but my brain doesn't stop working rationally; I am thinking hard about my life all night long. I don't dream except for a short time when the night is almost over. Talked to the Oncology Nurse about this; I have been cutting down on Ativan, from halves to quarters, and then nothing, and haven't been sleeping. I really don't want to resume or start any more drugs, but I don't want this insomnia to get established either, because it can be hard to stop once it starts.

    Crying has become ridiculous. I cry over something new every other day. Today I cried because when I called a friend they were busy and couldn't talk on the phone very long. I don't think I cried for a full decade before this year.

    Mizsissy
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  • Caya
    Caya Member Posts: 971
    edited April 2007
    Good evening ladies,

    A nice sunny quiet Sat. here. I went out for a nice 30 minute walk again this afternoon ( slathered in 30 SPF sunscreen), then showered and took a nice long nap. My night sleep has been interrupted the last few nights because of the steroids for the Taxotere, but yesterday was the last of them for this round, so hopefully I will be better soon in the sleep dept.

    Terry - hope Tae is better, only one more of the Taxotere for her and me - I finish May 10, I think Tae is the 11th.. Yippee!!

    Melinda - hope you are feeling better, and enjoying your quiet weekend.

    Cindy, Skye, Lynn, Vidde, Mizsissy, Joni, Rebecca,Tina, and anyone else I may have missed- thanks for your good wishes on my great news from my onc. I can truly say he never rushes me and really tries to explain anything I ask him. I think it helps that I am an "informed" patient, maybe sometimes a little too informed, as someone said - we read and see so much politically correct and downer news on the internet, we have to remember that the survival stats are climbing every year... and we all intend to be in those good numbers.

    Tina - Sorry your weekend with your brother, newish SIL and niece is grating on your nerves - however, I do have to say I feel sorry for the kid, she's only 12, and I'm sure the skating at this age is her life. When my oldest daughter was that age, she was heavily involved in competitive dancing - tap and jazz - and it was costing me plenty - I remember one year she was in 4 or 5 dances, and had an elaborate costume for each one - she came downstairs in some cut velvet outfit, and my DH admired it - I looked him straight in the eye and said "that little number cost you $175.00 ( and that was 9 years ago). However, you certainly don't need the stress - I play the C card too, as Skye does. My mother especially does not want me upset.

    Nancy - sounds like you have had your share of aggravation from blended family too. Does your stepson work at all?

    Lynn - sounds like you had a great time in Boston with your daughter and DH. And the doc and his team sound amazing. Are you just doing the one boob? Do they fix the other one to make it match? For me, it's strange, because I had the breast reduction and my PS found my BC - my 34Gs ( yes - Gs) were brought down to a D - and of course the right one is gone now - but I have a great prosthesis. I am going to go back to the DIEP PS ( my original PS only does implants) for another consultation in the summer or early fall, while I am Herceptin. I was so sure I would do the reconstruction, but now I am not so sure. I will follow with interest all you ladies who are doing it.

    Skye - re the vitamin situation - I have been on nothing but Calcium w/vitamin D while on chemo - my onc. approved this because I already have ostopenia - my mother and aunts all have osteoporosis - he doesn't even want me drinking too much green tea ( an anti-oxidant - no no while on chemo). I will ask him next time when I will finish chemo - and see what he says while on Herceptin. Also congrats on your final chemo on Monday, if I read correctly. If not, blame it on chemo brain...

    SUNSCREEN - I think we all have to be very careful - at the Look Good Feel Better class I went to, they gave me a huge bottle of Ombrelle 30 SPF - but I have always been very careful of sun.

    Hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather, spring is here (at last) - for the few who don't have nice weather yet, I sure hope you will soon.

    all the best
    Caya
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  • tlc60
    tlc60 Member Posts: 83
    edited April 2007
    Hi ladies:
    We are raining here in northern CA, but we need the water, so it's OK with me. Rainy days always make me feel like snuggling up on the couch in front of the fire with a good book...
    I had a rough night - I have been running a fever of 99.9 all week, but last night it got as high as 100.3, and the whole flu like achy thing was miserable. My doc's protocol is call at 101.5, but I know I've read here some call in at 100.5, so I was watching my temp closely. Finally I gave up and took a few Ibuprofen and felt better. I really don't want anything to get in the way of my last chemo (on wed)!
    On the supplement issue, I too only take my daily calcium, but my onc is open to other supplements after treatment is over. His concern is the whole antioxidant factor of some supplements, they counteract the chemo. I think we need to do whatever we can to help our bodies not reproduce those nasty cancer cells, so after treatment I plan on taking what I need to to do that!
    Hope you all had a good Saturday 8-)

    tlc
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  • Nancyab
    Nancyab Member Posts: 276
    edited April 2007

    Caya, My stepson works for about 3 months then somehow gets fired. In the last year I can't even count how many jobs he' had... short term of course. Yeah, he's a real work of art!

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  • ErinsGram
    ErinsGram Member Posts: 212
    edited April 2007
    Lynn -Thanks for the info and link on BI. I'm only about a 6 hour drive from Boston, 3 from Sloan Kettering, 3 from Johns Hopkins. I don't think I've seen any posts about the 'capabilities' or 'greatness' of the surgeons at JH although that's probably the easiet drive. I need to get an appt with my PS and find out exactly what he can do so I can get on with my planning. Again, thank you so much.
    Phyl
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  • Amera
    Amera Member Posts: 452
    edited April 2007
    Quote:

    His concern is the whole antioxidant factor of some supplements, they counteract the chemo. I think we need to do whatever we can to help our bodies not reproduce those nasty cancer cells, so after treatment I plan on taking what I need to to do that!




    I think this has been mentioned before, but you really have to be careful about anti-oxidants with radiation. The rad doc was really clear about this--even more concerned about it than the oncologist for chemo. He said to avoid even those things that have anti-ox on the label.
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  • skyedivine
    skyedivine Member Posts: 839
    edited April 2007
    Hi Ladies,
    Thanks to all who've chimed in on the supplement thing. I guess I'm the only weirdie taking the supplement route. I did stop taking E due to the antioxidant factor, and only just started the extra C as I near the end. But I'm going to really re-evaluate them all for that before the rads. My onc has been carefully following everything I'm taking and they did have me throw out red clover in the beginning because it could amplify the coumadin. I should add that I was predisposed to favor supplements because I've been using them to manage fibromyaliga/chronic fatigue for years with pretty good success.

    Caya, it was no figment of your chemo brain, I'm having the last Taxol tomorrow. I bought the fruit for the fruit platter, and ended up getting one of those sampler cheesecakes to take the onc staff too. They're on their feet running all day; they'll work it off. :-)

    Mizsissy, I know what you mean about looking naked in the nether regions. I try to think of it as a free Brazilian wax job (one where they missed a few). Not that I'll be putting on a bikini in this lifetime again. Last night I dreamed I was shaving my legs, and it was fun! Now that is strange.

    I'm surprised I don't feel weepy or anything over the last Taxol, maybe because for me it's really not the last treatment since I'll be going there for my Herceptin for a year. I guess I feel the chemo has had its shot and I've had the maximum they could give me so that's that, on to growing hair and feeling better. Besides, I have that heart stress stuff on Tuesday, and the Neulasta shot...I won't miss those any.

    TLC, sorry about your rough night and fever. It's SO hard to know when to call. Plus, my home thermometer seems to register a little higher than the hospital ones. Glad you made it through ok.

    It's supposed to be in the high 70s here and sunny, a taste of summer in April. I'll stay in the shade...sun is DEFINITELY bad with Taxol....but plan to enjoy it. Hope you all do too. - Skye
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  • Dar1
    Dar1 Member Posts: 146
    edited April 2007
    Happy Sunday - our snow will be gone today. And good riddance! I'm so ready to be outside - along with the other 3 million Albertans who are sick of our weather!

    Bad day yesterday. My husband worked and I had too much time on my hands. Too much time to think and brood about the "what ifs". Useless, destructive thinking I know - what if I would have breast fed longer? what if I would have eaten/drank less? what if those evil cells are lying in wait? what if it comes back? what if I should have had more chemo? I met a friend for coffee, but didn't want to mention any of this - I guess part of me thinks I should be "done" - hah! DH gets the worst of it, which is hard, because I know he has his own dark thoughts. He seems to be able to keep them at bay most of the time though.

    I think I need to go back to work, but I'm scared at the same time - scared to move into the new "normal". But, time has a way of moving us forward even when we're scared, so here I go.

    So Mizsissy, I can relate to the crying. Also the hair! I have little dark pubic hairs now, so I think they will be back soon. Eyebrows/eyelashes are nearly back - enough to look normal. My hair is coming and nearly covers my head, about 1/2" long. Maybe when it's back I'll feel more like myself.
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  • Rebecca
    Rebecca Member Posts: 971
    edited April 2007
    ARRRGGGHHHHH! It is so confusing as far as supplements go! I have not been really taking ANYTHING for fear of interfering with my chemo...not even a multivitamin. I DO, however, drink quite a bit of green tea, and Caya posted that her onc said no-no to that! MY onc did not even bat an eyelash at my green tea filled water bottle, and my onc nurse even praised me and said that I was doing the right thing! I think that there is a whole branch of this whole deal that is very subjective, and it is here that I start to lose faith. We do not all get the same treatment, even for similar stage and disease extent. We do not get the same supportive therapies...the word Ativan is not even WHISPERED in my onc's office, and I have never had to take steroid tablets...I get it in my IV. I can not think about it too much or I will spiral and stop being able to sleep!

    On the plus side I had a great Saturday, and Sunday is looking awesome as well. I woke up Saturday morning feeling almost myself, and just about vibrating with a desire to MOVE. I did some housework and cleaned the disaster in my daugters' room. THEN I basked like a lizard in the glorious sunshine...I have been so cold all the way to my bones (except for hot flashes of cours) that I decided to ignore the no-sun warnings. It was well worth the risk. I will be more careful today. After that, we had a barbeque with friends...campfire and all. It started off as stopping over to retreive my freezer goods (this is where I stashed my stuff when my fridge died earlier in the week) and we ended up raiding my stash and hers and cobbling together impromptu food and drink. fun fun fun. Today I was invited for a more formal barbeque with a different set of friends, and we are looking forward to it. BOTH sets of friends have kids the same age as mine just to add to the general merriement.

    enjoy your sunday everyone!
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  • Amera
    Amera Member Posts: 452
    edited April 2007
    Dar, can you remind me when you finished chemo? I think you were the first one. I am so envious of your hair. Mine is still white fuzz and doesn't cover my entire head. I am obsessing about this lately. I am done with chemo and hate to be reminded about it.

    I was at the gym in a step class yesterday. Everyone has been really wonderful but honestly, I am getting a little tired of the, "Oh, you are such an inspiration" stuff. I just want to be me, not Breast Cancer Woman. I sometimes wish I'd thrown on a wig and not told people. I am moving on but my bald head keeps everyone else from doing it.
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  • Rebecca
    Rebecca Member Posts: 971
    edited April 2007

    Dar1 HANG IN THERE! I was just thinking about this yesterday, and I decided that one of the things that makes this all so hard is the fact that we have been asked to make not one, but TWO major life changes in a very short period of time. First we have to adjust to the fact that we have a diagnosis, and we are now "cancer patients" and have to endure the various discomforts and indignities that role entails. THEN we have to face the end of treatment, which is another major change with its own concerns and events. It is more than any person should have to deal with. I agree with your thought about going back to work. I worked through my treatment and it was one of the things that kept me sane because it gave me something else to focus on rather than the terrifying things in my own life. Moving forward is the best thing to do, as you say. On we go!

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  • Rebecca
    Rebecca Member Posts: 971
    edited April 2007
    Quote:

    Everyone has been really wonderful but honestly, I am getting a little tired of the, "Oh, you are such an inspiration" stuff. I just want to be me, not Breast Cancer Woman. I sometimes wish I'd thrown on a wig and not told people.



    I know what you mean. Sometimes it makes me want to gag. When people tell me how beautiful I look in my scarf I have started laughing and replying "If I look so pretty now, what one EARTH did I look like before?"
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  • Lynn12
    Lynn12 Member Posts: 1,008
    edited April 2007
    Skye, I've only been taking a multi vitamin and not being consistent taking it either. I will need to learn to take a daily pill when I go on Tamoxofin.

    Dar, sorry you had a bad day with your thoughts yesterday. I hate it when that happens. I have been working part time through all this and sometimes am happy that I have something else to focus on, however there are other times that I just wish I didn't have to think about work.

    Rebecca, I agree with you, it's amazing how different treatments are for all of us. There's just no way to figure it all out and would take way too much energy. We just need to have faith that we are getting the care that is best for us. Sounds like you had a wonderful day yesterday and will have another today. Happy Sunshine!

    Perfect timing for my Oprah magazine to arrive yesterday. I too laid around in the sun all afternoon, it was wonderful. Today I will get some gardening done. My son is coming over to help clean out the leaves, looking forward to seeing him.

    I have a couple chemo se questions:

    Since my last chemo (9 days ago) I feel like I am always full. Even when I get up in the morning, my stomach feels as though I just ate a large meal, although I'm hungry. Then when I do eat, it's really uncomfortable because the feeling is worse. Has anyone experienced this? I don't really want to call the Onc about it but it's not really getting any better I don't think.

    Sinus clicking: 2 nights ago when I went to bed, my nose was clicking way up inside, is that my sinuses acting up? I've never had sinus issues, allergies or anything like that so this is new. It happened again last night. Anyone else?
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  • meliaanne
    meliaanne Member Posts: 682
    edited April 2007
    Hi all,
    I am home after a good business trip and a great visit with my kids. I feel like I really got a break from everything ... but last night I woke up with a pretty extensive rash on my sides and tummy. Very red and itchy. I had my first taxol on wed and am assuming it's a side effect. Did anyone else have this? I took benedryl and I think it helped, at least it helped me to sleep, but I don't want to take it all day if I don't have to ... any ideas?
    Melia
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