Starting Chemo in JAN 2007

oh and here is the last time you shoud see my brain like this



Do yu everfeel like this is what your brain looks like sometime's ????

Skye and Shorti: WHOO HOOOO! Congrats on the last chemo 8-)
I get to go on Wed for mine and I am elated!

Mel: Good luck on an easy tube surgery! Hope it goes smooth for you and makes the whole eye thing better.

The rest of you have a wonderful sunny day !

tlc

Yippee! We are all getting there. Yahoo!

Tina,

You should find all your pertinent information in your pathology report - I just basically combed over my reports, asked the onc. a ton of questions, and also went on the internet to educate myself as much as possible. I am very organized - you should see my black briefcase - with about 10 different files - one each for - Pathology, herceptin, chemo, newspaper/internet articles, reconstruction,lymphodema etc. This way when I want to know something specific, I just reach for that file. I have always been like this, probably a bit too anal, but it does help me focus.
Glad your company left, too bad the house is a mess. Oh well, take your time, it will all get done.

Re: Ativan - alot of the girls take it for nausea, nerves to help sleep. I know a few people are worried about getting addicted, but right now I feel if you need it to get through all this to calm down and/or sleep, just do it. Don't be a martyr. This too shall pass, and can always be weaned down. My onc. nurse nurse keeps telling me that stress is the worst thing for me right now, and I intend to listen to her.
Wish I had enough hair to colour, but I still have one more Taxotere to go.
I feel much better today, at least so far. Yesterday just knocked me over, I was so out of it.

Triple ditto for me to skye, shorti and mel - hope everyone is okay today.
skye, that cheesecake and fruit sounds great, too bad my tastebuds are basically like foul water, I can only dream of what real food tastes like. Oh well, maybe I'll drop a few pounds, no sense eating if I can't enjoy any flavour.

Congratulations, Shorti - think I forgot you were having your last treatment today. It's a great day for both you and Skye! Now on to feeling better and healing, and making that transition between cancer patient and whatever it is we are now.

Had my eye tube surgery this morning, and it went without a hitch. General anesthesia, but a brief one. The tubes are in but I can't see them, and can barely feel them. Evidently they are more like space holders, solid tubes (not hollow like I imagined) that will help the ducts to heal around them. So they don't function as drains while they're in place. However, they must have helped something, because my eyes are NOT tearing right now. I think he said they'd be in for 3-4 months if possible, but my memory of what happened isn't very clear. Anyway, it's over, and I'm happy so far.
Mel

Lynn,

I didn't know Mike's went national. Hmmmm... I wonder if I can get their cannoli's in Columbus. Not that I need any!!! I am actually off for a walk w/ a neighbor.

I am def. not at all worried/uptight about taking Ativan. It just ever so slightly takes the edge off for me when this situation makes me nervous. And I think other things some people do to de-stress (smoke, drink excessively, etc.) are probably a lot more harmful.

Can't recall who asked about the cold sweats. I haven't had sweating, but I've had flashes of hot and cold. It's subsided though as I mentioned in my "probably too much information" post earlier today about thinking I started ovulating again...

Hi ya Sisters,
Feeling very very achy and somewhat numb in the fingertips today. TPPJ- you mentioned the sinus thing and bloody noses. ME TOO!! Matter of fact the headache is killing me. I don't know what to take for it. I feel like I am the beetle baum... everyone is finishing treatments and I still have 5 taxols to go. June 1st last taxol then it's off to Rads. I feel with every taxol I get I'm more and more sore. Monday's have become my weekly down day. I have a sore under my tongue that even with magic mouthwash won't go away.
All of you that are finished with chemo Congratulations! But please don't leave me behind, I'm scared!!

Melia, Nancy - don't worry, we won't leave you behind. A few of us will be on Herceptin for a year - and I'm sure we'll be b***ching plenty...
Mel - wow - that's great that you're back and feeling better...
Lynn, Nancy, anyone else - I also had a lot of sinus problems this last month with the Taxotere - runny nose, and when I blew it, often bloody - called it into the onc. sec., they didn't seem to think it was a big problem, but of course last month for me was the month of tush sores and bladder infections...
I have noticed I've had face flushing a bit the last few nights, but I'm monitoring my temp., becuz I really don't feel like shlepping down to the ER for nothing... at least I feel not so out of it today -
Joni, how are you? You sound like I felt yesterday, it was the couch, the TV and I - dizzy, not focused.
I guess I'm making up for it today, it must be like- how many posts? - 5 or 6?
Mary - I guess it's getting close for you - good luck, hope you're doing okay...
caya

Quote:

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Melia and Nancy, I'll definitely stay and hold your hands through your Taxol. You guys took me in at the end of my taxol, so it's the least I can do. I was the last straggler of the November group, so I know what that feels like. Everybody else was moving on to whatever was next, and there I was, whining about my taxol to an empty room.

---

no way....no empty room here! Not to mention that we are not all done yet! I have one more TAC to go, and after this one, I am pretty scared for the next. ALL of the lashes on the bottom lid of my right eye fell out this morning.

YECK...not the way I wanted to start the day. I also think that my nails might be separating from the nail bed...I have red lines that then turned kind of dark, and now they are going hazy white. SHUDDER. Other than that I had a great weekend, and a pretty good day. I goofed off a lot and wound up finishing a novel rather than writing my lecture (BAAAAAAAAAAD Professor). On the other hand, school was cancelled today due to a water main break, so I can do what I planned for TODAY on Thursday (next meeting of this particular class) and then there are only two more lectures to go before the end of the semester.

Congrats all around to the finishers! I have to take the kids to gymnastics now....

Nancy,

I think it's clear I'm email addicted and BC is my topic of choice nowadays! Have no fear! Tina is here!

Ohhh, I love it when we're all mushy! I think most of us have no intention on going anywhere anytime soon. I don't finish chemo until May, then rads and no one is going to get rid of me that easy. I plan on staying with my girls here for the long haul and after!

I love you all and all you've done for me, you're the best!

Hi,
35 posts since I was last on- WOW! I do not think I can read them all at once, but I will try. They are so comforting to read. I do not know what i would have done without you all. Thanks for always being there.

I will be here for a very long time also. I have taxol/hercepten until July. Then surgery, then hercepten until April 2008, then Arimidex or tamoxfen for 5 years- Yikes!!!!!! I might be the last one to the finish line.

Mel,
I am glad your tube surgery went well today.

Shorty and Skye,
Congratulations on finishing taxol.
What an accomplishment!

Tina,
Now you have plenty of places to stay in Boston when you visit. Might it be this summer? If so, all us Bostonians (so to speak) can plan a get together.
On ativan, my oncologist also gave me an ample supply. I have only been taking it after my treatments, but she told me that I could take 2 a day if needed to calm my nerves. She told me that tapering off, even after a year, should not cause a problem. I am thinking about indulging more often, especially after a nerve wracking day. After all, when else can we do drugs and have a permission, even from our doctors?

Skye,
I also snored through my first taxol last week, or so my DH says.

Melia,

Why did they take your wbc today? Don't they wait until your next treatment? Don't you have 2 more days until your next taxol. That is 2 more days for them to recover.

Speaking of bc causes, I drink a lot of tea and I need to sweeten it. They say that too much sugar feeds cancer and artificial sweetener can cause cancer. They say a lot of things about food. We have to eat and enjoy it. Are you all careful about what you eat? Do any of you use Splenda? That's not supposed to be good for you either. What's a person to do!!! I know-chocolate is medicinal- right? Maybe I should switch to hot chocolate. I am not serious- I enjoy my tea too much. Time for a cup of tea- anyone care to join me?

Viddie

Viddie,
I have my blood work done on Mondays and then treatment on Wed, but after this I may go on Tuesdays to give myself an extra day. Everything looks ok to me but my wbc ... higher than when they had me rest a week, but way down from last test. I am just discouraged, feeling like my body is letting me down. I really felt bad last night though, all of a sudden, and wonder if that was my body telling me to take it easy. I talked to my husband today, and he is going to pick up more of the errands so that I can get more rest. I can be home from work at 3:30 (I go in at 6 am) so I think if I do that, and just rest til bedtime, I will do better.

I am so glad everyone is planning on staying. It started to feel a little scary there for a few minutes. I am thrilled for those who are done, but don't think I can do this alone!!

Ok, off for a hot shower (I am always cold now) and then to bed early. My rash is still there but better, and I am hoping it will be gone tomorrow.

Sweet dreams all.

Melia