Starting Chemo in JAN 2007

I'm posting this before reading page 131, but Viddie and Nancy, hope you can join the next chat, it was so much fun I was giddy. DH kept asking why I was laughing. And Nancy and Melia, I've had low rbcs and wbcs this past week now. Which I didn't think was supposed to happen 5 weeks out from chemo but I guess is not uncommon. NOW they tell me! Anyone else have funky-looking thumbnails? It seemed to me that a few days with nail polish on them (first time since before dx) made them a LOT worse. Maybe they need air too, I don't know. I'm hoping I can make it without losing any, but Caya and Robertin, didn't you each lose one? Are they starting to grow back?
--Skye

Caya I didn't have a profile either and I noticed most others didn't, but it did not prevent me from posting. I think it was something that needed to be entered with you log-in name, and once the name is in there they don't accept a second try with the same name. At least that was my experience. I started 15 minutes early because I was afraid I'd have complications and I was right, but it still worked eventually. Hope you can join us next time. - skye

Just came back from my eyebrow wax. WARNING...it hurt like hell. I mean it always hurts but this was awful. Apparently my skin has not recovered from chemo and is still quite sensitive. I was bright red after. The lady felt bad so she gave me some make up samples to use until it subsided. So much for vanity.

I am still waiting for them to call me about my date for starting rads but that's okay -- I am not in any hurry at the moment. I'm having a couple of downer days. I think the surgery has hit me. I can't believe my chest is going to always feel like this - numb and tight. I hear it will get a little better but not go away. That is very depressing for me. The only time I don't feel it is when I am cycling. Must be the seratonin (sp?). I go see the surgeon on Mon so I'm hoping for some hope. I avoided the reconstruction because I didn't want more pain and yet this is not fun either.

One good thing did happen. I received a gift certificate at work for being there 30 years and I can redeem it for hotels, restaurants, shops, airlines, etc. So I am having fun trying to think of how I want to spend it. I think I will go to Chicago for a weekend in the Fall, spend it on a hotel, and visit with my future DIL and my son when he is visiting. So that gives me something to look forward to after rads.

I'm having a hard time explaining my feelings to DH. Do you think this is normal after surgery to feel this way?

Mary, I had a Bilateral in Dec and yes it is numb but I am getting used to it and don't really notice. I feel each day the nerves are regenerating a little bit more. If the numbness is here to stay then the mind seems to compensate and blocks it out. It will be ok I promise!

Mary,

Did they give you an exercise sheet for your post-surgical rehabilitation? You need to get going on those right away to avoid all that unpleasant tightness.

If you don't have one I think I can dig up the sheet they gave me.

Mizsissy

Skye,

I was very lucky and did not lose any nails from the Taxotere. Some mild blackening of one fingernail, but otherwise okay. Weight gain from the steroids for sure, I am trying to lose it, not too successful.
Amera thanks for the tip about the waxing. I wonder what the time frame is for our skin to be okay to do this.
Nancy - congrats on finishing your Taxol. It's another step in the process.
Mary - Mizsissy is right - you have to do your exercises. I was vigilant, did them twice a day for about 20 - 30 minutes and it really helped. On June 18 I will be 6 months out from surgery and I fell pretty good most of the time. Did you have a big lymph node dissection - I had 16 out, still numb there from that, which I am told will never totally go away. The tightness will get beter, try massagind pure Vitamin E cream or pure aloe vera gel on the scar twice a day, this should help loosen it up.
Tina and other dog "lovers" ( I am kidding) - Years ago I was almost attacked by my boyfriend's St. Bernard - I swore the dog was jealous of me because when I was at his house, the dog didn't get all of my boyfriend's attention. His family laughed at me and said I was imagining it. Well after if lunged at me one day, I had to hop a fence to escape. Two weeks later it mauled a 7 year old neighbourhood boy and they had to put the dog down. Since then I have not been too crazy about dogs ( or cats either, actually).
We ordered the new computer, it should arrive early next week. DD's new cell phone is being deliverd tomorrow too.
DH is off to New York on business for about 6 days. We could use the break.
Feeling better, minimal headache today, probably because of the humid weather.
I hope I can get in on the chat room next time, it sounds like it was alot of fun.
caya

My skin has done crazy things since starting chemo. It dried out very fast and I, for the first time, started using Clinique to clean and moisturize my face.

Then the skin on my face really looked nice - the pores shrank, I had no blemishes. I was excited. If we could have a grace from the misery of chemo, that was a nice one.

Now that chemo's done my face is trying to revert. It has some of the oil but not all and I'm so glad. I've always had very oily skin. The pores seem back to normal size, too big for me but what do you do?

Cindy.....still waiting to figure out what my new normal is!

Mary...you should work with your surgeon & physical therapy to find out how to target that tightness problem you're having and W O R K I T O U T as Jackie would say!!!

Robbin, we had a cyber party on Thursday nite at 8:30 PM. We just met at the chat room, Staying Connected (the one people don't use) and all got together. I think there were about 14 of us.

Mizsissy

Good Morning,
Viddie, my wbc were 2.3. He adds he neutrophils and the monos together, mulitiplies by the wbc, and his target is 1500. Once I was just under and he cut the taxol down by a bit, once I was waaaaay under and he delayed treatment a week (that was before I started taxol, so I had a four wk break after ac instead of 3). So every week it's a struggle, but the one time he delayed, I felt wonderful by the time I started again. I am sure it isn't optimum, but I can't control it and don't want to end up in the hospital, so I just worry on Tuesdays! I really want to finish on July 5; I am going away the 12th - 15th and don't want to delay it, but again, out of my control.

Today we are going on a day trip to a local wolf preserve. I had planned to go but my dh was going to do a training run, and now that his ankle has hurt, he has decided to come along. I am happy to have his company. I am very used to doing things alone on Saturdays but this will be fun.

Cindy, I didn't feel like we answered too much re your concerns a while back about finding a partner. What is your thinking on that now?

Viddie, glad you are feeling ok. The shopping sounds like fun!

Robbin, good luck on the sale today! I need to do that; the kids always point out what a disaster it will be when we move, we have so much junk. But lots of it is theirs!

Have a good day all.

Melia

I dreamed I had a full head of hair; I just grew it over night. I was standing in front of the mirror with my brush arranging it, changing it into different styles that looked a lot like the pictures in the wig catalog. Some were very flattering, some weren't. Then it dawned on me that this couldn't possibly be real hair and I was probably having a dream, so I called my husband to come and look at my head, to make sure the hair was real.

I can't wait to have some real hair on my head, enough to wear!!! A ponytail!!! Curls?

In the morning I woke up with my bare head on the pillow next to my husbands...he has such georgeous hair, long, full, healthy, some of it six inches. I realize it will take a year for me to grow that much hair!!!!

Maybe I need a new wig!!!

Mizsissy

I'm counting down to next Saturday when I am San Diego bound. Can't wait. Haven't been back to Cali in ten years! We have lots of fun stuff to do as part of the conference my husband is attending. We are also staying at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott for the weekend. Looks beautiful. It's near where I used to live.

MizSissy, I sent a pic to your email address of me w/hair 2 mos. out post chemo. I don't know how hard or time consuming it is to upload those things...but I figured I'd send if you all want to see how much hair you might be able to expect.

Heading to a really nice wedding in an hour. I'm not even worrying about getting ready because it's pretty easy sans hair. I am wearing the "hoop of hair" and a black straw hat that my DH and kids aren't wacky about..they say I look like a pirate. Oh well... I will need a glass of wine stat upon arrival so I'm not totally self conscious...

Hi All:
Just sat down to catch up and read what seemed like thousands of posts! That is a good thing because I needed the rest! This last week I have been feeling pretty puny, I'm 5 weeks out from my last Taxotere, and I have had every imaginable s/e possible! Why now?? That coupled with the radiation, WHEW! This last week was also VERY busy for me so I had to keep going. My son is graduating from 8th grade next week so he has all these band preformances, school functions, etc. Work was the busiest we've been in a very long time, so no down time there...I'm pooped!
I agree, another chat would be great, I missed the last one, but would love to try it sometime 8-)
Hope you all have a great weekend..
tlc

Hello all:

Well it’s a beautiful day here, and instead of going to the mountains, my husband says we have to clean out the garage…oh well, I don’t mind, we’ll go for our drive tomorrow! It’s really warm here for Alberta, in the 80’s.

Melia, I would love to go to that wolf preserve with you, sounds very interesting.

Lynn, that Rad countdown that your daughter made, is a really great idea.

Nancy, I think all the pre-chemo drugs is what gives us the swelling, and also keeps us awake.

Caya, hope your headache is better, I don’t get them very often, but when I do I get some whoppers so I feel for you.

Skye, I don’t have any fingernails that went black, but one big toe nail did. My fingernails have white lines going across them for each chemo, but I only have Chemo #5 & #6 left, as I’ve cut off the others.

Rebecca, I get 2 Zaps each time with a bolus, and 2 zaps without. How many zaps are each of you guys getting every time?

Amera, I had my mustache area waxed one time, and ended up with these little white bubbles all over the area, so never again. I currently don’t have enough eyebrows to wax.

Mary, sometimes its hard to talk to anyone about how we feel. The only people that really understand are the ones that have gone thru it too.

Viddie your spirit sounds a lot better this week

Jan, I tried cheese with Thor, but then he just forgets about the ball, and drools for the cheese….that boy of mine, sure makes me laugh!!

My hair is really starting to come in….REALLY SLOW…hahaha.

Chat Rooms each Tuesday & Thursday “Staying connected forum” @ 8:30 ET, 7:30 Central, 6:30 MST, 5:30 Pacific. We’ll see how it goes!!

Tina, I want to see how much hair you have...so post it for all of us.

Bagged right now...been working out in my garden.

Hugs to all....Joni