Starting Chemo in May 07

I had my third dd A/C treatment today. It went well. The onc. took one look at my bruised bottom from the fall on the stairs and sent me for an x-ray. I haven't heard the results, yet.

But my butt is feeling better today, so maybe after a week, I am finally starting to heal. I am actually sitting in a chair to type rather than kneeling on the floor.

Pat

Mandy, I think exercise definitely becomes harder during chemo. My onc said that's why he wants me to keep it up. I haven't noticed any cramping, but it is definitely cardiovascularly more difficult. I have to take more walk breaks and just doing 2 miles feels like plenty. That's very cool about the shipping costs. How nice.

Pat, I'm a week behind you--also dd a/c. Hope your butt heals fast.

Quote:

---

Hey, everyone. I just stopped by to check in and see how everyone's doing.

Since the margins weren't clear on my last excisional biopsy, I'm headed to the O.R. this Friday for surgery on my R chest wall (I already had a mastectomy -- the cells are growing in the subcutaneous tissue). Hopefully THIS time they'll get clean margins and get all those stupid cells OUT.

I'm due for A/C #4 next Wednesday (I can't wait!). And I'll have radiation after that. I'm supposed to have radiation for 5 weeks, and then start Taxol and Herceptin.

Other than feeling tired, I don't have terrible physical symptoms. But the emotional strain of biopsies, path reports, boredom, and anxiety are really taking their toll. I've had to take more Xanax than I thought I would, but I guess whatever gets us through is worth it...

Hugs to you all.

sarah

---

Sarah - I have a mentor here in town who did have surgery in between her a/c and her taxol, but she took six weeks off to recover etc. I personally don't understand how the healing is supposed to take place if your fast growing cells aren't growing fast....is it possible to take a little time off of the a/c to heal? What did your docs say about healing?

Even for me, I'm supposed to have an endometrial biopsy and they want me to wait until after chemo's finished so as to decrease stress on me, risk of infection etc. etc. And that's just a minor procedure.

Best wishes to you with the surgery. I do understand wanting to get those darn margins clean!!

I'll finish July 16. I wonder how long the effects will last after my final treatment.

Past two days have been rough--I got sick both mornings and slept most of the day yesterday. Yesterday, I didn't have a chance to take an anti-nausea pill before it hit me. Today, I took a pill at 4 a.m. and still got sick at 6:30. I did go in to work today, but wasn't very productive.

Is anyone having a problem with coffee? I think I'll try cutting that out for awhile and see if it helps.

I'm hoping my tomorrow is better than my today!

Suzanne

My last chemo is August 24. I expect to be feeling good enough Labor Day weekend to visit my parents, and I hope to get a big enough break between finishing chemo and starting radiation that I can schedule in a long spa weekend with girlfriends. Going on vacation between surgery and chemo was the best thing I could have done and I think I need to do it again!!!

Coffee is probably hard on our stomachs because it's so acidic. I can only manage about half a cup a day, and I only drink that to avoid the no-caffeine headache! Acupuncture has helped me, as does Prilosec, Zantac and Gaviscon... anything to reduce that acid. It's my biggest complaint, generally.

My vision seems to be better. I called the docs office but they never called back (gee, how does that make me feel?) and I didn't call them again either. I guess it will all clear up eventually... hope so anyway.

I so don't want to eat. No appetite at all but I know if I don't my stomach will NOT be happy. Ick.

Positives: I got my kids back today (their dad and I trade weeks) and their summer babysitter seems to be a hit with both parents AND kids! Yeah! She even knows enough to clean the kitchen before i get home from work! Double yeah! Plus she grocery shopped! Life is good!

Hugs,
LeeAnne

No, I bet *I'll* be last at the finish line for chemo. I have 12 weekly Taxol/Carboplatins to get through. They happen three Fridays in a row and then I skip a week to rest. So my last treatment is August 31. Shriek!

Quote:

---

I have a feeling I'm going to be the last one to finish in our group (please don't leave me all alone... sniff sniff!)Check in even if you're all done - okay?

I am done my last chemo (assuming I stay on schedule - fingers crossed) on August 14th! Then after that, I go for more surgery to clean up a margin, then on to radiation...I am expecting everything to be finished by Christmas!

What's all your schedules like?
Mandy

---

My last treatment should be Sept. 5 if everything goes according to plan. Then I wait a month or so and go for my mastectomy.

So please don't leave ME alone. I hope everyone continues to keep in touch after chemo anyway. I really like this group! I was in another online support group before this one, but it wasn't nearly as fun.

Hi girls. My last chemo is July 12 since I opted not to do the Taxol (due to node negative and internet research and onc's ok). Benefit would be an added 1.6% according to Adjuvant Online!

Shall we continue on this board for the radiation duration? It would be nice since there is so much bonding and more sharing in that phase. Interested?

Sarah, it's Friday and I'm praying for you and your surgical team!

LeeAnne, My onc suggested Repleat and for bedtime, Refresh Liquidgel made by Alcon [since that is a gel and will blur your vision].

I had my 3rd A/C treatment Wednesday, and the GI stuff is starting (yuk) and the Neulasta should kick in the neck, head and shoulders tomorrow (more yuk). For the belly, my nurse team recommends Activa yogurt....tastes good!

Enjoy your day and weekend! And special good recoup to Sarah.

All, be well.....burp!

Hi all,

My last treatment is August 23. Then some time to rest, and then rads (I don't know yet how many treatents.)

This will be short, and likely incoherent. Tx 3 yesterday. They hooked me up to the pump right away, so I came home with it. I also took a Marinol druing treatment, and by the time I left there I was HIGH. NOT a pleasan experiene, in my book to not be able to remember the last 2 words you said. So I sjust sleep. Better than the ER, I gues? I manage to escapt that so far.

Sorry so out of it,

Amy

Oh Amy,

Big hugs....does the being h*i*g*h help with eating at least? Here in Portland there are mini-watermelons on the market and they've been divine...and the Oregon strawberries, and the cherries and peaches coming in, oh my. Hope you find some wonderful books and DVDs to watch (shrek might be a kick actually )....for the M treatment it just seems like going with the flow is the only option...

hopefully you can be in a clean house with nice smells (if anything smells good to you) and in pleasant surroundings....wishing you a good h*i*g*h if you KWIM...I know it's not so fun at our age, but hopefully it'll help you feel better!

BTW, I smell like chemo! It's driving me nuts. Hot flahes every night, and the chemo sweat is making me crazy....taking a shower at least once a day, washing the clothes right away, changed my sheets, even braved my beloved aveda perfume which smells way too strong....I just don't smell like me anymore and it's freaking me out. Off to the body shop for apricot bath gel....

and sunshine, hope surgery goes well....thinking about you!

LeeAnne, you and I both will just have to sneak outside at lunchtime and put our faces in the sun, soak up some Vit D

Liz - LOVE your blonde wig!! You look so different from your other avatars - by the way, you look great in all of them - regardless of your hair colour! Thanks for setting me straight on the neoadjuvant chemo thing.

AmyA - I never gave any thought to my smell - maybe I stink? It makes sense that this poison is seeping out of our pores (just like someone who eats a lot of garlic) hope you find something that makes you feel better. I sure find that anything floral/soapy makes me queasy. The worst is bug spray! Which sucks because we have a bumper crop of mosquitos here and it is impossible to go out without being covered in that smelly spray!

LeeAnne, I agree with AmyA - GOSH!!! (my attmept at Napoleon) go outside today! I'd skip out of work if I were you...in fact, I am home for the afternoon right now...why? Just cuz! Good on you for planning a vacation after chemo. I am planning on something for when I'm finished all treatment in November or December...two things 1) a party and 2) a vacation (probably southern California) Woo hoo!!

Aimster - glad to hear that this stuff seems to be working better for you...I am sending you positive thoughts, good vibes and well wishes that this is your VERY BEST treatment yet - only to be followed by even better ones in the future...if anyone deserves to have a good round - it's you!

Well, I'm off for a run (er...more like a jog/shuffle) but what the hell...I am out there moving and I always feel better off for doing so! I hope I don't get the cramping like I did last time. Good for you Liz for logging those miles!

Good afternoon!
Mandy

Quote:

---

Pat, how's the butt healing? Sounds like it was REALLY painful!

---

As of Wednesday, my butt started feeling a lot better. It is downgraded to "sore". Bad thing is that I got chemo on Wednesday, so back to SE's.

This afternoon the Neulasta shot hit with the aches and pains, so I took a Percocet. I usually only take one at night, but I just didn't have the emotional strength for any more pain.

But overall, I am doing well. All my side-effects are manageable.

Hugs to all.

Pat

Sarah,

That's great news! I'm so glad to hear about the clean margines. And only one A/C before a break. What happens, then?

I'm still basically sleeping the entire day here--I'm thinking it will be like this until Monday or Tuesday. I guess I have to pick and choose wether I want to be coherent and puking, or asleep and feel OK otherwise. It doesn't sound like being inpaitent would be any easier, just with an added layer of meds and sombody ELSE to keep track of everything for me. I'm guessing Dr. Muscato will want to keep me out of the hospital for the next 3 and continue doing it with the pump, but I"ll have to let him know how everthing went. Today he said that I'm one of the worst cases he's had in a LOOOOOOONG time. It's nice to at least have my problems acknowledged and not answered away by some flippant remark.

By the way, the "high" from Marinol is bascially just big-time forgetfulness for me. I can't remember what I or somebody else said about 1 minute earlier, maybe even 30 second earlier. Pretty pathetic, and impossible to carry on a convesation, even though I feel lik,e I have one in me. Oh well...I know you guys will understnad!

Sorry for nte typos,

AMy

Sarah - that is WONDERFUL news about your surgery and (YAY) clean margins! I hope you continue to heal quickly - thanks for letting us know how it went today - we were thinking of you!

Amy - I am glad to hear that you're keeping your stomach together but am so sorry to hear that you're still going through a rough time. I am also glad to hear that your doctor acknowledged how difficult this has been FOR you and not caused BY you (unlike the doc who suggested it was your own anxiety - jerk!)

Geez CindyKS for someone who is feeling "like crud" you sure are productive!! Hope things get better and better and that you're feeling back to normal soon!

Take care everyone,
Mandy

maybe they'll be straight!!!