The Chemosabe March Cruise

I'm off to work tonight. I can't believe that 6 months has flown by so quickly! I just want to thank all you ladies for helping me get to this point. I'm still a little tired and weak but it's the happiness of getting back to normal that keeps me going here. I know a month from now I'll be complaining about how much I hate work but right now it feels like heaven. rosebud

we'd love to have you stay, 3 boys, the only thing i wonder is if there'd be more posting on another thread. seems like ours has kind of died down a bit since most of us are winding up our tx. i guess you could do double duty -- two cruises at once!

hey, y'all, the girls and i are going to be photographed for a BC calendar -- it's for survivors who are moms of young kids -- and the photog wants me to write down some pearls of wisdom, and something i wish someone would have told me before chemo started.
i can't think of anything, so i'm hoping you can supplement my emptyheadedness with your wisdom.

Hi Gals,

4boys, I hope you don't get bad news about more lymph node involvement. The numbness is definitely normal. I am still numb in my armpit six months after surgery.

Terri,
That is so cool that you got chosen for a BC calendar! You and your girls are a vision of loveliness! I want a calendar!! You'll have to tell us how to get one.

Pearls of wisdom.... ummmm, let me get back to you.

Miss S

Terri -- Very cool about your selection for the BC calendar, but you're so photogenic, I can see why you were picked. The only words of wisdom I can think of, "Drink plenty of fluids." Lacks a certain something, I think. LOL

Holly -- Glad to hear your hair has finally decided to make an appearance. My stubble and white hairs are fractions of an inch longer than yours.

3boys -- Good to see you. I hope you get the all clear on Friday so you can move ahead on your tx.

Jacque -- What a nice encounter with the guy at the coffee shop. Kindness is everywhere.

The equipment at my rad onc's was out of commission for the second day in a row. It was fun to miss the first one, but the second one is making me concerned since with the weekend, that meant 4 days without rads, and they're supposed to have a cumulative effect. Hope I don't get the same call tomorrow!

I am doing the Happy Dance for Bettye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh heck, let's all do the happy dance for something. How about for being alive today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gracie -- I had 4 shots of Procrit and didn't run into anything like that. I do have times when the veins in my arms and across my chest really stand out -- like you said, seeing veins you never knew were there before. I've just thought it was some weird chemo thing (although I finished chemo June 14).

BettyE -- Congrats on the last treatment!!! Happy dancing for you!

Hey - I'm up for a bit of dancing, too!
Bettye, whooop-dee-doo on NO MO CheMO!
Terri, so glad you and the young'uns are gonna be pin-up girls! Can't wait to hear more about it. Are you still in Witchita?
Max - did you make it to Rads today? I agree, a little break is good, but mostly, they need to get it fixed or get you seen somewhere else!
Patti, I'm relieved that your gyn/onc feels that everything looks benign with your suspicious ovary and will do a least invasive procedure. Did you discuss just doing an oophorectomy (ovaries and tubes)? Hope everything is back on schedule ASAP!
3boys/Lisa - hey, woman - you'd better stick around with us, no matter what comes next. I'm going to be having plenty more treatment and I'll be here! Of coure, if you end up getting to try some new and exotic treament and there is a group specific to that, we'd understand. As long as you STILL come back here regularly,too. 'Uhm'kay? See you Saturday! (Note: We two are lucky to be a part of a wonderful group of San Diego bc.org sisters who get together each month. You can see pics if you scroll waaaaaaay down on the main index to 'Get togethers' and look for the san diego thread)
Graycie - Procrit can increase total blood volume slightly, and using warm water can help open (dilate) blood vessels (which is why nurses will often put a warm moist cloth over your hand for a while when they are trying to get a vein to raise for an IV) and holding your hands slightly downward from yuur heart will again encourage bloodflow toward the extremity - so all of these things coincided to make your veins just pop out and 'say howdy' for a moment. I'm sure it was a bit shocking, but nothing dangerous. My non-MD, but educated guess for what happened. Take the opinion for what it cost you.
Rosebud - so how does it feel to be back at work? How are your enegy levels?
Holly? How about you? I know you said you work with plenty of pediatric patients with chemo-induced hair loss - are they identifying with you at all? Or do they not even notice?
I may be shaving my legs this weekend. Little golden hairs are showing when the sunshine hits just right. Armpits and arms and uhm, other areas are still smooth. My head hair is coming in a bit darker than it was - but I guess that's because of the sun-blonding effect it hasn't had. I can't tell yet if it's going to be curly or not. It's not standing up straight and it's not kinky. Maybe it's still too short to make up its mind. Got kind of the Brad Pitt chin look going on, just upside down.

Lisa

Congratulations Betty....so happy for you!!!!

Terri....let us know where we can get a calendar. Who's doing it?

Rosebud, 3 nights of feeling normal.....good for you..happy that you are back at work and feeling normal.

3boys4me..stay with us....I'll be around for awhile.....Herceptin for a year. Numbness is normal...keep us informed of how you are doing.

At the beach for a couple of days....it feels wonderful!!!!
Nancy

Lisa: Good explanation for the dilation of the veins. That makes a lot of sense.

Yes, I did get my rads yesterday, and they're going to add a Saturday treatment. On Tuesday I was thinking about going someplace else, but then I remembered they'd have to do the mapping all over again.

Nancy: Enjoy your beach time!

Hi everyone! I have my next tx on Monday. I slept through just about the whole thing last time, so I may try to do that again!
A friend told me about a fun site - http://makeover.ivillage.com/makeover/index.jsp
You can download a bald picture of yourself and then put different hair styles on yourself. It is a hoot! You have to join it (free), but it was worth once again giving out my email address (I just didn't check any of the boxes offering special offers)as it was so much fun. If I can figure out how to copy my choices I will post them. It really is worth a giggle.
Have a great weekend!

Angel - you have had quite a time between your misbehaving home and the infection.
I am glad the doc has ordered tests - that is very worrisome. Your immune system does get so funked up from chemo - but this is ridiculous! Have you considered going somewhere for a second opnion?
As far as the build up of fluid - I had to go in for MONTHS, two to three times a week after my surgey (once the drains were out) to be syringed out with a big needle. It always amazed me (and grossed me out) how much fluid would build up inside of me. It always felt so much better once it was out of me, too. I hope it doesn't come to that - but it is an option!

Jacque -- Could luck with the tx tomorrow. I hope you can have another nice long nap through it.

Angel -- I've got a smidge more hair than you do, but nothing to cheer about, and my treatment ended June 14. However, my eyebrows have sprouted some beserk, long gray hairs.

Sorry to hear about the house problems as well as the continuing problem with the infection.

Kind of sounds like it's on the lymphatic drain path. My lymphedema therapist massages me on the side next to the breast and pushes at an angle with the idea that she's pushing the fluid across my back.

3boys -- My sympathy on starting up treatment again. I had a 3-1/2 week break between chemo and rads, and while it was nice to have the healing time, I sure hated starting rads, knowing I wasn't going to feel as good. I hope it passes quickly for you.

hi guys!
i'm back from wichita. had a nice trip, tho it was short.
got back thursday, and a friend flew in from STL on Friday for the BuhBye Chemo Party on Saturday. We had it at the neighborhood pool, as we have a small house and small yard, and the kids would have had no place to play. that way, if people got hot, they could just take a dip in the pool. and the kids, of course, spent the whole time in the water. it was a way for us to say thank you for all the meals and stuff.
here are a couple of pics:

Thanks to everyone who answered my questions on the procrit problem. I think Lisa gave me a really good explanation on what might be going on. I have my first TAxol tomorrow and am dreading it, but at least I can talk to my onc and see what he says about my hands. I'm sure, now that it's been going on for a week that it's probably not anything to be so freaked out about.

Thanks again, for all the answers, I figured you all had been at this a little longer than I have and might be able to help out and I was right

Gracie

Ok, you asked for it - my pics from ivillage. I had such a good time doing this - I kept giggling the whole time. I think I was driving my DH crazy!