Anyone starting Chemo in August 07?

Hi Everybody, (Welcome, Jackie!)
Before I tell you of all the good stuff I learned (the hard way, duh) I want to confess that I am a Message Board Idiot. I'm not sure of the "right" way to do it, so I'm just going to post to the last post, even if I'm addressing everyone, not just that particular person. (Unless someone clears it up for me.)It was making my head hurt. (Wait. That was the Taxotere...nevermind.)

WELL...I have been having trouble with my "seroma" ("m-m-m-my Seroma" - sung to the tune of "My Sherona") but, I digress. (A “Seroma” is the gathering of lymphatic fluid under the arm that occasionally occurs when the drainage tube is removed.) My tube had been in for 4.5 weeks and hovered around 40ml the whole time. Typically, after a week or two they get down to 25ml in a 24 hour period which means the fluid has found another place to go. After 4 weeks they take the tube out even if it hasn’t because the risk of infection outweighs …I forget. The risk of Lymphoma? Something like that. So a week after it was removed I went back in to have the excess fluid aspirated (painless) and they removed 115ml. They thought that was a lot. So within one week it had filled up again, and I was asking my onc if I could have someone aspirate it where I live so I didn’t have to drive 2 hours to my cancer center. She “strongly advised” me against it, and said to go see my surgeon (at the same center) because she wanted my labs done first to see how low my WBC was. Sure enough it was extremely low, and the nurse explained that there is a period 7 – 10 days after the infusion called the “nadir” where you are in “neutropenia” when your WBC are the lowest point. You have a severely compromised immune system, and at that point you must be very diligent to avoid any possible bacterial infections…no gardening, no paper cuts, (darn!) no standing water, avoid crowds, people with colds, pets (scratches, cat boxes). That type of thing. I was at day 8, and felt fine. By day 9 and 10 (today) I felt like a truck hit me, broke every bone in my body, and then rolled back over me while laughing. It feels just like the flu. Achy, headache…general malaise. (nice word, huh?)
She had said to call immediately if I developed a fever of 100.5, or cold, shaking chills (even without fever.) I haven’t developed any of those thing (yet), but, wow. I felt bad enough without them!

So, I really feel for you teachers…I never see anyone in my job, so I’m seldom exposed to any germs. Our shop manager (sweet kid, 24 yrs.) had a cold so he wore a painting mask all day! I didn’t even ask him to – he just was being considerate!)

I don’t know if that’s for all chemo meds, or just mine (Taxotere/Cytoxan), but be careful out there, ladies!

Just because I know you want to know...they aspirated 250ml that second time! I'm afloat in my own goo!
Kaye

Cindy, Do you kids still live at home?
Kaye