For those starting chemo in June

Janie get to the doc. Renee get to the doc. Hugs, Mary

PJB, I just went back to see what type of b.c. you have but didn't find it. I just can't believe some of the b.c.'s are hereditary because some family members have it and some don't. Some are hereditary. I have IDC and no one else in my family has any at all so I don't think theres any thing but bad luck if someone else got it in my family. I think somehow I was expose to something that mutated a cell and it could be pesticides or fabric or paint fumes I don't know but something enviornmental I think is at work and it could of been with my parents even. It will be interesting to see what type your sister has (If its the same as you). Well we are going out to eat in Springfield and its Fri. so long lines. Going to Sams just to go. Hope Renee and Janie get the cure and are better. My mouth is completely normal. It just took a call to the Dr. and it scared it off. Now is this dumb or what? My husband asked if I am ready to leave. Ahh, I am ready and he can see that and I said yea are you? he replied yes, He is in his underware. Is this an intellegent man? Am I lucky or what?(or what!) Hugs, Mary

If he wants to take me somewhere different then he can take me to Brad Pitts drop me off and pick me up in a wk.If I didn't have chemo brain I could think of some other good looking men but right now I see faces but can't think of a da%n name. Frustration!!! I had chest pain and caughing and called yesterday evening and they told me it was the way I had to lay so long the day before. Might of been its gone today but it was just kinda strange. Never had that kinda pain before. They said those kind of side affects don't happen until the third or fourth wk. My nose keeps feeling like it has a hair on it under the nostrils and I keep brushing it with my hand and rubbing it. I looked at it real good and I think its cause my nose hairs are gone and when I breath the wind comes out of my nose different. Ah, maybe i am just nuts. It bugs me though. Well good luck to Nathan and to you with the Halloween costume. My mom used to make my kids costumes. They were nice and they always won prizes in the Halloween parade. Sure miss her.Have soccer games too and one at 8:30 in the cold morning. Renee and Janie, What did you girls find out? How are yas.Have good wk. ends girls. Hugs Mary

For my lovely taxotere burned hand-I am on antibiotics so not to get cellulitis or any other infection. Also, I am taking 2 ibuprofen every 4-5 hours. If I take it on time it helps alot. I got a prescription for oxycodeine if that stops working. I also keep lotion on it. Can add hydrocortizone cream but haven't gotten to store to get it. Right now, the skin is sooo tight. Most of the time I just want to cry because I can't do anything. I hope I can get the last treatment on time!!! In the mean time, I pray for no infections or colds.
Renee

Renee, I am sorry you are in so much pain. That has to make this bearly tolerable disease intolerable. Maybe it will ease off in a couple of days with the meds.

My drainage has lessened. Maybe the new pocket helped rather than hurt. I just hope neither of us get slowed down in our treatment schedule.

My bone pain set in a day later this time. Thank God for small favors. It is mostly in the back and shoulders.

Paula, keep thinking positive thoughts for you and your sister.

Mary, do you work on the weekend?

Everyone have a good night.

Janie

Mary,

Go ahead and vent all you like. We are all here to listen. You and I are pretty much in the same diagnositc boat. The most exasperating thing about all this is the realization that all we are going through may not make a difference, or is just a brief reprieve. You cannot be up all the time. None of us are. Special prayers your way today. Janie

Good evening Girls, I posted earlier and came back later and it wasn't here. I don't always spell check and sometimes I over look words but I spell plain as plane etc. I think my mind has ran away from home. Don't blame it. Thanks so much girls. Everything just crashed yesterday. Its so good to have yous here. Janie we will fight until we can't fight anymore and hopefully that will be a long way off.PJB, I can't imagine being without a puter for 2 days. My how things have changed. I use it more than the phone. Sure hope Renee is getting along. Thanks again girls, yous are great friends and sisters, Hugs Mary (I will be saying some prayers for you all tonight)

Janie- I hope your bone pain and seroma draining is subsiding.
PJB- Thinking and Praying for you and your sister. Has she heard any more?
Mary-I'm in the same pitty party as you. Tired of people saying 'you're so strong' Like I have a choice. This weekend I told them "I'm not strong- I'm in a ton of pain and this sucks" I think I startled a few with that one!
It was a long weekend. Tried to have some fun and forget about my hand. It is very painful. I take oxycodone and it barely touches the pain. I am thankful for no infections or raised temps. Don't need the hospital too at this point. I want my last treatment to be on time and move on with this.
Called the Dr. again and they said there shouldn't be any permanent damage, but it will take a long time- months to heal completely.
Thanks for listening and sticking with this board even though you're done with chemo.
Renee

"I'm not strong- I'm in a ton of pain and this sucks" Good for you Renee, I want to borrow that line. I know this constant pain has to be weighing on your nerves. I hope the meds kick in soon and you get some relief.

PJB, this disease reeks havoc on trips. I had planned for 4 years to go to Hawaii this past summer. The APA conference was there and I thought I could pick up some continuing ed hours and have a good time while I was at it. I was in the middle of surgery and AC instead and the onc said no way. Maybe someday.

Mary, How you doing today?

Warm fuzzies ladies. Janie

Hi Girls, Janie I too had to cancel our Hawaii trip (in July). Renee I can't believe they did B.P. on I.V. arm with Taxol.I could see doing B.P. if your runnung dex. or saline combos etc. but not something as toxic as taxol its just not very smart as you can atest. Do you have very high B.P. or something that they had to monitor it? They could of done B.P. in surg arm once or twice but I don't know reasoning for what they did but I can't see a reason to put you at risk even if you had very high B.P. you are far enough into treatments that it doesn't seem to pose a problem. Hope you get better soon I feel really bad for you and I would find out why they have to check your B.P. so often that they blew your I.V. A 5 year old child could look at that set up and know its dangerous.sorry its maddening. Well I am better today. I have to smile when people ask How Are you? I always want to say I have no Frigging eye brows or lashes. My bones and joints feel 100 years old. My hair is gone and I can't remember where I am going or what I have to do when I get there and you want to know how I am? How am I? how the He%l they think I am! Geesh, I am actually good today. Feeling a little spunky. My husband thinks I am not paying attention to him because if I am watching a movie it will be at the last important part and he will come in and want to talk to me and I sush him a couple times because he obviously doesn't understand by now what shut up means. I told him I will work on that but the phone rings once in 6 hours and he wants to tell me something while I am on the phone. Its like living with a kid but they don't grow up and leave home. Did yous see our airplane crash? The sky diver got tangled in the tail of the plane. The pilot is still alive I think. Haven't heard but he was yesterday eve in Springfield hosp. That was just a few miles away from us.I can't believe the pilot fell 10,000 ft. and survived. In this town the most excitement we have is if there is a wreck or whatever everyone hops in their car and drives by to see whats going on. They have to direct traffic. Well girls I have to eat so I will check back later. Hope your doing better Janie. The antibiotics should be kicking butt. Well later girls, Mary

Get this girls, people don't even know me cause I keep my hat down in front so my brows are covered and you can't really see my eyes and I look a lot different without hair, a cap and do-rag and no facial hair. So people will go, MMMMaaarrryyy? is that you? Yea its me. Oh wow you look good. I always say really? oh, yea you look good how you doing? I should say as good as I look Thank You. Then they would probably say without thinking oh, I'm sorry. They mean so well but I have to chuckle.Yesterday I stopped at Mc Donalds in Springfield to get a quick burger (yea calories I know,) I went in to be quicker and a gal was looking at me so I decided to look back so she just kept it up and I did too and I had to back down. Yea she stared me down and I backed down. I thought she had nerve. Frankly she kinda scared me. I mean she just stared me right in the eyes. She was bigger than me too. Older but bigger. I can't run fast anymore. It takes a while to get my bones moving.I look like eegor when I get up all bent over limping around. I don't think I could make a fist cause my fingers are still kinda stiff.I was pretty much in a losing situation so I didn't look back. I got my burger and limped out as fast as my gimp legs would go. Yea we just may have run into each other Janie. Gee that would of been a really great vacation too huh? I don't know if we can vote early but the lines aren't long here. While you wait you catch up on all the local news and gossip because you know most of the people in line and if you don't you will.They don't even ask for I.D. cause they all know you. Well better get ready for work and see if my hubby needs to talk. Hugs, Mary

Paula, They have not mentioned genetic testing with me. Being in the trial, I am supposed to be closely monitored for 15 years. I do not know what that means. It's ironic and I have to laugh since my stats are not all that good for my being here in ten. Like they say, the only statistic that matters is mine. Sorry, didn't mean to digress. I wish they would do a BRCA or whatever it is. I would be interested in knowing that.

My daughter is out of town so my son is coming down to be my "babysitter" tomorrow while I am sedated. My lst appointment is early so we are going down tonight. I am not a morning person. I don't do well if I get up in the wee hours to make the trip.

Tomorrow is treatment number 9 of 12. I also see the PS, the onc, and do the port access and labs. I have a full day.

Speaking of full days, I had better finish getting ready to go to work. Boo Hiss.

Later girls,

Janie

Renee, they checked my BP, too, on my first 3 Taxols. I have really low blood pressure, like, 90/50 usually. And Taxol can really bottom out your counts, too, if you have any reax to it. So I'd guess that's why they're checking you. Glad the hand's a little bit better. Have fun in Door County. We've often talked about going up there when we're in Wis., but haven't yet made it.

Janie, boy, what a full day. No fun. Hope you have lots of stuff to read while you're waiting. And I hope the appts and tx go well. How long a drive is that?

Mary, hope the aches and pains are mangeable today. Try not to get into any fights.

Paula

Hi girls, Renee I agree they need to check B.P.it just seems dangerous to do it in the I.V. arm running tax. They can use a lumpect. arm once in a while for b.p.and blood if they need to. Some say you can use a lump. arm just like normal and a mas. arm after a year. Some use a mas. arm when they need to any time but try to avoid it. You just don't know. All Drs. do things different so you never know. My B.P. ran 88/48 a lot but it does a lot normally so its not new for me. I run 98/54 average. When they up my thyroid meds. it will pop up to 110/60 and gee I feel soo good. Its at that now cause they just upped it a month ago but it will drop in a couple months again. Thank Goodness you gals are almost done. My arm is doing good now. I didn't get a port and I am glad for me. My arm held out good. (not everyones does)It was sore for a while but its back to normal now. Have to get back to work Hope all is good today, Mary

Hi guys. Talked to rad onc today and told her about my sister. She says I definitely should get tested. So, I guess I'll go ahead and do it. I should be hearing from the genetic counselor to set up the appt. sometime soon, I guess.

Mary, guess what, after all these months of no problems with my mouth, my tongue pretty far back hurts. I'm thinking, actually, maybe I burned it but with my lack of short and medium-term memory, I don't really remember. I hope that's the case. But I'm back on the Biotene...

Still just the teensiest bit pink from the rads. No pain, no itch. Mary, how are yours going? I know the rest of you guys will be joining us soon. It's SOOO much easier.

Take care, Paula