Chemo in Nov 07

Hi Jenny!

I'm so happy to hear from you, but sorry that you're having such a rough time. Here's hoping today is brighter for you!

I use her picture as my avatar to remind me what is most important in my life. Not my job, not my hair (or lack thereof), or the kind of clothes I wear, but that the battle we all fight today will help to spare her this journey and millions of other women like her. Call me mushy, but at least that is my hope! Plus, if she can bring a smile to someone's day, then that's a bonus!

The Look Good, Feel Better course that I was scheduled to attend last night was trumped by the persistent "Feel Lousy, Want Sleep" mood I was in. I really did want to go before the hair started coming out.  I thought I could feel more prepared for it, but I wasn't even sure that I could retain any of the information due to this chemo fog. Plus, the weather outside was less than inviting. High winds, snow, and a horrible wind-chill. NOT my kind of evening. So, I stayed on the couch and drifted off to sleep listening to Vince Guaraldi and A Charlie Brown Christmas mixed with the sweet giggles of my daughter.

Ok, so I just got my driver's license renewal in the mail yesterday. Yup. Need a new picture and all. Wow. I'm debating whether or not to wait until I have my wig. I'm naturally a brunnette, but I could be a blonde or a readhead for the next five years! By the time I need a new license, I'll just be finishing up my taxoxifen regimen. I'll put that wig pic in my scrapbook.

I, too, will be having radiation after chemo. Karyll...wow. 1.5 hours to drive for five minutes of treatment. Sheesh! I knew that if I had a lumpectomy that I would have to go through radiation to sterilize that breast, but I didn't think you had to if you had a mastectomy. Is it because of how close the tumor was to the chest wall?

Hang in there Sharont68! I'll be praying for you today!

Sharon 

Hi Mia,

I just saw your question about the Neulasta shot.  I don't know if everyone in the US automatically gets the shot, but everyone that I have ever talked to in the US has.  I had my Neulasta shot the day after treatment and then my blood work a week later.  Even with the shot my WBC was 2.7, it was 8.8 the day of treatment,  so I guess it was a good thing I had it. 

Jenny

Hey Sharon,

Sorry to hear you had a bad night last night.  I hope today is a brighter one.  It sounds like you are like me in that the best sound in the world is your child's laughter.  I don't think there is any better joy than knowing your children are happy!

For me I am having to still have radiation after my mastectomy because the positive nodes actually had small tumors in them and not just cancer cells.  I originally thought like you that with the mastectomy that radiation wouldn't have to be done, but we all know that with this we learn new things daily.

I haven't had the Look Good Feel Better class yet.  The last two times I went to my doctor they didn't have the schedule.  I am going to call today and see if I can get into one of the classes ASAP. 

I hope everyone has a laughter filled day. 

Jenny

Jenny, your dad sounds like the most wonderful dad on earth. Enjoy every minute of your day! 

Here come the (((((((hugs)))))))!

Hello all just checking in 5 days out of chemo treatment 1 im a little spacey,dizzy,and mildly fatigued,but overall not bad i guess,had my nuelesta shot yesterday so far no mayor bone pain, hope all is well with you all, feeling better one day at a time.prayers and hugs to all.

pennie

Hi ladies, quick question....how long did it take for you to get your roam of motion back in the arm where the surgery for the nodes where taken out? I had my lumpectomy and sentinal nodes dissection on 24 Oct. The mastectomy was Nov 9. I can lift my arm just enough to curl my hair. I know it's going to take time, I just want my arm back to normal. I'm doing my stretching but it seems that I work on massaging my veins in that arm more than anything. I wonder why my onc said I didn't have to have rads. Something I'm going to have to ask him. I don't want this coming back because we skipped a part of treatment!

Mia-- I had my port put in during my lumpectomy surgery 24 Oct. It still hurts sometimes. I had it flushed for the first time last week. I was so nervous but the nurse was great. He had me laughing so much that the flush was over before I had a chance to react to anything. I'm hoping it's like that everytime I have to get the port accessed.

Thanks Cheryl...I did have a total mast. Maybe that's what he meant when he was explaining things to me. I was mostly out of it when he was talking to me. I think he had me when he was going over the four treatments(Cytoxan,Taxol,Adriamycin and Herceptin) I'm still not sure how they will be given. I think the A/C are together with taxol afterwards for 4 cycles each followed by herceptin  for a year. Thank goodness my husband was there to answer questions because I was all fogged up! But even he is a little confused! Without this forum, I think I would be totally lost!

Morning everyone,

Just checking in.  It always takes me a while to read all the posts I've missed when I don't check in often enough. 

I'm finding AC much more tolerable than the Xeloda/Taxotere combo I was on back in March.  No major side effects to speak up - constipation, mild upset stomach, fatigue, and a low grade fever, but all se's are gone by day 6 or so.  Only 2 more to go, then rads.

Like some of you, I had a large tumor with lymph node involvement, so I, too, will have rads after chemo.

And keep posting the little family pics.  I haven't figured out how to add a picture for an avatar - maybe someone can explain it to me?!

love to all,

Lisa

Sharon - your Look Good Feel Better note made me laugh out loud!  You are too funny!  And the driver's license photo...well that's just mean of them...ha ha. You could go in bald and see if they still want to take it.  Kidding, of course!

I had the neupogen shots last week for 5 days.  They were fine, but apparently added to the nausea.  Oh well, whatever we need to do we will.  The health nurse came each day to give them to me.  Thought she would teach me how to give it to myself...not going to happen...so she happily came each day.

Hope everyone who had a recent treatment is doing ok!

Well that was a lot to read. I hope i remember to answer everything... lol. I am having rads because of lymph node involvement I understand, and they will radiate the chest wall as well because I guess it was close. Funny how some things I want in great detail and maybe I will later, but right now, I just wanted to know it was gone and what to do next.

  To some of you - a quick reminder that it is quite normal for your tastebuds to go. For me, I have chemo on Thursday and by Sunday food tastes like cardboard with aspartame syrup on it. This does abate a bit before your next chemo and maybe you will be blessed not to be affected that way - but if you are.... it's not your cooking that's bad but your tastebuds... lol. I had made my famous lasagne for boyfriend - I kept apologizing that it tasted so bad. He and my kids were looking at me like I was nuts - it was only ME that it tasted bad to.. so I heaved a sigh of relief that my cooking hadn't gone to pot with chemo.. and then realized that now I couldn't even enjoy my own food.. *sigh*.....However, this too shall pass eventually.

  The arm movement took quite a long time for me - seemingly I guess and even now I still get a little nag in my armpit or incision if I reach to far too quickly. I had total mastectomy with axillary node dissection on August 21st. Overall it took I guess about  6 weeks before I felt pretty normal with arm movement. I didn't have any lymphedema or anything so far and I am using my arm and hand quite normally now. I even shovelled snow the last couple of times. There are days during chemo that my incision and armpit ache - sympathetic maybe I dunno - but it passes, and it is usually on my "lower" type days. I really have not stopped doing anything that I would normally do - except I don't lift so much at a time. It gets better and better and then one day you reach for something and think.. HEY... that didn't hurt even!!!!! Hope that helps.

   Keep on keepin on ladies... It sucks at times, but you all make it just a little bit easier!

Karyll

GI Jenny,

OMG, I can't stop touching my hair too. It started last night for me too, after a couple of days of a sore scalp. It is so weird. I REALLY thought it would not bother me, but after the kids got on the bus I lost it ! Concerts, birthdays,Christmas,office parties.....ALL in the next few weeks. This time of the year is not a good time to be bald !I am going to take your advice and just get the job done and shave it. What type of razor did you use?

Hi to all,hope everyone is doing good. I have a question? I have a rash all over my body, i called dr they think it might be from the steroid, has anybody had rash i had the nuelesta shot monday morning rash i noticed last night ,i was thinking it came from the shot.MY turn to shave my head this weekened will be the hardest thing yet for me but i know i can do it.

prayers and hugs to all

pennie

Hi everyone,

Just a suggestion for those of you with kids, maybe even for those of you that don't.  I have a 14 yr old and a 10 yr old and the three of us had a cancer free day.  I told everyone ahead of time that they were not allowed to call or email me that day with anything concerning cancer.  I was not allowed to go on line or talk about it at all that day.  We got movies, junk food, put on our pajamas and vegged all day together.  It was a lot of fun.  That was a couple of weeks ago and the kids are still talking about how much they enjoyed it.  It gave them, as well as me, one day to forget that mom is sick and just had fun together.  Just something I thought I would share.

Keep laughing,

Jenny