Anyone starting Chemo in August 07?

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  • nash
    nash Member Posts: 2,600
    edited December 2007

    Hey, Kim. I don't have any experience with Avastin, but I wouldn't be surprised if you're feeling like crap b/c of it in addition to not having the anti-nausea meds. I'd try taking the anti-nausea meds/steriods next round and see if that helps. You're on a strong combo, so it's no surprise you're going to feel beat up.



    I know very little about the CC of A, other than what I've read from their website and from other posters.



    Other posters have said that CC of A is very solicitous to patients in the beginning, then not so much after they've got you as a patient. I understand they are very expensive (aren't they all!). Have no idea what insurance plans they take.



    I've pondered CC of A for my mom, as we are almost out of options for her, and concluded that they weren't going to be able to help us out any more than what we already have access to. That's not to say that they wouldn't be of benefit to you. I'd be interested in hearing from people who have had good experiences there, and if they were able to come up with something creative when other oncs weren't able to.

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  • DGHoff
    DGHoff Member Posts: 624
    edited December 2007

    Kimmie,

    I'm so sorry you have to go back to more chemo and to deal with all this crud. I think you are one majorly tough cookie. I only have one four-year-old at home, and I think that is plenty hard. I am in total admiration of you for doing all this with both a four year old AND a seven year old.  I do hope the chemo isn't so hard each time. I don't know much about Avastin, other than my friend's father was on it for stage IV lung cancer with mets to bone. It worked great for him. He is NED now, so let us hope that it does the same for you.

    DeAnn  

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  • DGHoff
    DGHoff Member Posts: 624
    edited December 2007

    OK everybody. I've got a date for a new breast! I only have 3 more chemos to go (December 28th is the LAST day!!!), so I'm scheduled to get my coconut-bra expander out and my new squishy breast on January 9th.  It will be so nice to have  a chest that actually yields to pressure and to be able to do yoga poses where I lay on my stomach. I won't roll around so much! I'm kind of like a Weeble Wobble right now.

    I met with the rads onc today as well for the first time, and he gave me the go ahead to get the implant before radiation starts. I'll start rads on January 21st.  So, still a long ways away, but I feel like I'm starting to see lights at the end of the chemo tunnel.  My hair is actually growing back big time.  I probably have about 1/4 inch already. I didn't expect anything to come back until I was done with Taxol, so it is a very nice surprise and a very big psychological boost. Even if it does look like it is coming in a little whitish grey (I prefer to call it platinum blonde). Still no eyebrows though. Rats. 

    DeAnn  

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  • kimmie39
    kimmie39 Member Posts: 319
    edited December 2007

    Hi gals,

    Just enough time for a short post.

    I asked my Doc. today about the way I felt and she said I should have called. She said not to feel sick  and think you have to deal with it, she can get me some very good meds that would help.

    And DeAnn has hair!!!! YEA!!!!! Ill be thinking of you on the 28TH.

    Gotta go,

    Kim 

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  • yellowtownhouse
    yellowtownhouse Member Posts: 142
    edited December 2007

    It must be the holidays because our board has been really quiet.  Thought I'd do a quick (LOL) catch-up note.  I've spent most of this week running around to get labs and appts. done before next Tuesdays surgery. Tomorrow I have to be at the cardiologist at 7:30a for a drug induced stress test.  I so dread this procedure girls!  But if all goes well, it should be the LAST thing I needed to complete.  That is except getting the last of my FMLA paperwork to my employer.  I've been trying to get my surgeon's part of it back for 10 days and still don't have it.  They just keep saying it's on her desk.  I told my boss today that I didn't think it was a smart idea to get s***** with someone who's going to take a scalpel to me in 5 days.  :> 

    Deanne, what do YOU MEAN you have hair????????

    I'm 6 weeks past my last chemo (Taxol) and you can still use my head to beam in airplanes!  Just kidding...that's wonderful!  If all goes well I think I may be starting my rads about the same time you are.

    Kim, I'm thinking about you and so glad to hear you called your doctor. 

    Hope all is well with everyone and wishing each of you a wonderful and blessed Christmas.

    June

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  • wackyjackie
    wackyjackie Member Posts: 669
    edited December 2007

    Hi Girls,

    I've been checking in but not responding.  Sorry. 

     June- my thoughts and prayer are with you and your family and will be through this whole holiday season.  Stay Strong.

    Kim--My thoughts and prayers are with you every day.  You are a very strong person.  Please hang in there.

    Love and hugs, Jackie

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  • wackyjackie
    wackyjackie Member Posts: 669
    edited December 2007

    Hi Girls,

    I've been checking in but not responding.  Sorry. 

     June- my thoughts and prayer are with you and your family and will be through this whole holiday season.  Stay Strong.

    Kim--My thoughts and prayers are with you every day.  You are a very strong person.  Please hang in there.

    Love and hugs, Jackie

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  • chemomom
    chemomom Member Posts: 171
    edited December 2007

    Hi gals.  I had 2 things to report... First- I also have hair!!  I'd say 1/2 inch.  Of course the white ones grow fastest (not fair!!).  Of course, since I started back up on chemo 2 weeks ago, it should be falling out again in the next couple of days.  I don't mind the baldness except that it is so dog-gone cold!!  And I dig my short- buzzy hair now, so come or go, I don't care what my hair does. 

    The other thing I wanted to say was that I was thinking of DeAnn today as I shoveled snow with my 2 kids.  One of my neighbors did offer to snow-blow for me (of course he's a retired fellow, not a kid).  The boys (ages 2 & 5) were begging to shovel and since we got about 7+ inches of new snow here today, I figured it couldn't hurt to let them try.  School closed early and everything.  Aye carumba, what a day.  

    Well all, my kids are wrestling each other off the couch... better go break it up.  "Calgon take me away......."    :)

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  • kimmie39
    kimmie39 Member Posts: 319
    edited December 2007

    Alright -

    All I have to say is "All I want or Christmes is a little hair..a little hair...Yes a little hair....Gee if I could only have a little hair , then I wouldnt be bald in all the pictures"

    LOL:)

    KIm 

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  • chemomom
    chemomom Member Posts: 171
    edited December 2007

    Hey everyone!  I finally have an avatar!  My pic is of me at the end of November.  I am 15 days post tx and my hair is still hanging in there.  My scalp hurts occasionally, so I expect it's going, but it's taking longer than it did the first time. 

    Hey kaye, where are you?  It's been a while and I need my katoMato fix! I hope you are well and just busy with a little thing called life.  Have you finished rads??  I have been meaning to ask-- did your rad onc make you stop using deodorant?  Mine said I can't have anything on my skin for treatment, but i will be back to work by then and will want/need to use something.  Any tips??

    Hope everyone has a decent day. The evil weatherman is predicting snow in feet for us this weekend.  ugggghhhhhh!   Ang

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  • nash
    nash Member Posts: 2,600
    edited December 2007

    Angie--I missed the part that you were back on chemo! :( When did that come about? Refresh my memory what's going on there.



    Regarding hair, I have tiny white duck fuzzies coming in. I sure hope that changes soon to something a tad more hair like.



    Met with the rad onc last week, and she told me no deodorant. She said I won't sweat on that side anyhow. I'll be having 38 rads with a chest boost starting Jan 2.



    I hope Kaye is OK--this is the longest we haven't seen her!

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  • kimmie39
    kimmie39 Member Posts: 319
    edited December 2007

    Chemomom - Love your avatar.

    I could use a good snow here in Va.  Snow has a way of slowing everybody down some and I feel like the world is going by to fast today.

    I think its just the fatigue from new chemo.

    Nash - Hope your enjoying your treatment vacation. Jan 2nd will be here soon enough,

    kATOMATO?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

    KIM 

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  • katoMato
    katoMato Member Posts: 645
    edited December 2007

    Ooooooohhhhh - I'm so sorry!! I feel like I've been RUNNING everywhere...I'm sorry. Everything is fine here, I'm just trying to catch up with the holidays. (And I have my kid's two birthdays - one the 10th and the other the 13th...yes, I know they're grown, but I've used that excuse for 25 years, and I'm not stopping now...)

    Angie YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL! I LOVE your HAIR. It's WAY more than I have at this point. I'm still white with little flecks of dark something. It has been so cold I'm still wearing the Santa cap and the pajama leg when I'm home. (both on my head, sorry for the visual...but I should try it the other way and see what happens, just for fun, shouldn't I?) 

    You're starting chemo again? and you're going back to work? I don't get it. I'm sorry I must not have been paying attention - what happened?

    Deodorent issue: Yes, they said none on the affected side. but that side  didn't need it anyway - no perspiration as a result of the surgery. So I use regular deodorent on the unaffected side.

    Yes, rads are now over as of yesterday (Friday)...and I was almost giddy in anticipation. I do feel a huge relief. My dh brought me a bouquet of beautiful peach colored roses with a wonderful card saying that I did a great job. He had wanted to take me out to celebrate, but I had gone to a Christmas symphony with his mom two days before and in getting ready for that I decided I'm not going ANYwhere soon. It was a huge hassle to find something I could squeese this body into, and the wig...no. I told him to celebrate I just didn't want to cook or clean up. So we sat in front of the fire (yes, a fire in the desert) with a bottle of champaigne and some fruit and cheese. It was delightful.

    So now I've taken my first Arimidex, and we'll see if I get any se's from that. I don't think I will because I've been so fortunate with everything else. But so help me if a side effect is weight gain i'm going on a murderous rampage.

    DeAnn - Hooray on the squishy-boob-date! That'll be something fun to look forward to. (After rads my affected boob is now two inches shorter than the unaffected boob...notice I didn't say "less Full", or "less Round"...it lets you know the original state of things before I even began. But it's decidedly smaller and shorter than the other one. It's typical, they say. So now I just keep making involuntary left turns. Must work on navigation.)

    Nash, did you get results on the biopsy on the things on your chest? Wasn't that supposed to come around the 12th? How are you doing?

    Kimmie - great song. I'll be singing that the rest of this month.

    Hi Jackie,hug to you, and June - how did the stress test go? I loved the "beam in airplanes" line - good one!

    Gotta go - it's late and I need to get a good night's sleep so I can go spend all kinds of money I don't have for CHRISTMAS. WHEeeeeeeeEEEEEEEE!

    I sure hope my hair grows in a little faster, or I'm gonna look like a dweeb in this Santa hat in January. 

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  • chemomom
    chemomom Member Posts: 171
    edited December 2007

    Hey gals.  I had better fill you in on why I am back to chemo.  After my mast, there were still tiny traces of cancer left in the stuff they cut off.  Since I had such a giant tumor a nd averything, I had been told that if anything at all was found in the breast tissue, I would get mor chemo.  So since there was... Here i am.  Actually, my last one is this Thurs (had one 3 weeks ago).  Then I am back to work and off to rads in January and also my Herceptin to round out a year.  I will be in the drooling-on-the-couch phase for Christmas, but at least I will get out of helping clean up, right???

    Kaye-- so glad all is well.  It is definately a busy time!  I have so much to do and between the kids having snow days and planning around chemo & various other appointments, I am getting nowhere!!

    OK ladies,  enjoy the rest of the weekend...  Angie

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  • wackyjackie
    wackyjackie Member Posts: 669
    edited December 2007

    HI Girls,

    Kaye...congratulations!!!!That is wonderful news and you sound so upbeat and happy.  I am so happy for you and your family.  My hair is NOT growing at all since I stopped chem on 11/21.  In fact, I lost my eyelashes completely and most of my eyebrows and I swear my little nubs are falling out.  LOL!! Oh Well....I start 33 rads tomm.

    Angie....Good luck with the rest of your tx.  My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.!

    All the rest of the girls.....hope all is well(as well as well can be!).

    Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

    Lots of hugs, Jackie

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  • nash
    nash Member Posts: 2,600
    edited December 2007

    Glad for the updates, everyone.



    This is a crazy month. Besides the Christmas prep, between my mom and me, we have 18 doc appointments this month. Really must find a new hobby.



    Kaye, thanks for asking about the biopsy. I went in on Friday to get the stitches out, and was told it was negative for skin mets. Hooray! They don't know what it is other than some random pigment change. Probably from the chemo--everything seems to be from the chemo!



    Well, we just got back with our Christmas tree, so now I'm off to trim it. If it weren't for the kids, I think I'd get one of those one foot potted/pre-decorated jobbies and call it a day. Alas.

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  • nash
    nash Member Posts: 2,600
    edited December 2007

    June--hope your surgery went well yesterday. Hugs coming your way.

    Angie--how are you doing?

    Kimmie--How are you? Wanted to mention for you to check out www.nccn.org (National Comprehensive Cancer Network). They post guidelines for bc treatment, and there will be new 2008 guidlines being posted on there this week, including a special section for IBC. All of the info was presented at the San Antonion Symposium this week, and will be on-line at www.nccn.org soon.

    Hope everyone is doing OK. So glad you are done with rads, Kaye! That is wonderful. Smile

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  • katoMato
    katoMato Member Posts: 645
    edited December 2007

    Hi Ladies,

    Just a quick check-in. Dh is having me stay home and finish all the christmas present prep. We have a big family party in LA this weekend, so we need to be DONE. (He keeps me on task. I keep him a nervous wreck. It's a symbiotic relationship.) 

    Nash I'm really glad about the biopsy. Great news.

    Jackie keep us posted on the rads. I LOVED my rads techs. Hope it's not too far a drive. For me it was 2 blocks away from work and it became a non issue. No se's, no time issue - I just went to joke with them for 5 minutes then i was shoved out of there. 

    News announcement: my eyebrows are starting to grow back, (too bad. I do a better job than what they do naturally) and i have nubs for eyelashes. That's 11 weeks post tx...like 2.5 months. So far no se's I can discern from the Arimidex...except maybe I'm more aware of my arthritis than I was before - could be the cold, too. I'm not used to this 40's and 50's stuff. (I know, you snow-bunnies are howling right now. Call me when you have arthritis, and we'll talk.

    In the desert.

    In August.

    Love you girls, have a great day. 

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  • wackyjackie
    wackyjackie Member Posts: 669
    edited December 2007

    Hi Girls,

    Hope everyone is okay.  I just had rad tx #4 today. 29 more to go!!! It's about a 30 to 40 minute drive for me.  I'm still not working so it's not bad, but I wish it was closer.  You're not kidding Kaye, when you say they shove you out the door.  My place is not so warm and fuzzy.  Now I know what it feels like to be quickly put in the microwave.(LOL!!)Pop it in-snap it out.  Thank goodness no one is eating me!!!!!! I'm just not in the mood for this anymore.

    Anyway, I am looking forward to the holidays.  I can't wait to see my family(it's always lovely---not!!!) Only kidding.  I am getting excited. 

    My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.

    Lots of hugs, Jackie

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  • DGHoff
    DGHoff Member Posts: 624
    edited December 2007

    Hi All,

    Sorry I have been quiet for quite awhile. My internet service wasn't working for a few days.

    Kaye, congratulations on being all done with radiation!!! Way to go, and you've paved the way for the rest of us! I'm so glad that you seem to have weathered it without much problem at all. I'm glad for you, and it gives me hope that things will go smoothly for me as well! 

    Nash, great news on the biopsy. Every little ache and pain these days makes me wonder, so I can appreciate the apprehension on that.  

    I had a MUGA scan this week to test my heart function, so I'm hoping all is well there. No results yet. I am SOOOO glad, however, that I got a port for chemo. I thought I was getting pretty tough about all the pokes I endure each week, but man, I haven't had to have an arm IV in a long time, and I was very clearly a wuss about it. Ow.

    I am almost ready for Christmas, but I made an absolutely insane decision a few weeks ago that I would make scrapbooks of my son's year for the grandparents for Christmas.  Clearly I was in some sort of chemo-induced brain lapse when I thought that it would be great if I, a person who has NEVER made a scrapbook in her life and has trouble even getting Christmas cards out the door, could get TWO scrapbooks done in time for Christmas.  Sigh. The scrapbooks await. I had better get back to them.  

    June, I hope surgery went well!  

    Hugs to all,

    DeAnn  

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  • chemomom
    chemomom Member Posts: 171
    edited December 2007

    Hi everyone.  I finished my LAST chemo today!!!  My supposed 3 hour infusion only took 5 hours today (naughty port-- happens every time).  Hooray me.  What a day. 

    Hey DeAnn, glad to hear from you.  It has been a while.  Luckily someone shared your caringBridge site when you were in the hospital one time and i check on you there, too.  :)  We seem to have so much in common dealing with this blasted bc and young children.  Hope the MUGA comes back with good results.  For some reason, my onc only sent me for echocardiograms.  One pre-chemo and one today, which came back with a good report. 

    I also got released back to work for 1/2/08.  That will be a treat after being out for 2 months.  Where to begin?

    But anyway, just wanted to check in and say hi.  Just in case i get too bogged down from my chemo to post again, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.  And if you don't do Christmas, I hope you still have happy times coming up.  I do love this time of year and this year is no exception.  Again DeAnn, with the things in common-- I didn't try scrapbooks but I am doing fleece tie-blankets.  I am NOT at all crafty and with everything else going on, I still haven't done the 2 I want to make for my sisters (I did finish ones for my dh-- which he already found, my 2 boys, and an older neighbor-lady).  And X-Mas cards finally went out this week...  Oh well!! 

    have a good night all.  Angie

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  • DGHoff
    DGHoff Member Posts: 624
    edited December 2007

    Ok. I'm back from two hours of "scrapbooking", god help me.

    Hey Angie, Hooray for you on being done with chemo!!  You go girl!  I just posted this comment on the January rads thread, but we have another thing in common. I kind of thought I'd want to show off the tattoos as well!  But it sounds like they are pretty tiny, eh? 

    Oh, one last thing. I wanted to share another song with you all. This one is NOT a lament like the last one. It is a kick-butt kind of song, which I dearly hope won't offend anyone, though you all don't seem like the sort to be offended.  One of my friends suggested I write a song with the title "Cancer is a Six Letter Word that Deserves the Middle Finger". (He used to be in a punk rock band, so you can kind of see where his sensibilities might lie). The title did not quite work for me, but it did provide inspiration:

    " Six Letter Word"

    Cancer is a six-letter word,

    That deserves a four-letter word reply.

    Oh, yeah. Pick out any dirty word you've heard.

    Shout it out, man! Go ahead, let it fly!

    Cause you'll feel better if you do.

    Yeah, the "F" word, "S" words, they all work just fine.

    So tell that stupid "C" word where the "H" word it can go.

    And we'll kick it where the sun don't ever shine.  

     

    Rock on my BC sisters, and good night to all.

    DeAnn  

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  • nash
    nash Member Posts: 2,600
    edited December 2007
    DeAnn, my dear, you rock. Laughing
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  • nash
    nash Member Posts: 2,600
    edited December 2007

    OK, saw the onc yesterday, she does a breast exam and declares she feels a change in the "good" boob. So off I go next Thursday for a breast MRI. Ugh. It's scheduled for the same time/day/place as my mom's PET/CT scan, so we're getting a 2-for-1 deal.

    So help me if I have a new primary already.... 

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  • wackyjackie
    wackyjackie Member Posts: 669
    edited December 2007

    Nash--I hope and pray all is okay.  Sorry you have to have this hanging over you right now.  It never ends....

    Lots of hugs and prayers, Jackie

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  • wackyjackie
    wackyjackie Member Posts: 669
    edited December 2007

    Angie,

    Congratulations on finishing chemo.  That is great news.  Enjoy your holidays.  I, too, am enjoying this time of year no matter what.

    DeAnn...great song!!!!

    Hugs, Jackie

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  • chemomom
    chemomom Member Posts: 171
    edited December 2007
    Oh Nash, Please be well.  It could still be nothing serious.  You are a strong lady.  I am practically in tears for you.  Be well, dear Nashie.  I am so sorry you have to have this kind of hellatious anticipation at Christmas or anytime.  My thoughts will be with you often.  Angie
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  • chemomom
    chemomom Member Posts: 171
    edited December 2007

    Ok gals, I have a confession to make.  I am addicted to all of you.  I check in here so many times during the day and still I find myself thinking of all of you.  I am far from "religious" so this means so much for me to say, but you have all been such blessings to me.  I feel like we are such wonderful friends and supporters for each other and it cracks me up, since we have never even met.  I do love you ladies and I am so glad to have found you. 

    ...Ok, someone needs an Ativan, right?  But I really mean it all... I wish I knew how to be of more help to you all.  I feel like I get so much here and give so little.  But I do think of you all so often.  BC has made me have to relinquish control in so many ways and that is extremely hard for me.  But even as I have been able to try not to control every aspect of my own life, I wish I could somehow take your worries and sorrows away.  And I hate this blasted disease for all of our sakes!  I wish there was a way to protect you all.  BC is so unfair.  And yet you are all so strong in the face of it all.  You are wonderful ladies.  Truly blessings.  Much love ladies,  Angie  

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  • kimmie39
    kimmie39 Member Posts: 319
    edited December 2007

    Hi all

    Ive been soooo sick lately and just picked up my lap top.  

    Nash -  OMG!!! 18 appointments!! Talk about taking over your life. Then a questionable exam. Ill be  thinking of you.

    Ive been thinking about that alot while sick. Cancer is taking over my life. How do you stop that? Or do you? Being sick really takes over, I dont like this ride anymore and I want OFF.

    DeAnn - Cancer is DEFIANTLY a word that deserves a five letter response.

    Angie  -  Big Hugs and congrats. I do the fleece tye thing to!!!  I love them and they are always received well. Makes me feel soooo crafty.

    By the way my children are 5 and 8 and they're bdays are the 15th and 20th of December, so I still have YEARS of excuses. I all but missed the bday party I was so sick this year (yes Im feeling sorry or myself). Ive been swinging back and forth between feeling better and feeling worse with a couple hefty doses of sitting on the toilet and holding the trash can. Guess Im catching everything out there. My Doc says I shouldnt be feeling so bad from adding avastin to the mix. All I can say is Ive really felt like a cancer patient the last couple of wks.

    Hair, Im getting my little white shoots to but since Im back on chemo I guess they wont last long. But its so exciting while its here.

    Dont remember if I told yall I have bone mets. I think I did but who knows for sure , this must be what a pot head feels like!

    One last question (complaint) has anyone found a sure fire hemorrhoid cure I REALLY NEED ONE!!!!! Please help me out here.

    Thanks for being there,

    Kim 

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  • kimmie39
    kimmie39 Member Posts: 319
    edited December 2007

    Chemomom - Thanks and back at cha X 2

    Hugs

    Kim 

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