Anyone starting Chemo in Feb?

COOKIE>I lived in Austin for about 6 months around the time my DH was getting out of  the navy. I just loved the bluebonnets in the spring...fields full of blue.  Hmmm for one thing real hair wigs cost $$$ compared to synthetic. I got lucky buying a few off of ebay, they are so real looking that people don't believe me when I say its a wig!

This is the seller that I got my two favorite wigs from...I chose either a multi color or two colored wigs. Check out her special sales link on the left side.  http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZthebeautystop

Ah TWINK>that let down feeling now your support team isn't with you everyday...you feel like no one is helping you all of a sudden.

Hugs all around.  I'm off to Dallas for the week tomorrow.  Odd, I'm a little nervous about starting up the travel again.  Sammie Kay, I will be so disappointed if you can't make it.  As for the pains...yes to all of the above.  I had pains, aches and sharp shooting stabs in my upper arms and chest area.  I think it's normal.  My OT told me to not be surprised at pains like this for one year following surgery (diminishing of course). 

Leah, I'll email my itinerary when I get online from the hotel room one night this week.  I am in the process of changing it somewhat, to fly from Dallas as I'll hook Orlando into a business trip that week.  I'm not sure if I'll fly in Friday night or Saturday morning as coming in Saturday morning gets me there quite late (I was surprised at the limited options).

t

Hi, Carynn... yes, seems like we are all busy living our lives... which is good news... I try to read at least this thread, because you are all in my thoughts everyday, but can't always find the time to pause to write.  Got the all clear from the BS and onc last week.  Have tests at end of Feb.

DH's has gotten the confirmation of ataxia type 2, although mild and borderline, but there are so few cases of this (TG!) that they want him in their research studies... he'll have more genetic testing done in mid-Feb... we just hope that the symptoms won't get too much more severe... he has to take a drug that should help with the walking... we'll see. The neurologists involved in this at University of Colorado are all young, smart, charming women... it helps...   The progression has been so slow that it may not get much worse until "old age" hits for good.  We are in good spirits and enjoy every day (none of this came as a surprise), keeping busy...

Twink, hope the trip to Dallas went OK... what do you put on your hair to look so good?  Mine is OK wet, but then turns into sticks going in all directions... 

Terry, Hillary, and all the moms out there, hope the family is OK and that you are not too tired.

Marsha, how is the memorisation going?  This is the best of exercises. Hope you are happy preparing for the show and that your doggies are helping with making you read your text...

Alyson, count down is on... breathe deeply and relax... hope the young couple is not too nervous. How is the summer?  Getting real cold here, in Denver... below zero Farenheit!!!

Jan, I admire your regularity in posting on Gina's forum.  Take care.

I won't list everybody, but be sure that my warmest hugs are going all around... wishing you all a good night...

I'll try to post some pictures next week-end, when I am done with my work... a huge radiotherapy glossary...

Love,

Catherine

Congrats to your daughter, Pat!  I would be proud to... what a field to be in... she must be a hard-working and brave young woman, bless her heart.  Glad to read your good news, too... we all keep our fingers crossed now for no-more... ever again!!

Take care and have a great year,

Catherine

HI

Not sure yet, but maybe starting soon too, have been told they might want to do chemo before surgery.  I will let you know would love to have other women to talk with.  Had my biopsy so should know more next week.  I hope today was a good day for all of ya.

Shelby

Hi, all,

Nice to see you Marsha....havent seen you in a while.  Hope your rehearsals are going well.  You will bring down the house, I just know it!

I really havent posted much.  But I stop in and read every day or so.

I guess I have been feeling a bit like Twilah.   My last Herceptin is next week and I am wondering...how do I start NOT being a breast cancer patient?   How do I not worry and think about it all the time?

So I have been just working and staying late at work (not that I really want to, but I have to). 

This is so hard for me to let go of the treatments, that have been my lifeline for the last year.   I keep asking myself...what if the Her2 takes over and I am not on Herceptin?? 

Then my common sense kicks in and I tell myself that I cannot worry about this.  What will be, will be.  

How are you girls doing it?

Anyway....it is very cold here in Central PA....we have 2 woodbruners going .  It got all the way to 5 degrees today.

I see the plastic surgeon this Thursday in Pittsburgh, so I am looking forward to scheduling my reduction and lift.    Maybe it will "lift" my spirits too. 

Love to all of you...

Morning, all!

I have been bad about posting, but have been reading every day.
The time away with the system go-live convinced me that I am not staying with this company, so I picked up the phone and made a call. I will be moving to a smaller company, where I know many people, who will let me work 30 hours/week, Fridays off, no travel. It is hard to admit that I chose not to do all the craziness that is part of system support with a new system, but I just don't want to live like that. So off to saner pastures. As soon as I get the PO, I will be gone. Lucky for me it is kind of easy to find work in this field!

The Florida trip will be smaller than expected, and I am kind of sad about that. I really wanted to meet everyone in person, and let the week unfold. But Twink, Mel, Marsha and I will celebrate for all of you. There are a few who are trying to sneak over for part of the week, and I really do hope you can make it. It would be a good thing to do for yourself. I think the group experience that we all experienced was so unique, I am very invested in meeting the women who I so depended upon to get me through what has been the most catastrophic thing that had ever happened to me. And if I need you again, I count on the fact that you will all be there. So I think meeting in person was an event I couldn't bear to pass up.

I see other groups doing the same thing, so not so rare.

Anyway, I am living scan to scan, though I don't think about it every minute anymore.  It seems to be more in my thoughts when I am tired, or when I can't seem to muster the stamina that I used to have. Now, that could also be my age, but I think the treatments permanently sapped a bit of me. That's ok, but I keep forgetting and then wondering why I am so tired.

Thyroid got really out of whack, too, and the new medication strength may help. So could the end of this f&*()& snow!

Love u all. Have a good week.

Hugs hugs hugs... I read daily, I post here erratically.  I'm close to swearing off any thread but this one soon.

I am mostly recovered from the rads... just a little tan all over the area and mildly red in the boosts target.  I see my U Penn onc for my 3 month follow up tomorrow (lunch with Hillary --- Yay!).  Marsha, your posting on follow up treatment was timely for me too.  She doesn't do any scans as a matter of course but I guess I'll find out tomorrow what she does do.

Sounds like we're all getting adjusted to our new lives... as best we can.  I'm looking forward to Fl and to seeing Marsha perform (on stage, that is).  My SIL will not be joining us (which is a bit of a relief I guess), as my BIL is still working through his lymphoma dx and tx plan. 

I'm still waiting for work announcements before mobilizing on the Dallas front.  I was there last week and spent a little time looking at neighborhoods and houses... we'll do okay on that front.  Work in general, is discouraging though.  Nothing ever seems to change... just gets worse.  I swear, we are becoming more dysfunctional with every passing week.  Anyway, enough on that subject.  Don't need too much information posted online.

Children are acting up, dog ate part of the couch, fighting a penalty for filing my taxes late last year, gained fully 10 pounds since October, hating my job, daughter smacked up her brand new car, another move on the horizon... and, oh yeah, I have BC.

I'm a real pleasure to be with, aren't I?  Hillary and I can commiserate tomorrow or maybe we should just have a 4 martini lunch ... that's the ticket.

Karen,

I'm right there with you.   I will be starting chemo in February (Taxol/Herceptin; I'm HER2+) for 12 wks, followed by 6 wks radiation, Herceptin for the remainder of 12 months.   I'm extremely anxious....don't know how this will change my life.  I tend to be very active...work full-time and like to walk or work out every day.  The date for my first chemo treatment has not been set (I need to have the heart checked first), but it will be within the next two weeks.

 Yes, it is like seeing an old friend Hillary, I agree.  We just relax right into our conversation and the time flies by and the next thing you know, time's up.

I sure like this onc.  I must've spent at least 1/2 hour with the oncology nurse, going through a very extensive review of what had transpired since mid-October, and another 3/4 of an hour with the onc.  We covered every topic that was on my list in great detail.  I left feeling very satisfied that she's doing everything she should be doing to monitor my health.  The University Hospital does follow ASCO guidelines, which do not recommend regular scans to detect BC recurrence but she said that she didn't hold a firm line on that one if the patient felt strongly that they would like a scan.  I'll be getting an annual PET/CT scan and full bloodwork-up every 3-4 months, including liver enzymes.  Nothing other than that, unless symptoms persist.  I'll see one of the oncs or the BS every 3-4 months, alternating.  The rads onc will probably want to see me annually just to keep tabs on delayed SEs.  I'll stagger all appointments so that I see one of the three quarterly.  I felt great coming out of there, frankly.  Reassured that everything that could have been done has been done and now, it's just a matter of staying vigilant but, trying not to let it rule my life.  I'm working on that.

Hillary, you'll be fine.  You know it.  I know it.  But, we all know, the worry won't subside until the tests come back and confirm NED.

Hugs girls.  Peace.

(Thanks Hillary)

Terry, I felt alot like you after my rads ended and I had the prophy mast in Oct.  What now??  Well it took a while for me to realize, NOW is time to live my life.  Get on with things.  The play is doing me a world of good so if you can find something you love to do and immerse yourself in that, maybe it will keep your mind off of bc.

Carynn, LOL they bought me a GOOD pair of cowboy boots.  Already broken in and comfy.  Sure makes me walk differently though!  Puts a little swagger in my step.  hee hee

Leah, glad to hear about the job change for you!  That is just what you needed and now you can concentrate on YOU and filling your life with fun happy stuff!  I know the scan to scan cannot be easy, but hope you are able to only worry with it right before they come up.  I can't wait to meet you!  And yes the posting has slowed down alot.  To be honest, I am so busy there are some days I don't even read and some days I don't even think about BC!!!  YIPPEE  I see the January ain't it great thread is getting ALOT of posts and it reminds me of us this time last year!!!

Hillary, how wonderful for you and Twilah becoming such good friends.  I met a gal on the chat room who lives close to me and we became great friends too.  Part time?  Good for you.  Wish you were coming down in Feb!  I understand how you feel about the follow-up stuff.  At least for me I have the tamoxifen and feel like I am doing SOMETHING.  Being triple neg must be harder to let go of treatment.

Catherine, you need to "fix" us another great meal.  I love to read what you are cooking, your descriptions are so colorful I can almost taste them.  Sure wish you were coming to cook for us!

I got a PM from Phyl, she is busy and doing good.  They are still coming to Florida during Bike Week (March 1, I think) and I plan to drive over to Daytona and meet them at a Biker Bar!  hahaha  Have to get out my black leather (oops, I don't HAVE any black leather).

Sammie Kay, hi, how's it going?  Melanie, just a

Twilah, 4 martini lunch??  LOL  You'll start feeling much better as the rads start to wear off.  I personally found them to be very tiring and I too was blistered and burned.  I still have a huge "brown leather" area on my chest!  And a tight feel where it is still healing.  I'm so excited to meet you!

Hi all,

Back from the PS in Pittsburgh.  No date yet. He wants me to be done with the Herceptin first.....then see my PCP for a good checkup (as if I haven't been "checked" enough), a chest xray and blood work.  Be off the coumadin for a week, then I can schedule the surgery.  So I am thinking if Jan 31 is my last Herceptin, I see the PCP on Feb 8 (already scheduled) and she can order the xray and labs for him.   Then I can call his office and schedule it for within a month of the labs...so I am shooting for the end of Feb or beginning of Mar.   He said 1 to 2 weeks off work....think I will go for 2 weeks.  I need a rest!  The only thing is that short term disability is such a pain that I don't know if the extra week is worth the aggravation.

Leah...so glad you are slowing down.   All this stress is not good for any of us.  There are more important things in life than work. (I should take my own advice...Twink??)

Hillary and Twink...you are so lucky to be so close....Hillary, I changed my avatar, just for you!

Alyson, so glad the weather  was wonderful for the wedding.   Can't wait to see pics. 

Well, need to get dinner ready for the troops....talk to you soon!

I will be starting chemo on February 1.  I have had a recurrence after 4 years (lumpectomy and radiation at that time) and now will have chemo for 4 months and then surgery.  They found it on my chest wall or on my muscle.  The chemo is being used to shrink this before the surgery. 

Has anyone else been on this road?

Thank you!!

Carol

Techincally, I'm starting in January...but it's the 30th...so it's almost February and I feel like I'm one of the February group.

Had lumpectomy Nov. 30 with second surgery to clear one microspec in a margin...having chemo for four months (8 treatments) followed by rads...tumor was 3 cm, strongly ER/PR positive, HER2- neg.  Nodes were clean.

I'm scared but everyone here says the chemo is doable.  I'm counting on that as I've never been sick, never been on medication and am the sole support of my family.  I'm hoping I get through this. BTW, I'm 48.

1. Had my tumor, 4.6 cm, triple negative, no lymph involvement and good margins, removed 2 weeks ago. I'm having my port put in on 1/30. So, I'll be starting chemo in early Feb. Not sure what my therapy will be. Will see oncologist next week to get final decision. He did say we're going to hit it hard. He wants every 2 weeks, I think he said TC plus Taxotere, I have no idea if there'll be anything else. He said I'll have 3 months every 2 weeks, that might be a few weeks more than he really said, then I'll have radiation, I believe 35 days with the last few directed to the direct spot only, then more chemo. I had a full blood workup, it apparently was to show if there was any cancer in my blood???? There was one item RDW that was 15.1 and the range is 11.0 - 14.0, I have no idea what this means.

So, I'll let you know what I hear next week. I am ready to get this started. I am afraid to have my hair cut off, I already have a wig, but I am afraid I'll lose it when I get it shaved. We're in AZ, live in MI, so we're at an RV park with friends and she said she'd shave it for me. Silly me.

Now, are there any suggestions or things we need to know and/or do to keep everything in our bodies working properly so we don't have to miss a chemo treatment? Like, keeping our blood count up or whatever?

Cookie