Starting chemo Dec 2007

Kim, Congratulations on finishing chemo.

What a great feeling that is. Hope your se's are as minimal as can be.

Cindy, I feel so bad for you. I cant imagine going through all this and having to care for and protect 3 young kids and/or teenagers (during spring break). I'm sending lots of love, strength and peace of mind your way. Most important..... just breathe. {{{{gentle hugs}}}}

Wishiwere, Hope the waiting is not too bad, Nice to see your starting to mark off your outdoor walking route. My gardening/major weeding will have to start soon before it turns into a jungle.

Jeannie & Kate, One more to go!! Is there any one else were missing. I know its been quite a while since we've heard from Joy, but not sure when her last tx was. Hope all is ok and the legal snuffle (sp) is being put to rest.

Lori, A big amen! Thats great that you will have the port removed along with the surgery. One less step to have to deal with. Good luck tomorrow you will be in my thoughts and prayers,

Laura, Your da bomb, with your picture posts. Hope your feeling well and not dealing with any more catastrophes. (fires and such)

Well I gotta get back out to work, sending love and hugs to everyone (chemo brain not working, no time to back check posts) take care all, Love SuzSpring is in the air!

Wow.  I missed quite a bit these past few days.  The kids and I painted the bathroom while hubby was gone and that took a couple days.  Then I had some pressure on my port from some fluid build up in my mast site so I had to go get drained.  Now I think it might be infected.  Not sure.  It's kind of red and pretty sore.  I just hope whatever it is wont postpone my last treatment on Wednesday.

Anyway, Congrats Kimbly on finishing!!  Lori, Your in my prayers today. 

For those of you on radiation now, how long did you wait between finishing chemo and starting rads?  Also, do you find the fatigue increasing? 

The snow here is FINALLY beginning to recede I think.  It just came seem to make up it's mind.  I am so ready for some very nice spring weather.  At least the temp is warming up. 

Wishiwere, I hope you don't have to wait much longer.  Waiting is never easy. 

Well, got to run.

Kate

Kate, I started simulation 3 weeks after last chemo, then right into daily treatments. The fatigue for me is my only problem, but I blame that on my night sweats that wake me up, and it is hard to fall back to sleep. I sure hope you don't have an infection, but if so, some antibiotics should quickly clear you up. If it is warm and really red don't wait to long to call nurse/md. One more chemo to go, right?? !!

Lori, we are all praying for your speedy recovery babe! You are on the home stretch !!

Suz, love the dancing penguins! Your animations Always gives me a smile.

A, how wonderful ! You sound great ! So....what was in that Lobster Bisque???? Do tell !!

xoxoxoxo to all you strong women ! FUBC, we are winning !!

Kate?  Did you call the onco nurse to ask what you should to do to relieve the redness and/or maybe get it looked it?  That's a direct line to the heart isn't it?  You need to ask about I would think?  Hopefully it's just irritated and wanted to be done as you are!

A! so sorry you having problems that might be ulcerative?  Here's hoping that lobster did magical tricks with that and it's a thing of the past!  This chemo surely wrecks havocs with some beautiful women!  Ugly stuff is nasty!

Cindy~  Darn those night sweats!  They should only occur during the day so at least you can catch up on your sleep!  Hope the remaining rads are kind to!  How many left to go!  I consider myself a little lucky in that I didn't have to do them, despite having lost the breast, I was scared at the thoughts of those on the left side anyway   Good luck sweetie!

IT's raining here, but I keep thinking RAIN is good for the gardens, and that means too, it is NOT SNOWING!   That is the best thing!  I've been fighting going out to rake out some of the gardens, b/c I'm afraid it would only encourage the bunnies from beheading my bulbs as they spew forth their folliage!  I'd be looking up recipes for stew if they DO!  UGH!  Plus, we are due for many frost I'm sure, so it would encourage the less hardy plants into coming up and then they be bitten during the freeze, so I've just walked among them and kept my hands off the tools!

Have a Magnificient Monday ladies!

Laura, personal question, does the estrogen cream help with hot flashes/night sweats. Or is it more for the mojo?

My doc says no to the cream but she ok'd vaginal estrogen inserts twice a week, then after some monitoring we can see about testosterone, Does this sound familiar being triple neg. I ended up with an hour and and half consultation, when all I wanted was a little cream. Sorry for the grafics to those who dont need them (of course this comes along with more bloodwork) take care , lov suz

Hi everyone. I saw my surgeon on Monday and he wanted me to have an ultrasound done at the hospital today so he could get a better view of how much liquid might be there and how much is swelling. 

It is redder, more swelled, and very warm.

Earlier this evening I didn't feel quite right so took temp which was 108 degrees.  Not real high, but decided to call my nurse at home who told me to call hospital and talk to my surgeon who was on call. I told him I thought it was infected as it is hot and I have a temp.  He wants me to come see him tomorrow morning before I see my onc.  I am very worried that this will set back my last chemo.  What a bummer.....

Anyway, I'm feeling fine now, but I'll do as he says and see him tomorrow.  Hope all is going well with everyone else.

Kate 

Lori, rest well, and check in when you can!  So glad everything went well! 

{{Kate}} Darn it! And infection is NOT fun and not what you need or want!  Hoping you can get tx for that so it doens't slow down the next.   Shoot, shoot, shoot!

Sending big, soft, warm hugs to Lori, Kate and Joy. Kate, I sure do hope you are able to have your last tx today, but more importantly I hope you are ok in regards to your port... sending prayers your way.

I went to a cancer support group the other night. I know the person who started it, and it meets at the library where I work... she's been asking me to come ever since she found out I had cancer. I didn't really want to go since I've been getting all the "support" I needed right here but I felt it would be polite. It was a very nice group of ladies. They were all just talking about their experiences or whatever came up. I don't know... not sure I will go back. For one thing, two of them started talking about their IV ports and said having them removed was worse than having them put in. They started describing it and I wanted to cover my ears. Blah! I get my port removed next week, and I was told it was a piece of cake. Now I'm all grossed out. Someone here please assure me it'll be fine... I trust you ladies more.

Still having trouble with sitting. Getting frustrating. Old news. Moving on.

At the risk of bragging... I have a tiny crop of peach fuzz on my head! Anyone else starting to see signs of head hair growing back? Granted, it's so short I can barely feel it, but when the light is just right I can see that it's a nice, even patch of fuzz. I'm psyched. I started crying when I told a friend because I had started to say "See, I'm getting better" and it just kinda hit me.

Gotta scoot. Last lab today. Kinda weird to think I won't be going back for another "check-up" for another 6 months. 

Hugs all, Sal 

Sal, Here is my post from yesterday on another thread re: port removal.

"OK, Just got back from having port removed. So here's my play by play.

I changed into a hospital gown (waist up) and went into the day surgery room. I had the same surgeon that placed the port originally. I layed on an operating table and they had me turn my head in the opposite direction of the port then placed a cloth so I wouldn't see. The worst part of the whole thing was the needles to numb the area. Once it was frozen I couldn't feel a thing. I could tell when they took the bulky end of the port out (not even remotely painful) and then they worked about 5 min removing the tube. Ive got dissolving stitches on the inside and tape on the outside. I haven't seen it yet as its bandaged but I think the incision is in the exact same place & size as the first one (about 1"). They didn't do anything with the scar on my collarbone. Overall it went really well, I didn't get any sort of meds to relax or calm me. I was nervous going in but honestly it really was no big deal and nothing like putting it in.

ps, I had the port out exactly two weeks to the day from my last chemo. I think they like to wait three weeks."

Seriously it really was easy, I am sore today so I took a  T3. As much as I appreciated having the port in for chemo, it feels sooooo good to have it gone. One more step closer to being done.

Kate, I hope everything is ok, infections really suck, and its scary to think there might be one at your port! Its great that your docs are on top of it. Hopefully it was just irritated and you can go ahead with your final tx today. Lots of hugs and prayers your way.

Lori, So glad to here your surgery went well. Now make sure you get lots of rest, you need it to recover. Its nice to see you have friends and family looking after you.

Joy, Its so good to here from you! Was starting to get really worried (its the old mother hen in me). Geeze shingles, then a cold and enemic. Then of course the legal stress and all. I am really truly sorry you have to go through all of that. Honestly if there was something I could do to help you out I would.

We are also self employed so I understand how hard this is for your dh as well. The only advise I could give to Russ was to try to ride out the worst of the storm, once things have calmed down we could start making changes/choices if and when needed.

Sending lots of love hugs and prayers to everyone, but most of all I hope that everyone will                       Suz

What a bummer!  My last chemo was postponed until next week.  DARN!!  Oh well.  I know they know what they are doing, but when my onc told me he wouldn't let me do it this time, I wanted to cry.  I was doing pretty good at holding it in until the nurse came out and hugged me.  I lost it. 

Trying to think positive.  Another week to feel good.  Still only one to go.... but I tell you, it's not easy. 

Kate

{{Kate}}  Sorry you have a delay.  Darn it, it's just a mess getting through this stuff sometime!  But yes, they do know what they are doing.  And I understand losing it when someone offers THE hug!  Oh my, sometimes I just wish they'd be mean instead to save me from doing the same thing.  Glad to hear they aspirated it, b/c then you can be sure you're getting the right antibiotic.

and thanks for being happy me, its nice to share good new sometimes if it helps others feel a little more happier!

{{{JOY}}} OUCH!  Those are painful! Dang it! Hoping there was a pain med to calm that down while its treated!

Awww Kate, Sorry to hear that your tx got postponed. I know its hard but try to hang in there.

Wishiwere, I have a pretty even layer of very fine fuzz on my head just longer than 1/8" but not yet 1/4", so far its all white. I haven't noticed any sideburns yet, but I don't really have hair, just the fuzzy fluff. As for the eyebrows mine haven't started filling back in yet.

Has anyone else had a 5 week break between chemo & rads? I thought it was supposed to be about three weeks. I'm really looking forward to being done.

Joy, You sound like your really at peace with your decisions. Looks like you are on the right road.

We had to downsize a fair bit since my dx, but I think we have a few more years left still.

Hope everyone has a relaxing evening.  Love Suz

Funny you say?  You've a sic* sense of humor dear Cindy!   Mine actually look like someone shaved them off evenly.  It's so weird! I'm thinking maybe I'll need a barber instead of a dresser at this point in life!   I know, in the larger scheme of things, its minor hey? 

That is WAY  @ earlier finish date on the rads!  Whoohoo! 

A~  It's funny you mentioned forgetting you are a C patient. That's what started my meltdown at the Mammo a couple weeks ago.  There was a lady there in for follow up after a recurrance she had beat again!  She looked at me as I sat down (there were 3 of us in the room) and said, 'Where are you in your treatment?'  I was oddly shocked, and answered that I had just finished chemo.  But in my mind I couldn't understand how she knew.  Then dd said later when I was telling, that is was probably b/c I was the only one in a hat in there.  ;(  Never even thought of it, you know?  I also felt a little foolish in the 'pap chair' around the same time, wearing my winter cap while in the 'position'!

Weird lives we lead hey?

Hope everyone can enjoy the sunshine today!  I think this will help everyone out if they can catch a few rays! I know I'm going to wander the gardens and go for a walk and listen to the birds that are creating quite a opera out there this morning!  Love song birds on a spring morning!

Yes it is!!!!! and today is one week out so se are at a minimal although I am tired today as I had to be at the hosp this morning at 7am for a mugascan (yawn). Yesterday it suddenly hit me that I had done it.... gotten through the dreaded chemo and I started to cry.  I just suddenly had this feeling of peace that I have never felt ever before.  I still have my surgery (april 30) but the happiness of having made it through chemo has just made me so darn happy!!!

I see alot of you are in Canada.  I am in the states now but am Canadian.  My family are all still on Ontario (close by to the border town I live in).