Starting Chemo May 2008

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  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited May 2008

    O.K., Dana, you've been added.  I didn't know which tx you're on or Janice's for that matter. 

    I think we'll be on another page pretty soon and then I may have to cut 'n paste. 

    How 'bout we're in Maui this week?  I'll bring my mumu. 

  • ranD
    ranD Member Posts: 373
    edited May 2008

    Hey everyone,

    I am jumping in the deep end this Thursday at 2.  I think! I joined the June group as well, but I think I fit better here!

    This has been a great ride, I am 3 weeks out from surgery and not the surgery I had planned on having before chemo.  Turns out my CAT scan showed a weird blip where an appendix should be.  I had reactive lymph nodes in the area, so we had to have a colonscopy.  More fun!  That turned out negative, so then time for laproscopic surgery to remove whatever the blip was...turns out that it was a burst appendix.  The surgeon said it looked like it had burst years ago and walled itself off. They ended up taking 6 inches of my colon with it and now I have 3 cute scars on my tummy and a 10 pound weight loss. Sooooooooo, if I had let the original wacko surgeon operate and put me on chemo without those new-fangled CAT and MRI scans, I would have had a major problem.  Now I tell anybody who asks that breast cancer is not that awful, it saved my life since I would have never known that I had an appendix issue until it was too late.  See, there are perks to cancer...lol.

    I decided to have the breast removed after chemo, so I can deal with one major surgery at a time.

    So here's to jumping in with you all!!!

    randie

  • EyesOTex
    EyesOTex Member Posts: 194
    edited May 2008

    Welcome to the pool, ranD!  That's quite a tale...

    Thanks, Christine; I'm on Cistplatin & Gemzar.  Maui would be GREAT!  I can see it now......

  • angelsaboveus
    angelsaboveus Member Posts: 298
    edited May 2008

    Hi Randie,

    Welcome along for the ride ! These are a great bunch of ladies here and have helped me alot so far since I've started. There's lots of good advice and comfort here!

    Wow sounds like you have quite ride already with your unexpected surgery, I hope you are healing well from that. 

    Thursday is going to be a busy day,....you, 2grace, cristine,kristy &i'm on that day also for tx #2 as long as my counts come back....had a bit of a crash on last thursday.

    Good luck to you on your 1st tx...remember most important to drink lots of water day before,during, and after and pee, pee, pee ! 

    Cristine... Maui....im all for it, never been so looking forward to it , i'll have to take my brand new beach hat i just got in the mail   Cool.... Innocent

  • ranD
    ranD Member Posts: 373
    edited May 2008

    Here's the other perk.....dr. said no housework for 6 weeks, so who hoo!!!!!!  Actually, how many of us can really let the household go in the hands of 4 kids 16-5 and a dh?????  Yes, I broke down today and figured out that I could load the dishwasher and washing machine. So,as long as they unload for me, it stays pretty good.  I also figured out that I can fold clothes and then they carry them off to their rspective rooms.  I am still looking for crime scene/biohazard tape for the kids' bedrooms, sinc I know I won;t be able to clean tem my way before thursday....

  • ranD
    ranD Member Posts: 373
    edited May 2008

    Oh, BTW, I decided that the best way to handle this is to read anything I could get my hands on.  To tell you all the truth, these boards have so  much more info and USEFUL info. 

    Just finished Crazy, Sexy Cancer....blah, besides the annoying title (sorry, but seriously, sexy???)...basically she sailed thru chemo and surgery...you know ...gracefully being full of her all womanness.....

    and is a firm believer of raw foods to help.  Yech, I need a steak now and then and I want it to be cooked please...maybe poolside on Thursday......

    so, I read it in one sitting and realized that it was her opinions and she made sure that all contributers were on the same page....

    To celebrate my crazy sexy cancer I have just invented a new cancer brownie.  Basically its my fav brownie recipe (pretty much, eggs flour cocoa and butter...yum) and I added...drum roll....1 cup coconut, 1/2 cup dates, 1 cup of mixed fruit bits, 2 small packages of bare Naked banana granola and a heaping tablespoon of peanut butter....any takers??????

  • Gracie713
    Gracie713 Member Posts: 302
    edited May 2008

    Looks like it is going to be a busy week for several of us!   ranD--the brownies sound great!!!

    I know that I have found a lot of helpful tips here and putting them to use!  One more trip to the store and I should be ready to go!   Wed. will be here before I know it!

    See you all at the poolside! 

  • ranD
    ranD Member Posts: 373
    edited May 2008

    Made it official, just ordered some bandanas.....that and the LARGE sunglasses will make me oh so Hollywood!

  • concernedfriendofabcpatient1
    edited May 2008

    I am the friend of a chemo patient as noted by my screen name. She does not have the use of a computer and the internet on a regular basis and is not all that knowledgeable about the internet and discussion groups.

    She is 35 years old, just started chemotherapy in May. She is also separated from her husband and is the mother of a 3 year old son. Her son is smart and notices things. She is concerned about how she should handle the issue of hair loss with her son. She doesn't want to freak him out. I think that she is planning on cutting her hair short before she experiences hair loss. She said that he is always asking to touch her hair and brush her hair. I haven't noticed much hair loss yet, I think that she got a wig in a different color than her hair is now, which is okay because she has had dark hair in the past so her son is used to that. She is wondering whether she should wear a bandana at night. She looked for info on this in books but couldn't find any so I told her I would research it on the internet and see what other women do about it. My mammogram is scheduled for Wednesday of this week. There has been breast cancer on my fathers side of the family, I know that his twin sister had it and passed away 21 years ago, also his grandmother had it. So far I have been okay. I figured I would add that in case anyone wanted to know about me.

  • Roxi65229
    Roxi65229 Member Posts: 462
    edited May 2008

    Dear concerned friend,



    My niece is four years old and has a very rare blood disease, Histiocytosis. She has been on chemo twice and just this last time started losing her hair. My sister-in-law didn't know exactly how to tell her about her hair since a lot of girls her age are so into image (just like us big girls, it's truly hard but easy for us since we know it'll grow back). I recommened the doll Kimmie Cares and it has helped a lot. I have a link to a story which ABC did below. P.S. Good luck with your mammo and welcome to the site.



    Roxi



    http://abcnews.go.com/Health/OnCallPlusLiving/story?id=3738082&page=1

  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited May 2008

    Concerned friend,

    There is a thread called "Under 40 with young children" that I just posted on, so it should be somewhere on the first page or two in the Active Conversations.  There is a short discussion from a few days ago about this very topic.  Feel free to post there or here, whereever you have questions.  I found my local office of the American Cancer Society very helpful with some books.  Maybe your friend could talk to someone there.

  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited May 2008

    Welcome, Randie and I have added you to our list for the week.  I brought it over from the previous page.

    Here's the updated version:

    Tuesday - SharonF (#2), Roxi (#2) and Janice (#?)

    Wednesday - Lenny (#2), Becky (#1), Gracie713 (#1)

    Thursday - Angels (#2), 2Grace (#1), Me (#1), Kristy (Herceptin) and Randie (#1)

    Friday - Dana (#?)

    Wow...so here's hoisting a drink with a small umbrella to SharonF, Roxi and Janice for tomorrow.  Cheers, ladies!  And I have a new sun hat I got from Curves last week (won it in a trivia contest - yay me!), so I'm bringing it to Maui!  Cool

  • KristyAnn
    KristyAnn Member Posts: 793
    edited May 2008

    Im excited about Maui and Im taking one of ranD's brownies with me to the pool - its my short treatment day so I should have extra time for sightseeing this time around.

    ranD- Welcome and thanks for cooking. I eat a lot of raw food too and the subject of nutrition and breast cancer is very controversial. Be aware that if you end up crashing on wbc (which I have done twice- one time without Neulasta so it was really bad)- some docs will take you off any raw food until your wbc comes back up. I had to do that for a week during round 1 and almost starved trying to find cooked food in my house. It happened right at the time the garden started producing so I was bummed out.

    My eyebrows are thinning :( - I buzzed my hair and thought it would all be gone my now but I still have about half - of course it looks like the army cut but Im still about half of a fuzzy-wuzzy. I actually experimented with a little brow pencil today- my chemo nurse last week is a cancer survivor and she had a copy of the makeup book they teach at the Look Better Feel Good class so i picked up a few hints. Im going to the class in June (missed my May class because I was in the hospital).

    Better get ready for work- wig? hat? scarf? hmmmmmmmmm

    Kristy 

  • rock
    rock Member Posts: 1,486
    edited May 2008

    Cris -- A new sunhat: That's got to be a good sign, right? The list of patrons at Cabana Chemo Bar is very much appreciated!

    Sharon, Roxi & Janice: Let us know if there are any interesting drink specials. (I do hope the time passes quickly and uneventfully.)

    RanD: Glad you found your way to the bar -- that was quite a trip! I've decided to go for a bald Marlo Thomas (circa "That Girl") look with my kerchief and big sunglasses.  

    Kristy: And why are our eyebrows thinning already?! I'm going to be very nice to mine in upcoming weeks, in hopes they will forgive me for some of the plucking mishaps of the nineties.

    Yesterday I was meeting and friend and told her "I'll leave within the hour. I need to take a shower." Then I realized that showering just got a lot faster without hair; a quick swipe with the lintbrush and I'm ready to go!  

    Have a great Tuesday, women. Again, thank you for helping me make lemonade this weekend.

  • familyroks
    familyroks Member Posts: 575
    edited May 2008

    Sharon, Roxi and Janice - sending positive thoughts your way for today.

    RanD - Welcome to May!  Looks like you will fit right in! ;)

    Kristy - I too will be attending the Look Good Feel Better class next Monday.  I'm actually looking forward to it.

    I've been steadily losing my hair since Saturday morning.  I haven't had the guts to shave it yet.  Luckily I had alot, so at this point its just looking thinner.  I'm sure in the next day or two, I'll have to take that particular plunge.  My son (he's 8) is watching and waiting.  I can just see those glances every once in a while...just waiting and wondering what mommy will look like with no hair.  A little worried too.

    This time around I have had more bone pain than the first round.  Tolerable but inconvenient.  It makes me wonder why a particular area experiences bone pain and others don't.  What is this indicative of? (can I end a sentence with of?).  My bone pain is only in my right arm (not the arm I get the Neulasta shot in) and mostly focused on my wrist.  How does the bone pain pick and choose its location?  Just curious.

    I hope everyone has a great S/E free (or at least mild) Tuesday!  I think I will finally have a good amount of energy today...finally.

    ~Adrienne

  • rock
    rock Member Posts: 1,486
    edited May 2008
    • Oh, Adrienne (and Kristy, Cris, Randie, moms).  I was 10 when Mom had breast cancer (and she is alive and wonderful today).  Every child is different, but for what it's worth, I do believe that if Mom's okay, child will be okay. I was kind of oblivious. I knew Mom had cancer, but I didn't know what that meant really. To be honest, I remember (associate) that particular spring/summer with having a lot of fun, as -- in retrospect -- Mom was clearly trying to cram in some quality time with her 5 kids not knowing what the future would hold.  (She told me recently that she remembers getting the winter clothes out in July, just in case.)

    When you moms (understandably) worry about your kids, the 10 year old in me wants to say: "Don't worry! We'll be okay! We're tougher than you think. Your sense of humor, your steely attitude, that you love us so fiercely and with such determination... it will get us all through this. We're going to be okay!" 

    And then the 42 year old in me realizes how hard it must have been for Mom. That she was facing what I'm facing now, and having to think about me and my siblings, not to mention Dad. Now see, that makes me cry my guts out.

    But when I was 10, I was okay.  And I was the "sensitive" child. 

    I'm sorry if I said too much or overstepped.

  • lewing
    lewing Member Posts: 1,288
    edited May 2008

    Rockthebald, your post isn't overstepping at all.  It touches directly on something those of us with kids worry a lot about (how could we not?) - but from the other side.  I can't begin to tell you how valuable that is. 

    In my case, I genuinely think my 15-year-old daughter is OK, but I also worry that maybe I'm being too cavalier (especially when well-meaning people ask me, with deep concern, "so, how is Katie doing?").  I mean, she seems OK, but do I really know what's going through her head?  Am I so preoccupied with my own issues that I'm neglecting hers?

    So I was comforted by your post.  And wow - what a tribute to your mother.

    Linda

  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited May 2008

    O.K., at work still but I have to post. 

    Rock - Your post gave me goosebumps.  I do worry but I also forget how resilient kids are and it's good to be reminded.  I know when they are our age, they will have a much bigger perspective of what was going on at this time - and hopefully NOT having to do it themselves.

    Linda - My oldest is a Katie also (she's 8) and I'm not sure how she really is with this.  I know she's anxious at times, but it's still abstract to her.  And she doesn't like to talk about it too much.  So I just say stuff and hope it's what she needs to hear.

  • familyroks
    familyroks Member Posts: 575
    edited May 2008

    rockthebald - your post is perfect.  I love how your memories of that time are what they are and that your mom made it so, through everything that she must've been going through.  I wish I could be as strong as your mom.   I carry a tremendous amount of guilt on my down days following treatment.  But my little guy, he is so forgiving.

    Cristine - my son is also 8 (his two siblings are much older 18 and 21).  He doesn't fully understand as well he shouldn't, in my opinion.  They just know that we have to go through horrible things to make sure we get better.  It must be confusing to wrap their thoughts around how mommy has to feel horrible sick to get better.  That just doesn't make any logical sense.  I'd like to think that it doesn't occupy much of his thoughts, but it sadly it does and I hate that.  He'll just out of the blue say something like "I wish you didn't have to do chemo" or "I wish you didn't have to have breast cancer".   He had a cold this last weekend, which just happened to be those first few days after treatment.  Those spontaneous hugs and kisses couldn't be.  That was hard on both of us.

    He did get one benefit this weekend, however.  His school bus driver showed up at the house with the makings for French Dip sandwiches and chips.  She had asked him what his favorite dinner was and bless her heart she stopped by with this awesome treat.  He was so excited.  We will make sure that over the summer, the off treatment weeks will be super special.  This will NOT ruin his summer.

    OK...I think I've officially rambled.  Guess I am feeling a bit more energy today ;)

    In short - rockthebald...your mom is awesome and I applaud her strength.  Just thinking 32 years ago how different the treatments were and how so much less was known about this disease and the treatment needed....and you remember being a happy 10 year old.  I bow to her...................

    ~Adrienne

  • SharonF
    SharonF Member Posts: 38
    edited May 2008

    Took my second swim today, and it was very pleasant (aka no problems).  The only drinks I got at the bar were 4 glasses of crushed ice. Anything to help prevent mouth sores! Maybe next time I'll take a cute little umbrella to at least make it look more palatable???  Also got the Neulasta shot this time, so hopefully no 5 day "side excursion" to the hospital this time!  I took my Claritin...do I need to take it again tomorrow?

    Roxi and Janice-Hope your swims went well, too! Can't wait to hear from you!

    Rock-Great post! I think about it all the time with my boys (12 and 14).  They really SEEM to be doing well, but I never know for sure. A friend of mine told me that when she was diagnosed in October (5 years ago), she went out the next day and went overboard shopping for Christmas, not knowing how things were going to turn out. I get teary everytime I think about that story!

    Kristy-I, too, missed my May Look Good class because I was in the hospital!  I guess I'll try for the June class, but by then I guess I'll have been bald, eyebrow-less and eyelash-less for awhile.

    RanD-Welcome to the group! These boards really are turning out to be invaluable!

    Lenny, Beckie and Gracie713-Best of luck tomorrow!

    ~Sharon~

  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited May 2008

    I went to a "Look Good, Feel Better" class last week, too.  It was a lot of fun and really got me plugged into my local ACS office.  They give you a big bag of free stuff (nice stuff!) and the gal was really nice.  It's a little like a make-up class, so if you know how already, you might not need that part.  But she said something I thought was important:  DO NOT use your old make-up during chemo.  It can carry bacteria that normally might not bother you, but when wbc are down, it could be a problem.  Always use new make-up and brushes, especially the make-up you or others might touch. 

    Sharon - Glad your day was uneventful.

  • Roxi65229
    Roxi65229 Member Posts: 462
    edited May 2008

    Hi everybody,

    Just got back from the pool and the water was fine...the pool was overcrowded so no private cabana (or cabana boys) but the nurses were great. Halfway through AC, two more rounds to go. My blood work was okay, a bit low but not enough to prevent the Neulasta. Adrienne, I get my shot in the tummy and haven't experienced any pain. Not sure if this would matter or not. Overall the Dr. was pleased with my first round of treatments and SE and even said that radiation will be discussed. I just assumed I was automatically getting it with positive nodes but he said there may be some benefit....plastic surgeon is hoping I don't get it, I'm with whatever they recommend. I also aseked about adding a vitamin D supplement. I've read a ton about the benefits and he said go for it. Are you ladies taking any other supplements? Daily vitatmin?



    Christine, good point on the make-up. I'm so bad about throwing away my old stuff.



    Sharon, good news on round two. That's great. Thanks for sharing.



    Lenny, Becky and Gracie, hope the pool tomorrow is inviting and the dip goes well.



    Thanks for listening and have a great week all.



    Roxi

  • Roxi65229
    Roxi65229 Member Posts: 462
    edited May 2008

    Hi everybody,

    Just got back from the pool and the water was fine...the pool was overcrowded so no private cabana (or cabana boys) but the nurses were great. Halfway through AC, two more rounds to go. My blood work was okay, a bit low but not enough to prevent the Neulasta. Adrienne, I get my shot in the tummy and haven't experienced any pain. Not sure if this would matter or not. Overall the Dr. was pleased with my first round of treatments and SE and even said that radiation will be discussed. I just assumed I was automatically getting it with positive nodes but he said there may be some benefit....plastic surgeon is hoping I don't get it, I'm with whatever they recommend. I also aseked about adding a vitamin D supplement. I've read a ton about the benefits and he said go for it. Are you ladies taking any other supplements? Daily vitatmin?



    Christine, good point on the make-up. I'm so bad about throwing away my old stuff.



    Sharon, good news on round two. That's great. Thanks for sharing.



    Lenny, Becky and Gracie, hope the pool tomorrow is inviting and the dip goes well.



    Thanks for listening and have a great week all.



    Roxi

  • rock
    rock Member Posts: 1,486
    edited May 2008

    Roxi: So happy the water was warm!  I was told by MSKCC nutritionist & MSKCC dietitians: "No supplements at all during chemo except Calcium Citrate and Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). And maybe some fish oil pills."  They don't even want me taking a multivitamin right now because of antioxidants.

    Cris: I am throwing out my very small cosmetic collection. Right now. 

    Followup:  Now there's no way I'm gonna post and say "Well, my mom isn't that special..." of course. But! I gotta say that she is a very normal, down-to-earth person who laughs easily and often and who has a wonderful sense of the absurd. In other words, she is a lot like a lot of us.  

    Adrienne: What's a French Dip sandwich? That sounds so delicious right now. And that wonderful story reminded me that that summer was also the summer of root beer floats and sometimes! when it was soooo hot and Dad was working in the field late (I grew up on a small farm in the middle of nowhere, hours drive from the hospital where Mom was treated),  dinner was slices of tomatoes or just a big bowl of popcorn eaten on the porch with a pitcher of sun tea or lemonade.  Again, us kids thought it was a HUGE TREAT but looking back, Mom was probably too tired to cook. To this day, if you call something a "treat" or a "picnic" (or "an adventure") I will love it.

    Pardon the trip down memory lane.  Good luck to the Thursday dippers!  

  • rock
    rock Member Posts: 1,486
    edited May 2008

    Cristine:  Is it really happening? Is it true? Is Chemo #1 (finally) happening tomorrow?

    ***Major water splashing and cannonballs off the diving board!!!!****

    (I'll think of you all day.) 

  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited May 2008

    Just wanted to throw in my good thoughts for Lenny, Becky and Gracie for tomorrow - hope it goes well and I'm right behind ya!

    Follow-up on the make-up:  One of the things in my bag was the new Loreal TrueMatch makeup.  You buy a color, but it also "matches" your skin tone.  It was very light and also has an SPF of 17 which I liked.  (Geez, I sound like a commercial!)  But I did like it and will probably use it and I liked the built-in SPF. 

    Need to wind down now.  'Night, all.

    P.S. Where's Otter?

  • KristyAnn
    KristyAnn Member Posts: 793
    edited May 2008

    Good Morning,

    Rock- loved the post about your mom! I have 5 kids ranging from 7-21!

    My oldest daughter is a Kathryn (aka Katie) also!

    My turn in the pool tomorrow- Herceptin only tomorrow- so it should not interrupt my recent feeling better- hopefully I can hang onto that until next Thursday when I take my long dip in the pool (TCH day). Im thinking I need a drink with pineapple and an umbrella!

    Kristy 

  • rock
    rock Member Posts: 1,486
    edited May 2008

    I am raising my glass of V8 to the Wednesday waders and also a glass of strawberry probiotic yogurt drink to you, Kristy, who started this thread!  Cheers, Kristy!  (Keep an eye out for Cristine tomorrow, as it is her long-awaited First Day in the Pool.)

  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited May 2008

    Cristine, I'm still here.  I've just been reading more and posting less.

    I guess I was bummed about the fever I spiked on Monday night (100.6). I'd been watching my temp every day, like a good little chemo patient. On Sunday it waivered between 99.2 and 99.9. Monday evening it went above the magic threshold, and I had to call the on-duty oncologist at the hospital/cancer center where I'm being treated. She decided it was probably a sinus infection, based on my symptoms, the fact that it was day 13 in my tx cycle, and I've been getting Neulasta with each tx. So, she called in a prescription for Avelox, which I had filled at the only pharmacy open on this side of the planet (10:00 at night on Memorial Day).

    BTW, even 24-hr places like Walgreen's don't necessarily have pharmacists there all night. Turns out, we have one CVS pharmacy that does have a pharmacist on-duty (on-site) 24 hrs a day. That's good to know.

    At least I didn't have to go to the hospital! 

    I'm laying low--chugging fluids, popping an occasional Sudafed, and trying to decide if I should buy a Neti pot. (Anybody use one? It sounds gross.) I'm not even allowed to take ibuprofen while I'm on the antibiotic--apparently they interfere with each other somehow. They said only Tylenol, which might as well be a placebo.

    Sorry for the whining, but this secondary problem is wasting my good days. My next (and LAST) chemo tx is next Wednesday, June 4, and I gotta say, I can't wait to be done. My feet will thank me, my bones will thank me, my skin will thank me, and my intestinal tract will thank me.

    That's the news from Lake Wobegon...

    otter 

  • danismom
    danismom Member Posts: 25
    edited May 2008

    Hi girls,

    Had my first treatment yesterday.  I went in at 10 yesterday morning and left about 3:30 yesterday afternoon.  They had not precertified my insurance so that took an extra hour.  Wasn't as bad as I had it pictured in my mind.  Last night I had a little indigestion and my legs were aching.  I just felt worn out but it could have been nerve related.  I stayed home today because I still have a headache and just really tired.  Long day yesterday! 

    Has anyone tried Special K protein water??  My husband is throwing everything at me that has protein in it.  He got me some Ensure, Boost and the Special K.  Didn't like the Boost but the Ensure was pretty good.   Haven't tried the Special K yet.  There are so many calories in Ensure (350) that I hoped the Special K would be better or just as well to drink, only 50 in it.  Someone please let me know.

    My next treatment is June 17.  One down, three to go.

    Love to all,

    Carmen 

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