Starting Chemo May 2008

Rockthebald, I have chemo tx #4 tomorrow, but I can't do it bald-bald.  It just wouldn't be acceptable, here in the Deep South.  People here are too conventional (conservative?  stuffy?).

There was a student in one of the freshman courses I was teaching a few years ago who would show up each week with his hair a different color.  When that didn't impress anybody, he came in one day with a gold stud in his tongue, and made sure that he answered A LOT of questions that day.  Now, pink hair and a pierced tongue wouldn't attract attention along the east or west coasts of the U.S....but here along the Gulf Coast, it was a little unusual. Except, of course, to the two of us teaching the course, who had lived through the late 60's and 70's at much more liberal college campuses.

The first time I sat in the crowded waiting room at my infusion center, I was struck by the fact that only one person waiting there was bald.  Everyone had a full head of hair except for one woman who looked to be in her late 40's.  She was wearing a ball cap and big hoop earrings.  I thought she looked brave.

So, the second time I sat in the waiting room at my infusion center, I was wearing a ball cap and hoop earrings.  Then I noticed that most of the other people waiting there were wearing wigs.  They just looked like they had hair.  Once you get a close look at a wig, it's pretty easy to tell.  My perspective had changed completely.

I'm not sure what I'll wear tomorrow.  It's my last chemo tx, and rumor says the nurses have a little celebration and sing a "last chemo" song.  Maybe I'll borrow AlaskaDeb's Indian headdress.

otter 

OMG, Otter, I'd momentarily forgotten that tomorrow was your chemo graduation day.  Best of luck to you and the rest of the Wednesday group!

Kristy/Eddie/whoever else is going in on Thursday . . . see you in the islands. 

Linda

I'm in the same spot.  Day 16 for me and I keep finding unrooted hair hanging in my face.  Quite a bit came out in my brush as well and I'm trying to prepare myself for sporting a "new look" at my class tomorrow morning. I keep hoping I've shed all the tears for this particular side effect but I doubt it.  Just called the onco nurse regarding my alternating seiges with diarhea and constipation.  She advises me to give it another 24 hours and to eat "normally" which sounds OK to me but I really hate seeing my IBS going crazy when it had been under control prior to Tx1.  Sigh!  Congrats to all of you graduates.  Can't wait to see the end of this for myself but I'm not even halfway.

Otter, Congratulations. I am tearing up at the thought of this being your last chemo.  My chemo was so much easier because of you and your generous intelligence.  How many women you have reassured and educated with your posts.  I hope that you count your presence and participation on this listserv among your (no doubt considerable) list of life achievements.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

****** 

JULIE:

HAPPY 25TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!!!! (Wednesday)

Just a quick pop-in to say:

Sending good thoughts for tomorrow to Adrienne, Rock, Lee, Jean and Eddie!! 

And a very special congratulations and good wishes to our Otter!  Taa Daa!! 

congrats otter...I can;t wait until I am in your spot!

Help!  I woke up today with a sore throat.  Now, my tongue hurts, kind of like I have been sucking on hard candy all day...any thoughts?

no fever, just weird throat tongue...

RanD:  It could be (what was the word Otter used?) mucositis.  Your description fits what I've been feeling exactly (and I prefer yours to my sense of having burned my mouth on hot soup). I bumped up my Biotene rinsing and it seemed to help a lot. I also bought a little bottle of Biotene Oral Balance Dry Mouth Moisturizer which I carry around with me.

Then again, I type this with what shows every sign of being a cold! Maybe? Or not? Implications for chemo in 7.5 hours? (It's 1:30 am). 

Re: Hair. For what it's worth, I offer the following schedule of my hair loss.  I was surprised by how much it upset me. And I am hugely relieved that I now feel okay. A couple rough days, but then I am okay.  We won't always feel this weird.  I also think it was good that I made myself hang out with friends.  I could feel myself withdrawing, which only made me feel like more of a freak.  But that's just my experience. It might not be yours. I know people might be thinking "Enough with the hair, already!" but I post anyway just in case it reassures someone.  If I could sit next to you and console you, believe me, I would.

Wed: Chemo #2 (A/C)

Thurs: Hair starting to fall. Tufts come out without much effort during a "shedding phase" (my hair seems to shed a lot in the evening but at other times, not at all). I go to museum with a friend.

Friday: Much like Thursday. Increased feeling of my scalp crawling off my head. I don't want to leave the house. I blame chemo, but part ofit is just feeling like a freak. I have brunch outside with a friend. Visit other friends that evening.

Saturday***: Hair falling and coming out really rapidly. The hardest day, psychologically.  I barely leave my apartment.

Sunday: The big shave, followed by a long hike with a friend.

Monday:  I hang out with a friend all day wandering around wearing a little kerchief with an elastic on the back. I start to adapt.

Tuesday: Tons of hair sheds in the shower that night. (It looks look iron shavings; I'm very glad my hair is so short otherwise it'd be a mess. And NYC plumbing couldn't handle it.)

Wednesday: I start to feel like myself again. I start to get used to this being me.

rock:  that's it!!!  It feels like mucus in my throat..will rinse after my ice cream fix!

Okay, I decdied not to feel sorry for myself and my soreness...lol. so I went  father's day shopping.

Found online at buy.com a really nice Waterman pen for $10...dad, uncle, husband an stepson..

Then My dh has been talking about aBlackberry, our carrier wants $329 for one.  So, I called them up, told them that ATT had mae me an incredible $99 offer and could they top it.  They countered with $139 (score!!!) plus 2 months free wireless service and a flat fee of $19.95 for each month after if I wanted to use it...woo hoo...dh has no idea what a deal he's getting, plus all the kids are chipping in.....

Otter-BEST of luck today!  I hope it goes well...I know your last one wasn't all that easy, but just keep telling yourself that it's done!  We're all thinking about you as you take that last dip in the pool, and can't wait to hear from you when it's over!

Good luck to everyone else on tap today, as well.  I need to print out the list of when everybody goes.  Anyone know what page of this thread it's on??? 

Sharon

SharonF:  the list is on page 18.  It only has start dates, not nearly as organized as otter's list on the t/c thread. 

Robin

Hey Rockthebald,

I will watch your hair schedule as mine is "scheduled" to start falling the day after chemo number two . . . so Friday. Our friend, Larry, is my shaving buddy. They have a lovely standard poodle and he does such a good job that I am thinking I could look good. Okay, I know I am not prepared for this in ANY way, shape or form, but I already told him I would probably be crying and he is fine with that. Someone mentioned "best practices" for getting it all off . . . just go for the shortest look and use duct tape? Seriously, let me know your best plans...I have very, very thick hair and I am hoping that once it goes, it goes. It has been chilly here in the northwest and I am told I ought to actually plan on some caps to stay warm (New York and 85 degrees this is not). Anyway, first I have to get to chemo two and my white bloodcells need to be good and blah, blah, blah so why am I planning the hair part? Because I think this is going to be big.

Eddie - I too "had" thick hair.  It took about 7 days for it to get to the point where I thought it was now looking too thin and unhealthy and had my husband shave it off.  Mine started falling out, seriously, on day 17 after first treatment.

It has been rather cool here.  I've had to wear a hat in the house to keep my head from getting too cold.  As far as the duct tape question, I personally use a lint roller (the tape kind).  Like rock described, its like little iron shavings left on the roller.

Good luck tomorrow.

~Adrienne