Topic: Happy Anniversary...or not?

Yeah, it was fast, but I was glad I didn't need to wait any longer. I had enough time to cook a few things for the freezer, so nobody starved! My hair took two weeks to start falling out, and didn't get too bad until after treatment #2, so you aren't in too much of a rush.The Cancer Society also gives out free wigs and headcovers - people make hats and donate them, which is lovely. You will probably find Volunteers at the Cancer Centre. The wigs I saw were all short curly ones, but I did get some scarves and hats from them.

The whole schedule of Chemo differs from person to person and also country to country. In Canada they use FEC-T more, in the US most people seem to be doing some version of ACT. I am doing 6 cycles in total, 3 of FEC then switch drugs and do 3 T.  I go in every 3 weeks. I have found the first week to be the hardest, the last two weeks after treatment I have felt relatively normal.

It usually takes the whole morning - you need to get your blood checked first, to make sure your white blood count is OK. That takes about an hour. My husband and I normally go and get breakfast then, just so we are not sitting around in the waiting area more than we have to! Once you go into the Chemo Clinic they give you an IV, they usually start me off with saline for a while while they get the drugs ready. Then the drugs take about an hour, then they finish me off with more saline. They can also give you anti nausea drugs through the IV. So it is really just a lot of sitting around. We take movies and a laptop - I can't concentrate on reading really, but people do.

Anyhow, it isn't really all that bad, I feel sorry for myself on occasion, and I  hate that we are losing a year out of our lives. But I do know that this is my best shot at stopping it coming back, and we are really lucky we have these drugs available for us. There is no choice but to go through it!

ok.....I've been thinking about this since yesterday..lol

What diff does a persons stage make?

And Herceptin, as we know is NOT a chemo it's like a maintenance drug like others have stated. I mean * heck* then whats Tamoxifen or an AI? To me that is maintenance too. So then we should ALL start really counting from the day that we finish up with our Tamox ect.....

I fyou see woman who have metastized, and their "timelines" from diagnosis to mets.....most , NOT ALL, have recurred within 2 years from their date of diagnosis. that is just something that I am starting to see. I personally have many dates....but really, I started to kill this "beast" with chemo Sep 17 2007, and had my surgery March 27 2007. That day in March it was out...gone...history...see ya.

I like Lillie and all her advise she gives to woman but I think she honestly for herself and BOTH of her diagnosis of BC has probably started her "clock" from the day of diagnosis....despite her stage.... * sigh* LOL!

There ya go......lol