Topic: November 2009-Starting Chemo

Portergirl you stay strong, I also find myself crying more when I am alone. Mom brought me to chemo but I told her to leave she is too emotional sometimes. The nurses are really nice and there are sisters here too. Had a nice conversation with one and the time is flying by. doing ok but I am doing a different treatment A/C then Taxol then Hercepton. As the sisters before me have said its not that bad on day of almost done then hopefully get some lunch I am starving. STAY POSITIVE... we are in the fight and we are gonna win the battle.

Justmealicia how are you doin today? Please post how your s/e go after shot. Nurse here said take the aleve and claritin day of and up to 4 days after. If you need stronger she said you could take vicodin too. Hope this helps.

WE ALL CAN BE WIMPS AT TIMES BUT WE NEED TO BREAK OUT THE GLOVES AND FIGHT!!!!!!!

Hello, fellow warrior chicks!  Mind if I join in?  I actually had my first TC tx Oct 22, but it seems like my diagnosis date is about the same as everyone's, so I thought I might grab my water bottle and my fluffly blankie and settle in right here.

I was diagnosed during my normal mammo. Had a lumpectomy 9/24 with no node involvement and clear margins, so DH and I were doing the happy happy dance, thinking it would be radiation then Aromitase Inhibitors(I've had a hysterectomy,so I can do those instead of Tamoxifen). My Oncotype DX came back at 30 -- and I think it shocked even my surgeon and onc.  So now it's 4 rounds of TC on10/22, 11/12, 12/4 and yes, Christmas Eve. Merry Friggin' Ho!

My first chemo has been good, so far...better than I had feared.  I did have a headache and this wierd whooshing sound in my ears the first week or so -- did anyone else get that? Not much nausea...although I did dive in to a whole Red Velvet cupcake on Saturday and ooooohhh, paid for it in spades later. You'd think it would put me off of cupcakes, but no such luck...they still tempted me the next day. Damn little perky sweet morsels of deliciousness! Today, my scalp is aflame, so I fear that my hair is not long for this world.  Ah, well, I scored a sweet wig at the Look Good Feel Better session I went to yesterday -- Raqual Welch brand and everything!

I haven't had a chance to read through everyone's post, but I look forward to sharing this journey with you all....many hug.....

Pam

HI AND WELCOME REDHEADPam

Good to have you here with us its such a blessing to have such wonderful support a place were you can really open up and share your thoughts and fears .

Joanne

Hi all.  I'm lurking but have nothing to add yet. I see my onc on the 9th and then I guess I'll find out when I start chemo.  With my luck, it'll be the day before Thanksgiving..  :)    I'll still have to have a port put in, but don't I need a heart test or something like that? 

I just hope my onc is as generous with the meds as some of yours is.  No reason to be in pain when there is medication out there to help you sleep and feel better, is my thought.  My big worry has been thanksgiving but my wonderful stepdaughter offered to come over and cook, so I guess it'll go on even if I can't cook.  :)  (Or eat)

I'm keeping track of your tips for getting through it.  Note to self:  make brownies.  :)

I am not fretting Thanksgiving if I am not up to it... we will stay in pj's watch movies and eat frozen PIZZA.  The rest of my family I usually entertain will be on their own.  Maybe it is time for someone else to offer to cook.  I am the middle child.  Wow nails out here... Meow~~ :)

Glad to hear from you Coolbreeze. 

Things are moving along for me, having my PET scan and port put in tomorrow so I should be good to go for next week.

Thanks to those who already have one under their belt for the reports!

Hello everyone, I am so glad I found this group.  I have my first chemo treatment this Friday and am terrified about the unknown.  I have 3 kids, a 5 year old daughter and two sons, 3 year old and 6 month old.  I am so worried about how they will react to all of this, especially losing my hair.  Its so nice to be able to relate to others going through this same thing, I'm just wishing we all had something in common that wasn't cancer!!  I hope all your treatments are going smoothly, and having it started means we are that much closer to having it over!!!

Good Morning Fellow Whimps!!~~~~~

FIRST~~~~~~~MeNeverMind/Kimberly~~~~Go Girl, today is your day! All of us are routing you on for things to go smoothly and by beginning to put and end to this -C- journey

Welcome to the board, our newest Warriors RedheadPam & reglau!! 

As I keep saying, this is not a club we may never have wanted to join, BUT it sure is nice to have the sisters advice and help along the way throughout this journey we are all on together. It is sooooo helpful relating to each other and sharing each others worries, side affect and heartaches, and sometimes as hard as it is to believe, we even share a giggle or two  

Pam, You actually made me giggle when you mentioned the WHOOSH sound!! I thought it was just in my head as I have been quite loopy as of late, so I paid it no mind! BUT, Oh yeah!Got it!

mmmmm'mmmm good cupcakes. For some reason cakes and breads have been good on my tummy, just as long as I don't overdue the chocolate.

Reglau, I'm feeling your grief as you have such young children. BUT, you will be fine. SORRY, I know this can be the most aggravating thing to hear. I was sooo sick of being told I'd be fine that I got really angry, even at my DH!! And he has been supportive the entire time. YET, I yelled at him and said NO, I'M NOT FINE!!!! But, I will deal with it. Then I cried and said I was sorry, but just don't keep saying it is fine. Because damn it, it is NOT!!!! Now I am feeling more encouraged as time passes and especially now that I've had my first dose of Chemo and that sheer terror is over. Also, this site has helped me tremendously, I can find whatever information I may need, somehow,  someway! There is another sister on here for Nov. with young children as well, mommy2two, she too is a sweetheart!!  Good Luck on your journey, we are all with you!!! 

mouse, Hip-Hat-Hair!!!!  this is what I had done! I can't wait to get my piece and try on my own new hair again. So far, I've just been wearing hats and caps with no hair under of course. I shaved my head, after carefully cutting even bit of my 10" off to send off to Hip-Hat-Hair. I cut it the same day as my first chemo TX. It should arrive back in about 1 more week. I'll let you know how it is. I'm excited about being able to have MY OWN HAIR!!!Of course that means bald for a couple weeks, but oh well what we will do for our beloved hair!!! i so never wanted to give up my hair. I can't stand the feel of a wig, I tried several, so I choose this route. CAN'T WAIT!!! In fact I need to call and check to see how it's coming along today. Glad you mentioned it, things get so discombobulated in my brain lately.

I always feel like I am missing someone!!~~~~~~~If so, I truly am sorry!!! Each and every one of us deserves to be treated special for a bit. I hope each of you gets treated well everyday, somehow, someway, by your significant other people in your lives, till our battle is won!!! 

We have the holidays coming up and the usual this year won't be the usual. I'm already down a bit myself. Like some of you I see here who are always the one responsible for the Big Turkey dinners and Christmas get together, I am too. I'm the oldest of my siblings and all my children are used to MOM cooking. Even when I was young 20's & 30's I was the one who cooked the big dinners. Of course I am a good cook (hate to brag, but true) so of course I was the chosen one. I enjoyed it as well, cooking was a joy not a burden, the one thing I loved I'm just too tired to do!  So, now I don't know what to do. I'm too scared to have company cook for me, because of the fear of getting sick from someone. BUT, the Good Lord knows how I miss my kids and my grandkids. I don't know how to be close to them without getting sick.

Enough of me ranting!! A blessed day to all.

(((((HUGS))))) Brenda 

Wow, more and more are coming into November it's hard to know how many people are affected until you come to a site like this. We are all warriors (and occasional whimps). I had a whimp moment lastnight wasnt a good night for me the nauseousness just wasnt going away and nothing tasted good so took a couple of tylenol pm and tried to get some rest. All the water I drank made me get up every hour on the hour though feeling much better today.

Welcome all the newbies!!

Thoughts and prayers go out to upcoming 1st tx. Remember have some food in the belly.

Girls, I started out my day sort of BLUE and just in general depressed!!!

BUT, as the day went on, besides all the moral support I get from each one of you, I got more exciting news!!!! I got a call today from my "Hip-Hat-Hair" order that I placed last Wednesday, I had my hair cut off right before chemo. Anyways, they said it will be shipped tomorrow, so I'll have my hair back to wear under whatever hat or scarf I choose> I'm so excited. When I get my ole hair back I just know I will cry of joy!!~~~~~~

For all of us!!!!     I would have never believed it true, but I went to this per site advice of another sister. The site was  (francelux.com)  I picked out a scarf/wrap at the cost of $72.00. I sent an email to Ms Laurie, and low and behold I received a confirmation email from the Lady herself , Ms. Laurie Erickson and she said she was pleased to met me and would be sure to send the piece I had picked out. She is just super!!!!!  She requested I pass the information along to all my other sisters, so that is what I am doing. these scarfs and wraps are made of luxurious silk. Imagine how good this will feel on our heads!!!!   This is the email address below that i used to request the scarf from Ms. Erickson 

goodwishes@franceluxe.com

Also, for all of us, I had sent a request to HeavenlyHats.com and they confirmed that my order was received and I should receive it sometime very soon. They said they where behind as they had 750 orders just for this month alone. It's just unbelievable how many this -C- is affecting.

All these hats!!!! Too exciting, as I know I still have a long way to go~~~~~The few I've already purchased, I'm already tiring of them. Day in and Day out!! So Ya-Whooooo!!!!~~~~~

mommy2two,

So good to see you! although I'm sorry to hear your feeling ill. I would say for me, Day one I just feel kinda like being drunk maybe, nothing really bothered me, except food didn't taste well.  Id say that day four & five where the hardest on me as well. In general I just was exhausted, I didn't care if I did anything at ALL!!! I was a little achy (not too bad though) and then of course the headaches. I have continued to DRINK, DRINK and DRINK some more H20, I believe it really helps more than anything. I just have to be careful with the fact I like it sooooo cold. Today is a week for me post TX. I'm still bout the same, Thank the Lord.

Today, I was just down about not being able to have my children here at the holidays the way I normaly do, and all the good cooking I do for them. Yours are with you that is sweet, so I guess if I can figure out when it is safest I will just have to travel to go see them. They all live 3-4 hours away. I'm used to going there often, but since all this -C- Crap I've missed out on a bunch of time with them, I DON'T know how my DH puts up with all my emotions.I'm good one minute and crying my eyes out the next. BUT, I know we will get thru it! There girls over in October boosted me up and made me feel better, I love it, sisters everywhere!!!

YES, the hats I'm sooooo excited there. I'm getting my hair back soon on my very own hip-hat.(hip-hat-hair) and will have some nice things coming as well from heavenlyhats and from Ms. Erickson. Nice to have something to look forward too.

 doronet, I did try to insist on the Emla cream today, we will see what goes. I had to just leave a message as per ususal on my onc's RN's voicemail.

((((HUGS))))

CoolBreeze,

Was not Laurie amazing, I too felt strange requesting this item as it was SO expensive, but she made me feel very comfortable and more than welcome to ask her!! I'm so Thankful!

Yes there is a FGLB class put on by AmericanCancerSociety.  All cancer patients are welcome to go. Just goggle it for the one closet to where you live. You have to fill out a bit a paperwork, well I done mine over the phone. You can also do it over the Internet. They do teach how to do the eyebrows and all. Very nice people that put it on. Everyone whom does it are all volunteers. They are make-up artists and/or hairdressers. They donate their time for the cause, which is super!!!! You can go before or after chemo starts either way. They give you a bunch of really nice cosmetics to keep in a nice "LGFB carry bag" There are even some nice creams for the skin, etc. It was well worth going to and again so much support.

Heavenly Hats I didn't hear from until I contacted them again today. BUT, I had put my order in a month ago, so I was checking. That is when I got an email confirming the order was being shipped this Friday, and my package of hats should have been in there. I'm really looking forward. I've had NO HAIR at all since last week. Just hats. So, too I'm looking forward to my hair piece. didn't like wigs!! Tried a couple, but they made me feel itchy, itchy, itchy!!! YUK to my skin is sensitive. So, that's when I decided I needed to use my own hair, and yes thank the Lord mine does grow quick, cause 10 months ago I cut 12" and sent it to "Locks of Love" that was before I knew anything about my -C- So, I was a little worried I may not have had enough to use for mine, but I DID!! I had 10 inches. YEAH!! I was happy seeing wigs wern't going to work!

((((HUGS)))) to you Breeze and rest well

A bit tired today girls... think I over did it .  Went to lunch and walked there and back.  NOW my back is killing me.  Today is day 3 post chemo and post 1 Neulasta shot.  I feel a sore down my throat on one side.  UGH ~  Other then that I am ok.

Hugs to all my sisters.  Sorry for those that feel bad and happy for those that feel good.

xoAlicia

Thinking of you Kimmy...  I hope the rest of your infusion goes smoothly and you can get some rest tonight. 

just think 1 down !

Hugs ~