CMF Question
Comments
-
Shari ... So glad your doing so great. Other than regulating my "BM"s I pretty much was I cruise control myself.
Mandy, your next, remember this is very doable and if you do have any issues, try to confront them immediately. We're here to help in any way possible.
Sitting at the airport returning to Seattle then home. I'll be back tomorrow, sending my positive mojo to ya Mandy !!!
Carol0 -
Shari ... So glad your doing so great. Other than regulating my "BM"s I pretty much was I cruise control myself.
Mandy, your next, remember this is very doable and if you do have any issues, try to confront them immediately. We're here to help in any way possible.
Sitting at the airport returning to Seattle then home. I'll be back tomorrow, sending my positive mojo to ya Mandy !!!
Carol0 -
Just got home from my first treatment. So far, so good.
Thanks to all for your support.
Mandy
0 -
Mandy, your off and running ... one down. We'll be cheering you along right up to the finish line !!! Remember... force those fluids !!!
Carol
0 -
Annie, you should be "reinflating" by now ... I sending all my positive vibes I can for a clean looking mamo. Your blazing the way for us gal, I'll be due for my squish-a-roo here soon, the port is history on Friday, so an appt will be in the works.
Your in my thoughts, Carol
0 -
Hi ladies, I think it was OK....they came in and said we might need more pictures and my heart sunk.........then they came back and said it all looks good and I could go. Now does this mean they won't call back and say more photos, etc. or MRI needed etc., don't know. It seems to change yearly. I'lm going with it's OK and unless I hear different, that's what I'm banking on. Still need the MRI as well as the mammo missed it last year and the MRI caught it, so my onc likes both. My insurance does not like both, so will prob. get MRI in the new year. But thinking rationally one would assume if I just finished chemo in July that this girl would be clear. Not that I am doing any rational thinking lately.
Carol, thank you so much for the positive vibes. I am SO GLAD you can get that port out on Friday, you will feel so much better after that. I am praying hard that yours is AOK too when you get it.
Remember ladies.............this is a lucky thread. Thanks to each and every one of you for sending good vibes for me. I love how we all support each other, I know it means the world to me.
Mandy, good for you!!! The countdown begins! You'll do just fine, we'll all be here to cheer you on and you'll be good and done in no time.
Shari, just because you aren't having any effects yet, (or ever) doesn't mean it's not working. From how Carol did (and she was extremely active) what you are doing (looooong miles) also, I'd say that one of the ingredients for success for me was exercise. I got thru mine relatively easily except for the day after when I did need a nap. I never had nausea, never was particularly tired, the worst I had was awful heartburn but some prilosec took care of that perfectly. I losts tons of hair on the floor, but oddly, did not look much different on the head. I took a family vacation and went to a wedding in the middle of it, in fact it was towards the end. If I felt funky or tired, a brief ride on the exercise bike really helped me. That and as everyone is telling you, drink, drink, drink, water to get those yukky chemicals flushed thru you ASAP. You hang tough, you can do this!
Love to each and every one of my beautiful warrior goddesses.
hoping for great results on the mammo..............will post when I get them to encourage any of you! rita I know yours in coming up, and will be rooting for you then. Please post when it is so I can send some prayers your way.
annie
0 -
Thanks Annie and Carol.
Annie:Sending positive thoughts to you for your mammo.
Carol: hope your port removal is really smooth.
Mandy
0 -
I haven't been on cuz we were in Disney for a week. I, too made it thru my 1st treatment on 10/28 with little in the side effect dept. A little dizzy, a little nausea and a little tired the day after. The nurse thought it would be 2 days after. Had on and on headaches for about a week. Made it thru Disney w/o incident. Finally told the kids 3 days before disney so I was really hoping I'd be myself down there so they would be assured I was ok.
The worst part of the treatment was having to use the bathroom w/the pole. I felt the IV tugging.
Thanks for all the advise it certainly helped. I was curios about the cumulative thing too. I'm hoping it doesn't get much worse.
0 -
Good afternoon ladies!
Annie...YEA! I'm celebrating early with you. I think that if they would have spotted something you would have known immediately. Whew! Take a big sigh of relief and another one when you get the official word that all is O.K.
Good vibes coming your way for an easy port removal on Friday, Carol!
Mandy and Scarp...you've got the first one over!
As for the cumulative question, yes, the chemo is cumulative. In most cases, you get your next dosage before all the chemicals are completely out of your system. As to how that affects your side effects, it really depends on the individual. Some have absolutely no trouble. Others seem to have a lot more fatigue as the treatments progress. I must admit that none of my treatments were exactly the same.....nor were the side effects, but they were always manageable. The lack of side effects has nothing to do with how effective the treatment has been. More often it is a result of the white blood count, the amount of protein you've eaten before the treatment, your stress level, and the over-all ability of your body to fight off the toxins. Moderate exercise and a positive attitude also play a role in your ability to fight off the toxins with few side effects.
To you gals just getting started...........you can do it! Take the treatments one at a time and don't worry about what's going to happen the next time. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
Keep in touch!
Rita
0 -
Hi all.
Last night was a little difficult with heartburn, nausea, and general malaise. But this morning I woke up feeling so good it is hard to know I had the chemo. I do feel dry....not only in the mouth but a kind of dry eye so I figure I'll get some kind of OTC eye lubricant like "refresh". Did anyone experience dry eye?
Thanks to eating a bowl of stewed prunes for dessert last night, all systems are go. But thanks to all who warned me or I'd never have eated the prunes.
Again, thanks for the advice.
Mandy
0 -
Hi Shari,
Glad your first treatment went well and you are feeling good
!There is definitely a cumulative effect, but that is usually fatigue. It does take the chemo several treatments to rev up---don't worry it will do its job to kill cells! (You will start to "shed" your hair in the shower---cells being killed evidence---don't worry you won't lose all your hair even though it looks like a huge mound of hair).This is why it is so important to finish your chemo to the end. Each treatment can be a bit different, although it is a good sign that your first treatment went so well.
((hugs))to Mandy, hope you are doing well after your first treatment.
Ginny
0 -
o.k. weird--I missed a whole page of posts(that is why my last one sounds out of date---I was actually responding to the page prior to this one---HUMPH???)The site updated the posts when I submitted mine (frustrating--this has happened before too)
----time to catch up.....
Annie, I have had them come back and take more pics too. Sometime the positioning was not quite right....each time this has happended, everything was "clear"----so I am hoping and praying that this will be what you will hear---soon
Hi Carol, I had a port too. The port removal is a lot less complicated than the insertion. Advice I wish I had heard-----ask them to cut out the old stich line and give you a fresh one to stich (that way you get a nice clean scar----mine unfortunately is quite ugly
(they restiched on top of the original stiching for insertion of port-----this scar bugs me a lot more than even my mastectomy scar!) Other than that, it is a lot easier and should be quicker. All the best!Hi Mandy, (as you can see, I didn't get your last post until after I posted my last comment) Anyway, I am glad you are feeling ok. the next day Keep taking your anti-nausea meds, stool softners, tums.... I did get "dry eyes" (actually still have them--this time from menopause) "Refresh" is good to use and will give you nice relief.
Socal Lisa, I loved your photos too. You are very gifted. St. Theresa of Avila---what a special treat---thank you!
How is the job finding process coming Harley?
Hi Rita, still waiting to hear about my job (almost 2 weeks) Apparently HR is tied up with Teacher negotiations, so it conflicted with them getting the job I interviewedfor completed
Love you all---have to run out the door (lost track of time).
0 -
Ginny,
I feel like giving up on the whole job search. I finally got through to most of the people who make these decisions at some of the places where I applied, but they have already hired someone else. WHY I wonder, did they not even call me to come in for an interview? I am so disgusted with the whole thing! I guess since I haven't worked for two years, no one will hire me. I really want to do clerical work, as that is what I used to do. But, I guess that is just not going to happen. I used to send out THREE resumes, and I'd get called for THREE interviews, and I would get THREE job offers! I guess those days are gone!
I'm glad that you are still in the interview process... at least ONE of us can get an interview! Please let me know what is the secret? Please let me know when you hear something. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!
Thanks for asking. I'm so depressed, I could eat a whole bag of candy bars!!
Harley
0 -
Oh Harley don't give up hope. Some of it is just the lousy economy and has nothing to do with you. I never got a job on fewer than 10 resumes; when I finished school, as an honors student, it took about 60. I am always telling my kids to just send out another 10 resumes and something may turn up.
So sorry about your job difficulties. I'll send you positive vibes and hope that something comes your way.
Mandy
0 -
Mandy,
Oh, you are so nice!
I just typed a long post, and POOF! it's gone! I HATE when that happens!Anyway, I was saying that I moved from Maryland to North Carolina in Oct. 2006, and in March 2007, I was dx'd with bc. So since I haven't worked for two years, except for a p/t job at an expensive dress shoppe this past summer. This area, near Myrtle Beach, is a gof & beach resort area, and there are only retail... type jobs available. I used to do clerical work, mainly receptionist or administrative assistant work. There just aren't any jobs like that, except dr. offices, and since I don't have experience with medical/insurance, they won't hire me either. I am running out of ideas.
Thanks
Harley
0 -
H gals, just popping in with some good news!
NEGATIVE MAMMO on remaining girl! Waaaaaaaaahoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Thank you to St. Jude, St. Theresa and everyone who sent great vibes and prayer to me. I appreciate it so much.
Harley and Ginny: I hear you on the job front.....as of now, with the recon I'm not even hireable....how do you tell people you are looking then ask for "a week or two in a month and then the next month to finish up the recon on my breast?" I think the best I'll be able to find is something retail ey part timish etc. I've been out of work for a bit, so don't even have refs, just personal ones, altho I know friends will give me one.
Ginny for some reason, I have good vibes on your job stuff....I hope it comes true for you.
Harley, I wrote a book. I am shopping it around and hope to get it published. You are so personable and friendly and so nice, what about a job in a hotel at the front desk or a golf resort? You'd make a lovely concierge type of person. I used to do administrative stuff too, was an executive asst at the VP level and if I had to do that again I think I'd shoot myself. (jk, if I found a job that'd take me, I'd take it) . I am also an artist (maybe that explains the bizarreo sense of humor, chalk it up to artistic temperament, heh heh) and have done alot of murals, etc., but that kind of work is all dried up. Too many folks cutting back. Hmmm....what do you like to do?
I see alot of ads for seasonal work, or decorating stuff....are you good with decorating or personal touches in your home? Could be a thought............
You hang in there, something will be along. For all of us. I'm hoping in the new year for me.
Hi Rita, Carol, everyone else out there, Mandy and Sharrie, SoCal Lisa (thank you for the prayers) Jill, I hope all are well.
This is indeed, one lucky thread. Lucky me, to have found such wonderful buddies!
xoxoxo
annie
0 -
Annie,
I am just thrilled to hear your good news!!! It brough tears to my eyes because I can imagine how stressful it must have been. Here's to many more good mammos!!!
I am doing very well after Treatment 1....a little nausea and a little heartburn seem to be the main problems but nothing else. I am working hard to stay hydrated and to keep eating good things....plus my nightly prunes
.Thanks to all for your support. I sure makes the journey less lonely and more doable.
Mandy
.
0 -
Hi Mandy, thank you so very much for your sweet words....and I am sure glad that you found us, we are delighted to welcome you (well, except for the fact that it's the club no one wants to join)
As these great ladies have told you, I found the first treatment kind of mirrored the rest of them. Oh, there are a few bumps and surprises along the way (vis a vis constipation, diarrhea, hair thinning (you wont go bald, don't worry) etc. but nothing we can't get you thru.
I'm very glad you are managing good things to eat, it's better of course to do that. It will help you heal and get thru this in good shape.
The heartburn was my biggest thing....I found prilosec to be a wonder worker. I only took it the week before and the week after (it's fine to do it that way) and it was perfect. Never did have nausea, just the once veeeery slightly, and after I had half a zofran ready and waiting, it went away
. All by itself and never came back. I found if I ate a lite yoghurt in the car on the way to chemo it worked like a perfect charm. I nibbled on pretzels during chemo as well and apples.I hear you on that IV pole....I have a bladder the size of a pea (no pun intended) and was undergoing a reconstruct at the same time, so I invested in gigantic pull on pants from land's end. Between the clown pants and dragging that thing to the john every hour or so, well, let's say I must have looked pretty funny. I used to go after my husband after chemo, bandages from the recon, hair in a pony tail, giant sweat pants, sans makeup, saying "come on baby, you know you want some of this!" Made us laugh, it helped alot.
We're all here, we chat every day anyway as now we are all like war buddies, so glad you are here, you'll find great friends, wonderful advice, terrific support and lots of help.
There are angels on this thread...........^o^.............I know it firsthand, they got me thru and they will you too!
Hang in there, you're doing great!
xoxoxo
annie
0 -
Annie,
WHOO HOO!! Congrats on the wonderful news on the MAMMO!! I don't know if I want to work in an office anymore, but I really did not like working in that dress shoppe, so I am not interested in retail AT ALL. Although, like you, if I am offered something, I'll probably take it. At least in the interim, I will be earning some extra money, while I'm looking for the 'dream job'. Unfortunately, I just don't have the energy I used to have, and not sure I'll ever really be hireable.
Mandy
So glad to hear that you are still doing good after TX #1!! Yeah!!
Hang in there!
HugsHarley
0 -
Oh yikes, and I can't even use the chemo brain excuse now.....it's Scarp, not Mandy with the IV pole dragging. I apologize. Good story tho, eh?
love you all
a
0 -
Hi gals!
WONDERFUL NEWS, ANNIE! You did it! Everything is looking good.......so find those Arimidex you've hidden and given them a try! :-) I am SO very happy for you!
Hope you gals going through the chemo are doing well after your first treatment. Be kind to yourself, gals. You body has been attacked with a major WHAMMY!
Carol, I will be thinking about you tomorrow as you go to have the port removed. Hugs, good vibes and thoughts across the miles!!!!
Harley, I haven't forgotten you. I have worked frantically all week on my book because I want to have it done before my kids arrive for Thanksgiving. I don't want it hanging over my head while they are here. I am making progress and my neighbor is helping proof it. She's got the first three section right now!
It's hard to believe, but Nov. 21...a week from Friday...is my 2 year anniversary date from diagnosis. My mammo and trip to the surgeon are scheduled on December 5th. It's really funny how our brains work after cancer treatments. I'd really like to have some of my good friends in on that Friday night to celebrate, but I'm superstitious enough that I don't want to celebrate until after my appointment on the 5th. Does this make sense to anybody else or am I just plain "losing it"?
And Annie....yes you can still use the chemo brain excuse now. It lasts for quite some time after chemo. I still have trouble remembering things and multitasking, so your chemo brain excuse is still valid....and unfortunately still a factor in this journey.
Jill, if you're lurking out there, please pop on and let us know how things are going for you. I miss you!
Well, I still have some things to do around here before I call it a day so I'd better get away from this computer.
Talk to you tomorrow!
Rita
0 -
Rita,
It makes perfect sense to me that you don't want to celebrate your 2 year anniversary until you get your mammo and your surgeon appts. over with, and then you can really celebrate! Lurking in the back of my mind is always the worry about upcoming tests.
I look forward to hearing from you soon! Take care.
Harley
0 -
Hi ladies,
Well things are well. I need lots of support right now. I discovered a small lump on my mast. scar and am scared sh**tless!! i'm scheduled for an ultrasound tomorrow moring and will see my surgeon on Monday. I just have that gut feeling that the BEAST is back!!! I'm trying really had to stay positive but am really scared. Please send all your good vibes my way as I feel Im doomed!! What nexted? It's been a very long 3 year battle and I was going along just fine and now this!
Annie- I'm so glad your mammo came back clean- What a great relief!!
Rita, Harley, Carol and everyone else. Thanks for all your support in advance.
Jill
0 -
Jill, please know that Kent and I are sending all the positive vibes we can your way. Ironically, we we're just talking about you and Craig this evening as we are heading to Mesa on the 20th.
I can only hope that you are given some promising news in the morning, and that your "gut" feeling will be proven wrong. I'm hoping you will be able to share some good news with us after your appt. I'll be anxiously awaiting to here and back on-line in the afternoon (after my port removal in the AM).
Carol
0 -
Annie - Great news on the mammo! Not looking forward to the feeling before going. My bladder is also the size of a pea. I could have stayed in the bathroom during the whole treatment.
What can you do for chemo brain. I do feel myself having a thougth and forgetting it. Its kinda embarassing.
0 -
Oh Jill! I, too am hoping that your gut feeling is wrong! I am sending good vibes and prayers your way and will also be awaiting news from you. Hugs, honey! We all understand your dread and fear right now and we're hoping beyond hope that you'll get some answers quickly and will be taking a big sigh of relief. We always are so quick to think the worst. The mental anguish that accompanies bc is just horrible! We are here for you and hopefully we'll all be celebrating within a few days.
Rita
0 -
Jill
I just want to say you are in my prayers and I am sending positive thoughts to you as fast as I can. I had a mast 23 years ago (on the other side) and I once had a bump like yours....it turned out to be a suture cyst or something like that....my surgeon just took it out in his office and it was nothing .I hope you are as lucky as I was.
In the meantime, I will keep pushing good healing vibes to you.
Mandy
0 -
Thank you everyone for the congrats.....big big relief there, and Rita I'll be rooting for you on Dec. 5th (my sisters' bd, so double luck to you) and congrats on the two year mark. I hope you really celebrate that one. I'm with you on the waiting to celebrate, I am the same way.
Carol my best wishes for an easy smooth port removal and feeling so great to get that out.
Jill, I had the same thing from my lumpectomy, I freaked out and ran back to the surgeon who thought it was scar tissue and got myself an US....scar tissue is exactly what it was. I was told it changes and moves over time. If it is right around the scar that is where I had it also.
It felt like a bumpy pea and i too thought the same way. I think the knee jerk reaction is totally warranted after what you've been thru. I am praying immediately to my little St. Theresa for you and I will be waiting to hear anxiously with Carol and hoping for good news for you and swift relief.
You hang in there, hugs, prayers and great vibes headed your way. We are all here for you.
I'll haunt these boards til we hear from you.
love to all
annie
0 -
Jill,
It was just scar tissue, and I'm hoping for b-9 results for you, too! I had a bilateral mast in May 2007, and when I felt that lump on the same side as the bc, I thought OH, SH*T!! Here I go again! But, after my surgeon ordered an u/s, I found out it was only scar tissue!
Sending Big HUGS your way!!
Harley0 -
Jill...still thinking about you and praying that all is well! I will be thinking about you tomorrow, too as you visit the surgeon. Please let us know as soon as possible.
Hugs, prayers, and good vibes coming westward to you........
Rita
0
