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  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited July 2007
    Thanks Connie! Wow! Your AC will be all finished by the end of the month. Will you get taxol every other week?
    Hey this end of treatment celebration might work out extremely well. We can celebrate when a few of us are done in early or mid-August and then come back and celebrate when you're finished!!!!! Now why didn't I think of that before???

    Rita
  • Mich101
    Mich101 Member Posts: 489
    edited July 2007
    Rita-I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. My last taxol/herceptin should be July 24. And then I start radiation (not sure exactly when yet), then I have 40 weeks of herceptin only, so I won't be done for a while. I agree, we can go to Elgin many times!!!!

    Michele
  • smerf
    smerf Member Posts: 476
    edited July 2007
    Rita I'm thinking of you today, and hoping your tx goes well. You deserve a big celebration when this is over! I agree a beauty shop appointment is fun, and can help us feel better. Your hair is so pretty, and your smile is the greatest. Hang in there, you're so close now.

    Kater I hope you are feeling better, and able to enjoy this nice weather.

    Michele You're so right about celebrating many times. My husband wanted to celebrate after each tx, even if it was only a glass of wine to toast one less tx to go! No herceptin because of triple neg, so tx was shorter.

    Laura Did you have many cicadas in your garden? I have cicada bodies all over my yard, and still hugging the trees!

    I'm sorry you all have to go through this, but I so admire all of you on this board. It was so good to meet some of you, and your strength and determination are inspiring.

    Pat
  • zap
    zap Member Posts: 1,850
    edited July 2007
    Dear all,

    I too am thinking about you as you get through the chemo treatments. This is a dear little place to come to as we all share something we can relate to. I see a thread here and it implies moving on with our lives without cancer or something like that. If I go back to check, I'll lose this message. I am clumsy with technology. Anyway, that idea seems so far away. I just really do not get through a day without obsessing about it. Someone said that I should start listing what I am grateful for when I start thinking and fearing BC. They said that it is impossible to state what you are grateful for and feeling fear at the same time. I should give it a try next time the negative thoughts creep in.

    Anyway, Rita and all, I am with you in spirit. That chemo is going to punch the hell out of an any cancer cell that might be lingering.
    Susan

    PS: That grateful thing might work. I just tried it after I wrote my message. I said I was grateful for chemo because it does kill cancer (along with some other,more friendlier things) I actually felt less fearful of it than in the past. Kinda a respect for it, and not such a repulsion for it.
  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited July 2007
    Hi everyone. Well I made it through the fifth chemo today but it was a gut-wrenching nightmare from the time I arrived until I left. Thank goodness there is only one more.

    First of all, the lab tech who draws the blood couldn't get any blood the first time and had to stick me again. She's usually very efficient but told me that she'd had a mammo at 7:30 that morning and had overslept and was actually running when she came in the door.

    Next, I got the same nurse for chemo that Ginny had when they had to stick her lots of times to get in the IV. I knew I was in trouble as soon as she appeared....the peaches and cream nurse who needs a refresher course in IV insertion! Sure enough..3 sticks with a different excuse each time. Finally I asked her to get somebody else and see if they were any luckier and she brought back the same gal who helped out Ginny when I was with her that day and the she got it in on the first try.

    The first two drugs went in fine. Then I had to wait 40 minutes for the cytoxin. They were having trouble in the lab getting it to mix....now isn't that encouraging????? Needless to say, I was exhausted by the time I got home and slept most of the afternoon. I am a little nauseous but not too bad yet. I have, however, pulled a "Kate Trick." I did remember to take the compazine as soon as I left the chemo room. Then I got it out early this evening to take my second one and I can't remember if I actually took it or not. Isn't that the pits??? I guess I'll skip this dose and hope that I did take it. I'd sure hate to take too many of them. Hard to tell what would happen then! I think I'll put in my Christmas request early for a new or rejuvenated brain!!!!

    Thanks for all your good wishes, gals. You are super! I'm heading for the recliner for a few hours.

    Catch you all tomorrow!

    Rita
  • kater
    kater Member Posts: 447
    edited July 2007

    Rita, I really feel for you. Did they give you emend and or kytril, too? I hope so! Compazine is after i take that for 6 days, (i guess). Hoping you are happily sleeping right now....Kate

  • kater
    kater Member Posts: 447
    edited July 2007
    Chemo log: for the party planners!??
    I have two more chemos, 3 weeks apart: July 19 and August 9th.
    Then whenever they start radiation, I'm guessing I'll be done early October. ?


    VISITING COUSIN
    I have a cousin from Slovenia coming July 29-Aug. 25 which my main concern is not being sick to show him around.

    He is 25, studying to be an engineer, works besides college, at a motorcycle exhaust corporation...so any suggestions to sightseeing is appreciated!

    This last time I got sucked under almost a week later...the Tuesday after Thursday I might have a done too much, driving in the suburbs for dr. apptmt and so forth, I was down for SIX days....perhaps because after the first few days I stopped the water regimen (I am not usually a water drinker!).
    Can someone throw out the tips again, I guess i need to write them down.
    I can stand without having taste, raw veggies (and now i find out that hurts the diahrea problem)....baked potato, sour cream and cheese...pasta without sauce....

    I got some great popsicles from Sams for liquids, but last time I couldn't find them... ###
  • JanClare
    JanClare Member Posts: 267
    edited July 2007
    Hi all,

    I'm sorry I've been MIA- it's been a zoo around here between working for my husband and working for TJs!

    I'm up for an "end of treatment" party- anytime, anywhere. Its so hard to believe that I'm all done. I just want to assure you all that you will get there too!

    Have to run- I'm going to SONOMA tomorrow for a long weekend! Meeting with some friends from a Jane Austen website that I belong to. I'll be back late, late on Monday. Laura, sorry, that means no walking! Maybe on Wednesday we can get together?
  • zkacmom
    zkacmom Member Posts: 146
    edited July 2007
    Hey guys....
    I am back from vacation. It was great. Didn't want to come back to work. I went yesterday to the radiologist and got marked. What a long process. I will start radiation on July 19. I can't wait to get this over with.
    My energy level is back up and I'm afraid that I will get fatigued all over again..I still havn't decided if I'm going to take half days or not.
    Rita..I was at the cancer center around 9am til 11 am. I should have stopped to see you but I didn't see your car so, I didn't go and look for you.
    Well, ladies you all have a great day...

    Ginny
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Member Posts: 4,011
    edited July 2007
    Hi Girls -

    Pat -
    No Cicadas here...I don't think they headed up north! Good luck with the clean up!

    Jan Clare -
    Let's walk soon...have a great time in Sonoma!

    Rita -
    How are you feeling? Hope you're doing okay.

    Ginny -
    Best wishes to you as you start rads...you are almost done! Hang in there.

    kater -
    Hang in there...

    Michelle -
    July 24th is right around the corner...hang in there...
    ---------------------------

    Hope you all have a great weekend!
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Member Posts: 2,728
    edited July 2007
    image

    Wow! I have really been MIA!. Work has kept me pretty busy. Just wanted to stop by and say hello to everyone.

    Rita: Oh that does sound like a nightmare. But now you only have one more right? Beauty Shops and retail therapy - a must!

    Kater: One of my favorite places is Gillison Park in Wilmette. And its right across the street from the Bahia Temple. You enjoy a very nice day at a great beach along the shores of Lake Michigan and walk through the gardens at the Bahai Temple. Gotta keep things relaxing while your still going through treatment.

    LauraGTO: Im just waving hello to you.

    Hope everyone has a great week-end. Im just loving this weather. Cicadas are gone in Deerfield also.

    Nicki
  • fitzpatti
    fitzpatti Member Posts: 31
    edited July 2007
    Hello everyone...
    I finished 17 of 33 rads this week. I worked extra shifts and quite a few days in a row....so Friday I was just too tired to make the drive to Joliet. I hate to skip treatments...I want to get this whole thing over with. Rita....I really hope that you are ok. I cannot imagine going back to chemo. I hope I never have to. My skin is holding up ok so far. It just makes the week feel a little longer going to rads everyday. I look forward to the end of this and a real vacation later this year.
    Best wishes........Pat
  • kater
    kater Member Posts: 447
    edited July 2007

    Pat--CONGRATS on being over half done. The surgeon told me to lotion the area 3 months ago. Now i'm over half done with chemo and he said it again. Why is that...does it make it better for radiation to come? I am trying harder now, I was never a lotion person, I had oily skin so never felt the need.

  • fitzpatti
    fitzpatti Member Posts: 31
    edited July 2007
    Kater,
    I was not told about lotion before rads. I use an oil that contains vitamin E and aloe. I think the rads oncs are different in what they suggest. My onc says no lotions. You will have to let me know what your rad onc says when the time comes. I have a silly question to throw out there. Since chemo my hot flashes have kicked into hyperdrive. Sometimes I have sweat pouring down my mostly hairless head. My temp and BP are ok. Anybody else have this problem and what do you suggest....other than sticking my head in the freezer!
    Best wishes.....Pat
  • kater
    kater Member Posts: 447
    edited July 2007
    I will tell you a story to make you feel like this is health "oozing" out of you....I have the same thing...lots of hot and then cold stuff..a friend told me about a doctor she knows that offers a room of _infared_ saunas (like they use for baby incubators to keep organs warm). One patient came weekly I think it was, and he was a painter, and the paint started coming off the walls because of the toxins he sweat out probably from his paint thinner or washing paint brushes...so my theory is that all these hot flashes is flushing toxins out of our bodies and we should try to withstand them because perhaps it is good, as well as hard sweaty work outside, ie yardwork, farm work, etc, (picking up stones, just had to add that, girls!) smile.
    The same girl that told me this reads health books one after the other and she recommends Evamor water which has no acidity and also has electolytes, I did not find it at every Dominick's store, but I found it at the healthy food area at Algonquin Dominick's lately...cancer is associated with high acidity. I don't know the whole story but I got test papers and sure enough, mine is bad.
    Wendy will be able to comment on Biofene I think it is, I heard you should use lotion for sure on skin during radiation. I was wondering why it helps PRE-radiation, although I can imagine my face is dryer than I have ever in my life felt it, I suppose my whole body is dry due to chemo.
  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited July 2007
    Hello everyone! Gosh it's good to be back here. I have finished #5 and survived...as we knew I would! :-) Had some yucky days. At first I tried to keep going and then just gave in and let them pass. Today is #5 and I woke up feeling much better.

    Kate...I found that anything lemony helped me throug the chemo nausea. Lemonade because I couldn't drink plain water, lemon drops, etc. If you haven't tried that, you might do so. I also found that I could tolerate maid-rites. (crumbly hamburger with the grease drained off...on a bun with a thin slice of cheese.) Other than that, everything even smelled bad this time.

    As for the creams during and before rads...My onc gave me biafine and told me to begin using it on my breast tissue a few weeks before the radiation begins. It helps to condition the skin so it doesn't burn as readily. I continued to use it everyday during radiation and for two weeks following radiation. Now he told me to get another cream, which I haven't yet picked up (Cetaphyll or Cephaphyl..I have it written down but the paper is downstairs and I'm too lazy to walk down right now) and to use it everyday. It is supposed to keep it from getting leathery.

    Well, I hope everyone is doing well. The sun is peeking through the trees and I'm in hopes that I feel like doing laundry and a little yard work today.

    Catch you later.

    Rita
  • zkacmom
    zkacmom Member Posts: 146
    edited July 2007
    Hey Rita....
    did you know that they are getting a Maid-Rite here in town? But you can't wait!!!!
    glad to hear you are doing good. I will be starting rads
    this week. I still havn't gotten any lotion from the radiologist office. I'll get some on the day of rads.
    we will have to get together sometime this week....
    Ginny
  • conniehar
    conniehar Member Posts: 585
    edited July 2007
    Hi girls -

    Just checking in. Had my #13 of AC today - 2 more to go!! I also got my dates sorted out today. I will have my last AC on July 30th. I will then start Taxol on August 16. That means my last chemo will be Oct 26th - man that sounds so far away!! I just can't wait until this AC is done.

    Rita - that is funny that you mentioned lemon. That has become my new favorite flavor! It's the only thing that tastes good. I used to be a Coke drinker (usually had one a day), but it tastes so bad that I have switched to lemonade as water tastes bad too.

    Hope everyone else is doing OK!!
  • ritajean
    ritajean Member Posts: 4,042
    edited July 2007
    All right Connie! You're counting them down. By the end of the week I should feel perky enough to make us a chemo chart where we have everyone's info together for reference. Like I said, we are going to celebrate over....and over.....and over.........

    I used to be a Coke gal, too. I can't stand that taste right now. I've never been really crazy about lemon flavors but lemonade was suggested to me by a friend who went through this a few years ago and it seems to hit the spot for me. I'm so glad I found SOMETHING that tastes good and lets me get liquids.

    Michele.....where are you and how are you doing?

    Hope everyone else is doing good. I'm so much better today than yesterday. Isn't it amazing how one day can make such a difference???

    I'll catch you all tomorrow!

    Rita
  • Mich101
    Mich101 Member Posts: 489
    edited July 2007
    I'm here! Had #11 of 12 taxol/herceptin today- one more to go! Thank goodness because I had some teary eyed days last week-just look at me wrong and my eyes would tear up. Then the next day, it went away - it's the weirdest thing.My leg muscles are very sore, and my fingertips/nails too.

    I will start my hercptin only on Aug 13-I decided to go every 3 weeks, rather than weekly. It was an option, and why go every week if I don't need to. The doctor was not aware of one being better than the other (weekly vs every 3 weeks). Anyone hear anything different?

    I also made an appt with the radiation oncologist to discuss upcoming radiation which should begin in August.

    Kate/Pat-I too get frequent hot flashes-very annoying but what Kate said is interesting.

    Connie-Hang in there-you'll be done with AC before you know it!

    Rita-You're an inspiration-always so upbeat
    (PS never heard of Maid-RIte)

    Michele
  • zap
    zap Member Posts: 1,850
    edited July 2007
    Oh yes, coke! I had a diet coke addiction of sorts and drank a diet coke every lunch for heaven knows how many years. During chemo it tasted like some sort of awful sherry. I watered it down and used a straw to bypass the mouth sores. One of the teachers in the faculty lunchroom suggested I just give it up....and I did. That addiction is over
    The biofene did not work for me, which is not to suggest it will not work for you. No one told me to lather up before treatments and Iwonder if that is why I had trouble. I did have these GLORIOUS gel pads you place in the refrig. I did get burns and the doctor gave me these gel pads that you can cut to shape and then tape. I would tape it to my undersarm abd my discomfort was gone! They wedre good for hot flashes too! Then again, sticking your head in the fridge works too. I know...desperate If it gets hard, please ask for these gel pads (they are expensive so you need to ask). It is upsetting when you get something that really works after you have shed tears because it all seems to be going south.

    Rita, you have such moxie! You just seem to bounce back with attitude. That is so helpful.
    Susan
    (I never heard of Maid-Rite either).
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Member Posts: 4,011
    edited July 2007
    Hi Girls!

    Lots of posts here...wanted to update you on the status of "Team: No Surrender" for the 1 or 3 mile walk on September 29th...
    Komen was supposed to begin team registration on July 1st, but their web person is slacking off and registration won't be available until the end of the month. So, as soon as they get their act together, I will register my team and I'll let you all know the groovy details!

    -----------------------

    Nicki -
    Wave...back at ya! Don't forget, if you're ever in this area during lunch hours, let me know...

    Pat -
    Hang in there!

    Kater -
    I am miserable with the head sweats, night/day/morning sweats. As far as I know...there's not a lot that can be done about it, although some of the girls here online have been prescribed Gabapentin. You may want to go to the hormone therapy forum - there's lots of discussions about this NASTY SIDE EFFECT!

    Rita -
    Keep on truckin'! LOL You only have one more.

    Michelle -
    Awww...been there...know all too well the emotional roller coaster. Keep your seat belt fastened, but it'll all be over soon. Hang in there.

    -----------------------------

    THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION:

    What is Maid-Rite?

    Hope you're all managing to smile and have some fun and make the most of each day.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Member Posts: 4,011
    edited July 2007
    One more thing...

    For those of you that will joining my team and live very far from Grant Park, you may want to consider checking out the train schedules.

    For those of you that live up north by me, you can come to my house and drive down there with me and my dh - my Explorer holds 7 people.

    Just FYI!
  • zap
    zap Member Posts: 1,850
    edited July 2007
    Laura:

    My daughter, husband I would like to join your team. Tell us what to do. We have done the Y-Me for two years. I live in Northbrook and can get downtown just fine. Keep me informed and let me know where to sign up.
    Susan
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Member Posts: 4,011
    edited July 2007
    Susan -
    As soon as registration is available, I'll post the info here. Glad you'll be joining us!
  • zap
    zap Member Posts: 1,850
    edited July 2007
    To Laura and others interested:

    I am putting the race/walk on my calendar. If you need a place for a high protein breakfast or a "cooling down late brunch after, my family would love to host it. I would love to meet you. I live in Northbrook,Illinois about 20-30 minutes to Grant Park via the Edens. So, thanks Laura. I will watch your posts and sign up for your team.
    I hope all are feeling well.
    Susan
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Member Posts: 4,011
    edited July 2007
    Susan -
    Your place is on the way home for us...count me and dh in!
    Nice of you to offer!
    -------------

    NO RITA TODAY?!?!
    A day without Rita is like a day without sunshine! Hope you're just busy as a bee and feeling okay!

    --------------------------

    Hope you're all having a nice evening...bathtime for me. Sweet dreams one and all!
  • whoopsiedoodles
    whoopsiedoodles Member Posts: 224
    edited July 2007
    Hi sisters! I am no longer a member of the Illinois club, but the Peoria Journal Star paper did an article on me before we moved....check it out!

    My oncologist called the newspaper after the NY Times chemobrain article came out and said, "Interview her!"

    Some of the pictures are less than flattering.....oh well!
    Love and prayers, Deb

    http://pjstar.com/stories/071807/HEA_BDO5ODBC.027.php

    --------------------
    I am too blessed to be stressed!
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Member Posts: 4,011
    edited July 2007
    Deb -
    Once an Illinois girl...always an Illinois girl! As I posted to you in another thread...you look great...your little one is adorable...and the article is great because it raises awareness of a very serious se of chemo! NO WE'RE NOT ALL LOSING OUR MINDS...WE HAVE CHEMO BRAIN! LOL Thanks for sharing your fame!
  • nanc512
    nanc512 Member Posts: 38
    edited July 2007
    I am just starting the journey and live in Quincy. I had my lumpectomy and SNB two weeks ago. Next week, I get a re-excision, port put in and lymph removal.

    I will have chemo starting in August and then rads after that.

    Nancy

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