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Anyone starting Chemo in Feb?
Comments
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Please, could some one explain to me how to add images to posts. I try but I can't get the image to appear.
I wanted to send everyone a large bunch of daffodils as today is Daffodil Day when they collect for cancer research.
Alyson0 -
Hi Alyson -
You need to open a free account somwhere where they do hosting. You upload your picture there first, then copy some simple code provided by the website and paste it here. Go to www.photobucket.com and check it out. If you have any questions, or get stuck, let me know; I'll be happy to help.
Carynn0 -
Alyson, also go back to page 73 for Marsha's explanations about photobucket... it helped me... good luck... I love daffodils and want to see your pictures...
CatherineH0 -
I don't have much time to post. I just wanted you all to know that I have been thinking of you. I have been offline for several days. We have friends in Iowa that are in the same business that we are and we have been very busy with that. So...if my secret pal gets an ear of corn...you will know it is from me!
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Hi all... My sister arrives from Paris tomorrow night and I will be entirely devoted to her well being and cultural enlightment She just turned 56 and it is her first US experience... I intend to spoil her rotten.
My secret pal will hear from me a little later, then, do not despair, please... I'll make it up...
Got a call from onc office: all the blood work done on the 29th came back extremely normal (markers, electrolytes, counts, liver, kidneys...) which I am happy to report...
Got the heart US today (I understood nothing changed)... talk about a medical week for both of us... no news about DH MRI yet...
At the first opportunity I'll come read about you all, for now: wishing you a good, painfree, upbeat Labor Day
Hugs all around,
CatherineH0 -
Good morning all!
I realized that my secret pal will probably know who I am, as I screwed up on using the e-card programs! Oh well, better luck with secrecy next time!
I've now survived two weeks sort-of back at work. It's funny -- folks can walk right by me and not recognize me. Once I get a decent picture of me with my new 'do, I'll try to post side-by-side pictures of the old and new me - LOL!
I can't remember who warned about losing eyebrows and eyelashes again. Has this happened to anyone else? So far, so good with mine, but I suspect I will have a mass fallout as well. Also, how long till they grow back again? I don't know why this is bothering me more than it did when they fell out first. Perhaps it is because I'm desperately trying to feel like I'm back to normal, even though I know that things will never be the same again.
Well, It's a gorgeous, three-day weekend. On Tuesday, my ds goes to 1st grade and rides the school bus for the first time!
Hugs to all,
Hillary0 -
Hi Hillary!
As for the eyebrows = yes, it looks like I'm going to lose them again.
They are very thin from about midway back. I'm hoping thats as bad as it gets, as when I fill them in it's not at all noticeable. While I'm not thrilled about it, it doesnt bother me much. I remember when I lost them the first time thinking it wouldn't be so noticeable if I at least had hair on my head, and that does seem to be the case.
Dont worry about the SP stuff. Remember, we all knew it wouldnt take long to become the Not so secret Pal game.
We are going to a bar-b-que this afternoon. I'm going to try to remember to take the camera and get some new pix. I've been topless for the last 3 weeks, but no pix yet. Honestly, it's still way to short, but I'm ok with it. Perhaps it has something to do with the 31 days of 110 or higher we're having here. The timing for an uber-short cut couldnt be better.
Have a fun and safe weekend all!0 -
Well, I just completed my first week at work topless! Had all the girls fawning all over my head at one point... touching and stroking my curls! It's soooooo curly! Anyway, I think that's it for the wig. As for eyebrows and lashes, mine are hanging in there. I'd like them to stay because, as you said Carynn, without an abundance of hair on my head, the eyebrows are front and center. Oh well...
I'm off to spend some money...fall work clothing, a smaller briefcase for my trip to Germany in a few weeks (first flight since the node dissection), lingerie (Victoria's keeps send coupons for free panties...FREE!), and groceries to take us through the long weekend. Oh, and packages for my SP. Hehe...I'm so damned organized I make myself sick. Oh right, I'm supposed to be sort of sick anyway....
Have a nice long weekend my friends. Looking forward to lunch with Hillary on Wednesday.
Hugs,
Twilah0 -
Dag nabbit! I had entered a lengthy post yesterday and apparently wasn't ready to send it at the time so sometime during the day I x'ed out of the window. Argh! Here we go again . . .
Marsha - congrats on the surgery date. That has to be a major relief.
Jan - nice hair!!!!
Catherine - ditto on the dirt and compost. Hope all is well with your DH's MRI. Enjoy the time with your sister.
Hillary - good to hear your return to work was uneventful.
Leah, dear Leah. Hope you are feeling much, much better.
Vegas - the only SE I've had so far on the Femara is moderate right hand pain (my SNB/mast was the left side - go figure). I do have frequent bouts of numbness from the elbow down on the right side also. I wonder if there's something we can do about that.
Alyson - my heart goes out to you on the rads mess. My last tx was July 27th and I still have a small open area oozing 'gunk'.
Twink - have fun spending money. The original Woolrich plant/company store is about 15 minutes away from me and I have coupons for 25% storewide (Labor Day sale is 20% storewide) so I dropped $337 there yesterday.
I think I missed out this time on the SP thingy - oh well, I'll catch it next time. Just wasn't on the computer enough last week. Spent a week and a half at our local fair selling sewing machines. I generally have a decent wireless hookup there but they were charging for the service this year and I didn't know it so assumed it was unavailable. Used the Verizon card when necessary but it sure doesn't break any speed records so I limited my access. DH just left on a 2-week hunting trip to Colorado so I'm widowing it for a couple weeks - just me and my doggie! Trying to think of some good one-serving, one-day meals (I don't care too much for leftovers)!
Hugs to all on this holiday weekend. Off to start working on 3 bushels of tomatoes.
Phyl0 -
Phyl, so glad to hear from you. Busy is great, right? We all seem to go in the same cycles have you noticed? All of us seem to be giving the real world a chance again!
Twink, curly hair? I bet you are stunning. Sounds like you are making the best of a bad situation and taking it in stride as the strong woman you are. Hang in honey, we are here for you.
Catherine I hope you are having a fabulous weekend visit with your Parisian Sister! Bet you spoil her rotten.
Carynn, glad to here you are on going topless. I am having a lot of people tell me this is a great look for me. I keep reminding them I might just get cuter as it grows some more so I would hate to miss out on that. LOL
Hillary, eyelashes and eyebrows still hanging good for me. Actually have better eyelashes than before!
HAHA Melanie, we are all watching for that corn to come!
SammieKay, you sailing this holiday weekend?
How about you Karen? What are you and the kiddies doing this weekend? Hope it is something fun!
Hey Terry, Alyson, Kim, Pat, Wild/Jan you triking this weekend? Oh saw freethought over in the rads thread! Really nice to hear from her.
Having dinner with friends tomorrow and bar b que/ pool party on Monday. I'm feeling great actually. Oh Phyl, BTW my rads burn is finally just a big tanned rectangle on my chest. Sorry to hear yours is still sore and oozing. Eck.
Love you guys! Marsha0 -
Phyl,
I am feeling a lot better. Every day.
The radiation has all faded, I almost have two boobs that match.
The hair is so thick and curly, I am going to have to do something soon about getting it shaped!
I noticed that some of my eyelashes are cycling out, while the eyebrows look ok. I remember reading on another thread that it isn't that the eyelashes are falling out from chemo- they are falling out naturally, but since they all came in together, you notice the large number cycling in/out at the same time. It takes a long while before they spread themselves out on a curve so they aren't acting so clumpily together... it makes sense to me.
New England is enjoying perfect weather, so I have been really happy this past week and this weekend. I start my new position on Wednesday, so I have a few more days to relax.
Love to you all. I think we are looking pretty good as a bunch!0 -
Hi girls,
Hope you are all enjoying a lovely holiday weekend. We are still in the 'monsoon rainy season" here. We get about an inch a day lately. Projected to continue through next weekend. So, no Marsha, no sailing here. I am looking into buying a travel trailer. That will be our outing for the weekend. I volunteered to take call for recovery at the hospital. I haven't taken call since starting chemo. That puts the two fulltime nurses on call every other weekend and they are worn out. I was on call last weekend for one of them and this weekend for the other. So far quiet, no call ins.
I had my appt. with the internest and came away with a script for Lipitor and high blood pressure med. My pressure was 140/90, yikes. That is new for me. As she said "as the weight goes up, so goes all the other readings". I am really, really trying to change my eating habits and exercise. But I am not stressing over it. I am taking it very slow, knowing that I won't lose a bunch of weight real quickly. My fasting sugar was 114. That used to be normal, but now they want that number 100 or less. I go back in two months and she will address the blood sugar issue. I will get a test for diabetes. Oh Lord, that is all I need.
Catherine, hope you and your dear sister are having a wonderful time. I think of you and what a wonderful time this must be for you both.
Carynn, Congrats on the new hair. I am so far behind you guys because of having my FAC after the Taxol. Still wiggy here. I can't wait to have my scalp breathe.LOL. Thanks again for managing the SP. It is so much fun. Can you tell me about the special on TLC? I missed that and maybe can catch it on replay.
Hillary, I almost used my regular email address for the e-card, but at the last minute noticed a way to change the email address to a new one I had set up. Easy to do, expose your identity. Same thing with snail mail return addresses. Don't worry, it is still a lovely thing getting cards from our dear sisters. Right?
You will be in my thoughts and prayers as you put your little one on that bus on Tues. I know you will shed a few tears. As a matter of fact my eyes have welled up with tears as I write this. What a wonderful time, but sad too. Letting them grow up. I guess as a grandmother, I realize how fast the time flies by. Grab each moment and cherish it.
Twilah, I can't believe you are out shopping and doing chemo. Do take care of yourself. I so admire your strength and courage. That hair of yours is adorable. I hope mine comes in curly. I understand it will probably be Thanksgiving before I can go topless. I did buy a new really cute wig. Nothing like "retail therapy" huh girl?
Phyl, hope you are enjoying your time alone. Isn't it nice at times? You and your pups. Oh and all those tomatos. That spelling looks wrong, but I tried "oes" and that looks wrong too. Oh well. Have fun.
Marsha, enjoy all your social activities. What a social butterfly you are. How nice to feel so well and to be able to party. Remember, it hasn't been that long since you didn't feel like doing that. Hallelujah!!
Leah, So glad to hear you are feeling better. Congrats on your new job. Hope it is enjoyable. Your hair is so pretty.
Jan, hope you are enjoying the long weekend. Are ya'll getting as much rain in OK as we are here in TX.
Alyson, Hope your rads wounds are healing by now. Is it warming up down there? I have noticed the change in the position of the sun here. Also, the days are getting shorter. Fall is close by.
Hi to Terry, Vegas, Pat, Mel,Tink and all my bc sisters. Love to all of you, Sammie Kay0 -
Sammie Kay - I'd dearly love to have just some of your rain. My 10 mile kayak trip has been postponed 4 times and is scheduled again for next Sunday. Looking at the creek level yesterday and knowing there's no rain in the forecast between now and then, I'm sure it ain't gonna happen. I'm with ya on the spelling of those luscious red fruits - don't know and too lazy to look it up (same way with potatoes(?).
Leah - it must be exciting to start new contracts - like a first day at school or a new job?? I've only changed jobs once and that was when I moved (not literally) from Penn State to the hospital in 1987. Wow, has technology changed. Penn State at the time didn't run 24x7 - only 2 shifts so I never got called in the middle of the night or on weekend but if I got called on 2nd shift, I had to use a 1024K modem. Now, I do everything from home. In fact, I have a 2-hour downtime this afternoon to kick in some new releases and apply some maintenance.
Marsha - still have those Brooke Shields (or Andy Rooney in my case) brows? I really wish they'd shorten up a bit - I may have to try trimming them a bit. Lashes are still thick - haven't noticed any loss yet.
Hugs to all!
Phyl0 -
tomato...tomatoes, potato...potatoes...
Tomatoe: According to a former U.S. Vice President, a (usually) red type of produce that is the key ingredient to tomato sauce. Obviously it was a misspelling, but it is understandable because said former U.S. Vice President was raised in Indiana, a state known for a plethora of roadside produce stands with signs proclaiming "tomatoe", "greenbean's, pie's, and "ear's of corn", etc.
Are you from Indiana Sammie Kay? Hehehe....0 -
Ha ha Southern folks just say tater and mater. LOL
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OMG I was talking on the phone to my mom and dad when the dogs start barking like crazy. I go to the door and there is a Hawaiian looking post office guy there with a package from Hawaii!!! So my dad is going well open it open it and I do to find Hawaiian bean coffee!!! I love Kona coffee! OK, who is vacationing in Hawaii?? Or who has family in Hawaii? I am totally stumped! And pleased. I have a big ole grin on my face. So I guess someone else is getting the corn from Melanie. LOL THANK YOU SECRET CRUISER PAL you are the best. Love, Marsha
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Hi all,
Just stopping by to say have a good week, albeit a shorter one this week.
Twink, I spell like I am from Indiana, but nope I'm not. However, I am lazy. I could have looked that up. I actually am a pretty good speller, except when it comes to those words like tater and mater. LOL How are you feeling, Twyla? Are you still being spared SE of chemo? Hope you are doing well.
Marsha, what a nice surprise, Hawaian coffee. My secret pal has sent me some beautiful ecards. I would love to find that web site. They are so special. I tried to send some to my sp and couldn't get through. I have to do some checking on her email address. Hang in there sp, I will catch up soon.
All of you take care and I will be checkig in next week. I am working tomorrow, so up early and home tired. I am sure you all relate to that. Love to all, Sammie Kay.0 -
No rain yet in our area but a good chance of it from today to next 3 days. Its been really cool in the mornings for a change but we didn't get on the trike this weekend. With hubby's leg not healing and the heat still here (90s by noon) neither one of us felt like riding.
You know I lost all my hair on my body except my eyebrows and eyelashes...go figure. Guess the chemo didn't go to my face???
CATHERINE>enjoy your time with your sister! Paris huh...ooh la la Gay Paree!0 -
I survived seeing my son off on the school bus yesterday and I didn't even cry! He had a good day at school. He likes his teacher and made some new friends.
Now that I'm back at work (albeit parttime), I have less time for everything. I seem to notice a dropping off of everyone's post -- I guess that is a good sign that we're getting busy with our lives again.
Well, I'm off to meet Twink for lunch. Leah, wherever you are -- I hope that you are enjoying your first day back at work!
Hugs,
Hillary0 -
OK, update on lunch. Twilah looks as elegant as ever. Her hair is coming back nicely, with these gorgeous curls all over. As she will tell you, this particular chemo regime doesn't seem to be affecting her as bad as the AC/T stuff. Almost makes me wonder if I should be doing it as an "insurance policy." She was running late, so I picked up some sandwiches so we could have lunch during chemo.
It is so wonderful sitting and chatting with Twilah. This definitely makes me want to meet the rest of you in face-to-face in February!
Hugs,
Hillary0 -
Hillary, you are so sweet...'elegant', I love that! Of course, I feel like a one-hundred year old woman, wrinkley, aches and pains all over and, argh, to add insult to injury, I gained weight since the last treatment too. That's okay...I'll take elegant.
You, my dear, are absolutely delightful...your short hair makes you look so fresh and young and, those glasses... eclectic, I think, is the word. I love your style but it's the 1000 watt smile that lights up your whole face, eyes sparkling...makes me smile just thinking about you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for feeding me and keeping me company. I might've passed out from lack of sustenance had it not been for you. That, or gorged on saltines (unsalted ones, of course) and soda pop.... Two lunches and we still have not run out of things to talk about, like two 'Chatty Cathys'. I'm looking forward to the next lunch (that one will be on me).
I left the house at 7:20AM this morning, after a 2 hour commute, spent 4 hours at the oncologist's office (including chemo) then another 2 hours at the radiologist's office. I didn't get home until 5:30 PM. I'm sure it comes as no surprise that he recommended radiation and I agreed. It's those damned nodes... In any case, I have to wait 3-4 weeks following chemo before I can start. According to my calendar, I could start as soon as Nov 7th and finish by Dec 14th (20 sessions). I laughed because he really was unwilling to pass me off to the care of one of his ex-students who practices locally. Realistically, making that drive every day for 26 consecutive days is not practical. I will be consulting with his ex-student, who he eventually conceded, is good (trained by him!) and will consult with him anyway. Ack. Hillary and I were talking about when we found our lumps...for me it was in October. Radiation, nipple reconstruction and further surgery to repair radiation damage to the reconstructed breast will likely take me into January. I was dx'd January 18th. A full year +. What was it the Queen said when her sons ran into marital problems and her castle burned down...her annus horribilus. I beat her on the horribilusness scale! What am I thinking....we all beat her on that scale! It's all relative, eh? I'd rather have my castle burn down than go through this crap. After all, if I were Queen, I'd always have a few lesser castles to relocate to.
I expect to be up all night with the decadron buzz....researching radiation therapy I suppose. Come to think of it, I'm not sure if I even got decadron pre-chemo. Ha...oh well, I'm just naturally buzzed I guess.
Hugs all.
Oh oh oh...forgot to say that I arrived home to mail from my SP. Hehehehehe...laughed and laughed...the cutest card, one of those singing cards doing a Gloria Gaynor tune. Guess which one. Okay, 'I will survive'...made me feel like doing a disco twirl on the back deck. Thank you SP! Hmmmm...call me Sherlock, but I think I know who would've mailed me a card from Corpus Christi, Tx
Love y'all.
Twilah
Bwahahahaha...foiled the timeout genie again. Chemo hasn't completely ruined my mind.
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Ahhhhhhhh Twink and Hillary I want to come to lunch too!!!!
MARSHA, MARSHA I need a happy dance. A good one!!! My BRCA1/2 came back negative Whooooo Hoooooo No mo surgery!!!
Life has been hectic with the return to work. I am pooped when I come home.
Still haven't filled the script for the AI. I am so afraid of how it will effect me. And I am feeling better. I don't want t swing back the other way.
My SP is great-card, e-card. I on the other hand have been a bit overwhelmed and have not been a good SP. I plan to improve.
Karen0 -
I could scream...had a long post and lost it.
Lets see....I was saying I was jealous of Hillary and Twink. Have Herceptin at 12:15 tomorrow and was famished last time....wish I was closer to you two.
Hillary, I have put 4 kids on that big yellow monster, the school bus. Didn't shed a tear until #4. He is still the baby...even at 6 feet tall and 15 years old.
Made consult appt with Plastic surgeon for Oct 11 for reduction and lift to my "good" breast.....Can't do the surgery though until at least December to allow for any swelling from rads to go away, so they can "match" them up.
Then I will have to deal with the port removal after I am done with Herceptin in Feb....So, Twink, don't feel bad...I was diagnosed 12/06 and it will be at least a year for me too. Don't forget, we are traveling this road together.
Each year my DD's Volleyball team has armbands with a "special" remembrance. 2 years ago they had the initials of a teammate who was severely injured in a car accident and was brain damaged. They wore her initials that whole season. Last year they wore the initials of one of their teachers who died from cancer. So this year, as I watched their first game last evening, I noticed they had new armbands....with pink ribbons. Well, I am the only one they could have been for...my DD's idea and one of the other mom's had them made. I got a little teary eyed. You think your teens are only thinking about their own lives, but they really do think about us too.
My rads burns are healing nicely...just sore around the nipple area. But I am much more comfortable and that strange rash is going away too. I wonder if it was some kind of reaction to the rads???
Have not heard from my secret pal yet, but it is fun reading what you all have been getting. Gives me ideas too. My secret pal will probably figure me out pretty quickly, even though I will try to keep up the secret.
Well, my sister is online and wants to chat....talk to you all soon.
Carynn....when are your rads done? Today or tomorrow?? Hope you are doing well...
Love0 -
OK, I HATE what they have done to our website.
Carynn did you get my message about my SP. can't even find my PM anymore.0 -
Ditto Sween.....who are you by the way? Seems we've lost our nicknames unless they corresponded to our usernames. Ick...i hate this teensy weensy default font. Sucks.
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This is Piper. I definitely do not like what they did to this site. It now seems so impersonal. Yuck. I need to ask everyone who did not have insurance when they did chemo how did they handle paying for the medication? The reason I am asking is someone who works for my company does not have insurance. I believe she has advanced bc. She did not actually say that but just from what she did say and what we as bc survivors have learned I know that is what it is. She is a single mother with a 9 year old boy. She does not know how she is going to pay for any of her medication. Any advice anyone? She is seeing a doctor in the LSU Charity system and he told her he could not help her with the medication. She has had so much bad news lately that I just want to give her some good news that help is out there.
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Hi everyone! Wow! I have been terrible at posting1 But, I have been checking in and replying to everyone’s Secret Pal questions. Hope you are all having fun.
Twink – I LOVE the new avatar. Had I remembered to bring the camera to the pool party that I went to, there’d likely be two of us in sunglasses.
Karen – I went to log in to find you a big whoo hoo dance for your good news on testing, and the site I use for graphics is down - under maintenance right now.
So for now all I can give you is a big heartfelt congrats! I did answer your PM. Send me another if you cant find it. No worries.
Terry – thanks for asking. I have 3 rads left, finishing 9/11. I have no blisters, no broken skin, just a nice “sunburn.” Since I don’t have any broken skin, I bought some new aloe today with menthol in it. Ymmm, very soothing.
Pepper – I’m sorry that I cant really answer your question, but this might help. I read the “Crazy, Sexy, Cancer” book and the back of the book contains a list of websites that are resources for cancer patients. One of the topics referenced was a website containing information for people without insurance and different organizations that may be able to help with paying for meds and treatments. Google Crazy Sexy Cancer, you should be able to find the link there. I hope that helps.
I guess I’m the odd “man” out. I like the new site. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the poor IT guys don’t have to work all night. If you need to make the font bigger in the comment box, you can do it by selecting increase text size on your browser. It will make the whole page bigger, but you can change it back easily when you are done posting.
Take care all. Talk to you soon!0 -
Looks like some of your names changed....will try to figure out who is who.
DD was nominated for Homecoming Queen....Homecoming is next Friday. We are very proud of her. Starting some college visits with her this weekend.
Volleyball team won tonite, after a loss on Tuesday.
Had Herceptin today (with Benedryl) so I am going to bed early to get some much needed sleep.
Have a great Friday,
Terry
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Karen
This is just for you and your BRCA Negative results!!
Never mind, I don't know how anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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sh*t
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