Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Good luck with your last tx tomorrow Cupcake. I will be thinking of you and I am right behind you. I have my fifth tx on Thursday and then only one more!
Jo Anne, I am sorry you are having such a hard time but I understand. I feel like I am alone in this too. I feel like no one wants to be bothered and so I keep it all to myself. It's not working out very well. I am thinking of joining a support group or asking for a counselor. Are their any support groups in your area??
I am having a very bad day and I don't know what is wrong. I cannot think, I am having anxiety attacks and I cannot concentrate. I feel shaky and tired and weird I guess. My hemoglobin has been around 8.7 so maybe its that. I don't know. Someone please, tell this is normal and I will be fine. I am sitting here crying because I don't know what to do.. I am a strong person and right now I am not strong. I feel like I am just going through the motions and time is slipping by...I hate this! I hope tomorrow is a better day.
Blue, I did have a couple of explosive episodes of vomiting. They did get better. I also had an explosive attack of diarrhea. I was home thank goodness but it was still not a happy moment. Hang in there. As bad as today is for me I usually have good days.
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Traci1970 I am sorry you are having such a bad day. I did all the things you are talking about and part was just chemo, but the 8.7 on the hemoglobin can definatly make things worse. Once they come up a little you should feel better. I know this is so hard, but you WILL get through it. There were days all I could do was cry...I just felt so hopeless. Before you know it chemo will be done, and you will look back and say it was hard but I made it through. You are almost there only 2 more, hang in there!! I wish I could say something more to make you feel better. You take care and keep that chin up!
Bug hugs to you!
Susan
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traci1970: What you are feeling is normal. I have those days too. Weepy all day and I am normally a strong person too. But why do we think we have to be strong all the time. Let the tears flow, is what I say we need to do once in awhile. And then tomorrow is another day. Hope your tomorrow is much better. Hugs and a hand sqeeze to you. Pat
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Hello to all of you. Cupcake is right I was down for a while. I sure hope this was the last treatment forever. I do have a lump we are concerned about but hopefully it is just scar tissue. I guess we will be doing tests to see soon. As for the sudden vomiting, I did the same thing. I did not even know I was nauseous and went to the bathroom because of diarrhea or just to go and all of a sudden threw up. Once it was orange jello with nothing in it like fruit but once I had eaten some hamburger meat and that was not good at all. I still can't handle a hamburger or chopped beef. I did have to take some nausea med a couple of times this time but just to be on the safe side. I hurt more than anything and I think a lot is the Nasty shot. It causes me to have back spasms and bone pain and on top of that we had a cold front and rain come in so that always hurts me too. I am still struggling to stay on my feet any amount of time. I like to cook my grandson breakfast so he gets off with food in him. He has such a hard schedule.I think it is better for me to get up and around to get my strength back. I do a little and sit down a little. If it is just too much I do ask for help from my husband but he knows I want to do things myself if I can. I hate being waited on. He was a gem though, the day I was throwing up hamburger he had to clean me up and the mess too or it would have had to stay there. I do have some barf bags that they gave me at the chemo room when I was sick. I keep one in my car just in case.
I had a blood transfusion 2 different times and it really makes all the difference in how you feel. I was so tired and sick and it really brought me out of it. Of course if you have problems with not wanting to take blood from others I do not blame you. It is a little freaky at first. My brother had some bleeding inside and had to have 4 units and when he had that he got some kind of antibodies so now it is hard for them to find him blood. There is a lot to consider. He had surgery yesterday to take a cancer out of his neck and he was really worried about that and all of us were.He made it through surgery so now it is just wait and see. My friend I go to church with had her mast. but just one breast. I thought she was going to have both but she is doing well they said. I had a lot of people to worry about yesterday.
My thoughts are with all of you that have treatment coming up. I dread it for you but this too shall pass. As for the crying I have never cried about my situation but if a person feels like they need to them by all means do. It is the way the body copes with things. I used to cry about a lot of things big and small but I don't know if it is dry eyes or just ran out of tears I don't cry much now. I cried when I found out a woman I worked with had been taking money from the bank I work at. she could have caused me to go to jail to but said it was all her and I do appreciate that. Most of all she was young and has a small boy and we had worked together for almost 10 years. I cried about that and still it hurts me to think about it. I hope she can get this taken care of and go on with a good life. She was not raised well though.
I miss my hair more and more. It is cold and I have to wear something to bed on my head. I get so tired of stuff on my head that is not normal. I did not lose my hair until after the 3th treatment and then it was when I was washing my hair it started coming out. What a mess. If I had it to do all over again I would have gotten a burr before it started coming out. I had hair all over everything and still finding hair. It did not all come out though just patches.
Traci1970, ask for some antidepressants if you get worse. It is not bad to use mild ones or even if you need heavy duty ones. It is going to take your strength to get through all this. Maybe like Selby go to a counselor. Do whatever it takes to help yourself. Crying is good in moderation but if that consumes you then it is not good.
Have a good day everyone. I think it is time for me to rest a while now.
Carolyn
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Traci1970 I hope you figured out in my last post that was suppossed to be BIG hugs not BUG hugs! LOL. I hope maybe it even gave you a little chuckle!!
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Thank you to all of you. I don't usually cry but I am so frustrated by feeling weak and tired. I am not used to feeling so tired and shaky. I have decided that I will be taking the blood if that will make this feeling go away. I feel like a whack a mole game. Every time I start to feel better and pop my head out WHACK they get me again.
Carolyn I am glad you are feeling a bit better. I will be thinking of you and cupcake today. I pray that your lump is just scar tissue and I will keep you in my prayers
I hope everyone has a great day today and I hope to have a good day too! Thank you again for the encouragement
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Hi all. Just getting ready to go out for the tx and checking in before I go.
Carolyn: Glad your back gal. God sure took you out of the situation at your job. So sorry for your co-workers decision though. Thanks for posting about your brothers surgery. Lets pray it is over for him.
Traci: Thanks for the support for today...I will need it. One thing I will share that I was feeling my 5th was the worst. For some reason mentally it was so hard to get through. I guess thinking of two, but after that it was one and over. The hard time passed after the 5 was over. I have my faith in God or I just don't know what I would have done through this. Every time I feel scared or falling apart I just cry out to Him and He brings me the peace that passes all understanding. This sight is such a wonderful support group for me, and I hope as us move past this to the next step of our journey that you just starting will pick up the baton for the ones that follow you. It is so important in the journey to know what to expect and get that much needed place to dump the fears, joys, and depression. To be able to write down these feelings and then re-read them before you post is a fantastic healing process for you. Any Psychologist will attest to that. When you said your Hem was down I went in and checked mine andit was 43 percent with the standard being 34 to 46 percent. Then I knew I was ok. With my health plan in California called Kaiser when they do the test they send them to my e-mail and I go into the sight and all the blood work is there. This way I can keep a chart of how I am doing too and not just have to wait to see how I am when I go in. Well time is getting short so will close and post later. You all on chemo have a better day, the ones before have a peaceful day. Brenda
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Susiered, I guess a Bug Hug can be as good as a Big Hug haha! I tend not to notice too much of the typos since I make plenty myself.
Well, tomorrow we go for my Herceptin and then over to my husband's heart scan check up. they had called on Friday and were just sure he was having chest pains but he was not. I did not know what to think and so they told me today if I was not able to drive tomorrow we needed to bring someone with us. I think I will be able to, but my daughter has offered to go. The only problem is it is not a certain thing they will do anything to him. We are going for results of the tests and then they may do a procedure which I suspect is to clean the arteries out. We just didn't know there was anything blocked and it was a surprise when they called. this is supposed to be a regular check up every 2 years and he has not had any symptoms. Well, if he does have a problem no time like the present to take care of it. I think my standing very long is my biggest problem. I believe I will be able to drive by tomorrow.
Cupcake, I hope this is a relief to get this tx over with. It has been a different experience for me. Not too bad but not too easy either. I guess just take it as it comes and make sure you have meds! I am taking my Imodium with me tomorrow because once we got there for the Herceptin and all of a sudden I had bad diarrhea. I am going to be prepared for anything. Also I am not going to eat any heavy stuff which I don't usually anyway. I threw up at the tx center once and had spasms and then they had to give me morphine so you see why I am a little scared not to have someone along if he has to have a procedure. I just never know what is going to happen!
It would be nice to have a website to keep up with your blood work but they always write in my book just in case I need to call before my next visit I have all the info.
Carolyn
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Hi Ladies,
Sure was good to go thru some of the posts here. I start my treatment tomorrow the 12th and I can finally admit I am scared. Started the steroids today. What is easier? To lose the hair or have a buzz? And if you do have a buzz does the stubble come out? I am new to all this. And as far as driving and working what is your suggestions (i work in a call center). If anyone can help please let me know. I have pudding and oatmeal on hand. I will be at the tx center during lunch should I lay off something heavy or eat normal?
Gloria
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A gentle rain of hair has started.
Gloria, I cut my hair relatively short before surgery. It was mid-back length and I had it cut to about 4". I thought about buzzing before I left on my trip but didn't because it hadn't started coming out yet. So far, it isn't any trouble to have it coming out, but I'm in a hotel. Clean-up might be tidier (less to clog drains and less for the vacuum) if it was buzzed. But maybe it will look okay without a scarf or hat longer if it is longer - the chemo comb-over?
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Cupcake & Blue
Cupcake, I appreciate your honesty although I don't want to deal with this everytime, guess it's better to know to expect it. Your steriod story made me laugh, Thanks. Guess laughter is the best medicine.
I have a Herceptin infusion tomorrow, that should be a piece of cake after the first full blown chemo tx right? I'm crossing my fingers and will see if the Dr. can let me know what else to take for the muscle pain.
Was looking in my linen closet last night for a heating pad and looked up to the top, it was just like a movie or something with the big TA DAA music, saw a full length massage pad with heat that I bought years ago and forgot about, it was a minor blessing and my very best friend last night. Scary, I may have fallen in love with my massage mat.
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Hi Sue,
How long did it take for your hemoglobin to return to normal? Is it better to exercise (long walks) or just rest?
Yesterday at my first H. only infusion my hemoglobin was 9.9 but today I feel worse. I am three weeks from my very last chemotherapy and got red blood cells the day after for anemia (9.7 hemoglobin). I felt great for five days but not now.
Anyone have any advice?
For those starting H. only soon, I have a funny story. Yesterday after the nurse hooked me within ten minutes I "experienced" a number of SEs. Then the nurse arrived with the H. It turns out I was so anxious that I thought the saline solution was H. and imagined various reactions to it.
With the real H. I had no problems and still am O.K. (except the anemia from earlier chemo).
Best wishes to everyone,
Jo Anne
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Traci1970 and jap I hope that you are both feeling better. I think that we all have those moments where we feel alone. I know for me I will be just fine and then all of a sudden I gasp and the realization that my children have a mother with breast cancer hits me and that's when the tears fall. My littlest one is only 6 years old and I'm afraid that I won't get to see him grow up. After a few tears I take a deep breath and forge ahead. I do feel better after a good cry, though. My neighbor's husband never misses a chance to remind me that the SE's are cumulative. He doesn't even know what chemo drugs I am using, but he opens his mouth nonetheless. Don't know why this guy feels the need to give me his "professional" opinion.
I have kept my diagnosis from as many people as possible, but now that my hair is certain to fall out in the next week, I'm sure that everyone will figure it out.
Cupcake7....I hope this day went well for you and that you are able to rest tonight.
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Thanks for all your comments to me. I really do enjoy coming in here and feel a connection with all of you that are thinking of me. I feel the strength through you.
Carolyn lean on your daughter, she wants to help. You will gain more and more of your strength and be able to step into your old role in awhile. Don't push it or it may delay you. I will keep you both in my prayers tonight. I eat light too now on the tx. Tonight I had mashed potatoes, good comfort filling and easy to digest. Tomorrow morning believe it or not I am having mixed baby cereal. With a little splenda it is actually not bad. I guess so many of those years with babies and taking a little bite at first to check it before giving it to them helped...lol It certainly does feel better to get this last one done. I can clearly see that light now.
Gloria good luck on your first tx (treatment) I see you are a stage 11a and that is good for a cure with this Herceptin. My lump has disappeared with the tx I have taken. I had a buzz not to have hair all over the place. The fall out started on the second tx. I could actually sit and pull some of it out and that bothered me even to do that. It came up after the 4th tx but I buzzed it again cause it was sticking straight out. Now it has come back on 6tx and I am letting it go this time. They will watch you very carefully on your first tx to see if any bad S.E. (side effects) and after that you can tell how you are going to do. I would suggest someone to come with you the first time. After that according to how you do you should be able to go on your own. I do. Oatmeal would not be a good choice as it has a lot of roughage in it. Good but not for us on tx. Go for rice, easier to digest. Your stomach cells will be dying and anything sweet, spicy, or greasy will be hard to digest with what cells you have left. They will come back, but at first be easy. Jello is good, chicken broth, toast the first day. Ease into the foods and add more and more as you can tolerate. I don't know how many tx you are going to have...I had 6 some have 4, but through them you will begin to understand how well your body will react, not only to what foods you eat, but also your S.E. along the way. At the treatment center today at lunch I took along some of those ritz crackers with peanut butter, a grape drink (although a lot of the centers will have soda's, juice on hand for you at no cost) I also took some string cheese. I didn't eat much but something. Some ladies in here eat normal, but for Carolyn and me we found out eating lighter helps us. Be sure to unload a good BM for a couple of days to get that toxic junk out of your liver. Also drink as much liquid as you can to urinate a lot to clean out the toxic stuff from your bladder and kidneys. Very very important. Will help you to feel better as you go through your days. Mine last 10 days before I feel normal again. Day one of treatment I am fine, day two ok then I stop the steroids and the crash hits me on day three. I kina come out some on day 4, but very weak for the next couple of days before I can half way feel different and some life in me. Mark your calendar with happy or sad faces on those days for you and the next tx you can look back and know what to expect. It really helps you to know it won't be long until you come out of it.
Cali thanks I'm glad I brought a smile to your face. Glad you found the heating pad and it helps you. Your Herceptin is NOT chemo and you will be ok with it. Very few have any S.E. with it. Japs story was a very good example. I laughed....jap. As your treatments go on however I found that the Herceptin the next week was wearing on me. Not that it was the Herceptin persay but that I was weak from the chemo and had to get up to drag myself to tx for the H.
My2boys you are a stage 11b and a very good chance , no a total chance to beat this and have many many years with your boys. You look at that positive and steer clear of those well intended Im sure people who tell you all the negative. Maybe your husbands wife's S.E. were cumulative, but that does not mean yours will. I had mouth sores on tx two but never bothered me again. And her drugs may have been different than yours cause he doesn't know what you are on. I felt these last two tx for me were harder because my body is weakened by the first 4, but not that the S.E. were more and more. I can pretty much see the same ones come back or not at all. I met with a lady in tx today that is a stage 4 and we know a stage 4 is non curable. She has tx just to be able to live longer. That is not you and me. I am even a stage 111 but the onc still says it is curable. Yes once we have cancer we have to treat it as a life long illness in that we have to watch it more closely but many many thousands of women live a long cancer free life and you and I are going to be one of them...ya listening to me? You are going to be around to see those boys get married and have their family.
My visit today with the onc before treatment didn't surprise me at all. Same guy different day. I ask him about those nose drops and he didn't know of anything...can you believe that? He told me to see if it clears up and if not he would send me to an eye dr. Geesh how nice of him so if it comes back this time just deal with it is what I heard. Also I ask him what his opinion was on what the plastic surgeon said to think of having both breast removed and his response, "that is up to you and him". Nice opinion hunh? My son went with me today and it was nice to have him there beside me for the first time and my last tx. For him to share with me this journey meant a lot to me. The day was long and I am a little tired so will close...Tomorrow I am going in for Iv fluids..and the shot. For you newbies I found out that going in the next day for some extra saline really helps to keep me hydrated cause that was a problem for me in the beginning getting enough liquids down. And actually an I.V. in the veins are better in hydrating you. Well nightie nite my camp buddies...chat with you tomorrow...
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Gloria, it would be good to have some chicken or beef broth on hand. When I was down, I made soup with beef broth, a bit of pasta sauce, a bit of rice or diced potato and some diced vegetables and it went down really well. My blood test showed I was low on sodium so I added a bit of extra salt. Rice and apple sauce are also good for when you have diahrrea.
I haven't had that much trouble with eating except for diahrrea. The nausea drugs controlled nausea pretty well except for a couple of surprise incidents. Most of my problems the first time were due to low white count and in future cycles I'll get Neupogen right away so I'm hoping things will be pretty easy for the rest. That is one reason that it shouldn't get worse every time - they can adjust what they do to make future cycles easier.
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My chemo hats that were too small with my hair fit today. I lost a lot of hair yesterday (day 16) though most of my head still has coverage. There is one bare spot so its hat time. Tonight I may try a scarf because I have an event to attend. But last night I ran out of energy and had to retreat to my hotel room and get room service before conking out completely.
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cupcake7 - your words of encouragement brought tears to my eyes. You are a special lady. Thank you so much.0
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Hi everybody. I'm sorry I've been gone so long I haven't been able to read through all the posts I've missed. In the last month I've had 2 really bad head colds in a row and thanks to Mr. Chemotherapy killing my immune system, they both knocked me flat on my back.
I hope that all of you who have been posting on this site for a while are doing well. I am nearly through 4 weeks of rads, although I missed a session yesterday because I literally couldn't get out of bed. For those of you who are new and going through all of this, know that this site is full of women who love and care for each other and that there will always be a shoulder to lean on and someone praying for you. All of us will make it through this!!
)Aly.
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Dear Aly,
So sorry to hear that you have had such a time of it. I pray it goes much easier from here on.
Maybe keep some zinc and echinacea handy -- were you able to get a flu shot?
I've done 8/33 radiation treatments and will be done by Christmas. I feel that things are really looking up!!
We've been through the wringer -- and you have had a particularly hard time. Hang in there.
Hoping for the very best for all -- Bethany
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Thanks Bethany. Tomorrow I'm going to see a Naturopath to see what she can do to get me back on the path to feeling better. My digestive system would appear to be a complete mess so I'm hoping she can help with that as well as my immune system which is closely related. I'm not sure about what supplements I can take yet since I'm on Coumadin and some things interact. I will ask about that tomorrow as well.
I hope everything is going great for you!
Hugs,
Aly.
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Aly,
How's your hair coming along? What date was your last chemo?
I seem to be working toward a chemo mullet -- most of the shadow of hair is in the back --- very little in front yet but I can see tiny specks of whiskery potential.
B
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My last chemo was on 9/29. I have about 3/4" of growth all over my head which is sort of a salt and pepper colour. That is, except for the top (figures I'd get male pattern baldness <lol!>) which is all white and wiry and not filled in yet at all. It's pretty much been growing ever since it fell out, which always was kind of strange. What I'm worried about most at this point is my eyebrows. They show no signs of wanting to grow back. I do *not* want to live the rest of my life without eyebrows!!
)Aly.
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ALLLLLYYYYYYY!
It's wonderful to hear from you! You were one of my first chemo-buddies! I'm glad to hear that you're done poisoning yourself, but the colds are a bummer. Sounds like you need a harsh-core probiotic. If your naturopath doesn't recommend that, I'll eat my paint brush. You have more hair than me, but I totally razored mine a couple times. Now it's completely even all around. Kinda looks like Barack's. LOL. Just have to watch which bars I go into...with my style and no makeup and the hair.
Bethany;
Good to hear from you too. If the mullet thing is going on, I think you need a trim. Unless you want to look like an 80's butt rocker. Hey, I have a philosophical question for you: at what point does one switch over to actually using shampoo again?
Gotta get back to prepping my art lesson.
Shelby
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Hi Ally,
Glad to hear from you! Sorry about the colds.
To everyone: My doctor told me that anemia "could last for months after chemotherapy" but I started taking iron pills and feel much better -- and my face now has some color. I think once the bone marrow starts working again the iron pills can help. I do not eat red meat. For those of you who still feel tired you might ask your doctor if it could be caused by anemia.
And for those of you who are still in TCH treatment, things will get better. I Iearned so much from this list and you will too. What really helped me were the saline infusions one or two days after the regular infusions. Taking Prilosec every day (even when you feel better) can also made a difference. Neither were mentioned by medical people at my world famous hospital -- only by women on the list. The emotional support was even more important. THANKS EVERYONE!
I finished on October 20 but no new hair yet. But I still have my eyebrows! Hope they stick around. What is a mullet?
I have been using baby shampoo on my head. Is there any I could be using or doing to make my hair grow back more quickly?
One more request. How are you dealing with your children's school? Now that I feeling better and my husband has work commitments, I am now appearing at the school for pickup and a few events. My ten-year old daughter told me that the principal approached her today and told her that she must be under a lot of stress because of my cancer and that is why her hair is a mess (she IS behind in haircuts). I then decided to skip the PTO meeting that evening
Today, I see the radiologist to prepare for radiation treatments in two weeks. Since they predicted "fatigue" with radiation, I plan to ask them exactly what they mean. Certainly, it could not be the "fatigue" they predicted from chemotherapy. And if they just say everyone is different, I think I will scream. What they should say is there are a variety of responses and these are the most common ones --- ........ and here is what you can do about them --- ........
My best wishes to everyone,
Jo Anne
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Aly good luck with your naturopath. I hope you are well soon.
Bethany I want to see this awesome mullet! Is radiation easier than chemo? please, say yes....I had my fifth tx yesterday and today I get the beloved "satans serum" I hate that shot.
Jo anne I go commando everywhere. I might grab a hat if it is cold. My wigs are getting dusty. I have pranced my little bald head into my daughters high school and taken care of business. I would not be happy if someone told my child her hair was a mess (even if it was) That is out of line. I think your principal needs to learn about bounderies.
So it seems to be the norm to have about 4 weeks between chemo and rads?
if my last tx is Dec 2 do you think I could make untill January??
Cupcake, I know you feeling down right now but be encouraged. You are in my prayers.
I am off to cook my one year old some breakfast and enjoy the next several hours BEFORE my shot...everyone have a good day
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Jo Anne;
Just a quick note--on the way to teach an art class.
My kids' school hasn't been much of a problem. I do get the hyper-saccharine-sympathetic looks from the teachers I know (I've been around that school for a long time--5 kids, lots of volunteering). But I show up in my running clothes and event tee shirts, and they all know I could kick their butt, so they realize that I'm not planning to check out of this realm too soon. I do think the principal is a bit out of line...but maybe he's one of those bloaks who took his Social Work 101 course from college a little too seriously and is always looking for stressors. You know, the kind that calls Child Protective Services because the kid has a swollen eye...and it turns out to be a spider bite. I don't know that I've really answered your question. But the more they see you out there, doing normal mom things with your kids, the faster they'll start treating you like a normal person. Unless they're insensitive morons.
Shelby
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Well Shel, you were right, the Naturopath did put me on a stronger probiotic than what I've been taking. Something called Fortefy. She also gave me Immunitone Plus for immune support, Gastric Repair Complex for my buggered up digestive system, and Vitamin D-3 because my Vitamin D levels are excruciatingly low (gee, I can't imagine why someone living in western Washington would have a Vitamin D deficiency! HA!!).
) This is all just for starters, to get my belly feeling better and my immune system bolstered and then we'll start working on nutrition and keep going from there. She tells me Vitamin D deficiency is tied to chronic body pain, mood disorders and......drumroll please.....BREAST CANCER!! Good GOD! My Vitamin D level is 13 and normal is somewhere between 30 and 150. My radiation oncology nurse told me they like their breast cancer patients to be around level 50. I'm waaaaaaaaay low. It's no wonder I feel like something brown and stinky all the time!Anyway, I have to take all this stuff and go back and see her again in 2 weeks. I've never been on so many pills in my entire life but I like her a lot. I'm very much hoping she'll be able to help me.
Oh, I was going to tell you too, I've been using shampoo this whole time, even when I didn't have hair. Have you just been washing your head with soap? Everybody recommended that I continue using a good shampoo and conditioner on my head even when I didn't really have any hair so I'd say you can go back to shampoo any time!!
Jo Anne, I started taking biotin and I think it's making my hair grow faster. Now if I could just get my eyebrows and eyelashes to come back, I'd be happy.
)Hugs to everyone,
Aly.
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Jo Anne - What's a mullet??? How old are you, girl? Go on google images, and I'm sure you can find some very interesting pictures. Hope you're feeling well - I know the anemia can kick your butt. My hemoglobin started coming up slowly as soon as chemo was finished and was back to 12 in about 2 1/2 months.
Aly - good to have you back! I hope the naturopath helps out your poor decimated immune system so you can finally feel good. I've been using shampoo the whole time also - and I developed a big-time case of dandruff, so I use Head & Shoulders now. Does anybody take biotin? Does it help with hair growth? Mine is longest on top and thin on the sides and back - funny how everybody's is growing in differently.
Shelby, I bet the kids in your art class love you! I wish my kids had had somebody like you instead of the woman who made them draw a shoe from about 20 angles.
Have a great weekend - hope the side effects, anemia, infections, etc. etc. etc. are all minor.
Sue
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Funny. I still don't use shampoo. I just take the old liquid Dr. Bronner's soap and wash my whole body with it. No makeup. Jeans and tee shirt, some big earrings. Ready to go in 15 minutes. In a way, it's streamlined my whole life. Now I have time for the important things. Like picking out what hat or scarf to wear.
Sue: Ironically, I just came home from a gallery opening of a friend of mine who did a whole series of shoes in acrylic inspired by last fall's shoes advertised in Vogue. They're not all that big...like about 16 X 16. $500 apiece! So tell your kids to keep painting shoes. There's big money in them apparently. Didn't do much for me, though. I just want to paint a 60 X 48 inch amoeba dividing. That's more my speed. Next week I'm going to have my class paint the cartoon or game character of their choice.
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Hi everyone! I have been absent but not just because of chemo. My husband had triple bypass on Friday but they put him in the hospital on Wed. to do a stint but when they got in there they found he had too much blockage. He did not even have symptoms. He only went to do his normal stress tests and that is why they thought he had a blockage and then found more. I am really lucky he did not have a heart attack because he works really hard. anyway it has been a real trial for me. I was coming home in rush hour traffic on Friday after his surgery and had diarrhea and no way to stop so you can guess the rest plus nausea. I had been fighting it all day and had every kind of med in my purse I had at home and the chemo lab said come down if you need meds. I was okay until I got in traffic. I just kept thinking I hope I don't get stopped by a police or have a wreck. then with all that med in my possession I would have probably gone to jail. The good Lord took care of me and I got home and ran to the bath and cleaned up but oh man how embarrassing. My son and his family were here doing laundry but I guess when they have a problem like that they will remember Grandma! I was going to try to eat something last night since all I had been eating was crackers and pretzels and got home and my grandson had gone duck hunting and was cleaning those things in the house. I thought it smelled like a 5 day old dead mouse but he cleaned it up and I tried to eat some food my daughter brought over and could not so I made some lemon mint tea and ate a cracker and went to bed.
They had to test my blood 3 times on Wed. and then did it every day until Friday. she said if everything was okay Friday they would leave me alone until Wed. when I go for H. I was shocked when my doc called me to tell me they needed to test it again on Wed. and I asked why and he said a bunch of stuff that did not even make sense to me. He is on sick leave from having a knee replacement and had just came it to check on his patients. He finally said they gave me the wrong fluid in my IV with the H but it was just water so I should eat some salt. I did eat a little but not alot since I was not well and could not get much down. then the nurse over the chemo lab told me my hemoglobin's was down to 10 which is not unusual so I was suspect of that and then the next day they dropped to 9.1 but still not as low as they have been before. I was really dizzy on Sat. but got better with drinking more and ate some pretzels which gave me the salt. I am still wondering what was going on with the blood tests. At first I thought they may have messed up the first one but then they were drawing a lot more than normal and taking it to the lab themselves. Also my husband's cardo was worried about me and I looked in the mirror and boy was I bad looking.I think that is why we stayed overnight there. I did not think I could get him in the house by myself since it was so late. 10 PM and I was exhausted
My hair is growing some because it is starting to feel softer. I have been using shampoo but just a dot since it does not have much there. My fingernails have always grown and need to be cut again but I do have one toenail that looks like it wants to come off. I have been walking a lot so I am not sure if that is the reason or not. I guess on Dec 3 we will see what comes next. I know we have tests to do and see what is going on with the lumps that came after surgery.
Cupcake I hope you are doing better than I did with the last one. I got sick sooner and stayed sick longer but maybe you will not be as bad.
Have a good Sunday and if I don't check in it will be because I just don't have time.
Carolyn
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