Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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As you may have noticed, I terminated my last entry with extreme prejudice.
Thanks, all of you, for your encouragement. I spent the day on my back or butt with ice, compression, or both on my leg. I'm not in pain at all, except when I try to walk, go up or down stairs, or try to lower myself onto the toilet. Today I was the piece of furniture at the end of the living room.
Tomorrow, my husband said he'd take the kids up the mountain so they can have some fun. He offered me a spa day; but massages by people unaccustomed to expander ports sticking out of the ribs, etc. require too much back story. Besides, I probably won't be able to go upstairs well enough to go up to the lodge. So I might just hang out here, take Xanax and write.
So yeah, you know, you look forward to something for a year and it pukes on you. It happens. I guess I still have that childish tendency to anticipate things. I'm not sure I want to lose that.
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Hi folks,
I am now having radiation blues. I have finished 18 sessions but my psychological condition is deteriorating. I think it is because here at the famous MGH you have to wait one to two hours in a room with about forty other patients, some of then very advanced and some of them crying -- every day. I have tried to communicate with some of the breast cancer patients but the culture of the room does seem to allow for it. One woman arrived in a pink hat, pink jacket, and pink boxing gloves! I have tried to find her on subsequent days but was unsuccessful.
How tired have people gotten on radiation?
Shelby, I am so sorry to hear about your accident. I hope you can lose yourself in a good book and catchup on your rest.
Best wishes,
Jo Anne
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Ladies, enjoying reading your posts.
Just finished TCH #4 yesterday after my adventures in the hospital last week for the cold and low white cell count. Question:, my oncologist now wants me to inject myself with neupogen on day 5, 7, 9, & 11 after this treatment. She wants me do to the injections to start boosting my white cell count before it crashes as it normally does on day 10. I have never done any type of home injections, SCARY. The chemo nurse did practice with me yesterday and relieved some of my anxiety, well as much as one can before staring at a needle your supposed to stick yourself with. Has anyone else had any experience with this? Just a little anxious and thought some of you may have had some experience. Thanks for any info.
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Shelby - I am soooo hurting for you. We all understand how having something to look forward to in our future got us through the last six months, wherever we were. I've got a trip planned in early February to Puerto Rico that I am counting on. It just sucks that you got hurt.
Bethany- have you gotten any relief from the muscle pains. I'm taking a strength and stretching class which is helping, or not...in any event, I am starting to feel less crotchety. My hair looks to be about at your stage, but dammit, I am going to have to shave my legs again!
Cali - I found #4 to be particularly bad, but hang in there. The reward is that at two months out, you get to start feeling better and "almost" forget how bad you felt. Sorta, kinda like childbirth without the prize (or lack of sleep)
I brought my mother back home to VA for a week after Christmas to help with her recovery from valve and bypass surgery. She is doing great! we were so worried whether she would survive the surgery and now after 4 weeks, she wants to know when she can drive again. Not THAT's scary at 85 even if she hadn't had open heart surgery. Guess I come from strong stuff.
Take care everyone. Keeping you all close to my heart. Gail
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Thanks Lisa but I do not feel young right now. for some reason my boob that was cut on is sore and red but it always gets that way after Herceptin. I didn't have Herceptin though and it is acting up. I may have lifted something I guess and didn't pay attention. this puppy of my grandson's is doubling in size every couple of days it seems. It is a chocolate lab but just 6 weeks old. she is afraid of her shadow and when the dogs bark next door she wants to go in. It is kinda warm right now so my hubby and I have had her outside to walk and then she sleeps when she comes in. Ahhh a little rest for me too.
I guess a person just has to do what they can and let the rest go. I would be mortified if someone came to my house that was too picky. I have big grandsons that live here with me and they track in from work and their rooms are a mess but they do get the dirty clothes in their hamper so we can figure out what is clean and what is dirty at least and they would wash them if they had time. One is back in college so he goes to work and then to school and the other one with the puppy will go back to his school this weekend I guess with the puppy. I will miss her but not the mess she makes sometimes. We don't have a fenced yard so we can't just put her out. Her name is Winston. Not my choice her master's. he is going for his wildlife bio degree so he needs a dog he thinks. I told him to soon but you know kids. these are my daughter's sons. She and hubby are building a house and they live in a travel trailer right now so no room and too far from school and work for boys. I love having them here though.
Bethany I am with you wondering about Cupecake. I know she had a rough surgery but I thought things were going okay for her. Let's hope so.
Shelby let's have an update on the leg even if you are cranky right now. Inquiring minds want to know.
The rest of you guys that are not posting I hope you are reading at least. I hope you are feeling good.
Carolyn
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Carolyn: You have a lot on your plate right now with a puppy, grandkids (sometimes the big ones are the most trouble!) and going back to work. Hope you're not completely wearing yourself out every day! Remember to take care of yourself.
Gail - My dad's 93 and still drives! He also ice fishes, grows the best tomatoes in Illinois, and takes care of a house and huge lawn. He also has taken over a lot of the cooking since my mom's not been able to this last year - he's my hero!
I get Herceptin today and made appointments for my check-up mammo and MRI - sometimes I'm in blissful forgetfulness and sometimes the whole thing smacks me upside the head.
Brenda - Hope you're healing well!
Sue
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Carolyn, please remember to rest!!!! Your husband, the boys and the puppy AND going back to work, sounds like a LOT of work. Please take time for yourself.
Shelby. I cannot think of anything cute, sympathetic or anything else that can express how bad I feel about your ski injury. The only thing I can think of is what we all have done and need to keep doing thru this BC mess - Remember God has a plan. I know, why would God make you tumble thru the snow and twist out your leg like a tilta-whirl till you can't even walk. Sorry hun, that is the best I can do, but there MUST be some reason.
I too am getting worried about Cupcake. I hope you are well, please check in!!
To everyone else - Carry on with the TCH camp!!!!
Lisa
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Jo anne, you said you had to wait at the mgh? I don't know what that means. I just started rads on Tuesday and I hope it continues to go well. I do not have to wait at all. I have the first appointment of the day and I am in and out in a matter of minutes. I meet my the doc on Mondays and that will be the only time I have to wait. What is MGH?
Cupcake we are thinking of you and sending you our prayers. Please, check in soon.
Sue, I agree that sometimes you get smacked in the head. The past few days I have just burst out in tears for no reason. I am alone when it happens (thank goodness) and I feel better after a minute or two. Other than that I feel great. I am six weeks out from my last tx and I am starting to feel really normal again. I still have chemo brain but hopefully that too will improve.
Cali I agree with Gail. I too had a hard time on #4 but you really do start to forget about the bad days. I told my step mom today that I was so surprised at how well I was feeling because I remember just a few weeks ago I felt like it was never going to improve. So to all of you still doing chemo, when you feel like you can't go on...keep going...it WILL get better.
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Sorry Cali! I forgot to add that my 4th tx has been my worst so far. My blood counts were in the gutter, I got dehydrated and I still feel drained, I am 10 days out from tx 4 and I should feel great now. I am still winded with too much movement and the ichy taste is still so prevalent that I can't eat well. I know all the effects are cummulative, but dang! Each day does get better, but tx 4 was rough.
Hang in Cali, we are almost to the end.
Lisa
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Hi guys: Just coming back to the land of the living. Man O Man have I had a ruff time with this cold thing. It was bacterial and settled in my lungs, but thankful the dr. called it and got me on strong antibiotics right off and it just now is turning. I think I am out of the woods now. At least the Mastectomy is starting to heal now that the body isn't busy fighting the bacterial thing. I have had 3 nights good sleep now and that helps so much. Since Dec 17th I haven't slept at all through the night...a few hours here and there. Thank you all for being concerned about me...I was concerened about me too. All the time in Chemo I was so careful not to be around anyone sick and washed my hands 40 times a day etc. did everything right and then got off chemo and thought I was ok and slacked up and it got me big time. I think the tube down my throat during surgery scratched the throat, and then weak from chemo too just made the virus or whatever it was attack me super big time. It was a 9 on the pain scale for 2 days. I couldn't even swallow and was worried if my nose plugged up how was I going to breath. It was scary
Look at my new pic! HAIR!!!! Not much, but its a comin. This Sunday coming up will be 2 months out of chemo. So for you that have lost your hair you will know it will come back. I had hubby take it with our TV in the background being black so you can see the white. I am glad it is coming back the white like I had. Not much curl so don't think I am going to get that, but hey I'm glad to see anything coming out of the bald head at this point.
Still nothing on the Pathology report. I call everyday, have it on speed dial. They didn't answer today so maybe they know to find it before they call me. Next week will be 30 days and I think that a bit much beings most is back in 10 days to 2 weeks. In most cases no news is good news, but in this I'm thinking no news might not be so good. Don't look like I am going to be on the norm chart anyway. Its in God's hand so I'm not worried.
I am reading all the post since I have been away and so much happening. During the holidays I was worried no one was posting. Guess everyone busy. Shell you were so up on going skiing and I was so envious of you. So sorry you crashed. Cali4 I feel for you cause I had to give myself one shot and just could not bring myself to do it, I just couldn't so the next day I went in and had them give it to me when I had my IV of fluids. Why so many? Hang in there you brave ones in tx. It will be over soon....
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Hi Traci,
I am going to Mass. General Hospital in Boston. Anyone else going there?
The new radiation unit is being built but for now the unit is too small and overcrowded. This means I have to wait 1-2 hours usually. I may not for the first appointment of the day but in Jan. it would be hard to get there before the roads are cleared of ice and snow.
Cupcake, Hope you are feeling better.
Shelby, Give us an update on your situation.
Jo Anne
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Cupcake - I LOVE THE HAIR!!! I can't beleive you have that much in just 2 months!!! You just made my day!!! If my hair grows like yours, I will look normal again by Easter. Yippee!!!!! I am glad you are feeling better, we were worried about you. I think it is time to start raising a stink for your pathology.
I for one am starting for feel human again and I am off to ride my horse. I am picking up two friends on my way to one of my favorite riding parks. The weather here in Florida today is totally clear with a high of 72 - perfect riding weather!
Lisa
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I love your hair cupcake! I am glad you are feeling better. Get plenty of rest.
Joanne , I am sorry you have to wait everyday. I would hate it if I had to. I lived in MA and remember the icy roads. I don't miss that but I miss everything else up there. I was in Merrimac.
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Cupcake - 30 days wait for pathology! That's ridiculous. Time to go stand over them until they get it done. What does you onc say?
Cali, I give myself my Nuepogen shots. It isn't bad. The abdomen is easy - the nerves are sparse there so it isn't painful. It was more the idea of plunging the needle in that was hard to get ove. I went in for them to teach me when I needed the first shot. It might be a bit harder to have the training 4 or 5 days before you give yourself the first shot. Don't be shy about asking to come in and do the first shot under the nurse's watchful eye. Did they give you an instruction sheet that you can check so you don't have to remember everything:
Cupcake - Cali and I get Neupogen - you probably got Neulasta whcih is a stronger long acting drug. My onc said that one Neulasta shot is equivalent to 10 doses of Neupogen which would be too strong for me. I take 3 Nuepogen shots every chemo cycle.
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Shelby, sorry the skiing got curtailed so abruptly. Pamper yourself to the extent possible.
Everyone, I have a minor moral dilema. The sister of a friend gave me "Ice Bound, A Doctor's Incredible Battle for Survival at the South Pole". I think the sister is a breast cancer survivor too. I said I would return it after I read it but she said just pay it foward by passing it on to someone else with bc. I thought it would be interesting and hopeful so I said okay.
Well, I've finished the book and I found it uncomfortable and depressing. It is a good tihing I'm up on all the details of my cancer and my prognosis and on current breast cancer survival stats. Jerri (the doctor who got bc at the south pole) got it in 1998 and only had her even older medical books for reference, so she spends a lot of time debating whether it is worth trying to treat her cancer at the pole when she will probably die anyway. And she must have had a really agressive cancer because it went from a clean mammo before she went to the pole, to something she could feel and then to something over 4 cm very quickly. Then they airdrop in supplies for her and she starts Taxol chemo which at first shrinks the cancer but then it grows again even bigger. Eventually she is rescued, operated on with clean nodes (the book omits to mention that that doesn't mean anything much because she had chemo). And her other scans were clean. The book has little information about the nature of her cancer except that it was ER negative. I googled her and found she had bone and liver mets in 2005 and brain mets in 2008.
So I don't see how I can "pay it forward" by passing it on to some other poor soul who may not be as aware of the variation in breast cancer and the improvements in survival over the last few decades.
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Cupcake so glad you are doing better.
Thank you all for your feedback and input on the shots. I'm hanging in there and hoping the shots will at least give me a little faster improvement after this treatment. Sunday will be my first one, so I' crossing my fingers.
Seems like you all have such larger issues, feel kinda silly whinning about a stupid shot. Thanks for all your support!
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whoa! That book does not sound very uplifting. I would not give it to anyone that is in the mist of a struggle.
I have not posted for a while but have been reading every morning with my forbidden coffee. I am such a newbie compared to you all.
I am on day 12 tx 1 out of SIX!
I still have my long Blond Hair. For another week or so maybe. I will cut it short this weekend.
I had a total meltdown last Saturday. To the point that I had to call the doctor. I was not myself could not stop shaking and crying. I was told that it was an endocrine crash. It usually happens slowly and that is why a lot of us get so depressed (other than the obvious).
I have acne (oh boy) and headaches and nausea that I did not have at the beginning of the tx.
I had huge digestive issues. Just now kinda coming back to a new normal.
My nose bleeds every morning. My skin is so dry it actually started to bleed.
I am fat and tired and still kinda cranky.
I know that this is going to get harder and I am hoping that I can handle it. I am still trying to count my blessings. And I want so much to live everyday to the fullest. And find happiness.
I want to thank you all for forging a path. I know that it can be done.
Cupcake: Welcome back. Stay strong.
Shellby: We make plans and God laughs.
Rita
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Cali each of us has issues and your shots are as big as what I am going through. Blue thanks on the clarification on the two shots. Your right, but how come you guys can't take the one and get if over with? My HMO Kaiser's Pathology dept couldn't figure out what they were seeing so they sent it out to an independent Pathology co. That's good in a way that they are being very careful on giving the right dx, but what are they seeing that they can't figure out that worries me. We know they can't find the tumor, never could so could that be something that puzzles them or what??? I am going to call them yet once again as soon as I finish my post. I remember that book and seeing the documentary on the lady dr. and I agree to pass that on to someone that hasn't researched could be very harmful. Thanks Traci I do plan on getting a lot of rest cause I know that is how I am going to heal. Lisathat is why I posted and said the date so you and others can know how long it will take...and 2 months to get out of the scarfs and hats is something to look forward to. You,, Cali and the rest in TX are doing great and will soon be past this awful phase. Sounds like your post show you got a good handle on it and what to expect. It will be time for new ones to start arriving in here that you can lead. I am reading the post you all are putting on with your Rads as that will be my next step. By the way the surgical strips are still on and they said to leave them alone and they will fall off on their own....how long??? I shower and soap the area good, but they are still hangin on??? You all have a good day and will come in and post as soon as I get the report...Shelby you get well girl. I am thinking about you today and hoping this one will be good for you. Do you think the chemo could have weakened your bones???0
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Rita, I am sorry you are having a rough time right now. If you meds are not helping call the chemo nurses and if we can help please say something because I am sure one of us has been through it. I had digestive problems and my onc gave me Protonix and Pepicid for indigestion and for the diarrhea I took 2 Imondium when it would first start so I could get it under control before I got so dehydrated. It did not always work but do drink as much fluids as you can because you need to flush this stuff out of your system so it does not hurt your kidneys. You can live without food but you need fluids. Ice water or ice is best if you are nauseated but if you can't do that just cool but not hot since that tends to make the bowels looser. I am not sure what you need but just ask someone and I bet you can get an answer. Cranky happens and you are not aloneon that one either. Cpcake had the nosebleeds but I got them after all the tx. My fingernails broke afterward too so I am thinking it is due to the winter weather and not the chemo. You may need to put a humidifier in your house to help with the dry air.
Cupcake I am glad you feel better. I hope it continues to improve.
I have 2 puppies today! My daughter is taking them for shots after work so I get to keep hers too. I did not know about this until about 5 AM this morning when they drove up. Someone forgot to tell me I guess. Oh well my hubby is helping me with them. My car is in the shop now too. I remember breaking a mirror a year or so back. I hope this is not why all this happened but makes you say hummmm! I am not superstitious.
Carolyn
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Blue, I think the best way to "pay it forward" is to donate the book to a a library or good will. I would not give it to another woman with breast cancer. Some people enjoy reading books for the sake of reading them or for the stories. It would be much more than a story to one of us. I took my 15 year old daughter to the hair salon yesterday and while we were there another woman came in. She was talking to another stylist about a funeral she was going to for a woman that died of lung cancer. She was so loud and we were right next to her. My daughter was getting so upset. I told her after she left that the woman was probably very old and it was a completely different kind of cancer. Turns out she was VERY old and had a very full life. (I looked in the paper at her obit) I just thought it was extremely rude that she could be so casual about it with us sitting right next to her. I am clearly bald due to cancer. She could not have missed my shiny head. I guess I am going on about this to make the point that some people do not understand that we need encouragement and not discouraging sories. We have enough to worry about without having to hear the opinions and thoughts of uninformed people. Before I was diagnosed I was uninformed but I had enough respect for others to keep my mouth closed if I did not know what I was talking about and I certainly would not be so rude to upset a young girl coping with her mothers fight for her life. I am sorry to go on, but this must have bothered me more than I thought.
Cali, I am sure you will have the courage to give the shots. I know it is not easy but remember it is only temporary.
Rita I am so sorry that you are having a difficult time. I remember Emend made my tx's better. I hope you feel better soon. 0 -
REPORT FINALLY IN: Well after almost a month's wait the surgeon called me after I inquired once again. I don't know to jump up and down with joy, or cry, or worry some more. The feelings I have right now are more confusing than just a regular simple pathology report. 16 nodes were removed...none had cancer...no cancer was found anywhere in the breast, or any tissue sent in. What does this mean? Am I cancer free?? Just doesn't sound like something that would be right after 8 months of horrible chemo, and the surgery. I have a clear margin of 0? HUNH? He did say something was killed off cause there were a lot of those garbage collectors found that was doing ther job to take out the trash. Did the chemo do the job that completely? Why in some of your cases you have still some node involvement or is that the surgery before chemo? I had my surgery after. So did the Herceptin do such a fantastic job along with the Carboplatin and Taxotere to rid my body completely from cancer? Do I need Radiation now? I want to celebrate, but I am afraid to. I just can't see all of the cancer could be gone at this point. Has anyone heard of this? Did I have the Occult Primary cancer with Axillary Metastases that I was looking at the research months ago on? It is rare, but could it be. Am I stupid to be thinking it wasn't cancer in the first place? All this 8 months was based on one pathology report that said they found cancer cells in the one single biopsy they took. Could they have made a mistake? Did I go through all this for nothing? I am so confused right now.0
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You need clarification from your onc. If it is not to late call today. At any rate you may not have had those results without chemo. when you received your original pathology on your biopsy that was very real was it not?
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Bold they sent it out twice for clarification on the first biopsy. Seems to me doing that it wasn't all that clear even then. My onc isn't in on Friday. I may e-mail her as she does read them at home..thanks.
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Cupcake, we may have the same onc. I'm on Kaiser too and get seen Morse Avenue for chemo and oncology. I do take full advantage of being able to send the onc a message through their website. I like that the details don't get scrambled like they may in a phone message though her assistant has been pretty good when I did leave a shorter message that way.
Dr H. said that one Neulasta shot would be too strong for me. That would make it more likely to produce bone aches (I haven't had any on Neupogen though I have this annoying less common nausea from it). Also that overproducing white cells was bad for the spleen. 3 Neupogen shots does get my white cells to a good level so I guess her point is that one Neulasta shot being the same as 10 doses would make me over produce. But what I don't understand is that this stuff doesn't really come in "shots" - couldn't they just give me a smaller shot of Neulasta to get the same effect of the three Neupogen I get?
There is a cost difference. When I pick up the prescription, their cost for 3 doses of Neupogen is just over $1000 (best deal I get for my $10 copay - yea!). 1 dose of Neulasta costs a lot more than that I think. But so far they haven't tried to cut pennies when it was important to treatment. At less than 1 cm they could have tried to talk me out of chemo and Herceptin. I think Dr H. laid out the trade-offs very fairly between chemo alternatives and no chemo and she was supportive of doing TCH.
I may ask to try Neulasta for my next cycle because my chemo nurse last time said I might not have the same nausea side effect from it.
I was told that they do radiation because they can't count on chemo to get to every stray cancer cell that might be somewhere in the breast. Even with clean margins, there might have been some microscopic little cells that got outside the area. I guess the studies on recurrence with and without rads back that up.
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Wow Blue I didn't know you were that close. Small world for sure. When you said Dr. H I just about flipped cause I thought it was Dr. Hearn and he is who I had there, but the you refereed your onc to a she. I was unhappy with Roseville and moved over to Morse thinking the grass would be greener on the other side, but alas it wasn't and I called the original onc at Roseville and begged her to take me back. Which she did. This was Dr. Hersch. I think you are right on the microscopic cells that may be there, but maybe they can give a milder dose. Like with the original 6 doses of chemo vs the 4. They went the six cause it was in the Axillary Node and they hit it big time. PM me and I will give you my phone number. Maybe we can get together for a cup of coffee or something. I am Carmichael/Fair Oaks area. For the rest of you that is in the same town just suburbs of Sacramento.
I never got any side effects of the neausta shot. Never had any problems what so ever.
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Wow! I take one day off to ride my horse and you guys get busy!
Cupcake, that is great news on your pathology. Yes, I can see where you would be a bit confused, but just thank God that the chemo did the trick until you can talk to your onc.
Blue, I agree that I would not pass that book on to a new BC victim. I remember following that story in the news, but that was before I was a member of the camp. Like Rita said, just donate it to a library or something similar. Someone will enjoy it as a human interest story. I had a dear friend send me a copy of The Last Lecture shortly after I was diagnosed. Now why in God's name would I want to read a book about a teacher dying from cancer giving his last lecture - now?
Traci, one of the biggest things I have learned since becoming a cancer patient is most people just don't get it. Even close friends of mine don't have clue what cancer and chemo is all about. They figure if you can get up and walk around, all is well. I used to get irritated, but I am getting better about just letting it roll off my back. They just don't know, and if they are lucky, they never will. I AM sorry that your daughter had to hear that. That was wrong and bad! Had my child been sitting there, I would have been tempted to say something to the woman.
Cali, whine all you want about the shots!!!! We all have our days when we whine about something! We are ENTITLED!!!!!!!
Gramma Carolyn, are we gonna have to start calling you the Dog Whisperer?! Glad you feel well enough to run after two puppies and a husband!
Rita - You are gonna be OK! My first tx was the worst! I think my body was just plain shocked!!! After that, the s/e's started to level out. Either the digestive upset gets a little less severe, or I have learned to manage it better. I got nose bleeds with tx 2 and 3, but not with 4. Dry skin - ugghh!!!!! I can't even help myself there, sorry. And the sad thing is I teach state skin care licencing at our local college. I am sure my new students are looking at me this semester thinking "what is this dried up prune gonna teach us". It will get better. You and your body will adjust. Carolyn is right, water, water, water. I know it is hard, but you have to do it. I learned that lesson the hard way. And go ahead and crash and cry all you want. - You are ENTITLED!
Here is my chemo/upbeat/we can do it/post of the week. I loaded up my horse and all the tack and supplies involved, hooked up my trailer (a 24 footer) and drove around and picked up 2 friends and their horses and drove and hour and a half one way to a state park and rode my horse for 10 miles!!! Not too dang shabby for a 44 year old country girl in the middle of chemo!! One of my friends was celebrating her 50th birthday, so we stopped on the way home and parked the horses under a shade tree and had lunch in a wonderful little italian restuarant. When we got home, of course I had to unload all the stuff, scrub out my trailer and tend to my other 7 horses (hubby was at a business meeting). I am dog tired, but I did it! I am so blessed that I can have a day like this. I took several minutes to thank our dear Lord. He makes it possible. While I was scrubbing the trailer I looked up to see a full moon rising and I had the most incredible feeling of awe and thankfulness come over me. This "thing" is just a little unplanned side trip.
Have a great evening ladies!!!
Lisa
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Lisa I am glad you were able to have such a wonderful day. I think when you enjoy something it makes the hard part of it easier. I do enjoy animals but boy was I tired yesterday. The pups got the shots and one went home but I was up early with the other one since my grandson went someplace and was not home to care for her. I am tired today but not too bad. At least I am not working today! I have to go buy groceries. I waited all day yesterday to get a call from the mechanic about my car and so I decided to check my cell phone and sure enough they had called right after we got home from the hospital for hubby's tx. We had grabbed puppies to take outside and I forgot the cell phone. Anyway it was $1150. and it still needs some stuff but it is a 1999 so I guess it is not too bad. I have been neglectful of a lot of things I guess. You are right about God guiding us and I am sure I would have broke down in a really bad part of town if this had not happened when it did. My hubby and I thank God all the time for the times we have been saved from something worse. Instead of complaining about what happened we are thankful because it could have been at a worse time or could have caused a wreck whatever. The Lord will provide but we must do our part and ask. I know he knows but I am sure he wants to hear from us just like we like to hear from our children.
Cali I tried the Neupogen shots but they did not help me like the Neulasta but the Neulasta was very painful for me. I had a back spasm once while I was taking Herceptin and I was nauseated, throwing up and then the spasm. It was the worse I ever had so I wonder if they lower the dose some. They shot the IV with morphine and some nausea meds and I got better but I was out of it the rest of the day. I still had to take the Neulasta every time but I guess it was easier each time. I would start getting the bone pain the day after the shot. I am still having a little bone pain here and there but I think it is my bones making cells hopefully. I gave my husband shots when he had his hip replacements but he never gave his own. I think he could have but then just having someone there to help is a good thing I think.
Cupcake I am so happy about the path and I hope it turns out to be very good news for you finally. I understand how you are asking questions and sometimes I do that too. I would ask all the questions you can but then sometimes it comes down to saying "Okay, I accept the information. thank you God for the good news and help me accept it." It is scary for sure. I know we get to the point we feel we can't trust the docs but remember God is guiding their hands so he is really the one in charge not the doc. I hope you can find some comfort.
Blue I would donate this book too. Not to someone who is going through cancer tx. This woman was really brave I guess but I would never read it. I did listen to some of the news when it was happening. I did watch Bucket List when I was taking chemo. My husband and I found some funny stuff to laugh about afterward when I would have some problems with bowels. The one guy said "Never trust a fart" and believe me I found that to be too true. It was sad at the end but I watched it because I wanted to and no one suggested it to me.
Traci, I really understand what you mean about people. I have heard more stories about people with cancer and what they went through. Even they died because of this or that. Everyone is different and each cancer is different too. My own sister said she knew what I was going through but I was just not as sick as our brother. I am not as sick but she didn't even call me for the first 5 months of my tx. she thinks she knows because she has had friends who had the same thing as me. Well I beg to differ with her. Everyone handles things different. I am a strong willed person but this chemo is a lot stronger than me I am afraid. You can do it but only one day at a time. You need to take care of yourself and let others help too but you don't need their stories. If someone starts that just say I can't handle that right now and if you could please not talk about it or it hurts my daughter because she is having a hard time with this. So what if they get offended. Maybe they will think next time they talk but probably not but you will feel better that you handled the situation. I tend to keep my mouth shut around strangers but I had all I could take from my sister and now she thinks I am being mean to her. I pray she never has to experience anything like we have. She told me she would not take radiation or chemo. Only natural meds because they can't cause the SE. I drank some herbal tea one time several years back and I almost died because it caused my throat to swell shut. natural can be dangerous too! she put mangos in a fruit salad once when we were there and did not tell me knowing I was allergic to them. She thinks it is in my head. Well it was because it shut off my air too and no one had benadryal so we had to leave at once to get to the hospital which was a ways off. She was mad about that too. I guess I am through being cranky but I want you to know that you know yourself better than anyone else does so you do what is good for you and your family.
I was going to ask someone who has started radiation if this is normal. I finally got a call to start radiation Monday but we have to do Xrays first. I had an MRI to see if lumps were cancer but wasn't, then we did the CAT scan and tattoos and now Xrays to make sure the doc is happy with set up. Is this right? I want it to be right but it seems like a lot. I want to get started and get it finished too. I guess I am too anxious to finish it all.
Have a good weekend everyone. It is cold here today but we had 2 really nice days so I will try not to complain.
Carolyn
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Yes Carolyn, That seems about right for rads. I had to have the mri and the tattoos. They did the x rays right before the rads to make sure everything lined up too. I have not had any problems with rads yet. I have only been going for a week but it is soooo much better than chemo. My doc told me they take the original MRI with the tumor, the new ones and the x rays to make the radiation plan. They need to know EXACTLY where to radiate. I guess a lot of work goes into the radiation "treatment plan". Good for us that they are being so exact.
Have a great week end...Traci
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Cupcake: I understand your confusion, but hey, No Cancer!!!! What a wonderful path report! Celebrate - you deserve it after all you've been through. If radiation or further treatment is in future, I know you have the strength and faith to handle it, but right now, everything looks great. I'm so happy for you!
Sue
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Thanks Traci! I just wondered why it was taking so long and then all the tests but I do appreciate them being so careful. He said they may have to radiate close to the ehart but they were going to be real careful to try not to damage anything. It think I am more afraid of radiation than chemo since my brother had such a hard time of it but his was in his mouth so that is different.
Carolyn
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