Chemo in Sept 08
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Geez, I miss out on all the good cabana boy talk being on the west coast.
My shooting pains and achiness are gone. Maybe I'll get some sleep tonight.
I guess I can tolerate 11 more Taxols. Do I have a choice?Brandonmom - you are on my team now... we can do it!
When do you start the Taxol?Maybe cabana boy can bring us our L-Glutamine drinks with an umbrella in it.
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Genia - what's with it with us? Does it never end? You and I seem to get one thing after another. We'll just keep on keepin on.
Maybe I'll find a cabana boy in Virginia when I go down next week to see my boys. I don't think I'll get one to come to New York in the freezing cold.
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Hi all,
I miss the cabana boy talk too...Oh well. Spring those pics are HOTHOTHOT:)
I know Decadron is wonderful for all of us who have RA; my Decadron must be wearing off this week because I am having mobility problems again. I finished my AC cycles November 21 and have been without that med ever since.
I'll see my first Oncologist again Friday. She warned me about possible hospitalizations, high chemo co-pays and the danger of thousands of dollars being incurred with no insurance supplement when I went to see her last August with just my Medicare and no backup.
Thanks to my ex, who after 15 years of marriage, dropped my secondary insurance just in time for Breast cancer, in spite of our divorce agreement ....I then found myself in that horrid position. arrrgh.
Her advice helped me choose the awful...not her fault...Medicare Advantage PPO plan. Starting January 1, 2009, I will have my original Medicare back along with my AARP supplement. YEAH! After my next four Taxol treatments, I will have radiation x 30 treatments, I will discuss the new info about less radiation with my radiologist when I see her again hoping I'm a candidate and knowing with Triple negative BC that it will probably not happen.
I will see her Friday at 1330 with all my fingers crossed that I can start Taxol/Taxotere early January. Taxol is supposed to be the T chemo of choice for Triple negatives. This morning I read in the NY Daily News..my NYC tabloid of choice... that Diabetics have poor survival rates compared to non-Diabetics. I'm not surprised at the stat, but I am not having it cause I know I will survive this... for sure. I will not leave my son who is finally socializing, educating himself and hoping to meet a girl soon:) Having his grandchildren around one day would make me so happy.
Brandon Mom, Genia and Jane my heart goes out to you.
pretties..I'm loving your pic.
Diflucan is great for our yeasties...thank God for it.
My son and I went to see Frost/Nixon and loved it. I think we will have to budget somehow for Benjamin Button and Doubt.
hugs to everyone,
Mina
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LMAO!!! Spring...who's crackin' who up NOW??!!
Genia...I'm gonna make sure that you're name is in my super prayer group...something's going on, that's for sure...We'll line you up with as many massages and Cabana boys as you need...
Brandonsmom...holy crap...I'd be pitching a holy fit for the lab not getting the HER2 status right the first time outta the box... I mean... seriously.. how hard is it to get a result? Positive or negative.
Priz...just make sure that Santa isn't planning on donning board shorts himself...
In the event that we can't get together in a tropical locale, do you think that we could get together after all the chemo/radiation crap is overwith? Maybe in the summer/fall? Meet in a central location, book a block of rooms, reservations at some good restaurants...and shopping...musn't forget about that!
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Prettimess
I agree, somewhere like Denver or Nashville....would be great, plenty to do and big enough cities to have good hotel deals and great restaurants. My dd lives in Nashville and plays in a band. There is music everywhere and lots of great shopping. Just a thought.
Party on !!!!!!! (she has plenty of guy friends who would be our cabana boys by the pool)
Trude
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Bar,
That totally sux about the insurance BS!!! I feel we have enough stress to deal with just getting through chemo without worrying about $$ issues. But ain't that life.
I have a friend here who is tripple nagative too, She was 2 weeks ahead of me in the chemo room, and didn't have surgery until after chemo. They were hoping to shrink her cancer so she could get lumpectomy vs. Mastectomy. And Bar. get this - at the end of her chemo they did an MRI, and there was *N O T H I N G* left at all!!! Not one little dot on the image! She had a "complete response! So they did a "lumpectomy" anyway (of what I don't know! I guess where the tumor used to be??). So there is something GOOD about tripple neg, the chemo really KICKS IT'S BUTT!!! Me, on the other hand, being ER+/PR+ will be lucky if they tell me I had a partial response - and honestly I am not sure we will ever know. The MRI said 5.5 tumor and 1.5 weeks later the "real" tumor was 3.5. (What the heck?) So I dont' even know if MRI works for me???
In any case it is ALL GONE NOW.
Hang in there Bar.
It is gold and gray here in Raleigh NC today -- I better start thinking about locals with Cabana Boys. I particularly like Julie's idea of getting the CB's to mix L-Glutamin in with our umbrella drinks! LOL.
Prettiest - I OWED YOU that crack up!!!
BrandonMom and Genia - I am about to do my devotions, so will say a special prayer for you two ladies.
I am down for the "Chemo in Sept'08" runion.That would indeed be good for the soul!
Now that I have figured out how to post pics in here, I will post one more Cabana Boy for good measure.... You can just imagine which of the women in the pic you want to be. I want to be the one to the right wearing a bakini and high heels (good grief! cut me a break!) :O
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Still feel like CRAP.....just called my Dr. I asked the nurse if he would just call me in some antibiotics......she said she would have to talk to him. I mean good Lord I was just in there Monday! He ain't gonna find any more wrong today than he did then. I kept waking up all night long......sweating.....I guess it was the fever breaking. Today....I've been up on hour and already I am aching.
Jane.......if we were horses......they would have shot us by now. No doubt in my mind......lol
Robin I meant to tell you.....I love your pic hun........such a pretty lady!!! CLASSY......
And the get together sounds heavenly.......then I could give you all.......all the hugs I wanted to. I person!!!
Could I have a Cabana MAN instead of a boy......somthing about that just doesn't feel right.....lol
Juli.....glad you are feeling better from the Taxol........maybe next time it will be easier for you. I sure hope so............we ALL deserve a break from this madness!!!
Mina....glad you are gettin that insurance straightened out. Mine is soooo messed up they haven't paid one cent on anything so far. They have me mixed up with an 80 year old woman who has medicare.......because they got one of the numbers wrong on my SS. I feel 80.....but I ain't!!! lol
Brandonsmom.....hang in there sweetie........there IS an end to all of this!!! Even tho it seems soooo far away sometimes.
love you all.......
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Genia - ask your doctor about the flu; we've had several confirmed cases here in the lab.
Trude - Nashville would be great! Count me in!
My parents are taking my husband & I on a 10 cruise to St Thomas & South America in Jan....maybe I can get a Cabana Man for my mom & I
Miss Spring - is there a trick to adding a pic to a post? I've tried several times at home (w/Mac) and it didn't work. Love the high heels!
Brandonsmom - we don't actually do the test for HER2 in our laboratory - it's sent out to a reference lab. I was told that you could test pos for the HER2 screen; but when it's confirmed it can be below the cut-off value and called neg. But when it comes right down to it - lab errors do happen.
Juli - glad that you are feeling better - thanks for the card!
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Wink, I tell you, that cruise for 10 days sounds heavenly. ahhhh..
To add pic to post, you need to locate the URL of the jpeg or picture. Like, find a pic on a web site somewhere and then right click to see the url of the image. In FireFox browser, you can "copy image location".
THen here, when you are typing into the box , there is a little symbol above to the left of the smiley face, click that and it pops up a dialog box, and you pop the URL of the pic in there, then I typically select "bottom" from the other drop down in there.
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I'm all for Nashville! That's only a nine hour drive! Totally do-able!
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OOhhh... and in Nashville... we can get a plethora of Fine Southern Gentlemen! 0
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I'm down for Nashville and a ROAD TRIP. We just have to wait until Genia and Jane are through the woods...
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Let's brainstorm on some potential dates, after chemo & radiation's done. Maybe sometimes in late July or August? Before all our kids start school?
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Has anyone doing Taxol (DD) had their doctor stop treatment? I went in for my 4th taxol today after having already had 4 AC. When I told her that I had started to develop neuropathy, she immediately said "you're done". She said the risk of the neuropathy becoming worse and not going away was far greater than any benefit I would receive from this last treatment. My tumor was small, non-aggressive and the amount found in the one lymph node was very small. So, she feels that it is fine to stop. I will go on drug therapy when I start radiation. Still, I didn't feel the elation that I expected.
She told me to go to a celebration lunch with my friends and eat ANYTHING that I wanted. I had my first salad since September 7th. Thank goodness I'm done with the "no fresh fruits and veggies and nothing that's not cooked to death".
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Jordianna,
You should take L-Glutamin for Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) Your doctor may tell you there is no medical study proving it works, but it WORKS for many of us here. Also, It is not "contra-incicated".
You can find this at any GNC type store, vitamin store, or health store. The dosage is 3 TBSP in juice 3x a day until the symptoms stop. Then 2x a day.
My story: I took it the week of Taxol chemo. Then stopped for all for DD treatments. After the last chemo, I didin't take it any more. About a week and a half later, I had terrible pinching and stinging in my hands, wrists, fingers. Started the L-Glutamin again, symptoms gone!!!
I have a friend who had the symptoms of PN all through chemo, surgery and as she started rads, she started the L-Glutamin. The syptoms are not gone, but are much much better now.
Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS on being DONE WITH CHEMO!!!
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Donna - Thanks for the card, too!
My onc's office just called... Starting the new year, they want $500 every tx till I hit my $7,000 out of pocket again. Sux to have crappy insurance. That doesn't include the $40 co-pay every time I show my face in their office.
Maybe I'll mention my neuropathy symptoms...
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OK, It's official. I am going to bed and making all the docs come to me from now on. As I was leaving work this afternoon, I feel down the concrete stairs leading out of the building. Thankfully, I don't think I broke anything, but my right leg is about 5X the size of the left and hurts like he^^. To add insult to injury, my wig came of when I fell.
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Oh Jane! Are you ok? I feel pretty clumsy since I've started Taxol...five treatments in, seven more to go...my balance is absolute crap, and when I walk down stairs of any number, I take them like I'm 125 years old...two feet on a step. It takes me what seems like forever to get outside, and longer when I'm climbing the three flights to my apartment.
How long has your leg been feeling like that? Have you had a bone scan yet? Mine showed bone spurs and arthritis in my hips and pelvis...yay.
Juli...we need to win the lottery for you...$500 each tx? Holy co-pay.
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Yikes Jane! Just what you didn't need!!!
We need to meet before 10/1/09... that's when my free r/t ticket to anywhere in the continental U.S. expires (that I got from The Ellen Show).
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Jane! I can't believe this! I don't know what is worse, falling down the stairs, or doing so with the Wig coming off! Hang in there girl.
Julie, Yikes STRIPES about the $$. You need to hit the lottery.... (The Ellen Show?) wow!
Genia is underground. I hope she is okay. Hang in there Miss Jane!
I am about to do the Christmas Cards, well, I should say, I've been working on it for 2 days now. This is such a project.... ugh.
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Jane- I hope you are Ok. Do you think you need X-rays??? If your leg is 5x normal size, have you put ice on it??? STAY HOME AND REST!!!!
Julie- Sorry abt the $$$. I am dreading to see what mine will be.
A reunion trip sounds fun! Just to get away.....
Jordianna-I would take this as a good thing! I am trying to look at the positive side of things!
Springtime-Love the picture! I just want to keep thinking abt cabana boys and margaritas!
D
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This is for you Priz!!!
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YUMMY! Thanks so much, I needed one!
My Dad went back to Chicago today and I miss him. It was nice having him around! The holidays will be hard this year.
D
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Genia is above ground now....and thinking she needs to go stay with JANE!!! Good Lord girl......what ELSE is gonna happen. I think you and I are takin turns here. I agree you prob should get it x-rayed.
To be Irish.....I'm sure not havin any GOOD luck at this point. I guess I'm breathing.......so that's a plus.......well at least I think it is.
My Dr. put me back on antibiotics AGAIN......I'm just one big infected mess I reckon!!! Got a Lortab in me.....that's how I managed to get out of bed and walk downstairs. All I can say is thank God for pain pills......otherwise we would be in trouble........or at least I would.
I had to laugh at my daughter who said "Mom...you had better be careful or you will get addicted to some of those drugs" I thought.......that's the LAST thing on my mind right. Comfort and no pain is of utmost importance at this time. I'm taking them exactly like they were prescribed.
Wow Juli.......I would be SOL right now if I had to pay that for my tx's. There's no way.....not while I'm not working. Bless your heart sweetie!
Just wanted to check in and see how my sisters are.......hugssss and love to ya'll
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Genia - good to hear you are up and about.
I know I have an angel watching over me... I didn't have health insurance last year, but decided to try again in January of this year. I had been rejected from pre-existing conditions (like skin cancer), so I applied to one with a high deductible, but at least they took me. So when I found my lump in May, at least I had some insurance. Then when I was diagnosed with bc, my grandma passed away and left me enough money to pay for my treatment.
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Genia - have you heard of "Murphy's Law?" Murphy is Irish. I married a Murphy 25 years ago and I've been saying I should have kept my maiden name ever since.
I don't want to get x-rays because then I'd have to fill out an accident report because it happened at work and, if anything were broken, I wouldn't be able to move the joints, which I can. It's just soft tissue stuff.
I was just telling dd that my boss went home sick today with a stomach bug. With the luck I've been having, that'll be the next thing I get. Either that, or I'll get stuck in a snowdrift on my way to work tomorrow what with the big storm coming.
And to make this a true comedy, I spilled my plate of dinner on the floor tonight and it just cost $760 to have my husband's truck fixed so we may not be able to go to Virginia for Christmas after all.
So much for that "Luck o' the Irish" lol
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Wow you guys have been busy,
Genia - I really want to give you lots of HUGGS....you need to come see my onc. Get better soon
Jordiana - My surgeon, the research dr from stanford told me, the goal was to get at least 4 Taxol treatments in. If you get neuropathy it is for the most part non reversible.....therefore they feel that #4 is good to go.....many people have to stop before the full course of 12.
Yeah ! I would love to go to Nashville for a reunion. August would be good. I will do a little research and see what happenings are in that time period. If enough people are interested I will also check in to a corporate rate thru my daughters work.
Juli - I am soooo sorry about the insurance. I stinks to have to use your inheritance for treatment. Have you asked for cash discounts ???? Some offices will give you a break.
Mina - you will probably be better off with Medicare and AARP....I am a medical biller for 20 yrs and we see nothing but problems with the HMO/ replacement plans for medicare. It's like they take advantage of medicare patients. There is so much to know, each contract is so different it is almost impossible to make a good choice. Hooray for you for getting out !!!!!
Spring - I wish you had the same results.....tumor gone after chemo. Mine is almost gone after just the AC....I am curious to see after the Taxol. My surgeon said they need to remove the dead cells....ghostectomy....they remove the amount of tissue from the original mri.
Jane - please be careful.....go to the dr ......being on chemo can cause some excess bleeding and bruising. You really should have someone look at it.....if it is really swollen. Don't worry about the report, its just a piece of paper !!!! You are more important than that !!!!
Trude
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DH won't let me go to work today. I'll call the onc office when they open and get their input. I think it's just a "flesh wound." Just another one of those things that keep my life interesting.
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Just checkin in this morning.....and I wanted to also let you know I will be gone for a couple of days.....to my mother in laws house. I don't really feel like goin......but I suppose I can be sick there as easily as being sick here. Sure hope those antibiotics kick in soon.....so I'll feel good during Christmas.
Jane......I still think you need to get it checked out. And I'm pretty sure your Dr. will agree g/f. Better watch out for blood clots.......because from what I understand we are more proned to them now.
hugsss, love and blessings to you all!!!
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Jane - good idea !!! I am worried about you and feel much better having your onc take a look. Papers are just papers......it can all be fixed.....you are much more important to all of us
HUGG and KISSES !!!!!
Trude
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