Chemo in Sept 08
Comments
-
i think chemo face is another common denominator for us. I wake up with these HUGE bags of swelling undr my eyes and my eyelids are swollen and it takes the betterpart of the day to go down. It's amazing since i haven't had roids since before the last tx in on jan2---- Like we siad this BC keeps on giving.
Went to MIL's for dinner today and while it helps to have extra hands for these babies i think that DH is going to have to do the dinners by himself. I got another lecture from her and her hubby today about the importance of getting on antidepressants now before the rads take me deep into the bowels of depression which according to them will be in the next week or so...?????? I started to tell her if i had to keep listening to her i would really need them. Knowing that this was probably coming i took the xanex before we got there and snoozed a little this afternoon to escape the madness. Of course DH spent his time with his dad watching the super bowl so I got stuck with her and listening to her crazed opinions. NOW i know for sure where my hubby gets his OCD from!!!
I don't have the heart to post a pic because all you girls are little skinny minnies compared to me!! My chemo face would take up far too much room. My hair is also so light it wouldn't show.At least it is there. The wig itches with the new growth but i do not intend to show my head until this stuff has lots of length so i guess it will be my companion for another 6 mos or so. May even need to invest in another one just like it as it wasn't so expensive.
Have a great week ladies. I am going to take a pill and call it a night. I was up and down all night last night with the flashes and after the day i have had with MIL i need to rest my weary brain if i can chill. I don't get depressed I get IRRITATED and right now i could break something!!!!! Maybe i'll take several pills tonight!!
0 -
Hi girls,
Genia, Juli and prettiest, you look great, I know that you have looked better, but it is wonderful to see your lovely faces, so many people that look just like me! Oh to belong! As for the round faces, hey we are alive and that is the main thing, all will be well before we know it!
Even if we can't see the details of the baby bird hair, we can imagine what it is like with great clarity! I was just going to take a new photo of me, but I can't find my charger and my camera has a flat battery, so will do it very soon.
Juli, sorry the nasty taxol kick your butt today, I hope you feel better soon.
Trude, get a second opinion, my ER+ EP+ was very high before chemo, and then went down to the low 20's, but my oncol said it is definately still worth taking tamoxafine. I hope you have some meds for the skin reaction, I used claritin and it worked like a dream, and baby barrier for the nasty welt! sounds awful, hope it goes away soon.
Lisa, glad your babies are stroking your head, how lovely, don't we just remember doing that to them! I am so glad the surgery for your daughter went well. How old are your babies?
Spring, I have a little stinging today, after telling the rads oncol I didn't have any pain or side effects at all. I have now done 17 and have 13 to go! not long.
Have a good rest everyone.
Singapore Chris
p.s. have you ever noticed that everyone love smiley faces and THEY don't have hair either!
0 -
Chris - You look beautiful!
Actually, I'm lovin' not having to deal with fixing my hair for the past 4 months. Sure is a lot quicker getting ready in the morning. But drawing on eyebrows slows me down.
LOL0 -
CHRIS- my grandbabies are 2 and 1 ( 1 yr and 17 days apart) i asked my daughter if she knew what causes that LOL. She now realizes that it was REALLY stupid to have two that close together and while i love them..some days the stress of having them in the house is too much. Especially when daughter "checks out" and thinks we will take over which is often. It's a long story but we keep praying her mind will return one day.
0 -
Jules, Baby bird hair LOL.
Is there a bald picture movement on this list lately????? I feel out of it!!!
0 -
Yes Spring.....hurry and get one up.....cause mine is comin DOWN soon.....lolol
I went to see the second surgeon today. I loved him.....very nice and seemed very smart! He wants to do the genetic testing on me......the BCRA or whatever initials it is. He told me that that test would have a lot to do about whether or not he does a bi-lateral mast. My tumor is so small he could barely feel it. He said it's more like a thickening than an actual tumor. So I have to go Monday and have another mammo done....and an ultrasound. Then he wants to do another MRI to see how big the tumor actually is now. Then I will see him again next Weds. I have to get all the reports and films from my mammo, ultrasound and MRI when I was first diagnosed so he can compare them.
So as of right now.....I still don't know WHAT kind of surgery I will have to have until all the tests are done. He was very thorough and told me my Onco had done a wonderful job with my cancer treatment.
Still confused....but not as much as I was when I went.
hugssssss and love to you all
0 -
Chris, Juli and Robin.......you look beautiful to me. At least you don't have the Uncle Fester look goin.....I hate the way I look right now!!!
0 -
That picture is a little better than the other one. At least I DID have a little makeup on......lol
0 -
Genia,
Could you feel your lump before? I know with ILC it is hard to feel an actual lump. Sounds like this surgeon is good. Hoping al yout tests go well!
I have been bad, eating TONS of chocolate. I need to get myself together and stop eating bad. It has been stressful for me lately and I know that was my coping. But time to move on!
I have my MRI tomorrow. Hopefully they will not see anything. I need to see my BS again, since it has been 6 months.
Love the pictures!
D
0 -
Genia, I am soooo happy you like this surgeon. It is so important to trust the person doing surgery. I also am looking for a new Dr.....since I completed my chemo, I am looking for another oncologist to do follow up and radiation. My old one is just a pain in the a**. After being treated badly by them, I have had enough. No reason I can't move. Oh, get this....she told me no radiation last week, but after my surgeon questioned this, I pulled out all my original papterwork and guess what....she did say 30 radiation tx were to be done after surgery!!!! She is too busy to pay attention.
Taxol #10 was bad.....sooo bad. I actually reverted to a nap in my car during lunch time today. I haven't done that since AC. The bird fuzz hair is quite the laugh at our house. My hubby and dd both want to touch it and look at how much it's grown every day !!!! Back Off !!! LOL ...they are just being too silly!!!
Denise- happy thoughts are with you for a great MRI !!!! Keep eating chocolate, don't you know it's the miracle medicine, it can cure anything !!!!!
Just found out one of the men I work with...his wife was dx with bc about a month ago. 10cm x 12cm and mets to the lungs. Poor lady !!!! Haven't seen him since to check in.
Trude
0 -
Genia,
Your new softened fuzzy picture looks great! This must be the sister of Uncle Fester who won the beauty contest!
I had three MRIs. One at the start, one half way through chemo (after 4 AC) one at the end of 4 Taxol. I think it is a good idea to check your progress!
Spring.
0 -
Genia - I'm glad you liked the surgeon you met today. It's important to feel comfortable with your doctors.
I saw the dentist this morning. You're not going to believe this, but I feel going up the sidewalk to his office and scraped my other knee! The tooth is still abcessed and he said it has 3 roots, one of which abuts the sinus cavity. He said I have to see an oral surgeon. I made an apt for 2/10 - the same day I see the radiation onc. We don't have anything local - I live in the middle of nowhere, so I have to drive an hour to get to the radiation onc and the oral surgeon.
The dentist told me to keep taking the penicillin and gave me a Rx for 15 vicodin. The pain wasn't too bad during the day today, but it has been killing me since I've been home tonight. Maybe it's all in my head. I don't know how much more I can take of this. How many things can happen to one person?
I also got a copy of my labs from Friday (the gyn did) and Saturday (the ER did). According to my FSH, I am already menopausal (so why am I still having hot flashes?). My dh said gyn called before I got home tonight, so I have to call him back tomorrow. When I was in the ER, the doc did a CBC. He told me my WBC was 19,000, which means I am fighting this infection, but he failed to mention that I was anemic again. I thought that after the transfusion, I'd be ok. I really am tired of all of this. I just want to be normal again.
0 -
Yes Denise I could feel the lump. It was huge.....and by the time I got the chemo started after they gave me the run around at a different hospital and Dr......it had grown so big it was all the way across the top of my breast. My nipple was inverted and my whole breast looked deformed. And NOW.....the surgeon tells me he care BARELY feel anything.....and it feels more like a thickening than anything. So that was happy news.......
Good luck with your MRI.....thinking lots of positive thoughts Denise!!!!
Trude.....hope how soon your treatments are all over with.....and you feel better. Heck I want us ALL to feel better!!!
Thanks Beverly. I want my hair back....and to lose about 70 pounds....lol.....but more than THAT......I'm just glad I'm alive and responded so well to the chemo.
Jane Jane Jane......I am gonna have to come up there girl!!! You are giving me NO choice.......bless your heart........big hugsssss! Love your new pic......
I for one can't WAIT til Summer.........I'm tired of snow and ICE.....and I'm tired of feeling like S**T!!!! And for the past 2 days I have been havin so much trouble breathing. It's like my heart is working overtime and I've run around the block a couple of times. I see my onco tomorrow......so I am gonna mention this to him. I'm just wondering about the Herceptin and heart damage now.........do I sound like a hypochondriac????? lolol
0 -
Genia - I don't blame you for worrying. With what you've gone through, you don't know what to expect (I can relate).
Bettysgirl, I know chemo has affected our eyesight, but there's no way I could be mistaken for a skinny minnie! I did have gastric bypass almost 8 years ago, though. But, I'll never be skinny.
0 -
I just thought of another question I wanted to ask. Did any of you lactate when you were not nursing? I started lactating even before I had my first baby and I have continued ever since. I have even had mastitis twice when I wasn't nursing. Now my daughter (19) is lactating and she's not pregnant, either. I wonder if this had anything to do with the bc.
0 -
Another question....does anybody else have trouble going to bed? I know that the minute I get there my head is going to just start spinning, even though I take the ativan. I do fall asleep now that I am on the ativan, but I find that I put off going to bed because I want to avoid that brain spin. It's not good for me because I have to get up early every morning, but I'd rather wait until I fall asleep in my chair before I go to bed.
Also, not to be morbid, but I found a kit in the Current catalog called "Information My Family Needs to Know." It has places to list phone numbers, account numbers, lists of property, memorial instructions, who to notify, etc. I bought it and it puts a lot of info in one place; prob a good thing even for people who aren't sick. I know that, if something happened to me, my family wouldn't have a clue where to look for things or who to call. By the way, Genia, with what has happened with the recent passing of a couple of our sisters on the board, I put your phone # down on my list of who to contact, just in case. I know if something happened to any one of you guys, I'd want to know. I also plan on being together with you all for a long time....let me know if you change your phone #.
Does anybody else think I'm crazy, or is it just me?
0 -
I don't know about the lactating Jane......never hear of that. It might be something worth asking the Dr. about.
That is fine........and you are NOT morbid. It's called REALITY......I need to do the same thing. I'm tellin ya if something were to happen to ANY of you........it would just kill me.......like losin a family member. Cause that's what you girls are to me........FAMILY!!!!
0 -
So, how come you're not in bed by 11:00?
0 -
I'm heading that way soon........took my drugs.......hope I sleep better than I have been. I was awake ever single hour last night! I'm so exhausted!!!
g'night sweet Jane........I may call you tomorrow if I get a chance.
love ya girl
0 -
I think hearing about 2 of our fellow sisters has affected all of us. I know it gave me a massive headache! Makes all of this even more real!
Jane, I'm afraid to see what next will happen to you! Enough already! Maybe you should stay in bed tomorrow! You can't get hurt there! I did breastfeed 3 kids for over a year each. And I had mastitis once that I remember....
D
0 -
Jane - I am in the process of setting up a trust (for my house, etc.) Something I've been meaning to do, but bc gave me the push. As for the lactating thing, I have never heard of lactating w/o breastfeeding, but I had heard that breastfeeding for a minimum of 9 months helps to prevent bc... and I could only breastfeed on my left side (right did not have any milk) and my right side is the side with bc. weird, eh?
I swear every night when I lay down to sleep... I get a hot flash. LOL
Today, the opthamologist said I am having ocular migraines, probably caused by chemo, but thinks I should see a neurologist because of the frequency of them. hmmm... I think I'll wait and see if they stop when chemo ends (only 25 more days!).
Genia - So glad you like the new surgeon. When was your last echo (or test) to see how your heart is holding up?
Trude - I hope you feel better soon!
Denise - your chillow is on it's way...
Hugs to all!
0 -
Hi girls,
What is this about some of our sister passing on, who are they and how did you hear about it, they are not from our site are they?
I have been out today with the Singapore Breast Cancer foundation to give an awarness talk to a group of ladies, I am doing it regularly now, someone else does the informative stuff then I do my survivor story, it was good fun. I try and make it upbeat, as you don't want to frighten people away from going for treatment if they find anything.
Jane, get your daughter to go for a checkup.
Genia, hope you get some sleep tonight, glad you are moving ahead with your planning.
Bettysgirls, glad to hear the babies are grand babies, what a lot of work, even part time! but lovely to have a round.
It is a good idea to get your affairs in order, but don't be thinking you are going to die, because it's not going to happen!
Take care girls, Singapore Chris
0 -
Juli....same here with breasfeeding. Never could get milk out of my right breast. Always just my left one....and the right one is the one with the BC too.
Now I'm wondering who the two were that passed away....I didn't hear about anyone.
I did sleep better last night. Took two Benedryl with my ativan......and it zonked me! I see my Onco this morning and I will ask him about the echo of my heart. I only had the one before I started chemo and that is it! I've had a lot of fluid retention too.......and I think it's getting up around my chest and making it hard to breathe. Be about my luck to make it through chemo and die of a heart problem........wouldn't THAT just suck!!!!!!!!
Hugs to all and have a great day!!!!
0 -
http://www.herbalshop.com/Acupressure/Acupressure_51.html
This is supposed to help with hot flashes. I figure ANYTHING is worth trying......lol
0 -
I could hardly get milk out when I was breastfeeding, LOL.
Chris has a baldy pic too! My hair is great, it gives me the greatest pleasure! It is really coming in. I am constantly playing with it and trying to get it to stand up when the wig is off. I am thinking of trying some semi-permanent color!
Jane, I can't believe you scraped your other knee!!!! I agree w/Julie, STAY IN BED!!!
Genia, let us know if the accupressure works!
Spring (Beverly)
0 -
Chris - AlaskaDeb and HeatherBLocklear passed away, a week apart. You can enter their names under member list and read their profile and some of their posts. I know AlaskaDeb was very popular here and was only 44 yrs old, with 2 teenage daughters. HeatherBLocklear (Annie) was a grandma and just got back from visiting her kids/grandkids in France.
Heartwrenching...
0 -
I remember Annie... that is sad.
0 -
Wishing both families well in these trying times!
Had my MRI this AM. Felt very nervous, cried, but the girl was excellent. Got my IV first stick
. Gave me headphones plus the xanax I took, worked wonders. Wished someone had driven me, as driving home probably wasn't wise! I see my BS tomorrow. Hopefully (tho not likely) she will have results back or at least can feel the same thing my onc feels. Going to some cancer class tonight, abt moving on. I will let y'all know how it is. And once I figure how to download my pictures from the camera......I'm not computer savvy!D
0 -
Such sad news to lose two sisters. I learned about the elephant story on Annie's thread (how elephants will surround an ailing elephant to keep it from falling).
I was supposed to have a CT scan this morning to further investigate a spot on my liver that was detected on my first scan before surgery last August. My virus has settled into my chest and I feel terrible so I cancelled the scan and stayed home from work. I see my onc on Thursday; hope that I'm not developing a secondary infection.
OK; I decided to join all you beautiful bald ladies - so here's my pic without wig - you can see that I have chemo-face too!
I joined weight watchers online so that I could better track my meals. So far I'm doing ok - will have a weigh in on Friday. According to ww, for my height 5'5" I should weigh between 120 - 145 pounds! So I have about 40 lbs to go
It is not normal for a woman to be lactating when not nursing (or pregnant); could indicate a hormone imbalance; definitely something to have checked out.
Hey Beverly - are you getting snow today? It's been snowing off and on here today.
Hugs to all!
0 -
Im so sorry to hear of these two beautiful sisters. I didn't know them well....but knew of them.
Donna you look beautiful sweetie........
I had an appt with my Onco this morning. He isn't gonna start my Herceptin or Tamoxifen until after my surgery. He is very pleased with how well the chemo has worked with me.....thank God.
My white count was 2.5....ugh.....and then they called after I got home and said my potassium was too low too. So they called me in some potassium pills to take for 2 days then I have to go back Thurs and have my blood work repeated. Joy Joy.....cant let you out do me Jane.....lol.....just kidding! I have to go next Weds for another heart echo.....
I have a lot of swelling.....from the Taxotere. Ankles, lower legs, face and hands. He said it would go down eventually....and nothing he could give me would help it. It had to go down on its own. But its making it very hard to breathe. Im so winded with just walking through the house!
Just wanted to kinda give ya an update on me......
love and hugssssss
0
