Chemo in Sept 08
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Morning, I'm awake and here 24 hours awake, However Decadron helped me clean some kitchen cabinets..
Sending you Love Genia and Juli...You are always in my heart.
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Chris - Thanks for your thought for the day.
Mina - Glad you got some good cleaning done. Can I borrow some of your energy.
Good news... My onc just called and said no blood clot, just signs of infection. He wants me on 2 antiobiotics (Biaxin and Augmentin). I told him I can only breathe if I don't move. If I walk around, I am immediately out of breath. He said to go to the hospital if I felt I needed to. They would give me IV antiobiotics and oxygen. I told him for now I will just lay in bed and not move.
Hope everyone is having a good Saturday.
Hugs
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wink- the radical changes he says to expect is to get much redder over the weekend and to begin to start to peel in some places. He thinks the inderarm area may get worse over the weekened. Told me to continue with the cream maybe even three times a day and to use the domeboro soak especially in the underarm area to try to keep it on the dry side instead of oozing and seepy..Right now the itching is driving me crazy and last night i took some benadryl to sleep. My upper back is itching like crazy from that pass through radiation from the collarbone. It's like that crazy itching after a sunburn right before you begin to peel and i have a feel areas that are beginning to peel very slighlty. They are hoping to start again monday but made no promises. We will see.
Bar- I wish the decadron had done that for me but it never wired me. I wish i could borrow some of that energy to do the cleaning i need to do here toady.
Genia---i keep praying for you!!!
Juli- Prayers for you too!!! Please take good care of yourself and rest.
Have a great weekend and I can't wait to join Chris and Spring in the finished rads catagory!!! Chris PLEASE dip in the pool for me!!!
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Juli...how is your white count now? If it's still low it might not be a bad idea to go to the hospital and get that IV antibiotics.
Let us know how you are through the day.....I'm such a worrier!!!
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Thanks for the prayers and wishes.....I sure do appreciate all of them!!!
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Betty's, my underarm is also driving me bats. I have been told to wash mine 2x a day with soap, and then put some hydrogen peroxide mixed with water there to dry it out (same as you). I went through a few miserable moments today, but my husband says he noticed the skin getting better, so I must just believe!!!!
Julie, you are competing for the sickest, aren't you!!! You are challenging Genia and Jane!!!! Hang in there girl. I can't believe this about your wrist with everything else going on!!!! I am gong to stop complaining! Prayers to you girl.
Genia, I was the same as Winkie Dink. Had a tumor that was not found in mammograms, and I was danged if that was going to happen to the other side. FORGEDDA BOWDID!!! Anyway, it was a torturous decision for me, but I have no regrets that I did both. When I hear freinds freak out about Mammos, I just know I did the right thing for me. Good luck with all this.
Chris! Falling over! Take care, hope you are okay. The nurses there sound very attentive!
Mina, good grief!!! I hope you are sleeping now!!!
Wink and Chris, congratulations on the weight loss!!! I have lost about 7 and only have a few more to go. My daughter has both her dad and me on an exercise healthing living program for her High School Senior Project! It is very fun, she is always asking us, "did you record what you at today? What exercise did you do?" "Give me that box of candy!!! NO NO NO NO!!" She cracks us up!!! But it is working!
Betty's, I lost a few pounds during rads. I think it was zapping me somehow. How about you? Hang in there girl. You will be done done done sooon soon soooooon!!!!!
Winkie, how do you get the font to be light gray like that light gray <test to see?Hang in there girls
Prayers and love to you all.
Chris, thanks for the thought of the day! I love the positive affirmation!
Sunny Sunny, Springy.
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My onc called me at 9 am this morning to tell me that I didn't have a bloot clot in my lungs. yay! He said the scan showed signs of infection, so he wanted me on 2 antibiotics, Biaxin and Augmentin. He said if I felt worse to go to the hospital.
Anyone ever take Biaxin? I thought chemo left a bad taste in my mouth, but compared to Biaxin...it's like chewing an aspirin all day. I read on a website about the horrors of Biaxin, that eating peanut butter helps. So I have been nibbling peanut butter all day. It also makes you cry at the drop of a hat... and I spent most of the morning and last night crying. A lot of people think Biaxin should be taken off the market. But if these are the only 2 SE's I get, I can survive it.
I think I am getting better and my wrist is getting better too. At least I have tomorrow to rest. I was supposed to go to a baby shower tomorrow, but I cancelled. I need to be better by Monday.
Genia - My white count was normal on Friday. I'm just slightly anemic.
Springy- Glad you are on the mend! Thanks for the prayers, too.
Hugs!
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Juli. I hope you are breathing and moving around more and more... Biaxin is an old drug...I haven't worked for a while but I did give it to patients.years ago. Yeah for the NO blood clot dx
I slept from 6-6:30AM til 10::00 this morning...no sleep for me last night. Then I I forgot my Zorfran. Please lord, no nausea/vomiting but I did take Neulasta. I finally read all the SEs of Neulasta and promptly scared myself to death; It can cause .Adult Respiratory Syndrome. I've been a non-smoking any longerwith lung problems; sometimes I get signs and symptoms since I had my son 20 years ago may and ER/O2 would be necessary for me if I did get breathing problems or Splenic rupture might happen... oops. I've read enough.
I lost a little of my Neulasta..It hurt this time and I nearly jerked my needle out as I was pushing in. MY doctor ordered Valium but I didn't get to CVS yet with the script.
Posting Stats for the weary: the SE's are nearly identical for persons who took Neulasta and for people who took a Placebo...go figure...and no one stopped taking it for bone pain.
I started the Percocet she ordered started yesterday... and so far my pain is holding off. I think my WBC's were low because I remember receiving my last treatment at the I hate your bad insurance doctor...and it was 5,000.
.Yesterday she said my WBC was 10,600 prior to Chemo. I told her the Neulasta was definitely pumping my Bone Marrow WBC's and that I .hope I don't have to climb so much this time. I forgot to go in last week for my first week post Chemo FS. She could tell my mind had left the building, so she smiled and told me to come in for a FS next Friday.
Spring, I know how you feel...someone coughed and I could tell it wasn't a chronic cough..young girl, liquid chest...you should have seen me hotfoot it up to the front of the bus. I walked slowly to the supermarket and then took car service home..I couldn't manage the bus home...My boy and I will get the heavy stuff Tuesday.
I'm looking forward to a snowstorm tonight; we might get 8 inches on the city. I'm still; buzzing....going to bed
love you all and God Bless.
Rest Juli, take care Genia and all my friends who are swimming in my 60 mgm Decadron head. Oh yeah, I also forgot to take my morning Metformin so at noon my blood sugar was still 220...my BS has never been that high...I took my Metformn then and later tonight with dinner it was 132. I asked her again if all this Decadron would push me into taking Insulin and once again she said no,b ut I am adjusting the dose down if I notice anymore BS spikes.I have done fairly well with Taxol, my last Onc never gave me more than 11 mgm in my IV...arrgh...
My new Onc had one patient pass out in her office and had to be hospitialized from her office to Mt Sinai.She vowed to give maximum Decadron to all her patients so that will never happen again.
I have two windows open to post and keep names in my head but it's not working yet. I forget and close one of the window every two minutes. See ya tomorrow...I haven't slept today since I got up at 10:00 so I'll get my Valium generic tomorrow.
I can't believe that Danny Boyle director of Slumdog Millionaire directed The Beach with Leo. He has grown his craft and talent...
love again to everyone
I'm posting this Biaxin info for U Juli and for me, besides it makes me feel useful. l hope it helps...The drug is good for Respiratory conditions I remember that much
love again,
Mina
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Julie, hang in there girl. good move on staying home I think.
Mina, you are like a wild woman with no sleep!!!!
FYI, my blood counts this last time (end of radiation) were had both dipped in to the low range, though they told me not to worry about it (?) They were normal at the start of rads. I wonder if rads also messes with your blood counts? Has anybody heard about this?
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Morning Spring and everyone, Yep, I'm gone:lol
Off to get that generic Valium before the predicted snowstorm comes and dumps 8 inches of snow, maybe, on our city...which will look beautiful for approximately 5 minutes until the traffic/buses get going.
I think the increase in pain I've had since I woke up is Neulasta pain or Neublasta pain. I took it yesterday afternoon and my shoulders joints, shoulder blade and my pelvic bones are painful.
I took the alternate route bus home from my doc Friday. So many stores that have been here for years are dead. What happened is visible all over the city. I see stores on Madison place discreet sale signs in the windows...then they Go Out of Business.
I wanted a burrito Friday. I miss them so much since I moved back home from TX but the restaurant was closed/gone. Their burrito wasn't that good, but I was willing to deal with black beans, white rice and some red sauce folded inside a Tortilla, because eating it made me feel like I was having a San Antonio, TX burrito again. arrg
Rahm Emanuel's on and he sure can talk plus he's smart. The poor man who hosts Face The Nation tries hard but he's having a struggle getting a question asked. WOW!
I had a brain fart( I slammed a truck door on my leg while it was hanging out the door... another duh moment. So I says to myself, Self, why is my leg hanging outside my truck and why didn't I feel the door hit my leg...then my speech became garbled....told my son to put out garbage and he and I both heard ^(&)(-*)_*.
Went to my PMD who sent me to Neuro doc...he put me on Plavix and ASA, speech and sensation and position sense returned in about a year but I lost my ability to read books, concentrate, finish projects etc. The last book I read with pleasure approximately 6 years ago was "Seven Pillows of Wisdom" by T.E. Lawrence.
Anyway, I was diagnosed by a neurologist here and placed on Ritalin. I can read again but I'm sure Decadron doesn't help my adult onset ADD
lol I sympathize even more with our beautiful school children who have it and need so much help. I haven't tried work yet..I am an extrovert and can't do this...talk and talk... to my son all the time...he told me to get a massage the other day..lol Here's hoping the Valium helps a bit with sleep...My doc thinks I need it and from the way I'm posting I KNOW I DO. I'll find out about rads and blood counts later....make myself useful.love and hugs to you and everyone here,
Mina
.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cancer-treatment/CA00066..
Mayo clinic on rads and blood counts...hope it helps I:)
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Yes, Spring! My doc wants me to stay on my lopressor for my heart and the potassium and magnesium for the duration of my radiation tx because he says that sometimes the radiation can aggravate previous problems. I wasn't all that happy about that, but I believe that I'm gonna breeze right through it all...
Mina...I got to gigglin' as I was reading your posts! Your brain was a'zippin all over the place! Sad thing was, though, was that I understood everything you were saying! LOL I'm also having difficulty reading and comprehending books. I can read things that are short, like poems and recipes and posts on FB and here, but if I have to actually read a CHAPTER? Forget it. I miss reading...terribly.
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thanks for the site Mina - Biaxin can cause "shortness of breath"... isn't that what we're trying to cure??? LOL
I also read Neurontin can cause Bronchitis and swelling in the hands and feet. I think my doctors need to review the side effects of drugs they are prescribing. As soon as I increased the dose to 1200mg a day...I got sick with those SE's. I am going to wean myself off of it and increase the B-6. I read I should be taking it 3x a day, not twice.
Hugs to all!
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Mina I got a chuckle out of your post too........and I TOO understood every single word of it. Felt like I was reading what Speedy Gonzales would write if he could.....lol
I have been cursed with a sore throat and beginnings of a cold. Yaaay......I SOOO love being sick. Makes me so happy!!!! NOTTTTTTTTTT.
Back to my mastectomy reading.....had to take a break and check on my sisters.
Love you all.......
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Cripes, Genia... I thought you were reading to your boobs..."mastectomy reading"....
I need to take a nap....
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Juli, I can't take more than 200 mgm of Neurontin a day. The docs don't understand sometimes...One rheumy told me her brother-in-law took so many mgm... what ever. ???
I had to wean myself down to what I could take and no more. Genia, sore throat here too but it must be the Tax/Neu...as soon as it goes in my throat feels awful...hope you feel better...I'm with you on this sick crap...no more please. Winding down and much love to everyone here
Mina.
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Mina - Thank you for the post about rads and blood levels. My rad onc told me that they would do blood draws every week, so I knew there was a connection, but your post made it clear for me. I hope that, when you do get some sleep, you don't crash. I wasn't on near as much decadron as you are and I would stay away a couple of days and then crash and sleep almost a whole weekend away.
I don't know about anybody else, but this radiation is whooping my butt, too. I don't know if it is radiation fatigue or if it is that plus a combo of a 2-hour round trip commute every day, but I'm dragging.
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spring- still working on the underarm and it has been really painful today but no peeling yet that i can see but still as red as i was friday. I have lost a few more pounds on rads...My appetite never really has come back since the taxotere and i think combined with feeling a little better i have lost some...i'm sure it will find it's way back home! LOL
Jane- i have had some tiredness with rads but i think the taxotere whipped me so bad that i don't notice it as much.
Bar- You crack me up!!! I followed it the post too...we all seem to speak the same language!!!
Juli- Hang in there girl. So glad it wasn't a clot and i hope you are on the way to recovery.
We have had beautiful snow fall today. (RARE for GA) we have about an inch accumalation. If it had stuck all day would have been much more. It is still snowing and i am sure the rain soaked roads will freeze tonight. BUT I cuddled on the couch with my blankets and watched it fall. It has been so pretty and some of the flakes are huge..Made French onion soup tonight and am just glad to be in a warm house.
have a great evening. i will keep ya'll posted as to when the rads start again.
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Hi Girls,
Juli, so sorry to hear you are weepy, I really hope you finish your meds soon and start to feel better. Don't start work too soon, or you will end up sick again, just rest your body and you will be right as rain again soon.You deserve a break, take care,
Intersting what Mina said about reading, when I started my chemo I thought I would spend most of my time reading, but I just couldn't concentrate on anything for more than a few minutes, I spent most of my time watching DVD's and sleeping. Good news is, I can now read for longer again!
Genia, what are your plans for surgery?
Jane, I am sure your commute is draining you, as well as the rads, take care.
Spring, when I started rads my blood count was 5.4 and when I finished it was 3.78, just a tiny bit low, but my oncol said not to worry. Our blood counts can be on the low side for up to a year or two after chemo, so we must look after ourselves.
Take care everyone, Singapore Chris
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Tomorrow, I'm meeting with the Integrated Medicine team at the center to go over nutrition and holistic remedies to help me recover from chemo and to help get through radiation... I'm SO looking forward to it!
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If y'all could see me now, you'd see the steam coming out of my ears! When I pre-registered for my ct-scans, the lady from the hospital said I still had over $2200 left on my deductible. I said no, that I had given my oncologist $2500 in January to meet my deductible. She asked his name, I told her, and that was the end of it. So tonight I'm thinking about that conversation and decide to go on Aetna's website and look at my claims. Turns out Aetna is only charging me my co-pay, $40, for each chemo, and paying the rest. So I look up when the onc was paid for the 1st chemo of the year and it was 2/11/09. Has my onc's office said anything to me about overpaying? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. The lady in billing will get an earful tomorrow. Like I need this stress! And I want my money back to pay for the ct-scans!
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Mina, that link was helpful! Apparently RADs can lower counts, that must be what happened to me...
Chris, a year or so!!! ahhhhck!!! OK, must just really be lovin' "me" and take extra special care! My whites were up to 4.8 2 weeks in to rads, and at the end, down to 3.1 - I hope they build back up now...
Betty's: good news. my rads skin turned the corner this wkend! The underarm thing sort of scabbed and came off, is still tender and pink, but getting better. Other areas on breast where red dots were, seems to be less red, and turning to a pinkish "tan". The collar bone is bright red, but not hurting. My back is itchy, but not driving me bats!!
Prettiest - let us know what you find out! I have started antioxidents again, sleeping well, exercising every day, and eating more plant based, less animal based, etc. Lost a little weight! It's all good.
Juli!! You are kidding!!! :O you go gettem girl!!! Let us know how it turns out???
Genia, sorry about the cold!!!! Hope you are doing okay. How is your spirit???
This weekend it rained and snowed (which is so exciting for Raleigh NC!!! So pretty outside!) so instead of walking in the rain again (my feel were soaked on Saturday!) I went to the Gym where my daughter works. I could not decide, wig on? Wig off. Put on ball cap, hmm. Put wig back on. Put ballcap ON WIG. No. Said, "hell". Took off wig, put on ball cap and went to gym. Walked one hour and 3.4+ miles! Nobody looked at me funny. I am glad I did it! That was my first time out of the house with no wig since Chemo AC days.... IS THIS COMMANDO? or no b/c of the hat????
Love you girls, full time work for me starts today.... hope I can last!!!
Spring.
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Bev -that could be considered Commando; but Full Cranial Commando is nothin on the noggin! This is my second week of going FCC; I've been told "You have a very nicely shaped head"; "You look good with short hair"; etc...no one has fainted or freaked out, so I guess that it OK
.Bev & Bettys - No fair! We had a few flakes flying sideways, but that was about it. The question regarding the names in gray font is a peculiarity of using a Mac; I was going for the bold look.
Whew Jules - your onc's office has some big time splainin to do!!!!! Other than "kettle ears" are you doing any better?
Robin - let us know how your appointment goes - sounds really interesting. Maybe you can help Jane, Bettys, and anyone else who has rads in the future.
Mina & Chris - I'm with you on the concentration thing - I have started at least 3 books and haven't been able to finish them. When I was in Charlotte visiting my brother - I didn't have any problems concentrating while playing Guitar Hero! Maybe we all need to get a Wii to help us focus!
Mina - have you had a chance to sleep yet - you must have be burnin up your keyboard GF! Decadron did that to me also; I think it was my 3rd tx when my dh came home from work and found me assembling a queen size bed - hey - I sure did get a lot done...but then came the big crash, ugh! Hope that's not happening to you.
Genia - hope you're cold's manageable - get lots of rest - I'll fax you some chicken soup!
Love y'all!
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My appointment with the integrated medicine team was postponed until next Tuesday because the main Doc wasn't feeling up to snuff...which is ok with me...I'm pretty tired of taking antibiotics! I DID, however, sign back up at our local 24/7 gym so I can start walking again...I have GOT to get that icky steroid roll OFF of me... Ha!
It's back to beading for me until dinner!! Hope everyone's having a blessed day, because every day above ground is better than an eternity below!
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Way to go Robin!!!
Mina - let's hope she's snoozing. I am thinking the Decodron and ADD and hyper. Mina!!!! Too bad I can't get Mina to my house to do my cabinets when she's in one of these Mina Moods!!!
LOL.
Spring.
WINKIE, the snow is MELTING!!!! booo hooooo!!!!!!!.................
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No hollerin' today for me... the lady in billing wasn't in. OTOH, my onc is putting me in the hospital for IV antibiotics, might be pneumonia he says. I hope I'm not there too long.
I guess it's a nice way to spend a rainy day.
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Jules, make sure everyone WASHES THEIR HANDS with that stuff!!!! NO STAPH INFECTION!!!!
Take your computer and keep us updated!!!!
Spring.
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Oops! Guess I won't be coming back home today.
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Hi Girls,
Juli, hope you have your computer in the hospital with you. I think it is the best place for you, because you can't work there, a little rest with some care will make you feel much better. Keep us posted.
Spring, glad to hear you are starting to heal. Although our blood counts MAY be low for up to a year, that is very general and I intend mine to be back to normal again almost immediately. I was back to normal 3 weeks after chemo finished, so no reason not to be after rads.
Winkie, I have lost 6 lbs in the last two weeks. Whenever I have gone on a diet before, somehow in my mind I have always thought that when I get to my ideal weight I can come off my diet. This time I am thinking that the changes I need to make need to be forever, as I need to look after my body and not feed it any rubbish. Got to keep those cell healthy!
prettiest, keep us posted about the alternative stuff, shame it was cancelled, I was looking forward to hearing all about it. I am sure you were too. Take care and hope the antibiotics are working.
Take care everyone. Singapore Chris
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Juli.....you need to be in the hospital so they can monitor you and check your pneumonia. Hang in there girl......hugsssss
My life seems to be in a whirlwind right now. I'm ready to just throw my hands up and say I'm done. I got a letter today from the Social Security office. They are taking half of my disability for child support. I don't know how I'm gonna make it if they do that. Actually there's no way I can.
Then my daughter just called and she is coming to stay here. I love her with all my heart....but she is addicted to drugs and when she is here and on them.....it is HELL on earth. She has no place else to go. And the mother in me won't turn her away.
I have my test tomorrow......dreading the results of that.....plus surgery coming up. I wanna QUIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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juli- HUGS to you. I know how rough pneuminia is. I was so wiped out with mine a few years ago. HANG in there.
Genia- Lots of hugs. I know how torn we are when it somes to the mother thing. I also know how stressful it is having them there all the time. My prayers go out to you.
Spring- YEAH! glad to hear your skin is healing. I guess mine did too a little even though i didn't think so. We did TX today so 4 left! gonna do more domoboro tonight and also the cream they gave me. I really think the thing that helped the most is the stuff they weren't too sure about. I spent my days off coating my skin with goldbond ulttimate healing w/aloe all over my skin. It healed my hands quick when the taxotere burned them so i figured i had nothing to lose. I guess it helped. I am having to take benadryl at night because that's when the itching gets so bad on my back.
Our snow didn't last either. We got about an inch that stuck but it melted very quick. BUT the flakes that fell were bigger than i've seen in a long time. It was pretty to watch..TOO bad we didn't get a snow day from work...
Have a great evening all.
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