thread for middle age to older Christian women.
Comments
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Sharon, Thanks-not having much pain so far-keeping my fingers crossed! I have been taking Claritin. When did your pain start? I had my shot yesterday afternoon. NO more steroids today, so hoping my Lorazepam kicks in soon and I can get a good nights' sleep. Senekot needs to work, too!
You're on the downhill slide with your rads! YAY! I hope your SE's don't worsen. That would be so nice to be done by Christmas!
I hope everyone sleeps well tonight~
Blessings and ((HUGS))
Terri
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KRF: the pain from the shot usually started on the third day and ended on the 8th to 10th. Everyone is different. Maybe you won't have pain. I'm praying you won't. I am having major itching under my breast. I stuck a dry washcloth under my breast after using cortisone cream. I guess after 17 treatments, I'm going to have some skin issues. I have 12 to go.
Mankato: I thought of you when we were on the road this morning. I called to get my treatment earlier than 4:00 since we're expecting so much ice and snow. I was able to get in by 8:30 am so I'm safely back home. I was wondering if you would have to miss one today.0 -
Well ladies, I had my last onc. visit this morning before embarking on this new trial in early January. Many of you are on taxotere which is the primary drug I'll have along with targeted trial drug (not sure yet what it is).
The list of SE's for the tax. was long. Even though I'm a month out from getting the first infusion, I'll ask for prayers now for no or few SE's. I'm all by my lonesome here so hoping God will keep them at bay.
The schedule leading up to the first infusion is intense. Lots of screening visits, have to re-do all of the scans i just had a month ago. More and more blood work, biopsies, etc. So glad I got 90% of my Christmas shopping done early!
Praying that I can keep my strength through the holidays so I can enjoy the season at it's fullest. I will pray that everyone here does the same.
Blessings one and all.
Sue
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Sue- I will pray for you that you do have mimunim side effects! I am sorry that you are going thru this alone. How close is the closest family? Do you have friends from church that can be there for you?
Sharon- I am glad you got your treatment in! I skipped yesterday as it took my 3 boys two hours to dig out our driveway. Wouldn't you know we bought the worst house on the block for getting snow drifts. Where other neighbors had the wind clear their driveways, we had it all blow to ours about a foot deep. Poor boys were digging in -15 degree weather. Dad will need to show them how to use the snow blower for next time!0 -
So sorry you had to miss rads today, Kathy - but at least glad you have some strong boys to help you get dug out. Hopefully your husband was able to get home today and you'll all have a good weekend together.
Terri, sure hope the SE are winding down by now.
Sue, I had my first taxotere infusion on Nov. 22 and had a worse time with the SE than from the A/C. However - some of the problems may have come from the perjeta so I'll sure try to find out as much as I can when I see my MO this Wednesday to let you know. I didn't have any problems at all with allergic reaction or breathing, which I think they were really concerned about with the taxotere. I also haven't had any neuropathy (although that may come with additional treatments, of course) except for a less-than-a-second tingle on the soles of my feet every day or so. If I wasn't thinking about it, I probably wouldn't even notice it. I'll sure be praying for you over the next weeks with all you have coming up.
Great news for me (although you all are the only ones who can understand it!), last night I saw some little white peach fuzz on the top of my head. I've been trying not to get discouraged (after the A/C treatments are finished) since the taxotere causes hair loss but I know some of the ladies said they'd started to see the little fuzz before the second taxotere. I've been praying that I'd be patient....but also that God would give me some hair.....so I can't help but be cheered up a bit. I'll still be wearing the wig for a long time but it's a start.....!
Well, I'm out to cover my citrus trees. Yep, the cold snap even made it to Houston. I know the rest of the country has it much worse so I'm not really complaining!
God bless you all - so glad you're here!
Bev0 -
Bev- good news about the hair! I will keep praying yours grows back and you can pray for me with that. ;-) Mine is growing back, I do have a 5 o clock Shadow, but right up front on right side I have a few circle patches that don't have much growing. I am just praying that it's just still sleeping and that God will wake it up soon.
I know there are a lot of you on here from Texas and I have seen lots of ice pictures from my Texas friends on Facebook today...so I hope you are enjoying your taste of winter and staying safe and warm at home. Hopefully your power is on and working too.0 -
Evening Ladies,
I am having a chilling at home type of evening. I am day 12 after my first treatment and had my second treatment so watching to see how white blood counts go on Monday's treatment. So do you think I will notice any difference if they do go down?
So some of you have noted you have mets, and that is usually to lungs or bones. So how do they talk to all of you about your treatment and the outcome of treatment? I don't see too much of that so not sure if that is just not being discussed. I hope that I am not out of line but I am dealing with this and it would be nice to have some more discussion on this. I know I am new to the board so perhaps a lot of this has already been shared and not necessary.
I am part of a trial study and I am on Abraxane and Avastin (trial drug) and a targeted therapy after my 24 weeks of treatment.
Any thoughts?
Hope all are having a good peaceful evening and SE's are minimal.
Remember that I have commanded you to be determined and confident! Don't be afraid or discouraged, for I, the Lord your God, am with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
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Hi.Ladies,
I just had to share this with you. I heard a little about it earlier in the fall but our local news here Pittsburgh carried this on the news today. A doctor at one of our universities has been working on cancer research and having success destroying tumors without the toxic affect of chemo. It is very promising on hard to treat cancers such as triple negative BC. This is now ready for trial. I have been hearing hints of this being a huge breakthrough. I sent the summation of the news cast. Hope you take a look. It is very exciting.
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2013/12/05/duquesne-university-doctor-develops-new-cancer-treatment/
Blessings and hugs to each of you,
Char
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Hello Spirit Blessing,
I was treated for breast cancer throughout 2010 and thought it was behind me when a tumour was diagnosed in May this year on my femur. My cancer is ER+/HER2+ so I will have different treatment to you, at the moment I am getting monthly injections of Xgeva to strengthen my bones and Faslodex/Fulvestrant to control the estrogen. I also had 10 sessions of radiotherapy in August.
My oncologist (when I get to see him, I am usually seen by a member of his team) talks of controlling the cancer in an effort to prevent it travelling elsewhere. We know this can only go on for so long, then I will be put on a slightly stronger treatment, hopefully there is another hormone treatment out there I can have before I have to go on to chemotherapy.
To be absolutely honest, I feel that I learn a lot more from the various threads on this website about the different treatments available to me and their side effects. I also gain encouragement from hearing of the many women who are living for a long time with this disease. I just wish I knew why it is so common today. If you were to go back 50 years there would not have been such a high percentage of women getting cancer, there is definitely something different happening now. I feel the world should wake up to the way that all forms of cancer are increasing, it is not merely because we are living longer that we are getting it. There are so many young women with cancer now, it is a tragedy because they often have young children who are left without a mother.
Having said all of that, I feel that it is easier for you to cope if you are a Christian. Last Sunday I had my first serious bout of depression since my diagnosis in May. I was sitting in church just after the service finished and ended up sobbing my eyes out. Luckily all of my church sisters comforted me, and I was glad that they were around. I have recently had an attack on my faith, and for a few weeks was questioning the character of God whom I had begun to feel was quite merciless. I was not crying over the fact that I am going to die, because we are all going to do that. I just felt at that moment completely without hope, because I felt that I didn't know God. Well, later this week I was contacted by three different Christian ladies. The first one brought up the piece which I am sure you have all heard, "Footsteps". I accepted what she said, but at first felt it was too much of a cliche. The next day another lady sent me a card which had "Footsteps" on the front of it. I went around to visit a third lady that afternoon, and told her I thought the Lord was talking to me and bringing "Footsteps" to my attention. She had difficulty keeping a straight face as I told the story, we have a habit of buying each other little stocking fillers at Christmas and she told me that one of my presents was a tea towel with "Footsteps" on it. Well Lord, I get the message!0 -
FridayGirl: The sad thing is Satan attacks us when we are most vulnerable and at our weakest. He is doing to you and each of us what he did to Job. Remember that God never gives us more then we can bare which proves we can bare a lot more then we ever thought we could. Job was in the same shoes as we are and God said that he, Job was a great servant but he too had a breaking point. I guess what I am trying to say is that I believe we are given these things to see how we will stand in the world among those who are lost and do not know God. Will we be a testament and a witness to those who are watching us to see if our faith is still as strong in bad times as well as good? We have a very difficult task of being a child of God because others are just waiting to say "I told you so" even though we are human just like them. We have real emotions and we feel just like any human being.
Paul asked God numerous times to remove his affliction. We really don't know what that affliction was but we do know it was serious enough for him to ask God to take it away. Why did he not do it? Was it his to bear for persecuting so many Christians? I liked to think He was using his affliction to be part of his witness and testament.
I know you know all of this but sometimes it helps to hear it again. So forgive me if I over stepped my boundaries because I care when others of like faith are being hammered. I am asking God to increase your measure of faith and help you shield the fiery darts of Satan.
It is interesting that you mentioned going back 50 years because this is what I posted last night on another thread.
" I would like to pipe in by saying that medically there was not data to be more specific about the kind of medical issue our grandparents and great grandparents experienced. I do think stress could be a factor. While my father and his father went through the great depression they certainly dealt with stress, but they were not exposed to things that we are today. Hormones in meats, bpa in plastics, high doses of insecticides and herbicides. We are.a nation of the perfect lawn and there are so many carcinogenic chemicals in those treatments. Our grandparents did not take estrogen supplements when they hit menopause either. I think that you have to look at the big picture of then and now. Just some thoughts." I have been thinking about this for sometime now since becoming a master gardener and even more with my recent round of surgery. As a child of God, I believe it is a sign of the end times. God speaks of things increasing in magnitude like those of birth pangs. Drought, massive super storms, pestilence, diseases, cancer all fit the bill. For me, l am watching for His return. And I also think it is a last plea for man to turn from their wicked ways.
Okay, enough of my sermonette. All of you weigh heavily on my heart and are in my prayers.
Char0 -
Dear GardenGal, you are always encouraging to everyone, thanks for your post. I agree with you entirely, there has to be a reason for so many of us to get this disease in some form or another. Our Pastor's wife has successfully fought off leukaemia twice, and now she is seriously ill because her bone marrow is disappearing. It has been confirmed that she doesn't have cancer, but they can't explain the problem with her marrow. She is desperately waiting for a bone marrow donor, I would be most grateful if you and the ladies on this thread could pray for one to be found for her. Her name is Michelle, and they have two young daughters.
It seems as if we are destroying ourselves with the chemicals we live with and unknowingly breathe in and eat. How on earth did we get into this situation? Your suggestion that it may be a sign of the end times makes sense, but I think that man is too set in his ways to change.
I don't always get time to post on this thread, but I do manage to log in and read the posts every few days. Please be assured that you are all in my prayers.
Debbie0 -
Fridaygal-My heart goes out to you! Thanks for sharing your story and I will be praying for you! I love hearing stories that reminds us God is taking care of us and is right here knowing what is going on even when we start to doubt him. I am glad that God is so patience with us that he doesn't give up trying to tell us something and is willing to make it so obvious that we can't help but to hear him!0 -
I will most definitely keep your pastor's wife, Michelle in my prayers. No one seems to be spared the diseases of this world. And I to believe people's hearts are hardening and they are not going to change.
Char0 -
I just wrote to each of you and did something that made me lose it all. I'll be back. Can't write right now. You guys touched my heart and madero cry. I'm praying for each of your concerns but just don't feel like retuning all of what I wrote. I'll try again later.0 -
Fridaygirl, thanks for sharing your testimony! Praying for Michelle and her family, that a donor is found and her medical team can guide her through recovery.
I am feeling very blessed, as my SE's have been minimal, so far.
I hope that the rest of you have minimal SE's, as well, with whatever treatments you are facing.
Blessings and ((HUGS)) to all~
Terri
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Hi ladies - what an encouragement you all are to me - thank you so much!
Char, thanks for sharing the link about the new trials with targeted treatments. It will be a race to see if Duquesne or MD Anderson finds a good treatment for all our friends with TNBC! I agree with you and Debbie about this old world getting worse and worse, spiraling to the end times.
Debbie, you must be such a blessing and source of strength for your friend, Michelle - God put you right where you are to minister to her. As Char said, Satan knows right when we're weakest and sure knows how to attack us. Fortunately, we know the end of the story, right?!
Terri, I'm so glad your SE so far haven't been a problem. Lucy, how about you with SE this round? When are your next chemos? Mine is Friday - and I'm sure hoping it will be a little less exciting than the last go-round. I'll see the MO on Wednesday for blood work and hopefully get some more information about what to expect with a loading v. maintenance dose.
Sue, you have a bunch of tests coming up, right? I'll be praying for peace and patience for you while you wait for the treatments to start.
Kathy, we'll keep being patient about our hair....but praying that God will help it grow when it's time! I'm trying to do my part....taking B Complex vitamins and glutamine (thanks, Lucy!)
Our message in church today was very different. Our pastors are always trying something different with the goal of reaching and keeping young families and Christians (sometimes in ways that makes us old folks a little uncomfortable - we all know how hard that change stuff can be sometimes!). The text was Matthew 1:1-6 - yep, Jesus' genealogy. He focused on "Judah and his brothers" - the most famous of whom, of course was Joseph - the favored son who was responsible for saving the then-world from famine. Judah was the ringleader who had the idea to sell Joseph into slavery, then followed up by trying to avoid his obligations to his daughter-in-law and being seduced by her, thinking she was a prostitute. Quite a role model, huh? The point was that God doesn't always use the best, brightest Josephs among us - He's big enough to use the scoundrels who are sometimes the embarrassment in the family tree. Interesting way to emphasize that God can and will use us in our weakness and imperfection!
Keep warm, all - have a wonderful week!
Bev0 -
Evening Ladies,
Like Bev stated, I too am encouraged and happy to be a part of this board.
Gardengal/Char - Thank you so much for sharing that article it was awesome and I am sending it to my Trial Research coordinator and my MO for sure. I know that I had read that the last 5 years a great deal of the money collected for BC research has been put towards TNBC. You are right, the enemy knows when we are vulnerable and having bad/weak moments/days. Thanks also for sharing the story of Job and Paul. I also agree we need to share God's love every chance we are given. My husband and I always pray and ask that He gives us opportunities to speak of His love and mercy. We have been doing this for a few months now and we have had many opportunities to share His love and hopefully bring them to God. We have prayed openly and have been so amazed how many of the nurses actually pray with us and are really touched and humbled by our faith and knowing who we are in Christ to share openly our faith with others. We pray before my infusion starts and we have been blessed with the nurse each time who are Christians and they pray with us. We had this as well with all the tests I had like the MRI, CT and PET scans. We even had the opportunity to pray for a lady who was struggling with an MRI test. We prayed for her and the nurses prayed with us as well. It is amazing to do this openly, I will never be ashamed of my faith and love for God.
I don't believe you crossed any boundaries actually this is the first time since I have been on this board that I feel like I have had church...I am thrilled and this is what I was looking for in regards to support and encouragement...love, love, love it!!!
Fridaygirl/Debbie - Thank you for sharing your journey, it helps me better know about you as I am a late comer to this board. Is your cancer considered aggressive? I am also hoping to find others on Abraxane so I can discuss/share SE's. I loved what you shared about your thoughts on why we are dealing with all this to begin with. I am glad you were with other women of faith when you had your moment. I did actually the day I found out I had it on my lung and I was with 2 of my best friends and I was so glad they were with me and my husband. I broke down hare and was trying to be normal and then it hit me...BAM! I know we have all had our moments of hopelessness but you know where that comes from. So as long as we don't stay there too long it's normal. I am also glad you were able to know when God was giving you a message with the three "footsteps" messages. He is comforting when we need Him and knows what we are going through.
Will be praying for your pastors wife Michelle. I also agree we need to make changes to what we do all around us like don't drink our of plastic bottles, eat more healthy like organic and whole foods.
Saltyjack/Bev - My 2nd round went well. On our way home i had a little tingling on the tip of my tongue and the inside of my top lip. that lasted for about 2 days then slowly went away. Still having bloody tinges when i blow my nose. Does anyone else have this as a SE? My treatments are on Monday's 3 weeks on and 4th week off just go in for blood work.
Well check in later ladies...hope all have had a good weekend with minimal SE's
Blessings Abundant - Lucy
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Hey ladies,
Forgot to ask one thing, I was reading on some other alternative meds and I read an article on RSO (Rick Simpson Oil), has anyone heard of this or read on how real this is? They are saying that this is actually a cure for many cancers.
Also, wanted to get some input on any of your thoughts on clinical trials for treatment.
Thank you...Lucy
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Hello Ladies.
I've been away for a while from writing to you but want you to know that I've been reading your posts daily and am praying for you and those who you ask for prayer. I've been thinking a lot about cancer, the treatments, and how much all of this changes our lives. My heart is heavy as I have a friend, named Beth, who has Hodgkin's lymphoma. She's finished chemotherapy and is starting 18 days of rads this week. What's really hard about this is that the radiation is in various areas of her chest and neck, close to her vital organs. If she is not perfectly still, then she could have damage to her lungs and heart. She also has to wear a special mask and be perfectly still for 30 minutes. She's a believer but still afraid since the mask gives a suffocating feeling and since she has developed respiratory symptoms because of the chemo she often coughs and is afraid she'll need to cough during the radiation. Please pray for her as well as a distant relative who just delivered her first baby who may have a fatal dwarfism. He's in the NICU and it's a heartbreaking situation. With these things on my heart as well as thinking about how difficult things can get, I've been reflecting on how these trials bring out good in those who know the Lord. I wasn't able to sleep last night so at 4 am I got up and read from "Be Still My Soul, Embracing God's Purpose and Provision on Suffering" edited by Nancy Guthrie. Since it has 25 short separate readings, I've been reading it off and on for a while. I was amazed this time when I opened the book and found a chapter related to a verse God showed me earlier in the evening " My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9. This reading called "The Power of Weakness" was written by John Piper and if was so good pointing out many wonderful Biblical truths. One that struck me by Piper was "that the source of weaknesses may sometimes be Satan and his destructive designs for us: but always our weaknesses are designed by God for our good. This is why the truth of God's sovereign grace is so precious in the midst of hardship and calamity. God is in control of Satan. Satan does nothing to God's children that God does not design with infinite skill and love for our good." I know this truth but as Piper further explained the the different trials Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 2 I saw some of this with new light.
Some thing else that I've been pondering on is how we are all experiencing and seeing good things in the midst of our difficulties - some things are so good that those who we know who are either not believers or they are believers but they haven't really gone through a hard time, these good things we experience are not easy for them to understand. I often don't know how to explain this to others in a powerful way. Then I read another chapter in the book I was referring to titled "Happy in Affliction" by Thomas Manton. It was really helpful and I loved this quote "A Christian is a bird that can sing in winter as well as in spring; he can live in the fire like Moses' bush - burn and not be consumed, even leap in the fire. His joy is from the happy consequences of his sufferings." Thomas Manton
With love in Christ, I'm continuing to pray for you all. Thank you for encouraging me! Deborah0 -
Spiritbless/Lucy
I was having severe nose bleeds. (even went to the local hospital er one evening). My PC was dr. on call and he packed the nostril and arranged for me to see a Nose specialist a few days later. The new Dr. recommended using a little bit of A&D Ointment on the end of a Q-tip twice a day. Since doing that, I have had only one light nose bleed. He said something about dry nasal passages being a cause...
Vickie0 -
Thanks Vickie! I am using a product called Ayr gel and that is what I do. I put it inside and lub it all up. It has been a lifesaver. I also use a saline nasal spray so I think it will be ok. I sure hope it doesn't get worse, that would be scary. What type of chemo were you on that caused that?
Lucy
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Hi Deborah, thanks for sharing your thoughts. It is good to share and see how your feelings and perception will reflect on others. I love that you took the time with such time and detail. I appreciate the time you put in. I will pray for your friend Beth, we can all relate to some degree. I also agree that my situation has brought out a lot of good and I am so blessed. We have to remember the silver linings/daily blessings. I love your closing quote"Happy in Affliction".
Well ladies...my treatment went ok today. My WBC was low so they didn't give me the chemo drug but did give me the targeted therapy drug. I had a neupogen shot. I have to go in tomorrow for another then should be good for next week. I was able to get out of there a lot sooner so that was cool.
So any tips on what to avoid or do while I am waiting for the WBC to get back on track? I hope to do a little Christmas shopping on Thursday while everyone is at work to avoid the crowds.
I also had my appt to meet with the gal to get my wig and that was fun. Hot one that was pretty close to my style so that was awesome. Got a hat and a couple of scarfs and a sleeping cap. Looks a little weird on my dresser but we will see if I have to use it.
Has anyone used the cook books, The Cancer Fighting Kitchen or The Anti-cancer Book?
Hope everyone is doing well...prayers being lifted for everyone.
Lucy0 -
Helli there everyone. I'm not having good luck when trying to post. The past two days, I've typed two long messages and list them both. It is hard to type on this phone, but here I go for a third try.
Spirit blessing: I'm sorry you were not able to have your chemo. There is a recipe for magic mineral broths in the first cookbook you mentioned that I made. It is supposed to help the WBC. I froze it in one cup quantities in plastic bags and drank kone cup two days before chemo , the day before, the day of, and two days after. I always had good counts and I'm 69. Also, I drank lemonade made from squeezed lemons. When I get up (it's 4:46 am) I'll look at what I wrote about boosting WBC and other counts. I researched it thoroughly and tried to do what would boost my immune system. I hope it helps you.
I'll be back later. Carpal tunnel is making my hand numb!0 -
Helli there everyone. I'm not having good luck when trying to post. The past two days, I've typed two long messages and list them both. It is hard to type on this phone, but here I go for a third try.
Spirit blessing: I'm sorry you were not able to have your chemo. There is a recipe for magic mineral broths in the first cookbook you mentioned that I made. It is supposed to help the WBC. I froze it in one cup quantities in plastic bags and drank kone cup two days before chemo , the day before, the day of, and two days after. I always had good counts and I'm 69. Also, I drank lemonade made from squeezed lemons. When I get up (it's 4:46 am) I'll look at what I wrote about boosting WBC and other counts. I researched it thoroughly and tried to do what would boost my immune system. I hope it helps you.
I'll be back later. Carpal tunnel is making my hand numb!0 -
Hello SpiritBlessing/Lucy,
Sorry about the delay in replying, I now have a dreadful head cold, the sort I can actually remember having as a child. I have an earache, when was the last time that any of you had a cold which got to your ears? I recall that when I grew up in England the National Health Service seemed to give us one medicine which cured all illnesses, I wish I could get hold of some of it now.
My cancer is quite aggressive, my oncologist told me that until Herceptin was invented it was 100% fatal. As soon as the women completed their chemotherapy, it came back stronger. I haven't started on Herceptin yet this time around, the oncologist is keeping it in his arsenal for later on when the cancer decides to travel around my body a bit more. At the moment I am on hormonal injections, sometimes I am a little sore in the injection site but I can't complain.
I haven't tried the oil you were talking about, but I have taken steps to change my diet. There is a good book by a man called David Servan Schreiber. I have lent my copy to a friend, I think it is called Anti Cancer: A New Way of Life. In the book he writes about eating well, not in a "faddy" way but plenty of organic produce wherever possible. He also shows how over the years the cancer rates have increased, and puts forward his own theories (which sound quite sensible) for the increase. This man was expected to die approximately 3 months after his brain tumour was discovered, however he managed to live for almost 20 years more.
It sounds as if everyone in your medical team is a Christian. I think you have been blessed, my oncologist is but as far as I can see he is the only person in the hospital who is. It must be wonderful to pray with your nurses each time you have treatment.
I have to go now, will look in again closer to the end of the week.
Debbie
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Debbie...Wow that is scary what your dr said about 100% fatal....I have the same er+ pr- her2+ I am grade 2. I pray all the best for you. I have that same head cold! I just called to see if I can take anything for it. God bless everyone.0 -
Lucy, I know just how you feel about the support and encouragement from the other ladies on this board - what a blessing! I thank God so often for bringing me here. I have a great support group of friends, church members and family but it's so special to have other believers who know just exactly what I'm going through and feeling. God is so good!
Have you had any problems from the neupogen shot? I've had to get them (two days in a row) twice and the first time, my lower back was achy so I took some ibuprophen a couple of times but the other times, I didn't have any problems at all. I know so many ladies have had terrible pain for days and days after the neulasta shots - so hopefully you won't have any problems from neupogen. A neighbor gave me the Cancer-Fighting Kitchen cookbook and I looked through it but didn't try anything. I don't know how much we can do for WBC - I try to eat salmon and lots of greens just because I know they're healthy anyway.
I had a couple of days where my nose was bleeding/bloody/tender - kind of the middle of this 3-week cycle so I'll just see if it happens again.... I know I've seen lots of ladies complaining about dry noses. I know my nose runs all the time when I eat or get cold. Can't wait for those little hairs to grow again! I've also noticed in the past couple of days that my eyelid twitches a few times a day for several seconds. I probably wouldn't have noticed it except again, I remember others complaining about it. I go for blood work and MO visit tomorrow so hopefully I'll get some more information about what to expect from chemo on Friday.
Lovewins and Debbie - I'm also triple positive and wow, am I glad for Herceptin (and now perjeta). The first time I met with a MO, she drew a little "happy face" by the positive markers (or whatever they are) - said they used to be bad but now they're good. The more I learn, I know how right she was.
Deborah, I'll be praying for your friends - and thanks for sharing John Piper's thoughts. I read something very similar a few months ago (I think from Jesus Today):
Satan can't do a thing to us unless he first gets God's permission. The only time God gives His permission is when God sees the tremendous potential in the thing passing through us and coming out as joy, pure joy!
Also:
Do not waste away the opportunity to depend on God more than usual. Trust that He knows what He's doing - that He will bring good out of everything I encounter, everything I endure. He is the Lord of my future and He has good things in store for me!
Sharon and Kathy - hang in there with those rads. You're in the home stretch!
Keep warm all!
Bev0 -
Lucy:
One of the things l have been researching for several years now are holistic treatments. My rescue dog contracted MRSP in her bladder which is the canine form of MRSA. She got it several years ago while visiting nursing homes as a therapy dog. It was so new in the dog world that I was working with Jill Moss who runs Bella Moss Foundation out Great Britain. Her dog was the first known dog to die from MRSA. Anyway, my vets here were so green that I was actually sending them resources through contacts I made from England, Canada and Ohio State Veterinary School.I also work with a holistic vet in England. After two reoccurring bouts, and my decision not to put her on a second drug that would most likely would have destroyed her kidneys, I worked with him. One of her regiments was taking Coriolus versa color. This is the Turkey tail mushroom. When l started researching it I found it to have been used during the Ming Dynasty. More research showed it in trial for breast cancer. Here are a number of articles.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-stamets/mushrooms-cancer_b_1560691.html
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400904/Turkey-Tail-Mushrooms-for-Cancer-Treatment.html
http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/turkey-tail-mushroom
I also found out that Memorial Sloan Kettering wad using it with other therapies to treat cancer in the lungs.
http://www.myinlife.co.uk/uncategorized/memorial-sloan-kettering-coriolus-versicolor/
http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/coriolus-credibility/
http://www.coriolusversicolor.us/tag/lung-cancer/
http://www.naturalnews.com/025455.html
This might be something to discuss with your doctors. What it did for my dog was to act as a boost to her immune system and provided infection fighting action. I firmly believe I would still be fighting MRSP and my dog would be failing on antibiotics had it not been for this and other homeopathic remedies to improve her immune system.
Just some food for thought.
Char
0 -
Hi Ladies,
I don't have a lot of time right now but wanted to throw out this to you...my hair started to fall out during my shower this morning. You know although I knew it was going to start happening it still isn't any easier. So looking for some tips...should I wait a few more days or what? I was told I may just thin with the Abraxane but not sure so who knows. But it is right on queue...I was told in my 3rd week.
I am heading to our women's meeting so I was wanting to go as I have missed a couple since my dx and so today I planned to go then this starts...so I am not going to let it stop me.
I see that I have some folks responding to my questions so I will get back to you tonight or tomorrow.
Remember, Our Father loves us and we are His blessed daughters and doesn't that just feel wonderful to know that we are so loved unconditionally.
Love and blessing to you all...Lucy0 -
Hi Lucy - well, I know exactly how you feel....every time you touch your head (and even when you don't), you feel a little shower of hair falling around you. I had so little in the way of side effects from my first A/C treatment, I was really wondering if they'd somehow not given me the right drugs....till 16 days later when the hair started to fall out. I'd cut it from below my shoulders to about chin-length (thinking that it wouldn't be as heavy just in case it was just weakened but not going to fall out). Others can tell you what they did but I couldn't bring myself to shave it or cut it really short at that point - so I just caught hair (and swept it up from every corner) for a week. By that time, my "part" covered the whole top of my head but I'd been wearing hats and still had hair on the bottom (think male-pattern-baldness). Anyway - by that next Sunday, I was so tired of hair falling, I was ready to give in - I cut it all to about 1" long and have been wearing a wig ever since (but now I have wispy little white hairs all over so someday.....!).
You've probably read some of the same posts as I have - women who have a shave-your-head party the day before the first chemo. The way I did it worked for me - since I kind of just let it happen at its own pace. I wear my wig whenever I go out - except when I'm biking or walking the dogs in the neighborhood, when I wear my hat. I wear a hat around the house, too - sorry if I sound awful, ladies, but I just hate my bald head!!! I don't want to see it in the mirror and I sure don't want my husband to get used to seeing it! As you said, though, there's even more reason for you to (maybe) wait it out - since the Abraxane may just thin your hair.
Okay, enough of that. I actually had a wonderful doctor's visit today - bloodwork was good (so no neupogen shots this time before chemo on Friday). Better yet, when the MO got ready to measure the lump and lymph node, I told her I thought it felt very different - "squishy" rather than a lump. She agreed - said she couldn't even measure either!! I asked her what the medical term for squishy was and it's something-fibrous - she said she was thrilled with my response to the targeted therapy (herceptin/perjeta for triple positive). I've had one infusion and will have three more - so please, God, maybe all those nasty cancer cells will be dead and I won't need rads?!
Of course, I then had to ask her what's happening with TNBC for all my good friends who don't have such great drugs and she said they're doing research now into androgen receptors....so let's keep up the prayers!
Well, I almost lost all of this once so I'm going to quit before I really do it.....but I'm praying for y'all (especially you, Lucy - tough week ahead for you)!
Bev0
