Calling all TNs
Comments
-
My dr told me to cut my nails short to avoid breakage and hangnails which could get infected. I didn't, couldn't, wouldn't. I didn't have any problem with mine, but like Sugar I took really good care of them. The drs like to look at you nail beds as an indicator (For what? I can't remember) so I was told not to wear polish. I guess you could get a fungus infection and not know it until it was well seated.
0 -
Although my nails were nice during and after chemo, they look like crap now nine months later. It's just laziness on my part. I need to revisit the nail file and stop using my Blackberry so much.
0 -
I need to stop filing...papers, not my nails. I save my filing for one day a week, and wear latex gloves while I do. So wish they hadn't got rid of our assistant!
0 -
Barb - it does get better and don't be humiliated. I guess it's time and I've shared the story with others and while it is or was something we don't want to experience, it funny (if it doesn't happen to you). During AC, as you have well discovered the intestinal tract is somewhat moody. Well....I had a period of cactus butt and nothing was moving, then woke up one morning to the rumbling sound of relief. The rumbling continued for about another hour, but no relief. I decided to step out into my backyard to feed the birds, as I was scooping up the bird feed the rumbling began to feel like pressure. Hmmm, I thought - I should have enough time to put the food in the feeder and make it back into the house, my birdfeeder and backdoor aren't that too far apart. Nope I was wrong ........... the activity began, but I was outside not in the bathroom. I ran like I've never run before "clenching". By the time I hit the bathroom it was too late - the activity began before I was ready. So.....as you can see as disgusting and embarrassing as it may be - it happens. (((hugs)))
0 -
Barb (and other taking AC): My AC got worse as time went on. My onco said it's cumilative and the SE's can get worse with each infusion. Mine did. About the 3rd or 4th AC is when I had my breakdown at the onco's office. I was a mess. A lot of it was work stress, but the AC wasn't helping. I would get so frustrated with my chemo brain. I forget conf calls and details. My train of thought would drift.
SO... my onco put me on weekly Taxol instead of dose dense. My quality of life is much better. I don't feel as awful and I don't need the Neulasta shot (had one Neupogen shot last week due to low WBC's). No queasiness at all. I do get tired (and cranky) about 2 days after chemo. I just had my 8th chemo today - only 4 more to go. Some of my nails are dark underneath (like my thumbs and big toes). It hurts sometimes to thumb at my Blackberry, so I try to use my fingers. My nails are very strong and I keep them relatively short (like a quarter inch past my nail bed). I always have nail polish on them. I use TREE TEA OIL on them every day. I read somewhere on BCO that it helps. I also take L-Glutamine.
My hair is starting to grow back (started on week 6 of Taxol). I am very excited for this. My hair down there is also starting to grow back, so hopefully soon I'll stop peeing sideways.
My nose hairs have also started to grow. I've lost almost all of my brows and lashes on Taxol, but I'm seeing some new growth. YAY! Thank you for reminding me about the poop. I need to go eat some prunes. Fruit, veggies and prunes have been my life saver as I have also developed Cactus Butt! Ouch! I was trying to use meds to help, but natural whole fruits/veggies have helped more (imagine that). Plus, it might help that the AC is getting out of my system. I hate that stuff!!!
I am a little scared to be done with everything and have to monitor my BC, esp with TNBC. I am also getting my ovaries removed because I'm BRCA1+. I am not looking forward to that, but at least I already know what a hot flash feels like. I have them every day. This started on Taxol, but I only got one period at the beginning of AC. Since then, no period.
On the subject of hair (again)... I got a brunette wig (see profile pic). I was brunette until I started getting gray hairs, so I started highlighting my hair, which turned into a whole lot of blonde. Even though I'm about 25% gray now, I think I'm going back to being a brunette. I really like the color. I'm not looking forward to the growing out phase, but I am excited to see more hair on my head!
0 -
Kittycat: What a great picture of you and what a nice wig! You are beautiful both as a blonde and as a brunette!
0 -
AC number 2 today. My bowels are a little loose this a.m. Not the infamous Hershey squirts we talk about on here but, passing easily and I don't dare pass gas!!. I hate to take the Immodium and set myself back since I tend to have constipation problems but I sure don't want loose bowels during infusion!! I use the lidocaine cream, at 10:30 on my port site, cover with Saran Wrap and then I go in at 11:30 for them to draw my blood, send it to the hospital for eval., then I see the Nurse Practitioner at 12:30 and if all is a go, I get the AC. My husband asked me this morning if we had anything to do after beside pick up medicine and come home and do supper and I said, "yeah, peel me off the cieling all evening!" The Decadron really hypes me up and the Lorazapam doesn't work to well at calming me down. Wish me luck and I may just take that Immodium anyway.
Juanita
0 -
AC number 2 today. My bowels are a little loose this a.m. Not the infamous Hershey squirts we talk about on here but, passing easily and I don't dare pass gas!!. I hate to take the Imodium and set myself back since I tend to have constipation problems but I sure don't want loose bowels during infusion!! I use the lidocaine cream, at 10:30 on my port site, cover with Saran Wrap and then I go in at 11:30 for them to draw my blood, send it to the hospital for eval., then I see the Nurse Practitioner at 12:30 and if all is a go, I get the AC. My husband asked me this morning if we had anything to do after beside pick up medicine and come home and do supper and I said, "yeah, peel me off the ceiling all evening!" The Decadron really hypes me up and the Lorazapam doesn't work to well at calming me down. Wish me luck and I may just take that Imodium anyway.
Juanita
0 -
I also just saw this posted on BCO regarding TN's
0 -
"My hair down there is also starting to grow back, so hopefully soon I'll stop peeing sideways.
"Oh, I just had to laugh, because the first time it happened to me, I was so startled and it took me awhile to figure out WHY that happened. LOL
0 -
Mitymuffin: Interesting study - seems like very surprising results. Maybe we will need a new category to find therapies for: quadruple negative - ER, PR, Her2 and BRCA -
0 -
Luah, I think we need to here the details from that M.D. Anderson study. Speaking as one of the "quadruple negatives" myself, I'm all for more therapies.0
-
Kittycat - love the brunette wig, you look great!
0 -
Colored my hair today, and was able to weave in some highlights, too. It still isn't long enough to spike very well, but after straightener, blow-drying, pomade, and spray, it's as good as it's going to get for now---and it's better than it was! Waiting for DH to get home and comment.
0 -
hey jenn~ I pooped in my pants at Target! Top that! LOL!
0 -
KittyKat - I LOVE the brunette wig - the color looks great.
MBJ - Your new look is wonderful too
I so need to update my profile picture, but that would mean getting in front of a camera.
Michele - Isn't that crazy how our bodies react.......I shared the story because while embarrassing, it is funny.
0 -
hello to all well doing rads and back to work and running the kids here and their # 20 rad down today seen lipdemea dr. today was haveing pain in my back on the bottom of ribs ? dr. said it was the same area i on the frount that was blisterd more from rads and needed to tell rads dock i thought it was just from the muscel pain it keept giting worse and my mucel was fine she said.said it could be from tha rads beams kinda worryed.
mbj good luck with checkup prayers are with you
titin have fun n your trip and prayers with you on that 3 month check up.
prayers with all
0 -
Today was my last chemo. HOORAY!!!!
I changed my avatar - thought I would show everyone what I really look like. Took this picture myself (in the mirror) today.
I will be sick all next week but everyday I can just say this is the last Monday I will be sick. This is the last ....., I'll be sick. I get the day after shot tomorrow, then see the Dr. on Monday and nothing else for October. I get the referral for the Radiologist on Monday so hopefully I can get that all scheduled to start on November 1st. I am hoping to be done by Christmas.
AGAIN - CHEMO IS OVER!
0 -
yay yay yay swanny!!!
0 -
Wow..all these new looks! I don't look like my avatar anymore either...guess I needs to update!
Swanny, Kittycat and Mbj..well..you guys are BEAUTIFUL! Dang, but we look good after all we are going through or have been through Please..don't anyone think they are not pretty..YOU ARE!
Swanny..Yay on being done with chemo..now comes the recovery time..and the best of all..your hair coming back...! Things are good!
Oh yeah..my trip..leaving one week from this coming Monday!
Don't see the onc/bs surgeon until November...its weird..after I was done with treatments the 3 months seemed to go by quickly..now it seems to go slower..I like that!
I did cancel the appt. with rads onc because my boobs are just fine from rads and I honestly don't see any point in seeing him..I'm seeing the BS and the onc the same day...don't think I need felt up 3 times in one day...
0 -
Swanny - such great news! Congratulations!!
MicheleS - too funny I pooped in my pants in Target also!!! ;-) Not kidding! Though I was the only one and was way too embarssed to admit to anyone but you gals!
Well feeling pretty good this week after no chemo this past Monday!! Yeah!
Have a great Friday!!
0 -
mitymuffn - thanks for sharing the info on the BRCA gene and TNBC. My original onco had told me that TNBC and BRCA responds very well to chemo. Interesting about the PARP, too. When I went to Sloan Kettering, they told me BRCA and TNBC responds well to the PARP. I hope I don't have another BC diagnosis and have to deal with this again!!!
0 -
jwtr: I also drove myself to rads I had 40 including boosters. It wasn't too bad, but certainly don't do it if you don't feel up to driving or not safe! Be safe.
0 -
kittycat: You better not! I am counting on you to be all better and done after this second round!!
swanny: Congratulations! I couldn't be done fast enough!!
michelle, kaD22 & JENN3: You all should write a book on cancer don'ts! Nothing is sacred and everything goes right out the window once you have chemo!
0 -
Congrats Swanny!
0 -
By the way, thanks for the compliments on my new "hair"
0 -
Congrats Swanny!!! I can't wait for my last chemo! 4 more to go!!!
0 -
Hi... I was originally diagnosed when I was 37, 2 years ago. IDC, right radical mastectomy, CAF chemo (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, 5 FU), ER+, PR-, HER2-
Nowadays, I got mets on my neck lymph node, the result was change into TN. How come?
I have been getting radiation now, and going to get chemo next month. My doctor suggest me to take cysplatin in my chemo, but my hubby wondered,why didn't he choose paclitaxel?
I am confused now... Dear my friend.. What is the baseline of choosing the kind of chemo?
Is it right, that cysplatin is the best choice for me?
0 -
Wow! all of you ladies look marvelous! Great updates. I'll try and do one too. Well, it's 4:10 and guess who is wide eyed and bushy tailed. Well, actually the bush hasn't started growing back yet, still doing the sideways. However, I do have a full beard, mustache and nose hairs though. I can't wait for the hair on my head and eyebrows and eyelashes. Got my 7th Taxol today. I've started another painting tonight it has kept me busy and prevented me from looking at the clock to much.Kittycat- we are just about in sinc. I hope it's not to late to try the ice baths. I plan on starting them next week. I've noticed my nails have weird ridges and are kind of brownish near the cuticle. They feel kind of liked they have been smashed too! My wbc counts were low again today I will try the Riki, chanting and chimes again next week because last week they were normal and I had that done two days before chemo. I skipped it this week to see if there was a difference. Not to smart. I'm still doing acupuncture twice a week and that has helped with my SE's a lot. MBJ- You are right about who loves you and who doesn't etc. I am or feel like such a stronger person now and like others seem to have less tolerance for peoples s**t. At least I feel that way today but we all know what happens on Friday night and Saturday, this Laura chick has her meltdown. At least I have finally realized the pattern and will try not to freak out when my tears and pity me strikes. LOL. It will be over by Sunday. It's been great getting back to work doing my landscape designs again. I'll be starting my crew on a new landscape installation for an Ash and memorial garden at a church on Monday and I hope to finally start carving again. The stone I ordered has been delayed but it should be ready for pick up on Monday. Please neuropathy don't hit me now! Swanny- cheers to finally being done with your chemo!
Wow! Here I go rambling again. I can't even keep my dog awake tonight. I'll go back to my painting. Good Morning to all and a fabulous day.
0
