2010 Sisters
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Sharon You're shaving your arm pits?! I can hardly feel mine so I'm scared I'll cut them. I had 4 removed in one and 10 removed in the other. I'm getting to the point where I really do need to shave them. I'm not quite 3 weeks out from my BMX0
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AmyJo glad to hear you are doing better with your port. I had mine put in last Tuesday and I can't honestly say it feels any better the last three days. Mine was inserted in my upper left chest area and neck. BC is on the right side. Although I can drive, I can't turn my neck comfortably. I was hoping I would be feeling better before chemo on Tuesday.
I'm so edgy today. Getting nervous about chemo and all that goes with it. I feel like I should be preparing and I don't have the energy to do it.
I also want to add that I'm pleasantly surprised daily by my sons and their high school friends. For all the bad we hear about teenagers I have to say I know a bunch that are down right awesome! These are kids who are smart, popular, play sports, etc. Nicolas (16) my tough as nails football player and another football buddy woke up at 6 am and drove for an hour to volunteer at a BC walk. Although they couldn't participate in the walk they are handing out water to the participants. Julian (17) my hockey player, spoke to his coach - without me knowing - and they are planning a home game to support BC awareness! The players will have pink laces on their skates and pink tape on their sticks. The money they raise will go to the cancer center. We would like to donate it to a sister who may not have the means to cover her needs during treatment. Another one of their friends, Matt has some pretty crazy hair! His mom has been begging him to cut it off all summer. He told me yesterday that when I buzz mine he is buzzing his! He said he loves me more than his hair! Some of the high school girls found silicone bracelets that say "save the boobies" Most of the high school is now wearing them and the proceeds are going to the cancer center. I am so proud of these kids.
Thanks for letting me share.
Peace and love,
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Good day everyone
Amyjo - my steri strips took 4 weeks to come off and I had to use a pair of tweezer to pry them out. I'm at 7 weeks post surgery now and I can still feel stickiness around the scar so you are not alone. When possible I will try to lightly rub my finger tip (and some sticky residue will come off) but I had to be real careful as I'm really sensitive around the scar (and I've started an infection) not related to the scar on my skin, it's inside infection where part of my breast is swollen and I also have a pimple like infection in the oil duct on the aerola. My rads are now postponed to maybe next week or week after next.
Jag - your boys are so good. It made me tear up that as tough as they try to be (as a teenager and image thing, and I have a 13 yrs old son), that they are doing all the good work to promote awareness. Great Job ~ I hope they raise lots of money for such a great cause! So proud of them!!!
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hello
tomorrow is my big day.it finally came.dr#3 is gonna fix what dr#1 didnt do.remove the c nodes.dont know how many but im getting nervous now.3rd surgery i should be a pro but im really not.ill be off for a while so im asking my sistas to please say a prayer for me tomorrow.surgery is at 7.30 in the am.i want to be the first one.God bless my sistas
hugggggggggggggggs
K
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Best wishes to you Grannydukes, I'll be sending good thoughts your way tomorrow!!0
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jag and amyjo-I LOVE your attitudes. You are both going into this so positively. Like my chemo nurse says, the patients who do best are the "faithers and fighters". You go girls!0
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Grannydukes - I'm sorry it came to a third doc but I'm glad you are in good hands and getting it done. You are always in my prayers, but tomorrow a special prayer will be added. Hang in there....we are all here for you.
Peace and love,
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jag- I have tears hearing about your beautiful sons and their friends. It shows their love for you. It is important they feel they are doing something to help. My nieces, who live in Hawaii have been incredible checking in with me, participating in BC events and so on. PLEASE post a photo of that hockey team with pink laces. That is TOO wonderful!
grannyduckes- Okay, girlfriend, time to "saddle up" again. I will be praying for you and waiting for your good humor and good attitude to show up and let us know all about it.
About the numb armpit thing. I had my AND on 5/15. It was TOTALLY numb for about 8 weeks. Now I have a much smaller area numb. The back of my upper arm is feeling more and more. Like a lot of you, I was totally freaked about shaving. I used my husbands hair clipper, without the attachments to just trim it short enough. Now that a little feeling is back, I am braving shaving. Someone suggested the cream hair remover. I think that might work, but would test it because there are strong chemicals.
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IM HANGIN.THANKS EVERYONE.im a faither and a fighter so i guess i qualify.
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AmyJo: I had 14 nodes removed on July 8 with my BMX. I just noticed the other day that my arm is starting to feel somewhat normal again. I had some odd pains in it for a while, but I think that was just nerves reconnecting or something. I'd feel pain at my elbow, then in a couple of days it'd be in the forearm, then the wrist, it sort of moved down that arm. The back of that arm to the elbow is still numb. My surgeon said it might always be numb but that the brain adjusts to it and it becomes 'normal" for you and you don't notice it anymore. He's right. I don't think about it unless I reach over and touch it and feel the numbness. But finally after almost 3 months, that arm feels "normal" enough that I'm going to restart my previous exercise program, which included upper body stuff.
GrannyDukes: Praying for you that all goes smoothly tomorrow and that you've finally got the right doctor.
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((((HUGS))))) GD and strong prayers for you.
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Grannydukes: Special prayers are with you tomorrow. Looking forward to having you join us again afterwards and tell us all about it.
Everyone: thanks for the reassurance on the arm. I managed to get all the steri strips off with out any problems be getting them soaking wet in the shower and then letting the force of the water help peel them off. I managed to get them all off and not take anymore skin off in the process. It is much easier to keep all the wounds cleaned without those in the way. So far there are no signs on infection, but I see the PS tomorrow and let him check everything out to be sure I am healing the way I should.
Jag- we can compare note after our first chemo. I know you will do great. I expect to do fine once I call and get the information again and do my list research.
Joy and blessings to all
Amy Jo
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Granny - best wishes for tomorrow morning. Will be thinking of you. prayers your way.
I am numb under my arm and also where the incision is. Can't feel a thing on the surface but sometimes shooting pains are under the arm. The BS said it was from the nerve endings. When I went in for a consult for the lymphedema they told me to use an electric razor, something about not wanting to "cut myself' and aggravate the lymph system. The rads pretty much zonked the underarm need for a razor but I'll do what they say when something appears!
Took awhile to catch up on everyone. You're such strong women thanks for the words of support, even though they might be directed at someone in particular... I also benefit. Kinda like taffy, it sticks to everyone. Oh, I found almonds that were supposed to be good for us - but these were wrapped in dark chocolate! They are soooo good, and I figured it I ate 4-5 it might make my 2 oz limit for the day!
Hugs to all....
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Amy Jo- did the doc give you an RX for anti nausea meds you start taking the day before chemo? I need to take one in the am and one in the pm on Mon and then again on Tues and Wed. I also have a second drug I take a half hour before chemo on Tues to also help with nausea. I hope I can keep all the meds straight. I'm also wondering what my port is going to feel like on Tues. I still have so much pain and discomfort, Advil helps but I need to take it every 4-5 hours and it reeks havoc on my stomach. I can't imagine having the nurse mess with it on Tues. Since we have to do this, I'm glad we are doing it together!
GrannyDukes- Prayers and thoughts with you tonight, tomorrow and always.
Designer Mom- I will get tons of pics of the Varsity team in Pink! A great group of boys!
Diamond Girl - I used to live in Vegas, almost 10 years! I miss all the great restaurants! and mostly the shopping!!!! I have to travel 80 miles one way to get to a mall - and it's only one level!!! Can you feel my pain?!?
Good night all, peace and love,
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Jag, I do feel your pain :-) You need to move back here!
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jag-Thank goodness for internet shopping! I live in NYC and have to say I actually find as much online these days. The really wonderful stores are fewer and fewer. I understand your being overwhelmed with all the meds. I know all the bottles have instructions, but I write in pen on the bottle the times (like 8a.m. and 8p.m.). I also have a notebook right by my meds on the bedside table. EVERY time I took ANYTHING, I wrote down the med and time, even laxatives etc... I couldn't remember or doubted if I took a med so many times when I had chemo brain. It really helped me keep track.0
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Jag-->do you have Emla cream to put on your port before chemo? It is a cream with lidocaine that you put on your port an hour ahead of time, and it numbs it. You have to use a big glob of it, and I cover it with Glad Press n Seal to keep it off my clothes. Call your onc for a scrip, if you don't already have it. The directions say to put it on 30 min. before (or something like that), but it only works for me if I put it on a full hour before my infusion. Amyjo--> you should get some of this cream too. I'll be thinking of both of you this week!
oh Jag--another thing--the pills you have to take before chemo might be steroids--Decadron is the brand name and dexamethasone the generic name. If that's what you are taking, be aware that you might not be able to sleep. You can get a fast heartbeat, and a flushed face too. My onc doesn't give the steroids the day before chemo, just by infusion with chemo, and then 3 days after, but I know many other women had to take them the day before.
I have my 3rd (of 4)Taxol, and 5th Herceptin tomorrow. I am SO looking forward to being done with chemo! Then on to rads...
GrannyD-->I'll be keeping you in my prayers tomorrow!
Here's to a good week for us all!
Tina
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Thinking of all my sisters as you step forward into your treatments and surgery tomorrow! Love and prayers are with you...You're one step closer to beating this forever!!!
~Melanie
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IPT (INSULIN POTENTIATED THERAPY)
I'm checking into alternative therapy for stage 3 BC. Has anyone tried this or know of someone who has? The treatment uses insulin and low dose chemo along with sugar to target the cancer cells. It's done at several U.S. clinics and was developed in Mexico in the late 1920's but it doesn't seem to be known by the medical profession. HELP, tell me something!
Maggy2
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Jag & Amy Jo - thoughts will be with you both as you start Tx this week.
I looked on my hair loss as an adventure and a fun excuse to experiment with new looks. I think the loss of our hair is one of the most traumatic parts of this whole unwanted experience for most of us but best to look at the cup half full. The first wig I bought, after my first chemo but before hair came out, was my favorite and still is although I had to alter it somewhat after I apparently got too close to the oven and the bangs began to look similar to straw. I also bought a couple from TLC which are ok but a little big for my head - guess that is why it is good to actually try them on. TLC also has some great soft sleeping caps - you will find your head and neck get cold. I also bought some bangs and they really looked great under hats BUT I found they itched and I never could get used to them.
lago - I have IBS too and had quite a bad experience in combination with the chemo. I bring it up because my bad experience could have been completely avoided had someone alerted me to the possible problems. Most everyone has diarrhea as a SE so my Dr didn't take the time to caution me that I needed to be sure my colon moved every day at least once. It did not and I didn't pay attention and ended up in the emergency room completely impacted - horrible experience. All I would have had to do was be aware and take steps to counter. When I was in the hospital (5 day stay!!-Ugh!), the Dr suggested drinking 1 to 2 glasses of Metamucil a day in addition to lots of water. I have continued with this, and probiotics as well, and my IBS is better than it has been in years.
For me the chemo was most assuredly the serious & important business. Then the selection of surgery ops - lumpectomy, 1 mastectomy or both, recon or not, if recon what kind. So now I am 5 most post surgery (& wish I could turn back time and make different choies on the recon). And still, my BC adventure continues but to more fun things... last tx was 3/23 and now have 1 5/8" hair growing in all directions with so many cowlicks I can't even count them and tight little curls (referred to as chemo curls apparently). It was pure white but have colored it to my normal blonde - had to as it was peeking out from my wig and creating quite a strange sight. The growth is really slow due to the Herceptin and I've been told it will really pick up after I finish that. Had dmx so don't have to worry about rads. My eyelashes have come out for the 2nd time and that is really weird as I can see the new growth already coming in. Am also having lymphedema issues form the missing 30 nodes - and also edema surrounding the 'implants from hell', as I prefer to call them. Learning what I can on this.
Sleep awaits - Goodnight everyone
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Hey Sistahs!
Took some days off the boards to give myself some time to decompress from cancer thoughts. It worked to some extent, but not entirely. I do feel a little less obsessed, though.
Hair started coming out easily in handfuls on Wednesday, so I had it buzzed down to a butch on Thursday. Little pricklys are still coming out, but I have to say the more I get used to it, the more freeing it is. I wear hats or scarves when I go out, and wig will be in next week, but at home I go "au naturale" and it feels good! I'm actually more concerned about my eyelashes - I have very scarce ones to begin with, so losing them will make me look sleepy all the time. I'm hoping I can wear falsies.
I still don't like my port and can't wait to be done with chemo and get it out. It's tender, and the skin is a litte tough and irritated, even though it's been in for almost a month now.
Chemo #2 is this Wednesday, which puts me "half-way" through chemo. Scheduled to go back to work on November 15th, but probably only part-time while I have radiation for 6 weeks.
grannydukes - thinking of you on surgery Monday. Praying doc #3 is exceptional for you.
Loved the story about the teenage boys supporting BC efforts!!! My son's high school football team has a "pink game" coming up. The guys wear pink ribbons, pink shoelaces, whatever they can, and honor those who have passed and those survivors who are fighting the fight. They also sell bunches of pink stuff at the game and donate the funds. I just ordered a pink sequined cowgirl hat to wear for the game - it's absurd, and cute, and obnoxiously fun!
Sending up prayers for all my sistahs - keep on keepin' on. WE CAN DO THIS!
Kathy
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LilyLou I have always handled my IBS with diet, water, pro-biotic and the occasional Phillips Milk of Magnesia. After surgery I ate dried apricots daily and never needed the Phillips. The more vegetables I eat and the less red meat/high fat cheese I eat the less likely I am to have a problem. I haven't had a hamburger in years… it would kill me. If I miss a day I do the Phillips… I never mess around with constipation. It can lead to hemorrhoids.
I have warned my oncologist. She too said most likely diarrhea. I'll be on the taxotere/Carboplatin/Herceptin for 6 rounds every 3 weeks. Sounds like we had the same cocktail. Thanks for the warning.
I know I'm going to have hair regrowth issues. Between Herceptin, Armodex and already some receding due to peri-menopause it should be interesting. I'm just going to have to deal with it.
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Hi Sisters,
Grannydukes - God Bless and this time its going right! Lots of prayers for you and ((HUGS))
Day 4 after chemo and I'm still taking nausea meds and still very weak and tired and foggy headed. Hardly out of bed. And the runs now from the Neulasta along with some bone pain. Oh well, better days ahead.
BarbaraA- so glad your doing better!
Jag - Good luck with your chemo!
Cathy
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Cathy- Hang in there. Thoughts and prayers are with you. If you need to stay in bed stay in bed. Tomorrow will be better!
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Lago - I had my sentinel node bx in May - so it was almost four months before I could get the nerve to shave my pits! I did it right before I went to see the radiation oncologist for the first time as I knew I was stinky and thought he and the staff would appreciate it. I think I only made it about half way down my armpits as I have some 1+ inch hairs still there. I have also heard about using an electric shaver from now on to avoid possible lymphadema. As far as I'm concerned I may never shave my pits again when this is over! But I think my dear husband may have a different view on that.
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Yes I heard electric razor to reduce cuts too. Right now I can't even lift my arms high enough to shave them. I switched to spray deoderant because at first I couldn't feel if I was actually putting it on. Now I'm a little sore so the spray is just easier. Sorry but I'm messing up the ozone for a few months. Odd since I haven't used spray since the 70s or 80s I think.
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Sistas,
Officially starting chemo this Friday, September 24th. Although I am dreading it, I am ready to move foward and get to the other side of this. Of course there will still be rads after chemo, but it's the chemo that is freaking me out the most.
I have already joined the September thread for chemo, but wanted to let you all know on this thread as well.
I will doing T/C x 4 every 3 weeks (maybe 6 if the first 4 go well).
Hugs and prayers to you all,
Tori
DE COLORES!
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Cathy- how are you doing? I hope and pray better each day.
GrannyDukes- I hope you are resting comfortably.
Kathy- I read your posts and they are inspiring.
Tina- I called and asked for the cream and because my bandages are still on from the port procedure, they are going to look at it and put the cream on there and give me an RX. Thanks for the advice.
Melanie- Congrats on your final rads!!! ( I read that on another thread). I can't wait to be where you are.
Diamondgirl- I'm looking you up when I visit Vegas and we can go shopping!
Designermom- Thank God for Internet shopping!!
AmyJo- I hope you are getting some rest tonight and we will do this together tomorrow! Remember I'm with you!!! And believe me I'm keeping you with me!!!!
Didn't mean to leave anyone out....thoughts are with you all always.
Cancer sucks! We are strong, we are better than this horrible disease, and together we will get to the other side and be better for it!
Love and peace to all,
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Cathy - hope you are feeling better. Take care of yourself and get plenty of rest and drink lots and lots of water.
Jag - I did not get a Rx for nausea, but I did get one for some Lidocaine numbing cream that I am to put on the port site at least 1 hour before I am schedule to start treatment. You just put a glob of it on top of the port site and then wrap saran wrap around it so the cream will stay put and not get rubbed off on your clothes. I will be getting Taxol and Aredia tomorrow so I will be there at least 5 hours. They said that if I needed anything for nausea they would give it to me tomorrow. My onco said that he was planning on spending a lot of time with me to be sure I was doing okay.
I started driving today! I did not realize how much you use your chest mussels when driving, especially making turns. I feel like I have had a good upper body workout today. I did go get my hair cut this evening. My DH thinks it is cute and I am glad I won't have to mess with it, just wash and go and when it starts falling out I can just stick a hat or scarf on. I have learned how to tie the scarfs several different ways that are easy and don't take a lot of time to do. Thank goodness for scrunchies!
Well my DH says it is time to go to bed since we have to get up early in the morning to make it to the office by 9:30. It is an hour drive to get there with no traffic and tomorrow there will be the morning work rush traffic to deal with for most of the way. Once we cross I-40 we will be going the opposite direction from most of the morning traffic.
I will let you all know how it goes tomorrow when I get home. Jag, I will be thinking and praying for you and that everything goes smoothly and with no pain when they are dealing with your port.
Joy and blessings.
Amy Jo
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Hello Ladies.......
Just checking in. Haven't posted for awhile and just wanted to say hello and ad my thoughts and prayers for everyone.
Great story about the Hockey Team. Kids are great when given a chance to be so.
Lots of love and great big (((HUGS))) to all of you in need of one tonight. For all of you dear sweet sisters who need someone to lean on tonight, we are all here for you. Rest easy.
Beverly
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