Starting Chemo in Nov. 2011...anyone else?
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Oh Quaatsi, you've really had a terrible time. But your sense of humor is still intact. I wish there was something we could do to make you all better. I've had pneumonia before and I know it is tough. Do they have you on antibiotics? I hope you improve really fast.
Lots of hugs
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Quaatsi- So sorry to hear you have a series of complications- and to think it was all caused by chocolate! What is the world coming to? I continue to enjoy your sense of humor.
Hugs-
Rose
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I feel so much better after reading these post! You all have helped me through this difficult journey. Only 4 more weekly Taxol to go!! Should be finished April 10th. Then on to rads, will everyone who are doing rads continue on this post?
Blessings and hugs to you all.
Cyndi
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quaaatsi, so, so sorry you've been so sick and then landed in the hospital. i can't even imagine how much pnemonia would hurt. sending good thoughts your way tonight. hugs!0
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Qaatsi,
Sending you lots of Mountain energy from up north. Hope all will be okay soon...
Claire
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Q
Sorry to hear this news, but they will have you fixed up in no time. Sometimes you need that IV hydration, good to see your spirits still up, that's the most important thing. Sending good thoughts your way. I'm sending a pm0 -
Quatsi ~ Yikes! Sorry you are so sick and to think chocolate caused all those problems...and yikes for me...I just had a chocolate covered graham cracker. I am hoping I don't end up like you, you poor thing. Seriously, I have had pneumonia and it is NOT fun. My doctor (at the time) didn't put me in the hospital cause he said it was too germy, but with what we are all going through and our lowered immune systems, there probably isn't a choice. I am hoping the drugs and fluids have you feeling better soon. It really sucks to have more to deal with than all this BC crap! As I told my onc..."I am a vomit-phobe, whatever you have to do to keep me from that awful thing". I hope you are getting some really GOOD drugs and are past all that really soon. Hugs and all good thoughts for your quick recovery. I am sure your sense of humor is helping you...it sure helps us! Take care...Linda
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I missed treatment again due to low white count, y me!
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Q ~ What a raw deal! Throwing up sucks and I am so bummed that you have had such a rough go of it. I know you will come through this, just like all of us somehow manage to make it through all of our crummy stuff, but I really feel for you having to be in the hospital. When I feel my worst, there is nowhere I'd rather be than in my own bed! I hope the (forced) rest and the quiet is healing for you and that you will be home soon.
Beth ~ You and I are on the same schedule. I'm now 3 weeks since my last infusion. On round three I was so incredibly fatigued and exhausted, I never really recovered before my fourth round. It turned out that my iron was dangerously low. I have taken one tiny little iron pill every day since then and it has dramatically improved my stamina and energy levels. You might want to talk to your MO about an iron supplement. I know that dilemma when everyone tells you that "you'll feel so much better if you exercise," but they have no idea how much it takes out of you to even haul your carcass off the couch, let alone go take a 20 minute walk! I hope you are up and around again soon
Linda ~ I saw Dr. Brian Volpp (RO) at Palomar and I like him very much. He said he believes that we can avoid my heart altogether and only hit a small portion of my left lung during the radiation. I will have to do 6 1/2 weeks (I've never even heard of doing an extra half a week) of rads beginning around March 26th or so. Tim and I are going up to Big Bear for a week, beginning tomorrow for a well deserved vacation. I have my "planning session" scheduled with my RO for March 22nd. I'll let you know how it goes.
Have a calm and restful night everyone!
SAN
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Quasi-best wishes for a speedy recovery and getting home! Your luck and mine seem to be the same....I had a staph infection and emergency surgery in November.....shingles.....ugh!! These darn side effects! Prayers coming your way!!
Sand lake- we are on the same schedule! Four to go...ends April 6 th for me!! I am going to dance the day away!! Happy feet for sure! I am crying out of excitement that I am doing it and almost done! Gotta deal with what God has given me and teach my children how to deal with adversity! My friend brought me a rubber chicken to make me laugh ......and it did! The funnier thing is that my dog doesn't like the rubber chicken. laughs are great from where ever we get them. We have had an amazing winter here in NJ and thankful my chemo went as planned...no weather issues.....
Sunshine and warmth to you all as we approach Spring0 -
Naan 1004-
I know how crushing it can be to delay tx since it seems like it takes so long to get through this anyway. I had to miss one a few weeks ago (weekly taxol) and now every time I walk into chemo room I am fearful about my labs. I'm getting 3 neupogen shots following each infusion to keep my WBC up; it seems to be helping a lot.
If you aren't getting them, maybe you could pose that suggestion to your MO?
Don't worry: you will be DONE soon.
Claire
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well gals, i do indeed have a pneumonia-- not a huge spot on my lungs but enough to land me here. Kinda nice to be forced to rest and of course, when you want to rest you'd think the hospital would be a good place-- NOT!!
all the drugs-- oh my... so constipated. I have actually resorted to eating prunes. but alas, I purged them up too.
But honestly, I am doing fine. Missed my chemo this week and we are (meaning me and my team) are revamping the navalbine -- 2 weeks on 1 off. doc says she would be happy for me to get a total of 6-8 doses instead of the original 12. Would that make you happy? It did me! But, I love her style and she often changes things and adapts so this may not be the end of the story. I can stay flexible.
ooppps feeling the morphine setting in bettter stop before i misplell anymore words.... or say something too off....
hugs to all and thanks for the well wishes. Q
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Hi Qaatsi, in spite of your hospital stay you sound positive, which is good for us to hear. Let us know when you get out of there...
All-only one more Taxol to go, next Wednesday. My WBC was at a whopping 10.5 yesterday thanks to neupogen injections b/w tx. I have 2 more of those--then no more.
Got planned and scanned for 6.5 weeks of rads yesterday too. Start April 11. I got 5 tatts, all around my breast, to go with my convict haircut (which I'm wearing out everywhere now--no more hairpieces for me. I think it looks kind of cool, actually--it's about an inch long now, started growing back about #8 taxol).
I'm telling everyone that my tatts are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and Jupiter--as seen by God
Bought the tamoxifen--and start on April Fools Day. There's some kind of irony in that but I can't think of what it is, now. Chemo brain seems to be the worst SE of all for me.
Headed down south for a little R&R, a lot of hiking planned mostly--it's 72 degrees in Central Az today and tomorrow. Hubby, dog and I need a mini-vacation.
Thank you all for being here on this thread to go through chemo with me. TTYS
XO
Claire
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Hi All,
I am begining my second round of chemo , AC, Friday AM. Was not really anxious duing the first round and things went well. Anxious this time. Hate this. Any quick words of wisdom about getting thru , SE's etc. I'll have four treatments over 4 weeks.
Best,
Nel
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HI Nel,
You will survive this, first of all. I was anxious every time because I got so sick/nauseated/bleah feelings beginning the night of chemo and lasting for about 3 days afterward. I got through that by trying different nausea meds--the zofron didn't work so well, but promethazine did. When I really felt awful I resorted to saltines and real Coke on ice, sipping it. I just didn't expect to eat much those first three days. If you aren't having nausea and loss of appetite, great!
Those were the only problems I had on AC...stomach/digestive. I used magnesium supplements to keep things moving in the digestive region, along with an occasional dose of milk of magnesia. Those worked great.
Of course, my hair fell out beginning about 3 weeks after my first tx (I had DD AC, every other week). I had hubby shave it after about a week of falling hair...then I wore a ball cap with a half-hairpiece mostly and went topless around the house. It's weird--yes--to see a bald person staring back at you in the mirror. I'm nearly done with Taxol now and my hair started growing back about tx #7. It's nearly an inch long now and I'm so happy that I have some hair again I think my short 'do looks pretty cool. I just wear more eyemakeup and long earrings so I look a bit more fem.
I didn't lose nails, etc.
You'll be okay. Just don't expect too much while you're going through this; that helps.
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Hi Nel
A few tips I picked up along the way, is reeds ginger ale, and candied ginger helps with nausea. Get a really soft toothbrush and use baking soda. Will post more as I remember, but ginger ale is your friend.0 -
Claire, congrats on being almost done with your chemo and thanks for the encouraging words. I did ask my onc for some shots to boost white count, I don't know y they didn't offer it at the get go like when I was on AC. I was very persistent in asking for it this time, so crossing my fingers.
Nel, when u don't have nausea eat whatever u can to keep up your strength. The onc recommended with severe nausea to alternate anti nausea meds every 3 hrs, ask your onc if nausea gets really bad. Constipation is really bad SE from anti nausea meds so take stool softeners drink lots of water/fluids. Don't get freaked out when u pee pink or red, it's cause one of the meds is red. If u have any other questions or concerns don't hesitate to ask, cause a lot of us have had AC already.0 -
I am home and feeling OK-- normal stuff to expect from pneumonia and all the drugs. So I have no complaints, thank you.
And when I say Thank You, I include the whole universe in that but especially the Univ Of Arizona Medical Hospital and the staff. What an amazing place. I was treated with such respect and caring. Everyone from the doctors down to the woman who cleans would not leave my room without asking-- "anything I can get or do for you?" People were happy and it showed in their work -- incredibly thorough and thoughtful.I was on the Oncology/Hematology floor and maybe that would have something to do with it but I don't think so because everywhere I went for tests, etc. staff was great.
That said, still happier home....
Q0 -
I'm so glad you're home. You'll be able to rest better there. Hopefully you get well very soon.
Hugs
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Q- hope you are feeling well again. Well ladies I am 4 weeks out now and still no eyebrows! My exchange surgery was Monday March 5 and I have to say these new boobs take some getting used to. Gearing up to start Rads in a week or so. This Journey still seems endless..
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Kelley-I know how you feel about the lack of eyebrows. I will be 7 weeks out tomorrow and still no sign of hair. I complimented a lady at work today who was wearing a new dress, which reminded me of several that I have in that same style. I told her that I need to wear my dresses while I don't have to worry about shaving my legs! I keep hoping, but nothing yet.
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Q ~ So glad you are home and feeling pretty good considering the pneumonia. So glad that you were well taken care of if you had to be in the hospital
Kelley ~ I am in the process of losing eyelashes and brows...definitely not a pretty look. Hope they grow back soon.
Which leads me to my good news...I just found out a couple of hours ago that my platelet count has gone up enough for me to have my LAST CHEMO tomorrow morning. Never in my life did I think I would be happy to have that junk pumped into my veins. But, as so many people here have said...it's the last time I will have to have it done. I pray that is true! Take care and will let you know when Elvis (me) leaves the chemo building!
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Linny--Congrats on your last treatment tomorrow! I remember that feeling. It is strange to actually want to have a chemo treatment!
Q--so happy you are home and I hope you continue to get better. I know there is a reason i don't eat chocolate.
Kelly--Was the exchange surgery painful? I have mine on May 17 and I have 3 more fills.
I don't have hair, eyebrows or eyelashes. Everyone says I have gotten really good at drawing on my eyebrows and using eyeliner. I can't remember who said to hide the lines behind glasses but I do that from time to time.
I just want to let all of you know that I remember being so scared when I first started posting on this board and I count each of you as my friends. Thank you so much for standing with me on this crazy journey!
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Oh gals--- I am so happy to hear we, as a group are either done with treatment/chemo or are nearing its end. Brought out strength...
congrats Linny
and Kelly, just how do you have to get used to new boobs? I read this blog on nipple tattoo-- it is on this site. Interesting and then, I looked up his website-- amazing! Not expensive--has to be covered by insurance, he says! check it out!
Q
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Kelley- I am 3 weeks out from my chemo & having TE exchange surgery next week, then onto rads most likely starting in mid-April.
Telll me about getting used to the new boobs- I am unsure of what to expect. I am hopping that they look somewhat normal. My ps would not talk cup size with me only cc's. He is going to make my bc side larger than the other, to allow for rads shrinkage.
How did the exhange surgery go? Are you recouperating as expected? I was told outpatient & that it would only take an hour. I was also told that I should not loose any range of motion in m arms & that I probably will feel under the weather for about 2 days. Then I could restart my walking 7 cardio routinem, but no weights for 6-weeks.
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quaatsi, it's so good to hear you're home now and feeling better.
beth, you WILL get the eyebrows and eyelashes back. i didn't have many eyebrows before chemo because i'd plucked them years ago and they never grew back! now though, since the end of chemo, they're all starting to grow back, albeit they stick straight out. i don't care. at least they're there! you'll get there.
grandmaV, how are you???
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Hey YaYa, thanks for asking. I'm doing pretty well. I have my last whole breast radiation tomorrow and then 5 boosts next week. In the clinical trial I'm participating in, I must have gotten the curcumin and maybe it works. I've only used emu oil the whole time, as my RO suggested. I'm very red, but so far no pain, or peeling, or wounds. I have had no fatigue from the radiation so far. It's been relatively easy. In fact I feel better physically every day. The weather has been so nice, I've been able to increase my daily walk up to 2 miles. My onc. wrote a prescription for Femera, but told me not to start it, until I'm done with rads. I'm kind of anxious to get started on it. Still have the tinnitus and some nueropathy in my feet, but I'm learning to cope with it. I think the depression meds have something to do with that.
Linda, Congratulations on your last chemo tomorrow. I know you still have the SEs to deal with, but at least this time, you'll know you don't have to do it again.
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I am getting so excited.....Did the four AC every other week...now am getting treatment 9/12 of Taxol. Three weeks from today I am done!! Getting PICC line out and dancing through the chemo suite! Look out! I can hardly contain my excitement! One one later i have my TRAM flap and TE exchange all at once....ugh......so worried about the recovery...one step at a time I keep getting reminded. It is all so much.
GrandmaV-glad you are doing well! I am going to get the Emu oil...I am so afraid of skin breakdown from rads...
Any advice on getting eyebrows tattooed? All the nurses at chemo had them done and they look soooo real!! It makes me want to get them done, they follow where they were and I am stunned by how good they look. I don 't want to be in the hospital without eyebrows
happy birthday to me! I am going to ask more questions today.
Happy Weekend to everyone and keep the faith! We are blessed to have each other!0 -
YaYa-- is that a new picture? new eyeglasses? cute!
Q
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Ladies- there is hope for the eyebrows and lashes..I can feel tiny ..and I MEAN TINY specs of them today.
So- Rose and Beth- the exchange surgery was pretty simple..1 hour surgery..I woke up in a velcro binder with tons of padding..PS asked me what I wanted for pain so I told him dilauded ..I stopped taking it 2 days after surgery. No drains.. took a shower 2 days after surgery..still have steri strips on incisions..when I unwrapped I felt like a linebacker..the implants were high and I had some swelling..by the next day though they had settled a little and look really good. They feel very heavy..although the right side is getting much better..the left is my cancer side and the pec muscle feels very tight as does my armpit..I have more numbness now than I did prior to surgery but I think that is just from the manipulation..on the side of the implant below my armpit where the bra band would be it is very raw feeling..almost bruised feeling. I am told this is the nerves regenerating. I switched to a camisole with a liner yesterday instead of a sports bra and that seemed to help . I am not in pain..just discomfort..The implants feel foreign to me ..add that to the hair and brows and lashes and I feel like I am stuck in someone elses body..BUT ladies..we have been together here for months and look at us..we are coming to the end of the hard stuff!!! Hgs to you all!
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