Starting Chemo in Nov. 2011...anyone else?
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quaatsi, thank you! yes, new picture, new glasses.0
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Bonseye, happy birthday!!
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Naan1004-thank so much! I almost forgot it was my birthday as I am so consumed with everything going on. I just had chemo and it has had me whipped. Back to sleep for me!
Best to all!0 -
Hi November 11 Chemo Friends ~ Just had to report that am officially finished with my chemo treatments as of today! I am so excited to know that I will only have to endure these SEs one more time. I am flying high on steroids, but know what is coming. Somehow knowing this is the last time (God willing) makes it easier to accept. I got to bang the chemo graduate gong at the infusion center as the nurse announced "Chemo Grad!" It was pretty cute. My DH took a picture but it's very blurry, but I know what it is and what it means., Now it's on to the rest of the Herceptin (through October 12) and the rads. I meet with the rad onco on March 28th, so will probably get a plan at that time. I figure I am just going to keep moving on in the journey and not look too far in the future. Now that the chemo is over, I realize that the time went by much quicker than I had anticipated. So to any of you still going through it...there is an end to it!
To all of you I want to say that without your help and support this experience would have been much more difficult. I appreciate your caring, kindness, guidance and knowledge. You are all incredible. Do most of you think you will still post at least once in awhile on this thread after we are all moved on to the next part of our lives? It would be great to keep in touch and see how everyone is doing. Hugs to all of you. I consider you friends and not just people who ended up here by chance. I think there is a "plan" for us to find the people we need in our lives at a certain time and I am glad it was all of you! Linda
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Linda, Congratulations chemo grad! I agree that without the help and support here it would have been much more difficult. I, for one, plan on coming back to this thread to catch up on everyone's news. I hope radiation is easy for all of those who are facing it. For me it has been much easier than chemo, although a little tedious going every day. I think you'll do fine. Hugs to you, too.
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Love hearing Chemo Grad - linnyhopp congratulations!! I have 3 more treatments and am going to dance through the chemo suite! Look out! My MO laughs at me! I may make him dance too!
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congrats Linda..hooray!!!
Grandma V- how is radiation going??? You must be close to finished by now. I go for my simulation on Monday
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Linda, first of all, congratulations on being a chemo grad! Your latest post brought tears to my eyes. It's hard to believe that most of us have just gone over (or almost over) the hill on one of the most difficult journeys of our lives . . . together. You said it so well when you talked about the friendships we've formed on this message board, even though we really don't know each other personally.
I'm thrilled to hear that you were able to get your last "Bad Dude" chemo yesterday. It is such an exhilarating feeling, especially when you're wired up from the steroids.
All,
I've had a pretty rough week following my last treatment, but I woke up this morning singing "I Feel Good" (by James Brown)! I was fortunate enough to get direct blood donors from my family and friends for a blood transfusion to improve my severe anemic condition caused by the chemo. I spent 12 hours at the hospital yesterday getting three units of blood, and I'm a new person today! I can't believe what a difference it made. My weakness and extreme fatigue have vanished overnight.
Yesterday was also our 38th wedding anniversary. Although we really didn't get to celebrate it, my husband and I both felt thankful that we are both on the road to recovery (he has problems with A-fib).
Again, the support I've received from my friends on this message board has been such a valuable part of my experience with breast cancer. My love goes out to all of you!!!
And I'll end with these lyrics:
"God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy" . . . or in my case, "God is great, people are good, and beer is off limits right now." LOL
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Kelley, I found radiation to be much easier than chemo. I'm finished with 25 tx of whole breast radiation, all I have left are the 5 boosts this coming week. The only skin care my RO recommended was emu oil and I love it. I also took 6 grams of curcumin a day (four 500mg caps 3 times a day) as part of a clinical trial. I didn't know if I had the curcumin or a placebo. But in two previous trials there was evidence that curcumin reduces or eliminates damage to the skin. I'm thinkin I have the curcumin, since I haven't had any damage to speak of. Just red and a little itchy. Some of the women on the radiation thread had little damage too and they didn't get curcumin so it's the same story, everyone is different and have different SEs. My RO said that the worst SE of radiation is fatigue, but so far I haven't had that either. I understand that it can effect you after you're done too, so it may happen, yet. I think you'll do fine with it. It does get a little monotonous going every day. The simulation only takes about 30 minutes to an hour and the treatments are fast. I'm never at the treatment center more than 15 minutes and that includes getting your gown or poncho and then changing back to your clothes. It takes me longer to drive there and find a parking place. How are you doing now that chemos over?
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I do plan on coming back and checking on each of you. I am having swelling issues now. Anyone else dealing with this? My ankles swell if I am on my feet for an hour or so. I hate not being out in the spring weather but I have trouble breathing and with the swelling, it is back on the couch with me.
I thought when I finished chemo that I would bounce back and so far, I am NOT bouncing! I saw someone jumping last night and wanted to jump too. No way!!! I was also thinking that I have had 3 major surgeries in the last 3 years. This does not include the 4 or 5 outpatient surgeries I have had also.
I think I am just tired. I need the ocean...
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grandmav- I am feeling well..recovering from the exchange surgery and having very little remnants of chemo ..thankfully..ready for rads.
Beth- its been a tough road..treat yourself nicely
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racerdeb, WAY TO GO
Beth, you will be jumping soon. Patience I keep being told.
To those who responded about AC treatment -Tahnk you. I can't remember names these days. Had my first AC of 4 yesterday. I had traveledforwork earlier in the week and had not adjusted to the time change, had worked myself to a frenzy about this round of chemo and it was a longer day than the taxol /hercptin routine. So I slept for 12 hours last night. Insomnia MO told me about, yeah right, . I am up this AM , showered and dressed and have done some laundry. I am woman here me roar. Between the infusins yesterday and the stuff they sent me home with I have enough in the way of anti nausea meds to put down a horse. So far so good and only taking what I need t stay ahead of it. Funny story, my dd (13) has two new goldfish and one keeps swimmming upside down, but not dying. So I google upside down goldfish and apparently he is consti[pated. Shared with my dd that is my issue as well right now. She suggested that I use the same as recommended for the fish, isolation tank and starve him for 3 days and then give him mushed peas without the skin to eat. I have been in this process too long cuz the remendy actually sounds OK.
Good news with the AC, I am a quarter of the way thru. Less than good news, my liver enzymes are high, I am told nothing to worry about but not to have any alcohol. Do they realize I am Irish, it St Patrick's Day and on Sunday having lunch with a group of cousins. REALLY. The least of my issues for the present I guess. I guess my liver has enough to do processing the chemo right now, so I will behave.
Best to all for Happy St Patrick's weekend and to moving forward in all this
Nel
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Nel try miralax for constipation
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My chemobrain won't let me keep track of names of all those I want to comment on, so forgive me...I either have to take notes or page back while I'm writing!
For those of you who are grads, congratulations! What an accomplishment! I have one more taxol to go. I've been doing the DD Taxol every 2 weeks, and these are my down days. Sore throat, steroid crash and joint/leg pain. But it is way better than AC was for me. I meet the RO sometime in the next week or so. Should start rads by the end of April/early May. All my fills for the expanders will be done by then too. GrandmaV, I am so thankful that your rads have been easier for you. You have had your share of tough times these last months, and I'm glad you are getting some kind of break and relief.
Yaya I like the new glasses too! My brows are gone, and I think I have 5 eyelashes left. Oh well! No hair growing yet either...I was kinda hoping since I had heard that some do have it start growing back while still on chemo.
Hope all of you enjoy the rest of the weekend. I am laying low. Not great company, and thankful there is only one more to go! I still make myself get things done, but never at the pace I am used to! 4 windows washed, a load of laundry done, coffee made and shared with the fam this morning. That's about it! just not much stamina for much more...but it is nice to get a few things done in this amazing weather! Sat out on the deck to read for a while too. It was 78 degrees here! My hyacinths and daffodils are popping! Love it...it helps my mood, that's for sure.
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Beeth- I am right there with you on needing the ocean. I am 3 1/2 weeks after my last chemo & Iam stil sooooo tired. Hang in there, everyone that has been through it says it gets better. Sometimes I wish that I could fast forward 6 months!
I am sceduled for my TE exhange for implants on Tuesday & will most likely start RADS cometime in April. Not looking forward to more fatigue :-(
Hugs-
Rose
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Kelley, glas to hear that you are doing well after the exchange surgery. I am having mine on Tuesday. I am still unclear as to when they will start RADS. I have an appointment with the RO on April 4th. Do yo have your RADS scheduled yet?
HUGS-
Rose
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Congrats to all my sister warriors that completed chemo!
GrandmaV- I am so happy to hear that your RADS is going smoothly, since you had so many bumps in the road during chemo.
Hugs to y'all-
Rose
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Rose- my simulation is scheduled for Monday and I am guessing I will still Rads the following week but I'm not sure..ready to get the final part of this show on the road!
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What is a simulation? Any questions I should make sure I ask the RO when I meet her? Thinking back, it has been 7 months since my first questionable mammogram. And I will not be finished (rads, exchange, etc.) until sometime in the fall. More than halfway there, and supposedly downhill from here. My exchange will happen after rads by about 3 months or so. I'm thinking Sept/Oct. Our 30th is in August, but I think we will be postponing a getaway until I am all done with surgeries, etc. We are looking at heading to Florida for Thanksgiving to see family, and I hope to be all done by then. It's been quite a year.
TexasRose - will be thinking of you on Tuesday. And I have heard that the fatigue varies person to person and have known several that it really hasn't bothered at all! I pray the the next month will be a good one of healing before rads and that you won't be phased by it too much!
Keep moving forward, everyone!
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Kelley- good luck with your simulation on Monday. I am looking forward to the start of RADS after my exchangeon Tuesday. Everything is still moving too slow for me; I am not sure I can endure a whole month between the exchange & RADS. I guess I should pray for patience.
Hope all of you had a great weekend!
Hugs to all-
Rose
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Andimom3, I had my plan and scan thing (simulation) last Wed. I didn't know how many rads I was getting so I asked that, so I had an idea about how long this part of the journey would be. I start 4/11; that would be a good thing to ask too--when you start. After the plan and scan the tx themselves are short about 15" each. I got tattooed 5x all around my right breast that day too. Looks like ball-point pin-pricks--hardly noticeable. I am glad I have them because I want the rads hitting the right place! The other thing to ask is what supplements are off-limits for rad tx. Mine told me ACE and selenium b/c they are free-radicals, and interfere with the rad's ability to kill cancer cells.
My last taxol (fingers crossed) is this Wed. I start tamoxifen on AprilFool'sDay-- kind of ironic in a weird way.
Right now I'm headed out to shovel 14" of snow from our driveway. We have good neighbors that also use their snowblowers to help hubby and I--but I need the exercise too.
Hope that helps! I hope the rest of you are doing well!
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Andimom, the simulation is the planning for your radiation tx. To ad to what claire said, In most cases they take you to the conference room first and explain stuff that I had no idea what they were talking about and you sign the consent before they have the plan. Then they take you to another room and have you get into the position that you will be getting your treatments and have you lay still, the doctor marks on you with a sharpie to map out the scanning area, and then they scan you with the computerized tomography (ct scan). They have you stay in that position while they plan where the radiation beam will go. Then they mark on you with either tattoos, (very small, like a freckle) or a sharpie with stickers over them (I had both since I had 2 scans). They really don't know, until they have the plan and have you marked, how much lung, rib, etc. will be involved. You can ask to see the plan, if you're concerned. (Tell them before the scan you'd like to see the plan afterwards) If you think you may get a second opinion I would ask for the stickers (not as permanent), you can always get the tattoos later if you decide to go with them. Since you had a mastectomy (I had a lumpectomy), it may be unavoidable to nick the lung a little, in order to radiate the area they need to. They should explain all this before the scan, if they're honest. The complication with radiating the lung a little, can be pneumonitus, which is like pneumonia, but isn't caused by a virus or bacteria. The treatment for pneumonitus is steroids. A very small percentage of women ever develope pneumonitis and it is usually temporary . You can ask about that. Also the little bit of rib they radiate will be at risk of fracture in the future. I wish I'd had this info before. Ask what creams or oils they will have you use for skin care. Each RO is different. Mine only wanted me to use emu oil and that has worked out for me. Take someone with you to take notes and/or record the conversation to listen to later. It's all very confusing at the time and you might not think of something to ask until later. If you have concerns don't be afraid to speak up. There was one woman on the December radiation thread that her first RO was going to radiate 20% of her lung, and she found that unacceptable and got a second opinion and found an RO that was able to do her radiation with less risk to her vital organs Her screen name is LuvRVing if you like to pm her.
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HI ALL,
Nel-- horse cannot vomit so I am afraid that your anti-nausea meds would not be useful for a horse...now do you want to be a horse????
Constipation -- can I recommend something called Mag07-- it is oxygenated magnesium and it brings fluids into your intestine and then.... It has NEVER failed me. I just adjust the dose depending on how bad it is. They gave me enough morphine to sedate a horse (how is that?) and some, heck LOADS over 100pills of MORPHINE-- after my hospitalization. And that really plugs you up. I only took it once.... 99 left!
Q
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just an fyi on radiation:
I had lost 20% of my lung capacity due to radiation back in 1987. I lived at high altitude for decades and was very athletically inclined, shall we say. Lungs don't even use all they have--except if you are Lance Armstrong (he really is built different!)
I wish I could be saying I am almost done with even chemo, but I am not.....sigh. I think I am ready, long haul... I hope to see all of you posting for some time--hear me???
q
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THANK YOU Claireinaz and GrandmaV! I appreciate the wisdom and insight and it helps to make a list of questions. I haven't had to go to one appt alone (my sister is a nurse and VERY overprotective in a wonderful way!). She's my note-taker and sounding board. But, she doesn't know too much about radiation.
Quaatsi, hang in there. I will plan to check in often and will be praying you are doing well. We all have a bond, don't we!? It is a long haul, but worth it. What treatment are you on? You may have posted it, but I haven't looked back and my chemobrain won't let me remember!
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I know this is going to be a strange post, but I don't really have anyone else to confide in. Please don't tell me that Ann Landers would be a better place to send this question. I know that the only people who can truly know how I feel about my own sexuality right now is my chemo friends, so even though this isn't the typical breast cancer issue, I believe you ladies would be the perfect ones to sound off and let me know what you think. Am I crazy, overreacting, or justified in feeling like shit at this point.
About a week ago, I noticed my husband writing an email on our home computer and it was pretty obvious he didn't want me to see it. He kept watching me each time I got close to him, like my 7th graders do when they are writing a note they don't want me to see. That got my curiosity up, but we have often written each other intimate emails, and I just thought he was writing it to me and wanted it to be a surprise when I received it. Anyway, after a few days when I realized I didn't get the email, I went on his email account and found out that he was emailing a woman he used to know in high school. I actually think he really wanted to be her boyfriend, but maybe she just wanted to be friends, but he has never admitted that to me, just claims she was a good friend. I do remember that a month or two ago he said something to me about his responding to a high school reunion notice he had gotten and then from there getting an email from her and answering her back. I was a bit annoyed at the time, but he never mentioned it again, so I figured they had written one or two emails outlining the last 40 years for each other and that, that was the extent of it. But he is emailing her every single day, even from his work. He hates reading and writing, and they are long emails. He has obviously erased some of them, so I haven't been able to see them all, but what I have seen disturbs me a lot. I see my name mentioned here and there and the children, so I guess he has not tried to hide us from her or anything, but they really seem chummy to me. He constantly tells her how glad he is they are "connected" now, how she can talk to him until her fingers fall off from typing, and refers to her in one place as a "bad little girl". My best confidante is my daughter, but I couldn't tell her this because it would make her very angry at her dad, whom she worships and adores. I also am too private a person to share this with any of my co-workers. I didn't tell but 2 people about my cancer, and now everyone at my work knows. I don't want people talking about me. Anyway, I don't really know what to do. And I knew that my chemo buddies would understand how ugly and insecure I already feel these days, even without this threat to my 39 year marriage. We have really been very happy all these years, and I have never had any reason to distrust him. Throughout my treatments, he has been very attentive and has gone to every single treatment with me, but I don't feel like I should just ignore this or sit back and wait for the next step in their relationship to evolve.
So, what do you think? Is it harmless as I am sure he will say if I ask him, or am I right to be hurt and angry about it?
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Bahamamom- I am so sorry you are dealing with this on top of everything else. Geez! You can not ignore this. You need to confront your husband because there is no reason he should be emailing another woman on a daily basis if he is not willing to share that discussion with you. This is a recipe for disaster. I understand that this BC thing is tough on our significant others, but, it is nowhere near as tough on them as it is on us! You have every right to be hurt and angry and you deserve an explanation. Good Luck!!!
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bahamamom, i agree with kelley. i wouldn't sweep this under the rug. confront your husband and see how it plays out. you can come here to get support each step of the way. i hate this for you and i hope you get satisfactory explanations. please let us know how it goes. hugs to you.0
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Confront right away, bahamamom. What he's doing is being emotionally unfaithful. It's just as bad using the internet as it is to do this physically, although he'll probably disagree.
You must feel terribly betrayed. I wouldn't throw away a 39 year marriage, but I'd let him know you know all about it and tell him that it will kill your marriage if he doesn't stop. He has to choose. If I were in your shoes I'd be so mad I'd email her, too.
And seek out some counseling for yourself so you can cope with this newest crap. Anger is a great motivator. Use that power, if you can. I'm so sorry you're facing this.Hopefully he's just lapsing b/c he can't stand the thought of losing you and isn't releasing his feelings in a healthy way.
XXOO
Claire
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Ormie on vimeo http://vimeo.com/m/27256955
Something funny to enjoy, have a great day all!0
