Starting Chemo in Nov. 2011...anyone else?
Comments
-
My awesome friend from middle school and high school set up a blog for me to post updates cause it's getting hard posting texts, emails, Facebook, ...so wanted one central place to leave my updates, please visit and leave me an encouraging or funny message, I need all the laughter I can get right now. www.caringbridge.org/visit/juliekim
0 -
Great news! My tumors in my brain r all so small that 4wks of radiation will kill them all, so no need for more radiation according to my radiation oncologist!
0 -
Julie,
Wonderful news re: rads! YEAH
0 -
That is great news, Julie. I'll see you on your blog.
0 -
Julie ~ So thrilled that you got some good news. Glad to hear your radiation will be relatively short. Praying for you! Hugs...Linda
0 -
Thanks all! Going in for my second radiation treatment and in high spirits cause it's going to kill all those suckers!
0 -
It's so good to hear your're in high spirits, Julie. Kill those suckers!
0 -
I totally agree...burn, baby, burn! Glad you are in a fighting frame of mind...you go, girl!
0 -
Hi All,
I have not been on here since January-- as each day, week month passed, i got more afriad to open up this page. I have tonight only to find so many trials for my sisters. I am so sorry and more so, that I have not been a support these months.
I have been worn out and struggling since I was hospitalized way back in Nov/Dec-- I just havent gotten back on my feet in a way that I would want-- nor in a way that others around me think I am or expect me to be. And so, I retreated away from this world of cancer.
Please forgive my absence-- my best to all of you! Q.
0 -
Quaatsi, it's sooo good to see you. No need to apologize, just so happy to hear from you. If you're on an aromatase inhibitor, believe me we understand how you feel. It makes an old woman out of you pretty fast. I'm really having a love/hate relationship with letrozole. I'm glad I have it, but I'm having a few more issues that are side effects. People do expect us to be over it now, so I try not to mention it to them. I just tell them I'm getting old. Are you able to ride? I know thats important to you. Thanks for posting.
0 -
Quaatsi! So good to hear from you!
Phyllis
0 -
Quaatsi, no worries, we know u were here in spirit. We missed u and welcome u whenever u r able to make it!
Hello my sisters, wanted to update u on my progress. Today is my 3rd brain radiation, still in high spirits, got some awesome news yesterday. Onc and surgeon both feel i should start chemo ASAP since I have tumors in lungs, bones, appendix, just about everywhere. Decided to start next week, so wish me luck. I will be having both at the same time, I'm sure I can handle it. I did it once, shoot I could do it again. As long as I can kill all those suckers and live a happy/healthy rest of life with my girls, family, I don't care how difficult this journey will be. I'm all up for it. I could still use words of encouragement, prayers, and your thoughts, so keep them coming!!
0 -
Julie, I am so glad that you are starting chemo right away. Since those drugs do go all throughout your body, it makes more sense to use the chemo along with radiation in order to address all of the areas at once. I also hope that you will have few side effects with the new chemo. Hang in there.
0 -
Julie, I love your attitude. You're going to beat this. When you find out your regimen, please let us know. You're tougher than cancer.
0 -
Nel, You may have told us your chemo drugs, but I can't remember. Do you have your first chemo tomorrow? Hoping for few se's.
edited to add: Ok, I found it in one of your posts. You're getting Herceptin every 3 weeks and tykerb daily, right? I hope all goes well tomorrow.
0 -
Quaatsi ~ I can totally relate. If you read my latest posts, I had to admit that I needed to take a break...not from our "sisters" but from topics that seemed to fuel my fears. I am so glad to be able to communicate with women that know will understand what I am talking about again. I am sorry that you are having a struggle right now. I think most of us have the same feelings, both physically and mentally. Almost everyone around us seems to think our battle is over when active treatment is done, but it just ain't so. As GrandmaV said, the AI's are a whole other situation we have to deal with. And, truly, I don't have one day when I don't have the "what if" thoughts in my head. I try very hard to squelch them, but it is a struggle every day. I am grateful to be back at work (never thought I would say that) because I am an office manager at a school and there is always something to keep me busy and interaction with the staff is therapy for me. I will pray that you feel more like yourself and that you will be uplifted by whatever means works for you. Hugs...Linda
0 -
Naan ~ So glad you will be starting chemo sooner than you expected. That means those nasty cells won't have to be in your system any longer than it takes for the chemo to work. I am sure that you will be as strong as you need to be to handle radiation and the chemo. I feel like you do...it's always worth the fight and the journey to accomplish the most important things in our lives. Won't keep saying this, but I will be praying for you during this challenging time. Actually I pray daily that someday no one will have to suffer from this terrible disease and all of its nasty cancer cousins. Take care and know we are here for you...big hugs...Linda
0 -
YAY Phyllis!!! It's always good to be finished with something.
As for my daughter, no one wants to step in just in case they get shut out also. I really think she is angry because I have moved away. I wish she would move closer to me. NC is so healing for me and my husband. She will come around. My birthday is Sunday so I will get at least one call! I started taking Vitamin B12 instead of trying antidepressants. They seem to be working. I haven't cried today. I also got to exercise 3 times this week. I'm going to lose some of this weight!
Hugs to all of you.
0 -
Starting chemo with continued brain radiation next week Thursday. Onc wants to try abraxane and/or carbopratin once a week for 2months, if I can handle it, he wants to up the dose to once/3wks, this works well for mets and other organs where cancer has spread, but still waiting for better path report. They said I just have mets and can't find place of origin, keeps changing too much, so onc sent sample to another lab outside that can stein and hopefully find the true origin so he knows exact cocktail that will kill all those suckers. Can't wait til they're all gone forever and ever!
Today's radiation went well, but face was starting to swell to the point that my mask was getting too tight and uncomfortable, radiation onc said due to steroids, so he will most likely change it from 3x/day to 2x/day to prevent more swelling. Otherwise little to no SEs.
I had a yummy lunch after and green tea shaved ice was delish with my mom, oldest bro, and niece. Afterwards came home and am busy posting updates on FB and here.
I have such an awesome support group this time, since we moved into my parent's house. We have 11 people living under one roof, in a 5 bedroom house with 3 bathrooms. My parents, my oldest bro, his wife, his 4 grown kids, me, and my 3 kids. My oldest bro is 10 yrs older than me so his youngest son is a senior in high school, all grown up compared to my 10 and 7 yr old girls. My nephews and niece have taken on the role of surrogate mom and dad, since I am sick and my husband due to work being so far from here us temporarily living at my cousin's house 1-1&2hrs away. Tonight was Back to School night and my oldest nephew, 22 and my niece 21 took my girls there to meet the teachers and do parent stuff for me. So glad we r staying here and getting all this help. The older ones also drive so they help me with picking up the girls since I can't drive right now, I love my family! They're awesome!0 -
Julie, What a wonderful family. I'm so glad you have all this support. It's also great support for your girls.
0 -
Grandma V, most definitely, thanks for visiting my blog!
0 -
So glad you have such wonderful support. It is a blessing right now. Have a great weekend!
0 -
Great support system for you Julie so you can concentrate on healing. Take care!
0 -
Yes, ladies I have an awesome support both here with you all and my family, I am blessed. God gave me all of this support so I can beat this, I could never fathom doing this alone without u ladies and my family! Thank u always for being there for me!
0 -
Julie-- you are strong and will get through this!! Sending you hope that you have few SEs!
Thank you all for welcoming me back. I tried to do a cleanse a few months ago and I crashed-- I did it gently and I crashed. I got horribly bloated, put on some weight and didn't want to do anything but lay on the sofa and watch reruns....LOL. I had to force myself to ride!! Of course our heat in the desert as well as the hot flashes and increased heat sensitivity didn't help nor do all the joint pains-- much of it coming from an experimental drug. So I am not going to continue that drug, not taking Tamoxifen (the research just doesn't support nor balance the side effects) and figure that QoL is more important. I have just starteda gentle parasite cleanse since there is lots of evidence that the chemo sets one up for that -- as well as the hospitals, antibiotics, etc... I will keep you posted on how it works for me.
OK--forcing myself to go out and ride-- it's 0630 and the sky is cloudy from rain last night-- yay-- good time for rattlesnakes!!!
later gals-- thank you!!!!
Q
0 -
JUlie,
Excellent team you have behind you. You are so very fortunate.
I began herceptin/tykerb yesterday. Tired, but more emotional than anything else. I have all the directions from the NP on what to do if I begin many runs to and from the bathroom, so we will see. I have a great posse behind me and do apprerciate the support here as well. not really feeling sorry for myslef, OK maybe a little, but really, I am doing his again and will just always be in treatment from here on in. S****
Be well,
Nel
0 -
Oh Nel-- I am so sorry to hear this. Your life is being carved out in a totally different way than I am sure you would have done without cancer. I hope that you are able to make time for happiness and joy--in between treatments. my best, Q
0 -
Nel, I'm praying those treatments do their job and are not horrible. How are your kids doing?
0 -
Ok, I remember when we were all going through treatment together, someone (can't remember who, was it julie?) showed us Orme the Pig. I laughed so hard It helped me to put the ugly stuff out of mind for a while. Did they ever make any more Orme the Pig cartoons? I'll try to find the link. I love that pig. (Kind of reminds me of myself when I want something sweet.)
0 -
