February 2012 Chemo
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i cannot put into words how wonderful last nite's "date" with my son was.....i'll try to recap later in the weekend...just know, friends, that it did wonders for my soul!!!!
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Awwwww, how sweet, lumps!
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@ lumpyI hope everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend. Well, at least those of us in America. Ali I think you are in England? Do they have Labor Day there?
This weekend I am ignoring cancer and schoolwork for the most part. DH and I went to yard sales all day Saturday. We picked up a $1, 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle and worked on it all night and again this morning. It was too hard, rather frustrating, but it was so nice to spend quiet time together. We do not do that often enough anymore.
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Just finished handwashing my hats, wigs and scarfs. They've mostly hardly been worn (my favorites were worn out so I threw them away). Does anyone know if ACS or any other group accepts donated hats, wigs and scarves?
It feels pretty good to be getting rid of them, although I felt a little fear, too. What if I need them again? Bad thought, go away!!!
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i'm pretty sure that the local "wig closets" of ACS accept donated wigs and hats etc...
i love puzzles! my radiology waiting room has a small table set up for puzzlemaking...even just a piece or two each time is fun!
i have spent too much time today online (pinterest!) or watching tv....bought a leaf rake as hubby is freaking out about the 25 leaves which have already fallen from the huge maple in our backyard!
i cooked a delish turkey breast for dinner (have probly 2 more dinners from it!yay me!)and now am contemplating getting cozy with the insides of my eyelids....
muggy and rainy/drizzly here today.....
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mmm turkey...
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I love puzzles too , but wirh cats, I have to use that sticky film to cover it every night if I have it set up, or the cats love to flip the pieces off! LOL
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moon...i have a crazy cat so i don't even try to do puzzles at home!
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Christina
Yep, long weekend in Canada or Labour Day! Its hard to beleive it's here already. I love the fall though. I'm pretty sure England celebrates it too. I washed and dropped of my hats at the oncology department where I received TX. They have a basket full of them that are free for the taking for anyone that wants them. Even if I need them again (lord forbid) I really didn't want them haning around as a reminder.
Margo
Now I'm craving turkey dinner LOL! I have one in the freezer I may just defrost now. Its still pretty hot here so I'll have to do it on the BBQ.
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Hi everyone, thought I would check in. It is hard to believe the summer is ending. I return to work tomorrow and not looking foward to it. July was spend taking care of my dh. He had a hip replacement and is doing fine and hopefully he will return to work in a few weeks. August was spent mostly traveling with my little one. We visited friends in Illinois and then spent a week in Mass at ice skating boot camp.
I have just started on Arimidex so we will see how it goes. I still get fatigued at times and haven't been able to lose any weight but other than that I am pretty much back to myself. My skin on my breast is still a bit discolored from the RADs but it is almost back to its original color. My hair is still short but is growing and I ditched the scarves about a month ago. Sometimes I wear a hat if I am going out somewhere that I feel uncomfortable without anything on. But there isn't much I can do about the hair so it is what it is and I am sure in a few months time I will be much happier with it. I did dye it as it was coming in quite dark with a lot of gray.
With going back to work comes running for my daughter's dance lessons and her ice skating team. It will be great to do all of it this year feeling good.
Glad you guys are hanging in.
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Hey everybody!
Just a quick check in--hope you all got to relax a bit over Labor Day! Kids are back at school today, I am finallyt getting some work done. Yay!
I'm still wearing my wig, as I really want my hair to look like a hair cut rather than a grow out when I finally turf that fur hat into the pond. Okay, I'm not really going to do that, I'll probably donate it someplace. And boy, that will be satisfying!
I am going to the wig place to see if thety have any tricks that'll get me out of the pelt sooner rather than later. Will keep posted if there's anything of interest.
How are the rads ladies doing?
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Hildy, I sort of regret not continuing to wear my wig. I'm much more comfortable and cool without it, but now every day someone is asking me if I have cancer. Most people have been very sweet, but a few have been rude. It's stressful to look this way.
Went to the ob/gyn FNP today to deal with post-chemo female issues. Of course she said I would most benefit from an estrogen cream, but that would be no good for me. She did some testing and gave me something else to try. It's so frustrating to go through this, but I am hopeful that eventually this side effect too will pass. I would encourage anyone having problems to see their ob/gyn. The P.A. at the cancer center that was helping me with female issues left, and I'm not sure anyone else there realizes I have girl parts. lol
I've probably said it 50 times but I am SO looking forward to my RO 2nd opinion Thursday.
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Christina, I hope things go well with your 2nd RADS opinion.
Ok, question. My nails stayed on during tx, they are still on, but keep breaking below the quick at every Beaus line. You know, the lines etched in your nails after each tx, they show up at the bottom of your nail and work their way up to the top? I of course have six deep lined, although the first three are deeper, because those were the full strength tx. I have gotten those lines before when I was really sick and had a bad infection, the lines would show up a week or two later. Anyway, my nails keep breaking at the stupid lines below the quick. I wad just wondering if anyone else had this, or has a better way to treat it other than nail polish hardener?0 -
my lines are not up that far yet -however- i have broken three off below the quick lately-and owie! as well as my big toenail finally came off the other nite- it really upset me....no pain thank goodness....
i'm doing biotin and nail hardener for lack of better direction....
i didn't get the Beaus lines first round of chemo but am getting whammied from the TC....
and while i'm whining- i STILL wish for my eyebrows and lashes....and headhair.....had to shave 6 hairs off my right pit the other day to wear sleeveless at work!sorry TMI
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Never TMI, lumps, LOL!ok, then its not just me. It's weird, I can count six lines clearly, one is really thick, I think its the renal failure one. It's actually a visible sign of all we've been through. Much love.
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Just checking on.....Christina, good luck with the RO 2nd opinion. I hope you get good information and that you feel good about the direction you should take.
About nails....Lost several toenails....running and chemo does that....also some split nails. I use super glue on the split nails....seems to work pretty good.
And I actually trimmed my hair......just a litte around the ears. I had a hard time finding the clippers, its been so long since I used them.
I think about each of you, and I hope everyone is doing well.
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Firstcall! Good to hear from you. I am glad you have enough hair to trim. Mine is trying to curl, but its only long emough to stick up like a kiwi! LOL. I m going to buy super glue too. Thx!
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moonflwr I can see where my hair is/will be trying to curl. Like little wanna-be cowlicks. I have hair just starting to hit my ears, which is very exciting to me. I would say I'm at about 1/2" long and it's quite thick, just as it was. My new eyelashes are just barely long enough now to pick up a bit of mascara.
I never got ridges on my nails. They just got discolored at the end and started to lift. I do have one nail that has a weird ridge bump right at the bottom. I noticed that just this past week. I have no idea why, I just hope it grows out. Won't it be so nice to have lovely, normal nails again?
Margo there's no TMI here.
Hey firstcall. Can't believe you needed a trim, that is so exciting! I don't think I'll ever get my hair cut again...
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I JUST READ MY POST. NO, the super glue is NOT for my hair, LOL
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superglue COULD do wonders for hair!! j/k!
i'm reading on the hari hair hair thread about folks trimming their hair early on and it's just so odd to have the feelings that we do! usedtobe we never questioned it!!!!
it's good to see firstcall jumping in!!!
i have made a major life decision--in 2004 i had my gastric bypass- i lost 83# in my first year -so i was considered a success! VERY soon afterwards, sweetie got deathly ill-twice within 8 weeks and i overate-nerves-(they do NOT operate on our heads!)--and i regained 33# over awhile..lost about 7 # over the years since ---well- i'm managing to keep off the 7#and some days a few more--i have decided (sorry for the long story!) that i still want to try to lose 40# more and that i finally want to exercise! i'm not ready in my head completely to do this but coming to the conclusion that i WANT to work toward it really helps.....
so--i'm at the goalsetting stage of chemo recovery ! i think that's a good thing!
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Lumps, that was funny! LOL. And that is a Good thing that you are starting to plan, in am pulling for you. I wanted to start back to chemo rehab after my te surgery, but because of my EF onc won't let me. Seeing him today, so maybe echo was good enough to get going on Herceptin and pt again.
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lumpy if you get motivated to start exercising, please tell me how. I want to lose weight but I just don't have the motivation to exercise. I loathe exercising but I know it is the best thing for me.
Saw RO#2 today. It was a great visit, she was super. She said I am in sort of a gray area, regarding whether I need rads or not. She said it would not be shocking or disturbing if I did not have radiation, and there are ROs who would say that I don't need rads, but she does feel there would be a small but significant benefit to having them, and she would lean towards my having rads, just to further reduce my chances of reoccurance. So rads it is. I meet with my surgeon on the 14th and he will get things set up from there for me. I think I am going to wait until early October though.
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Christina, glad you got your second opinion. And glad you made a decision. Much love.
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christina- about exercising-yea..when i figure it out i will tell you!
about rads- the only thing i really don't like -so far! i've only had 9/34--is that it is simply inconvenient to my schedule-a nuisance...but that's really my only complaint....
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Christina - it sounds like you've made peace with the Rads....I hope it goes well.
One thing I've changed since BC, is that I've added swimming to my exercise routine. I'm swimming a mile three times a week now. I think it has helped my lymphedema, and my surgical sites. My main exercise is still running. There is no doubt in my mind that my regular exercise has helped me weather this storm much better than I otherwise would have.
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It's been years since I could do a mile a day. When my arms and knees gave out, I had to give it up till the inflamation went away, and I never got back into swimming as much. No way could I swim those 80 laps today! LOL. I want to get back to when I am all healed from surgeries. After I complete chemo rehab that is. Um, oh yeah, that is on hold too, due to my low ef! It's almost as if I don't WANT to exercise..... LOL
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Okay, everyone! Don't go into shock... I haven't posted since July 4th when I complained about my fingers and toes. I have spent most of this afternoon reading all the pages after page 96 to catch up with what's happening with everyone. I won't be commenting on all that I've read at this time BUT I am back on board with keeping up with all of you.
The neuropathy and painful hands especially made it hard to utilize the mouse or type. Since that's what I've been doing at my job (working part time since early July). By the time I would go home, I would be putting ice packs on my hands/fingers and not wanting to type. Rather than one big post that I could lose, I will be posting a series of smaller ones over the next day or two.
Today was a milestone for me. I finished the last (#28) of my rads. These were each day (M-F). The first one was very traumatic. It took a long time with x-rays, positioning, tattoos (4 of them, very minute like a dot, only briefly painful). Keeping my arms over my head, etc. While on the table, I decided I wasn't going to do rad at all. I kept getting more and more agitated and when I left the building and went to my car, I sat and cried and cried and cried....the worse since my diagnosis in Dec. But I went back the next day, determined to give it another try. I'm glad I did. I was always in and out pretty quickly. Rad itself went fast. None of the rest of them were bad at all. I am now done. I do have the rad burning, itching and am using creams liberally. But I know this will pass.
My chemo ended on June 21 and here I am still dealing with the neuropathy and painful fingers and toes. It seems a little more bearable. But at moments, I still end up with the ice packs on my hands especially.
My hair is growing back. It's super short, fuzzy and greyish or white. Too soon to know what it will really be like. I am still wearing baseball caps for work, wig only rarely, going topless when it's super hot or when driving. The eyebrows came back but when I went to a wedding recently (for which I wore the wig), there were no eyelashes to put mascara on. My eyebrows and lashes have always been so light blonde you couldn't see them anyway. Lashes still haven't come back.
Hats/wigs: My chemo center had a room where people could leave their hats, wigs, etc. Also the ACS. Soon, I will gather up what i have and donate them to one of those places. I never want to see them again once my hair is back. I am hoping my hair grows enough before it is really cold that I can skip the wigs and not freeze to death.
I am so sorry for all the difficulties some of you have had. As I said, I read every page of what's happening. I think of each of you and will be back on a regular basis now. Hands are getting sore so I'll post more soon. (((Hugs )))) to all of you!
Karen
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Fingernails/Toenails: Fingernails look normal but I've always chewed my nails so they're super short. I don't nibble them anymore as there is no feeling. Is very unpleasant feeling but they're not growing much either. Six of the toenails are still black but haven't lifted or anything.
Jury duty: I, too, received notice in the mail. All I had to do was call the phone number listed and tell them I was dealing with cancer. She asked if she could put me on the list for next year. I said yes. I'll worry about it if/when they notify me again but I was glad to avoid it this time around.
Fatigue: It is absolutely overwhelming still and I take naps when I get home from work. However, I want to start to exercise so the mind is willing. I just need the body to heal a bit more. My work pays for a fitness membership and I signed up recently but am not ready to get started yet. Soon, I hope.
Daughters: Their problems are still there but they're handling them better. Someday I'll tell a few stories about what I've been thru with the oldest one. It has to do with pet chickens...illegal where I live. You can just imagine the 'rest of the story' for now.
Reflux/GERD: I've had this for years. IF your doctor advises you to take medication on a regular basis, you should do so .... even if you don't feel the symptoms are that bad. Before my cancer dx, I was diagnosed with Barretts esophagus which is a precursor to esophageal cancer. I had three endoscopys last year and was supposed to have three treaments to deal with the Barretts. It got shoved aside when I got diagnosed with the breast cancer. I know now I should have taken the medication for the reflux that my primary physician prescribed YEARS ago. I only took it when I had symptoms...wrong decision! Sooner or later, I'll have to deal with this problem. Hopefully, I didn't beat breast cancer only to develop esophageal cancer down the road. Sigh.
Thinking of all of you. Signing off for tonight. Really truly!
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Flddrmr, glad you are back. Sometimes we just have to take care of us. (((Hugs)))) hope the neuropathy gets better.
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Christine
Happy to hear you've made a decision around RADS. Sounds like you're at peace with it which is great.
Moonflwr
I still have a couple of ridges left on my nails and while they're growing, there breaking right at the quick. I am just clipping them very short right now. Not complaining mind you, I've had no lifting at all.
I haven't been on much due to dealing with my Mom. We got her into assisted living mid July but all of a sudden she's going downhill health wise quite rapidly. I've been at emergency 4 times this week with her. She's having falls which have resulted in cuts to her legs going into cellulitis, then a fracture to a vertebra and a hit to her head. Its hard to believe that she lived alone just a couple of months ago. The assisted living facility has been wonderful but it looks like were going to have to go the nursing home route now. Her biggest issue is hemoglobin and sodium counts being very low. This of course is making her weak hence the falls. All of a sudden now we're dealing with dementia as well. She thinks its 1956! Its so hard watching her go down like this, she's always been a strong independant person and lymiss her sage advice about everything. Quite honestly I pray that God calls her home and not let her suffer like this.
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