February 2012 Chemo
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thx ladies, I understand the ranting, my nerves get on my nerves
, guess I should just expect to be this way till I get the first tx under my belt, oh how I hate this, not knowing, wondering and sorts, gee I think my kitty knows too, she actually wants on my lap!! 0 -
Good night girls - off to my sleepless night, God I hope I am joking LOL. My bags are packed, we're on our way...hey wait a minute isn't that supposed to be followed by "leaving on a jet plane." Oh well have to replace it with leaving on a chemo trip LOL.
Anyway all set for tomorrow - Moonflower we are in this together and we are going to be peachy keen!!!! MLB - you follow along on Friday and you too will be fine.
Bring those umbrellas ladies and tell the nurse you would like that cocktail iced ;0)
Ali - that is SUPER news...so glad to hear it.
As for the rest of you ladies, I hope I am not leaving anyone else good news out - I'm sorry, I can't keep track of everything today - steroid brain, but hey the laundry got done. Also got my eyebrows done, and my nails shellaced. I have taken more anti-constipation meds today then I have in my entire life ( can you tell I am dreading that SE)
Anyway off to bed
(((Hugs))) to all my wonderful friends on these boards - could not have gotten to this point without all of you
xoxoxo
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Hi everybody: I'm not going to respond to many of the recent posts as I'm rather tired tonight but thought I'd update you on myself. I had blood work done today and all looks good so I get my second AC tomorrow also. I had a port inserted when I had my MX on 12/27. Before she accessed it today for the blood draw, she asked if I wanted the needle left in with tape over it so there is no 'stick' again tomorrow for the infusions. This was new to me and sounded gross but she said many people like it and I should try it at least once. So I have a little 'flat' needle in my port (with tape over it) and the tube to insert the infusion into it all set to go. It feels weird but the most bothersome is the tape over it. It's itchy to me. I don't know if I'll do it this way again or not.
After the stick, I had the option of staying in the recliner in the infusion room until my actual MO appointment to discuss how I'm doing. It was about 30 minutes, I reclined and dosed off. But after about ten minutes, I felt a huge wave of absolute panic and anxiety and just wanted to get the h*ll out of there! I've had panic/anxiety attacks before and hope they won't start with this. Sigh.
Tomorrow night is my big event for which I've gotta be there. I'm looking forward to it but will be glad when it's over. Maybe I'll tell you more afterwards.
Anyway, good luck to all of you chemo sisters for Thursday. Hope it goes well for you.
TO all of you, I try to read all the posts and am thinking of all of you. Take care.
Karen
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Fldreamer. Good luck tomorrow. You'll be fine
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Good luck to everyone who is getting their txs today. I will be thinking of you.
Gayle
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The same
Xx0 -
Best wishes to those going today and tommorrow
Hope its a smooth journey
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jap62: my neulasta went in the fatty part of my upper right arm-
oh...about kitty...mine has been almost glued to me the last few days!!!!!!
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Greetings everyone. I appreciate everyone sharing. I haven't posted a lot, because Ive been struggling with the decision of whether or not to do chemo. But Ive been following the posts, for the most part. This has been a very difficult decision, because my cost benifit ratio is very marginal. I have to decide for sure this week, which really means today at this point. One day its on the next its off. The reason its so difficult, is because in my case there is not a clear right answer. But in the end, I am leaning toward doing chemo. In fact I am scheduled to begin tomorrow. That was scheduled in advance, not because it was the plan but because its easier to cancel than to schedule, so I left it on the schedule while working through the final decision.
I appreciate hearing how it is going for each of you, and have no idea how it will affect me. I plan to continue working and exercising regularly if at all possible. There are so many unknowns one of those things you just don't really know until you get there.
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firstcall:
we are right here no matter what you decide or do; facing the unknown together.
please keep us posted!
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so last nite, day 2 of decadron, i managed to get to sleep without much issue but was wide awake at 430 to potty-which i normally don't do...moved to the recliner after 45 minutes of not getting back to sleep- i am hearing my heart that whoosh whoosh in my ears so i know my bp is slightly elevated...if i didn't have to go somewhere this morning i would have maybe ativanned to get back to sleep-i'm not much up on the meds to sleep but i woulda liked a few more hours! ......the dog and i had some nasty words at 7 am -two trips outside for her to get everything done did NOT make me a happy mommy-it's raining in ohio!
my PICC is in my right arm- no prob but there has been electricity running in my lower arm for two days now when i reach for something...it doesn't "hurt" but it makes me stop and think-should i be worried?
this morning i made a note to self to start the biotene-mouth seems a bit dry....
i'll nap this afternoon.....
wishing everyone a good day today!
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My prayers are with all who are starting today
lumpy I always have the whooshing in my ear, even before bc dx, my bp is fine, interesting that it's the right side, same as my sick boob, also cats use the litter box, no need to go out in the rain
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jap62; she's a rescued dog and she is a lovebug--velcro fur! in our old place; we tied her to an overhead run and she did her stuff no problem--we're in an apt complex here so we cannot do same--she is just nosey and felt that she wanted to check out the entire field( there are 8 other dogs in our bldg alone who uise same field) ! i was not happy! c'mon-two trips!!! tho i did threaten her that she could live somewhere else by tonite!
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Its raining here in IN too Lumpynme. But you know what they say about Midwest weather.. wait 5 mins and it will change. With our luck it would be snow though!
Hope everyone has good days today. Heading in for my weekly dose of Herceptin then home for a nap. 3 days in a row of not sleeping well. Last night I had nightmares that my hair had fallen out all over my pillow. So I woke up this morning terrified to turn on the lights to look at the pillow. I found 2 stray hairs that were mine then the rest were the 4 legged furry friends who I had to kick off the bed today!(2 rescue dogs and a rescue cat.. Im such a sucker!)
Good luck everyone! Talk to you later!
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Good luck to all having tx today. My 2nd AC is later on today. I just wanted to say I don't feel as stressed as I did last night. I'm anxious to get it over with. Then, I can say 2 down, 2 to go!. (then, I'll start the countdown of the Taxol treatments).
Anyway, I wanted to share something my MO told me yesterday. We were talking about hair loss. He said it's unclear just when it will 'go' but it usually does. I told him I'm getting it cut short this weekend and he commented the worse hair loss story he's heard was a woman who had long hair and chose to not get it cut. She went to a football game on a very windy day and the wind literally blew her hair off her head! I envision that as like when a wig blows off someone's head. I can only imagine the horror that woman felt. So, I guess the lesson is to be prepared and don't go into denial about what is going to happen. Better for us to face the demons head on (pun intended) and be proactive rather than think it won't happen to us! I'm not trying to freak out anyone with this info but trying to be informative.
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Fldreamer - I'm with you! AC is 1/2 way done. I'll worry about the taxol later. I'm shedding a lot so I know my hair days are numbered.
My friend that took me today needed to leave for an hour to take her husband to the hospital. He had skin cancer that was growing into his ear canal. They didn't realize how extensive it was at first, but they took most of his ear and part of the canal. Definitely gave me some perspective. She's a sweet friend that lost her mom to bc 20 years ago and had some patches of skin cancer herself.
Firstcall- you will make the right decision,
Lumpynme - my boy is 16 w old dog plumbing. Some nights it is 1 and 3 that he needs out, and then 7 is the usual. Its like having an infant
Good luck to everyone w txs today an tomorrow!0 -
firstcall
The only thing I can offer is what one of the Canadian ladies said to me when I was in decision mode, looking for any reason not to have to go through chemo. She bascially said once you have your plan in place, you will feel alot more at ease with whatever you decide. She was right. Yes I'm still going kicking and screaming LOL, but I'm going. Of course I have the normal worries about SE's both long and short term but I've decided to deal with them as they arise vs "what if". On the flip side I'm comforted that they can treat me and am grateful for that.
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All, I'm joining the Feb 23rd group, when I will have my second chemo (TC) with Neulasta (in the arm) on the 24th. Not looking forward to this one, but the second should be better than the first, because the first is so unknown.
Jap62, we are close geographically. We (DH, DDs, Nana, Sister, and Nanny [yikes]) live in Great Falls (in a house we can't seem to sell) but have just bought a house in the Woodlea subdivision in Leesburg. Akbari is my BC, Denduluri my MO, Hong my RO, and Davison my PC. My procedures are at the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington.
I haven't had any hair loss yet, but the MO said my hair loss wouldn't occur until after the second round of chemo. I don't yet know if I will keep my hair. I am using cold caps in an effort to do so, but we will see.
Hope everyone's treatments are going well today.0 -
Mom2JJ:
You're down the street from me. I'm in Washington, DC. Dr. Akbari was one of the doctors who was recommended to me, so you're in good hands. The other doctor was Dr. Teal at George Washington University Hospital (breast surgeon) and she hooked me up with Dr. Kaltman as an oncologist.
Nice to hear from someone just down the block so to speak.
Susan
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Hi All
Ok I think the steroids are kicking in! Kind of a weird feeling but that's about it. I'm typing really fast right now LOL!
Question for those in the know. I'm to take 4 pills in total with food. Took 2 with breakfast at 9:00 am this morning. Having my main meal now though, hungry and need to pick up a few things so don't want to be starving at the grocery store. Should I take the 2 additional pills now or wait until supper? Normally have that around 7 pm but I was thinking if I take it earlier, it might help with sleep tonight?
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I should have mentioned it's now 2:00 pm
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Having a muga scan this afternoon, in anticipation of chemo......Port placement likely today or tomorrow,waiting to hear from my surgeon....
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Good luck, Firstcall. We're here for you...
Joyce0 -
Hey gritgirl, my MO is Dr. Kaltman too! I also met with Dr. Teal, but ended up going with Dr. Magnant at Sibley as my BS.
Hello neighbors mom2jj and jap62! I live in NW DC, good to have others close by.0 -
Myleftboob - I get one steroid as part of treatment and that's it. Maybe because it is AC? Are you on taxol or taxotere?
Best wishes firstcall, I agree w myleftboob, once you have a plan you are empowered to see it thru0 -
MLB sure sounds like they are kickin in LOL take a sleeping pil tonite though. I didn't and am paying for it. First call sound like you made the decision to get chemo cause I see you are getting the port. I got mine on Tues. I took pain pills the day of and the morning after. I did not need anything but tylenol today. Not to bad.
still in chemo right now getting Herceptin. So far so good. I will have to wait and see if there are any SEs later. Blod sugar is high because of the steroids had to call my doctor and he adjste my meds a bit for treatment days, but at least no insulin yet. I came to the center at 8:45 and am still here. some meds took longer at the4 pharmacy and I didn't actually start chemo till after noon. As usual, hurry up and wait! LOL Hope my other ladies are doing fine as well.
Much love.
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hey neighbors
I have found a local place that has great wigs, so if you ladies need one and in the area, hook up with me.
Now get this, I have a procedure tomorrow,port &snb the hospital just called and said they want me to pay that which the insurance won't, HA, a day before and they want 2217.00 they can just bill me
ymac I think My husband works in NW, I can never remember what side he's on
mom2jj, I have Lehr BS Irwin MO and if I do rads AU is my guy, I am having it all done right here in leesburg, need a church, that is if you are a church going person, let me know
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Myleftboob, are you talking about the tablets you take the day after chemo. The anti sickness tablets. If they are I took mine between 6am to 7am then again at 5.30pm. They are steroid tablets and shouldn't be taken after 6pm at night unless you want to clean your house till the early hours of the morning.
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FLDREAMER:-
What a story!
I think I'm going to have nightmares now, about strands of hair flying off in the wind!
I'll definitely shave my head before it comes to that!I have ten more sleeps until my chemo starts. Hopefully will get the port before then, but I will probably have to first infusion via my arm.
~~ I hope everyone's having a good day today. ~~
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Hi Ladies
ali68
Its the Dexamethasone, steroids shaped like little hexagons. I'm to take 4 today, tomorrow and Saturday. When I took two with breakfast I noticed that the pharmacy had shorted me by 6 pills. I went to pick them up and spoke to the pharmacist. She said I should really take them 12 hours apart approx so no earlier than 7 tonight. Wasn't prescribed any sleeping meds though. She did say I should be able to sleep. As long as I get a couple of hours that's fine. I can snooze during the TX or when I get home if need be. I do have separate meds for nausea, something to coat my pipes and tummy AND pain meds which I'm told are required after the Neulastin (spelling?) shot on Saturday. Can't wait (not).
faithhopenluv
I'm getting taxotere and procytox and herceptin so mabey that's why
Did the rest of my errands this afternoon but couldn't find little drink umbrellas anywhere. Went to 2 dollar shops and Party Packagers, damn it!
Now have to finish up some work stuff, through in a load of laundry and am making a couple of chicken pot pies. Might as well take advantage of the energy while I can.
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