February 2012 Chemo
Comments
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oh- the customs that can be learned from cemeteries too- example- in Switzerland -as other places- graves are in family plots and when someone dies a flower etc is put on the grave--when the entire family is done being buried there is often a groundcover or shrublike planting done...just an FYI
i told you don't get me started-
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my sister was looking for an ancestors grave, while on a trip. She had a description of where to look, and when she got to where she thought the grave was, the tombstone was very worn, to the point that you couldnt read the writing or be sure it was the right one. She took a picture of it, and the writing was easy to read in the picture, and it was the right grave. I thought that was interesting.
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Vit D 101....there was talk here a few days ago about Vit D,
so I thought I'd add a little. It is an important Vitamin. Initially the
recommendation was 400 units daily. How did they arrive at that? That's the
amount you need to prevent rickets. It turns out its not nearly enough. A couple
of years ago the recommendation was increased to 1000 units daily. That still doesn't take into account that we don't all have access to mid day sun. Iregularly test people for Vit D levels, and it is unusual to have a normal level in Seattle unless you take a supplement.
Its not only the clouds, but it's the northern clime. The sun is not high enough in the sky most of
the year to produce Vit D. Even my patients who spend half the year in Phoenix tend to test low. They wear sun screen and avoid the sun, I guess. I find that most people here need
about 2000 units a day to have a normal level. You can take it daily, or take it weekly. I take 15000 units once weekly. I get the 5000 unit size and take 3 of them. When you are prescribed 50000 units a week for a few weeks it is to ‘fill the tank up'.0 -
firstcall
I have to start taking it and I'm sure I'm deficient living in Ontario. I guess I should have my level checked first though to see if I need to fill up that tank first.
Isn't interesting that your sister couldn't read the actual headstone yet it came out in the photo?
Re cemeteries. I don't know if anyone has been to Havana Cuba, but the Colon Cemetary is amazing. Everything is made out of white marble and its reported that there are 1MM graves. On such a small island its quite a sight. Since they can't issue any new ones, their tradition is that a family will cremate their loved one, put it in the crypt for a year then remove it to either bury elsewhere near home or scatter the ashes. Quite facinating.
Lumpy
See what you've started LOL!! On the subject of where your relatives are buried in Ontario, I didn't recognize the name of the town. Did a little digging and it is now part of The Township of Stoney Creek which is now part of the City of Hamilton. Only an hours drive from me!! Let me know if you every make it up this way for sure!
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Firstcall - I quit taking my multiple vit, calcium and vit d after I started chemotherapy I figured what was the point in taking it, was I wrong in my thinking? my OC didn't say much when I told her but she doesn't say much period.
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What i read said skip the mulitvitamin but keep the vitamin d a calcium. i take with of these plus vitamin b6 for neuropathy
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I also heard bit d and calcium was best to take. I take 2000 daily of d. Today, I had my 3tx, halfway done. Hey changed the cocktail mix again so I shouldn't have as much diarrhea again. Here's hoping they are right. Feel pretty good today. I will see what tomorow will bring. Much love and small SEs
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Just checking in, had to read a few pages to get caught up and it's too much for individual responses. Ali I hope your hands are feeling better, I had the same problem. Just had to keep moisturizing. Eventually it improved although they are far from perfect.
Physically feeling much better, and thoroughly enjoyed working a 12 hour day yesterday getting caught up.
A group of folks I interned with last year within my company are giving me a fundraiser! They are selling bracelets and having a bake sale! I am flabbergasted, humbled...a little embarrassed but expenses have totally used up all the money I had set aside to finish graduate school, so I am going to just shut up and be grateful. I just can't believe anyone would do something like that for me.0 -
christina...i have goosebumps reading about your wonderful co workers (?) an dthe fundraising!!!!!
MLB; interesting about saltfleet now being part of hamilton-thanks!!!!!
moonflower- yay on feelin good!!!!!!
firstcall: i have run into a similar situation about not being able to read a stone!
also firstcall: (now, put this one on my bill ok?) --i am a gastric bypass-RNY--- i take my B12 sublingually --i wonder about D-will my body absorb supplements????? unfortunately i have not had all of the proper labs run in years due to not having insurance--- the ones my MO runs are certainly not telling me everything! he mentioned running the B12 but hasn't yet ordered it. i know that i don't get enuff natural D in ohio---i'm not outside as much as i would like and doubt that it's possible here either!
i think i am developing a dowager's hump-darn it!!!! i feel like my posture has gotten horrid when i sit at the computer....
it got cold outside again! brrrrrrr
hope everyone has a good nite!
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lumpynme...the b 12 is a problem in your case, but the Vit D should absorb fairly well.
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jag1110.....I think you should keep up with the Vit D and Calcium, for sure. Some oncologists do very high Vit D doses with Chemo. Vit D is particularly helpful for the nerves, and these chemicals take their toll there.
christina...I think its wonderful that they are doing a fund raiser for you.
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So strange, my onc specifically told me not to take any vitamins whatsoever. Now I'm wondering if I should be. Next treatment is on Tuesday (first taxotere) I'm trying not to think about it. The last week has been so great! I've been able to play with my son, do some Easter shopping, I even hung clothes on the line every day and went for a walk! I've done two paintings and learned the first pages of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata on the piano.
Hard to believe you can cram so many things into 7 days when you're motivated lol. I just pray these next 3 treatments are easier.
Hugs to you all for hanging in there.
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miniwheat
Wow! Good for you. I love the week before TX when energy is at its best. Enjoy the weekend and don't think about TX until Tuesday.
I miss hanging wash on the line. If you can believe it we have a city bylaw that doesn't allow clothes lines, only those umbrella type ones. Not the same. People though are coming back to them and I don't think anyone has received any kind of citation but the bylaw is on the books!!
Kind of a dumb bylaw when people are trying to conserve energy and go green.
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Wow, thanks everybody for the vitamin advice I will get back on them and the B6. Sometimes I feel like my doctor co-pays should go to you all since I seem to learn more hear than there, lol. Now in addition to every visit my insurance decided I need to pay a copay for my Adrimyacin, one of the drugs in my cocktail, I suppose by the end they"ll expect me to pay the whole thing! Oh, well I feel good today so not gonna let the bs get me down today! Hope everyone out there has a great day!!!
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firstcall: thx for the info about the D--i know that the B12 is an issue but i have taken sublingually since surgery in 2004....
MLB: i cannot imagine who in the world makes rules like no clotheslines-it has to be an esthetic thing! when i lived in mich the last two years the high point was having my brother erect a huge sturdy 6 line clothesline--and hanging everything-made me feel so "green" and the wonderful smell of fresh air- i enjoyed the act of hanging and taking down -the sun on my face, etc.....i hang out on a website called mary janes farm -some of the gals are way too "organic" for me and some have way too much money/time on their hands but many many are genuinely great folk!
ok- i MUST go finish my Easter shopping for the grands...just really have no motivation to get dressed! also; i am going to call about a house for rent that i found...may just plunge into debt!!!!!!!!!
happy friday-is anyone in the chair today??????
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Lumpynme
Yeah, some idiot thought that clothes hanging on a line looked ugly I guess. I think its nice. A friend of mine just put a huge one up, damn the bylaw he says. Sheets are my absolutle favourite thing to hang out, they smell so good! Never mind the sun bleaches the whites.
There's no way to shop anywhere here. Everything is closed except for conveneice shops, gas stations.. It will be insanity in the shops tomorrow!
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Haven't logged in a bit, but I did catch up. Ali - yep, that gave me a smile. Gritgirl you are always special in my thoughts and I am very sorry about your dog. I had to put mine to sleep almost 3 weeks ago as well. It soooo sucks and I miss him every day. His kidneys failed and would you believe a SE of that is mouth sores
you know the things I've been lucky not to get. I have 34 days til I am done. I'm planning a trip to see my dad in PA and then surgery (BMX) in June. Its odd, but its kind of gone fast. Even though my SEs are mild, I still obviously don't like going, also don't like going on off weeks for blood draws so it seems like the time between goes really fast.
Taxol update for anyone starting - watch your butt!! literally. Constipation was much worse for me than on AC. What worked for me on AC didnt work on Taxol and I need to make sure I up the meds. Otherwise I was achy from day 3 through 6, but didn't have any stomach issues. My feet are a little itchy and i had a slight rash on my arm but all of that is subsiding (today is day 9).
Hope everyone has happy and easy weekends.
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oh....and I REALLY MISS MY EYE LASHES!!!!
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Day 4 post tx3.....I hate cancer and chemo!! Glad I can complain here, trying not to complain around family and friends. I'm afraid of what this next week will bring. Tx2 was worse around day 8.
Hugs to all and Happy Easter!0 -
Today I should have had chemo instead I went shopping with two of my girls and it was fun.
Happy Easter to everyone.0 -
Oh great faith, when did those start falling out? I'm right before tx#3 of A/c......no head hair or body hair, but I'm clinging onto my lashes and what's left of my eyebrows!
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I give my eyebrows and lashes a pep talk every morning. faithhopenluv - where are you in your treatment? I had read that they do fall out but not until the end or close to it.
ali - glad you had fun with your girls.
Starting to feel braver about treatment #4 although certainly not looking forward to it!
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I want each of you to know that I appreciate you, and hope you are doing well. I worry about those who havent posted recently, I hope you're ok.
I met with my MO today, and my blood counts were ok. HCT continues to slowly drop, and I do feel the fatigue. I asked him if I could travel to Boston for a medical conference, and he said that would be ok. Then I said, how about if I run the Boston marathon after the conference....Well that definately got his attention. He said he's never heard of anyone doing something like that while on chemo, and he had no idea how that would go. I promised him I would not blame him for anything that goes wrong, and I promised him that I will listen to my body, and stop if I'm lightheaded or having any other worrisome symptoms. Before we were done we had the attention of the other doctors and nurses there, and everyone knew what I was contemplating doing. It caused a little stir in the oncology clinic. Honestly, I don't know if I can run the marathon, and I will not go there thinking I have to finish it. I will go there to have some fun, listen to my body, and see what I can do. I'm not new to marathoning, this would be my 54th marathon, 10 in the last year, and 2 in the 3 weeks before I realized my breast was trying to kill me.
OK Friends.....this is your last chance to tell me I'm crazy, or that I shouldnt do this. But I promise I will be careful. You can even follow me on line if you want to. (I'll post directions later)
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I haven't logged on or even read anything for days on end. Very tired a lot. Had my 2nd Taxol yesterday. Not doing bad except for the fatigue.
But I had to log on and share some very good news! Many of you have read my many postings of frustrations with my older mentally/physically ill daughter. Well, she tried for social security disability almost two years ago and was turned down. She appealed and had a lawyer this time around. The appeal hearing was last Monday and the judge made his decision on the spot....not even following the usual 4 to 6 weeks to review and decide.
For me, this means once she actually starts to receive her money, i can quit supporting her. I can concentrate my finances on myself. She is a good person and will repay what she has actually borrowed in recent months. And she'll be able to get out of an abusive relationship, move away like she wants.
Most important of all, if I die of my heart trouble and/or cancer, I will die having the peace of mind of knowing she has an income...and won't be homeless living under a bridge someplace.
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Fldreamerely. that is wonderful
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Firstcall you are amazing and I know you will have fun ( not my kind of fun) just look after yourself. My oldest daughter is doing a marathon in may for cancer she needs to be sponsored £500 pounds and has already got £200.
Fldreamer, this is fab news and it will take some pressure off you.
My eyebrows have nearly gone and I have no lashes left happened after 4th chemo. I want to get the product for lashes after chemo has finished called Latisse or the other one. I know they have SE haha you just know I will have them.
It is so nice not having pain and doing normal things even though I do get tired. Also I have been eating and going out for meals so I'm putting some weight back on. I was looking like a zombie and feeling like one too.0 -
faithopnlove
My eyelashes and brows are tyring to hang it there. I have to say the lashes were never my strongest asset even before BC and I used to get my eyebrows tinted. The one thing I took away though from the LGFB class was how to pencil in my eyebrows to make them look fuller. I really like how they look when I take the time. Something I shall keep up for sure. I have a coupleof GF's that have been doing it for years. They just plain don't have much in the eyebrow department.
firstcall
I would love to cheer you on during your marathon! Please post the directions. You likley blew your MO and the other doctors/nurses away. I'm positive they have never ever had someone ask them if it would be OK to run the Boston Marathon during TX!!! Go and try and do what feels good and stop if it doesn't I say. You are such an inspiration!!
ali
I've read here where alot have had pretty good sucess with Latisse. I'm going to give it a shot once I'm done TX. Wonder if I can get a big batch for my head LOL! Happy to hear you had some nice retail therapy with your girls.
FLDREAMER
What a releif for you and your daughter! Kills me though she had to get a lawyer involved.
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I have a few left on each eye, it was gradual so I'm not sure when it started. I know they'll grow back in time. My brows are still pretty full.
FLdreamer that's great news! What a relief
Firstcall - go for it. Like you said you will listen to your body and not push too far.0 -
Great news FLdreamer! it's always nice to get one weight off our chest.
Ali- so glad you are feeling better, you have been on my mind a lot!
Firstcall, I say do it! Even if you just walk some of it you will have in your mind that cancer does not control you. Just be very very careful and listen to your body.. must promise us that!
I havent heard much about Latisse. I will have to look into that.
Does anyone else's dr.s have them on a no fresh fruits and vegie diet unless its peeled or is mine just overly cautious?
3 days out post TX#4. still running around like a mad woman to get everything done before i feel horrid but think i must slow down today.. getting really tired and no more steriods to boost me up.
Have a wonder day everyone!
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Jen813
Yes my MO said no fresh fruit for veggies unless they had skin you can peel. So I've been sticking to oranges, bananas, avacado's. I wash them too before I peel them. I normally like aldente veggies so a minute is all I ever cook them anyway. None of the produce here is local at this time of year and I'm not taking any chances with bacteria or e-coli!! Mabey I'm a little paranoid but I've managed to stay well so I'll go with it.
With that being said I am so craving salad and sushi though!!
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