February 2012 Chemo
Comments
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Yay Jen, glad for you having your last! I am in the chair for tx 5/6 finally getting my premeds, I came in at ten, it is now quarter to 12. Sigh, I will be here til 5 now, sigh.
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Yay Jen! I am now DONE!! Went in at 7:45am and was finished by 11:30. Got home, ate lunch, and I'm now laying down as the nausea and fatigue are starting to kick in.
I'm just so happy that this part is over!!! :). WOOHOO0 -
Moonflwer
Slow and easy is how they have to handle you!! At least there's light at the end of the tunnel now! One more to go after this!!!
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Yay ymac!! I am now done now too!! Took awhile as they gave me extra fluids. Eating chili cheese tator tots now to celebrate before the nasuea sets in lol
Have to go back in an hour for an ultrasound. Been having a few issues and they want to rule out blood clot. Here's hoping all is good but still yay for being done!!0 -
Chili cheese tator tots?? Hmmm, dont think I could handle those right now! Well, hope the ultrasound shows that everything is fine. Congrats on being done too! Wish I could have a drink to celebrate.
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Congrats Jen and ymac!!!
Jen what kind of issues have you had with your port? Ive wished they included some kind of maintenance warning light w the install.0 -
remember(maybe it was a post awhile ago) when I was having this pressure sensation when i bent over? Well I have also been having pressure in my left arm recently (my non-cancer side) he doesnt think its a blood clot because I have no other symptoms but he wants to rule it out. I am slightly concerned with the lymph nodes now on my left side because my surgeon wasnt planning on taking any out from that side since they didnt find any cancer in my left breast. Sooo this is just a test to put all our minds at ease hopefully
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to all of you in the chairs today-whooo hoooo!!!
faith - i had 4 TX of DD A/C--got your pm--thx!!!
chili cheese tater tots???sound yummo to me!!!! but i didn't have TX today!
i'm trying to decide if i am having TX tomorrow or if i am going to refuse- i posted a question "Is this really necessary?" this morning and am appreciating everyone's input.....go over there and weigh in....
"the job" is going well- i love it! and today; i had Chinese (yummo!!!!) with my daughter and daughter in law!!!!
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Lumpy
I'm going to comment so the thread stays at the top of the active lists. So glad to hear you love your job!!!
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Congrats to Jen and Ymac. ! Yay! Your last tx is done whoot! I am Home now, went out with my DIL she came with me for tx#5. We went for lunch for Chinese while my tastebuds were still working. My DIL and I had a great visit, while it took so much extra time she had time to run out to do some errands so I don't feel guilty for her having to use a vacation day for me. We actually enjoyed it, we don't get to be alone very much so it was fun . Now I am collapsing and heading into chemoslugville. Much love to all, and to all, small SEs.
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Wooot! to Jen and ymac! Sipping an imaginary umbrella drink for you guys.
Lumpy, Are you thinking about refusing all treatment, or just the extra cytoxan? B/c the Taxol does have a different function than the AC, and the whole ACT regimen for 8 weeks is not unusual. Although it is annoying.
I have to say, the Taxol part that was bad for me was the bone pain, not the neuropathy. I think if you go dose-dense, you tend to have more of the former.
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hildy-i actually am thinking of refusing it all and just going to the RADs...
what he wants to give me is T/C every 3 weeks X 4 so total 4 TX over 12 weeks--and he's talking taxotere not taxol--i realize they are related but not the same....
i just don't know...i think i want to know ACTUAL risk as well...and after he didn't even know that i had seen my surgeon --well- i'm not sure!
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Jen - hope its nothing! Mine twinges sometimes, I always wonder how would I know if something was wrong.
Lumpynme - I would want to understand the 2nd round of C, and why taxotere instead of taxol.0 -
Congrats Ymac and Jen!!!
So happy you have gotten through this. Jen I hope your test comes out normal.lumpy I hope you get things figured out. The uncertainty and questioning must be stressful.
I am very excited. My grandma and her husband are coming out to visit Memorial Day weekend. They are driving from New Jersey to Missouri to see us, and some other relatives on the way. I am worried though because my grandma gets stressed out easily, high anxiety. She does not like to talk about my cancer. She has even stopped asking me how I am, she just asks about how my husband is and what he is up to. I feel bad, I know it is just too hard on her. I am worried that she will become really upset when she sees me and I have no hair. Also she is staying through Monday or Tuesday, not sure yet, and Tuesday is my last chemo treatment. I would love it if she came with me, but I don't know if she could emotionally handle it. I think I am going to wait until she is here, and then I'll mention that my last treatment is Tuesday, and let her decide then if she wants to come with me or just leave (or stay at the house). I hate the thought of upsetting her. Everyone says I look "healthy" and I am in good spirits...I can't think of anything I might do to help her be okay with this. It's a terrible feeling to know I am causing stress and sadness for my grandma.
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I would certainly want to know more--if he didnt even know you had had surgery, maybe he forgot you already had cytoxan!
Maybe a second opinion would help clarify things?
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I agree, I think a 2nd opinion is in order.
The ultra sound came back clear, no blood clots found. While it's good news it also leads me to wonder whats causing the preasure. hopefully its related to my dehydration as it was worse last week than it is this one. Trying to drink as much as I can today while I still can and dont feel bad yet. Hoping for a really blessed weekend(since my husband will be gone and he usually takes care of things when I am sick)
Christina- that is wonderful to spend time with her. I would tell her what its going to be like and ask her if she wants to go. People have gone with me have said it wasnt nearly as bad as they anticipated. Part of that was our upbeat and positive personality during the treatment. The nurses also joke around with my friends and I. Its all in what you do with it. Take drinks with umbrellas too
Where in MO do you live? I am coming into the STL area over memorial day weekend too. Probably near south county and then a big pool party out in Herculeum(?) If we are ever near let me know and we could meet for ice cream!YAY I am done! did I mention that by chance? heheh very excited can you tell?
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jen...oh gosh..DONE! yes...i can feel your excitement!!!
well- i DID manage to sleep last nite but i haven't reached any conclusion...i just really feel that this next TX is not right..and since i "feel" it's not right that means that i am going to have to seek a second opinion before i totally say no! now here's the thing...i'm so the person who does what the dr orders that it will be very hard today to say to him that i want a second opinion! this MO is highly recommended and respected...i just really have doubts..... and then.....where do i look? i am not so sure that Medicaid will pay for a second opinion!well-i'll try cuz it's worth it--do i just ask to see a diff doc in the Cancer Ctr that i go to or do i need to find someone totally unrelated (here i'm remembering MLB's experience re her RADS)....
chilly here this morning and my durned dog has been out twice and won't do her biz so i am off to walk her.... then to the MO ...i'll keep you all in the loop no matter what ...i am asking for prayers to make the right decision...i just ....well...when i question something SO much i know it's not right!
thank you all for being here!!!!!
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Lumpy why did she say you had to have more? Have you had surgery sorry I forgot. I had six and I'm worse than you? Do you have weekly chemo? If so I know that's different to 3 week chemo. Also your strength maybe weaker than mine. I was on FEC 100 quite strong.
Anyway I was told with mine six was needed but I do know another woman on here who had taxol ad she had eight.0 -
Lumpy, this is your decision and you have a right to get a second option despite the MOs credentials! I would recommend you go to another center/hospital for the opinion - many times, the doctors at the same center consult with each other so want don't want him influencing the opinions of others. I am so baffled as everyone else is as to why he thinks you need another round of chemo. I was originally put on 4x TC but had a horrible allergic reaction to the Taxotere, next Abraxane w/ cytoxan was recommended but insurance wouldn't pay for it, insurance recommended AC but my MO didn't think that was right for me so I finally went to 6x FEC (like Ali).
And yay Jen for the clear ultrasound! Another happy day for the week!a0 -
Lumpy - good luck on your decision. When I've had doubts, I've basically told the MO - "you need to sell me on why I should do this. Most of the times..she sold me..lol. BUT, I just wanted to share this..One day, before all of this boob stuff, I was sitting at my desk at work, very quiet moment and I had an overwhelming feeling that I must make an appointment for a mammogram and pap. I had not had a mamo for 13 years..but I was only 47. It was so overwhelming that I stopped what I was doing and had to go on line to find a doctor to make an appointment with. There was no reason for concern, I was healthy, excersiced, ate good, normal weight, no family history, etc...I actually said to myself.."make the appt., you wouldn't know if something was wrong". It was a very strange, overwhelming drive to do this at that moment. I did, and I highly doubted I was going to end up showing up for it. I went as scheduled, which was very unlike me ...and there started this whole fiasco. I had one little edge with IDC and the rest was DCIS. The reason I'm telling this story is because I've always told my kids "instinct, is god's gift" we tend to ignore what we feel as we get older. Let your doc sell you on why you need this but don't dismiss what you feel. The decision making stage is so difficult :-(
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I'm in the chair again
my counts are not coming up, in fact they are even lower. Today is my 3rd nueprogen shot and I'm getting fluids. 0 -
Lumpy
While its true doctors do confer with one another at the same centre, they don't always agree, but it can be a matter of politics. You're gut is telling you something so you have to question it. I've been a "why" girl all of my life. My Mom said it drove her nuts when I was little LOL!!
There's nothing wrong in questioning him and asking for some compelling evidence why 4 TC in addition to what you've already had. Is it the margins? The grade? The stage? What's driving this decision?
Please update us when you get back. Prayers!
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Exactly what MLB said! Please let us know!
Faith- I am so sorry for your issues! I really hope todays fluids help get you up and going on the right track really soon!!
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thanks everybody for so much support and love and words of wisdom!
ok- so- MO wasn't there today- i was scheduled to go directly to TX; when i had sat a half hour i asked what the delay was "they're mixing your meds right now"--welll! so they got the PRN for me and we went to the conference room--i asked questions, we talked and she went to call my MO...she also spoke with one of the other MO's who WAS there...so--
becuz of the lymph node involvement the AC obviously didn't get everything--also--there seem to be residual cells that surgeon didn't/couldn't get-- i asked about recurrence--i i chose NOT to have the TX before RADS there was a 75% chance of recurrence--by having the tx i reduce it to 25%..no brainer for me! she knew that i was struggling with it but i felt confident that she got me the answers that i needed.
i also believe that if the gut feeling is talking you need to heed it--i think mainly my gut was saying don't just willingly walk in to get slaughtered/ask for a last supper and a blindfold!!!!
so - i have had my first of four and i am home--she assured me i should have no nausea and downplayed the nail issues...i DID take along frozen gel packs and iced under my ankles and wrists....
i feel good but i think i am going to nap after i get a load of laundry done....just cuz i can!!!!
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btw; one of the worst SE's i had before-other than the obvious of hair loss---was the jitters when i would come down off steroids--i don't have the steroids this time! YAY!
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Well Lumpy at least you didn't go in blind and you got some pretty good information regarding stats of rate of re-occurances etc. Yay for no steroids though. I hated that part too. Perhaps now you can get that needed rest on the weeked not waiting for the steroid crash and be ready to rock for work on Monday. (((hugs baby))))
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Jen - Glad that your ultrasound came back okay. I would love to meet up with you! but I am about 5 hours away from St. Louis. I'm about an hour north of Springfield. Thanks for the invite though.
Lumpynme - I am so glad that you got good answers today! I am sure it is a huge relief.
faithhopenluv -
hope you are doing okay.I hope everyone has a great, low SE weekend.
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Jen, glad its good news. Faith, here's hoping the fluids help, they always did for me. Lumps, I am happy you got the answers you needed to continue tx. Not fun, taxotere is especially not fun and I get carboplatin rather than the cytoxin you get, but it is, Doable. Just get through it. So far I have minimal SEs from #5, heres hoping it stays that way. I have a baptism to attend on Sunday. Rest of the time I can chemoslug my way through.
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Lumpy, the best part is you went in thinking it was a consult, became comfortable w the decision and walked out 25% of the way through. I'm glad you are ok w the plan.
Thanks everyone. I'm a weepy mess today. I need to give myself the shots tomorrow and Sunday, that made me cry and the sweet nurse started to cry too. Then later, the friend on my team is getting bombarded because she is handling all the work and i lost it again, then off and on all evening. I'm hoping that's a good sign, I always got very emotional when the nuelastra kicked in. I have a trip planned to visit my dad on Saturday. I'm going to be so sad if I need to postpone.
Have a great weekend everyone!0 -
faith...sending you a hug! sounds like you need one!
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