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February 2012 Chemo

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Comments

  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 983

    Ali

    So so so happy to hear the good news!!! 

  • faithhopenluv
    faithhopenluv Member Posts: 154

    Great news Ali!!! :)  You have suffered through so many side effect.  I am so happy for you!

    I should know my results tomorrow.

  • ali68
    ali68 Member Posts: 644

    Thanks, good luck Faith

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938

    Happy dance for Ali!

  • Sissydi
    Sissydi Member Posts: 183

    Ali, how wonderful! I am so happy for you!

  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 983

    Gritgirl

    I hope we hear from you soon.  Worried about you.

  • JenH13
    JenH13 Member Posts: 155

    Yay Ali!! Thats awesome news!!

  • lumpynme
    lumpynme Member Posts: 497

    hildy-i have been looking on craigslist- that's where i am finding some good legit ones and some scammers!

    last nite i found one on a different city's craigslist and found one tucked in there hidden- called the lady today and will see the house friday nite---sounds like it's nice and well cared for- the pics look good. but sweetie is giving me crap--and i am tired of listening to it.he just does NOT get that i am trying to find us a clean, SAFE, place with a bit more room and the ability to come home at nite to a nicer home. i am looking for a single story so HE can get around.....sorry!

    good day at work....

    ali-when will you get results???

    where is gritgirl????

  • lumpynme
    lumpynme Member Posts: 497

    okay so i have another gripe- we've talked about this so i don't expect alot of feedback;;;one of the girls that i now work with had the EXACT same Bc as me- dx wise- except that she only had her lumpectomy and RADS-she refused the chemo--and so anyhow she's 4 years out- i'm happy for her- the gripe that i have is that she thinks that she TOTALLY understand EVERYTHING that i am going thru...um...nope- she never lost her hair,lashes, brows, had the bone pain, etc etc....

    ok- i got that off my chest- i'm good--thx for listening!

  • Hildy910
    Hildy910 Member Posts: 227

    Ali, that is wonderful news! complete response means no sign of  disease, right? Does that mean you still have to have surgery? I'm guessing yes, but don't know about how surgery post chemo works...
  • christina0001
    christina0001 Member Posts: 449

    Jen - I hope you are resting and recovering. And what a wonderful old friend you have!

    faithhopenluv - good luck with the LE specialist and the PET scan. Glad that you are feeling well. :)

    firstcall - that's awesome and exciting, having your port removed! Doing a little happy dance from my couch for you. :)

    lumpy - that's awful, people scamming like that...there's all kinds of people out there aren't there? I love CL for a lot of things but unfortunately there are a lot of scammers on CL too. @ OMG, chemo is its own beast...if you have not had it yourself then you have no idea. I know I didn't have a clue until all this!

    ali -glad your US came out good. That's awesome news. :)

  • dltnhm
    dltnhm Member Posts: 420

    Congratulations Ali! That is really fantastic news!!

  • lumpynme
    lumpynme Member Posts: 497

    ali- i feel dumb - i asked when you'd get results- i missed your other post!!

    congratulations!!! whooo hoooo!!!!! happy dance, gf!

  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 983

    Lumpy

    Wow you're up early these days.  I hope this woman doesn't drive you up the wall.  I know how you feel though about someone chiming in when they really don't know what its like to go through chemo.  A friend was DX 3 years ago, had a LX and RADS and opted out of chemo and hormonals.  Her choice and thats fine.  When I told her I was starting chemo she went on a tirade about how the doctors didn't know really what they were doing and why were they throwing the kitchen sink at me blah, blah,blah.  I had to really push back on her and let her know in no uncertain terms that this was my decision, what I based it on, all that stuff.   At the end of the day, as informed as she thought she was, there were many things she didn't even know about her pathology and she did apologize and left it alone.  Great girl that would give you the shirt off her back but also likes to think she knows everything about everything LOL! 

  • ali68
    ali68 Member Posts: 644

    Going to go on a trial for Lymphedema as the surgeon will take out a lot of nodes. Don't like the sound of the problems it brings so I hope I don't get it. She said I have 15% chance of recurrence of cancerous lymph nodes but as she says not much you can do about it. She told me I should live life to the full and always do what you want today cos tomorrow you may not be able too. I love this woman always telling me not to worry then saying you are very high risk at getting it back.

    Also told me the first two years are a worry and I'll be watched by everyone every 3 months for 2 years. Then every 6 months for 3rd year, once a year for seven years Is that normal for everyone else.

  • firstcall
    firstcall Member Posts: 201

    Ive been swimming most mornings, to help rehab my arm and prevent lymphedema.....so today someone asked me if I had heart surgery.....I guess that would be a logical conclusion, other than that its on the wrong side.....I answered....'They told me there were no sharks in the Puget sound....and they were wrong!"  

  • christina0001
    christina0001 Member Posts: 449

    Ali - I hope you don't get lymphedema either. I guess if you are in a trial, they will be keeping an extra-close eye on that? I have no idea what the follow up schedule is like, for myself. I know I have to wait 4-6 weeks after chemo before lx #2, and I am anxious to know how long I have to wait after that to start rads. And this may sound silly but I don't know how often I will see onc after chemo is done and that is making me nervous.

    firstcall - lol! You are too funny!!!

    I have been reading online about how to improve my hemoglobin levels. I am at 9.3 last bloodwork. I seem to drop about a half a point after each treatment so I think I should be okay, but just to be safe I am trying to eat iron-rich foods. Although onc's PA said it wouldn't do much good, at least I feel like I am doing something. Anyway all these people with low hgb say their hearts feel like they are pounding so hard, it is going to come out of their chest, when they even slightly exert themselves. I have that too! I thought it was from the chemo but maybe it is from having a hgb level that is a little low. If anyone has any advice on this, please post. I really do not want to have a transfusion if I can avoid it.

  • faithhopenluv
    faithhopenluv Member Posts: 154

    PET scan came back clean. Thank you everyone for the good thoughts :)

  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 983

    faith

    Awesome news!!  You must be relieved.

  • ali68
    ali68 Member Posts: 644

    Faith, so pleased for you it's something less to worry about.

  • firstcall
    firstcall Member Posts: 201

    Faith - Woo HOO  Thats great. 

    Ali - Delighted that your scans looked good too.

    Christina - Iron helps anemia if iron deficiency is the cause of the anemia.  My iron was a little low, so I took a little, and women often get a little low on iron because of their monthly cycle.  However, in the case of chemo, the main problem is that the chemo depresses the bone marrow.  There are three elements, the white cells the red cells and the platelets. All three can be depressed by the chemo. Taking iron wont do much for the anemia (low red cells) that comes from chemo.  But if your iron is low it will help some.  If you tend to have heavy menses taking iron is a very good idea.  I was afraid I would need a transfusion because my blood count kept dropping, but it leveled off and I didnt need it. 

  • lumpynme
    lumpynme Member Posts: 497

    faith! who hoo!

    firstcall- love it!! swim away!!!!

    ali --i would feel the same if my doc continually contradicted with praise then bad stats! hang in--all of us who have had lymph involvement-and even those who haven't--have risk of lymphedema--and it can start at any point not just right out! it's serious however-we must live!!!!!! right now i am worried about my rotato cuff more than my lymphedema potential!

    MLB; i haven't yet "found my groove" about getting up in the mornings--i used to have a routine of when i got up and when i had to start dressing by--lately it's been -well whenever so long as i am on time for work!!!!

     at work they are really big on Relay for Life; yesterday my daughter bought a luminary in my honor! cool thing is that it doesn't have my actual name but a nickname that is one of my email accts so the world doesn't know it's me but those who count do!!!

    i am loving my job-however yesterday i had to use a heating pad all day! borrowed one from another dept- today i am packing my own!! this bone pain has me very concerned- last nite when i laid down in bed it went all up my spine into my head even! during the day it was just lower back-right now i don't feel any- *fingers crossed!

    tonite we go look at a darling house to rent so i could use some good words from you guys! i love it from everything i have seen online -am IN LOVE with the fact that it has an enclosed back porch (sun room style but not high priced!) --the key will be if the landlady will wait ; i can give her the deposit tonite but have to wait til the 15th to pay rent and get keys--hopefully she'll like us enough to let it sit empty til then!

    sending hugs and positive vibes!

    who gets a long weekend? i do-with pay for monday!! whoo hooo!

  • JenH13
    JenH13 Member Posts: 155

    Yay Faith!!

    Firstcall that made me laugh. You are so good with coming up with thngs to say.

    Just a quick note as after I get off work today we are headed to St. Louis for the weekend!  Very excited to see family whom I havent seen since Christmas.  Hopefully its nice and relaxing too!

    Have a great weekend everyone!

    Hugs and Sunbeams to all!

    Jen

  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 983

    firstcall

    Good one!  Your sage advice is always good to hear as well.

    Lumpy

    I hope that bone pain susbsides soon.  It can be brutal, I remember even my jaw hurting the first TX.  Good luck on the rental. How it typically works up here is you give the deposit (or what we call last months rent) upon acceptance then when you move in you give the actual rental deposit.  Things may have changed since I last rented mind you.  Damage deposits or key money are illegal. I hope she's willing to work with you to get a great tenant.

    Our long weekend was last weekend, I thought for some reason it was the same in the US. 

    Jen

    Have a great time with your family in St. Louis!

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938

    Ok, I am worried about gritgirl, anyone have a contact number for her and could check on her? I sent two pms a week apart and had no answer so if someone else could check? I don't want to stalk, but just am concerned.

  • Myleftboob
    Myleftboob Member Posts: 983

    Moon

    Me too, I was hoping she would at least check in and say she's ok even without any banter.

  • christina0001
    christina0001 Member Posts: 449

    faith - so glad your scan came out good!

    firstcall - thanks for the explanation about the iron. I didn't really get it when the FNP talked to me about it I guess. That makes sense why extra iron wouldn't help, she said it was chemo-related. No menses for me since starting chemo in February. I guess that is one convenient side effect for some of us ladies. :)

    lumpy - so how did it good with looking at that house? I hope your bone pain has gone away, that's no fun. :(

    Jen - enjoy your trip to St. Louis this weekend.

    :( Worried about gritgirl too. I don't have any of her "real" personal info, not even a name to look up on FB or anything.

    I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend.  

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938

    Just FYI, I left a mrsage on gritgirl blog. I feel like a stalker. LOL

  • ali68
    ali68 Member Posts: 644

    I have sent a few messages to Gritgirl maybe she is poorly.



    My finger nails are falling off this is so horrible.

    Going out to dinner now, love to e everyone.

  • christina0001
    christina0001 Member Posts: 449

    stalker moonflower... lol I'm sure she is not going to think you are a stalker. Ali, that's awful about your nails! I am so worried about that happening, mine are sore and six are discolored. :( Does it hurt?

    Today I am wondering if I will start menstruating again after chemo. My last period was right as I had my first chemo. It's nice to not have to deal with that now but I do feel abnormal, not having one. I read through some old threads and it sounds like a lot of women don't get them anymore after chemo.