February 2012 Chemo
Comments
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There is no way I'm retyping all of that. At some point I hit a rogue key and got a strange screen which wouldn't let me "enter" .. so I had to space bar to the next line on that screen. Evidently --- I did not need to do that near as much as I did . LOL
ANNOUNCEMENT!!!
I had my LAST Taxol today ... 12 of 12! Yahoo and Woot Woot! It's been a lot of chemo since 2/22 (when my DD AC began) so I am thankful for this ending on 7/11!!!! Oh thank heaven for 7-11! (Did anyone go and get a free Slurpee today?)
As always my husband went with me today. It was a non-doctor visit day so I had blood drawn in the lab downstairs and then went upstairs to my oncologist's place. After I went into my little 'room' my husband said he was going to check out if there was anything in the kitchen, then he came back and said I should sit down and he'd take my weekly picture. I reminded him I always wait to get hooked up first. He suggested I just sit for a moment and then .....
in walked my sister and a good friend from church!
They brought a PARTY for me. Chocolate cake from Portillo's and chips and hummus and a present and a helium filled standing BIG BIRD balloon. They were so funny and naughty and loveable ... told me they brought that "to give the Big Bird to cancer"!!!!
What a surprise! I partied my way through that last infusion. My nurse, Abbie, has been and is an angel and so much fun too! She was there laughing along with us when she wasn't tending to another patient! They brought such a big cake that I shared it with all the gals at the front desk, the PAs and such, and offered it to the other nurses that have been along for the ride on this chemo journey and there was still a big chunk to bring home.
Ron and I had a nice late lunch/ early supper before I took him to O'Hare to catch a plane to Jersey. We kept talking about the donor he is going to visit with - as 'Snookie' from the Jersey Shore!
That's my announcement!
Tonight I feel light as a feather :-)
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Hildy - so glad you are about done with rads - maybe done by the time you read this. Surely a little indulgence at a concert would not be too terrible? Don't listen to me, I am not the most well-behaved patient sometimes.
mthrdee - welcome back and congrats on getting through rads!!!
ali - ugh, hate to hear about the wine. I can't believe it did that to you. Why do you think it affected you so strongly?
dltnhm - congrats on being DONE with chemo finally! It's been such a long road for you, but you've had a good attitude and positive outlook all the way along it seems.
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Dltnhm
Congratulations on finishing chemo!!! YAY!!!
Yes it was me with the eyebrows that were growing straight out! I trimmed them back but must get them on a training program LOL!
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dltnhm - Congrats on finishing. How wonderful for them to do that for you. I love Portillo's - I have a friend in New Lenox and whenever we come to visit she takes us there.
Gayle
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Congrats Dltnhm! That is wonderful. I love it when someone hits a milestone! Happy dance commencing! And it was wonderful about the party, so neat!
Grit girl coming to WI? That would be cool, Dltnhm, IL is not that far either, maybe someday we could meet near Gurnee, or Racine. Much love to all on here.0 -
Dltnhm - Congrats! What a wonderful milestone....
I am so happy to be done with chemo. I've been staying very busy.....delivered two babies this week, and staying very busy at work. I just want to say that I think this is a very nice group. I will always be grateful for the support I received here during this difficult ordeal.
The hair thing.....well its not long enough to comb yet, but its growing. I have a son getting married in August....wonder what I'll be sporting by then....I think I'll be able to comb it a little by then. Welcome to the newcomers.....you could say that I'm the odd man out here.
Ive been running 6-7 miles a day, and swimming about 1/4 mile a day. The swimming is to help rehab my surgery site, and I think it's helped my lymphedema as well.
I continue to get a variety of reactions from my patients. Most of them don't expect the doctor to be aflicted with something... but this can happen to anyone.
Again, I hope everyone is well, I consider each of you my friend....
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Good you dropped in Firstcall! I love this group too. Just curious, has having this stuff made you doctor differently? Or do you have to distance yourself even more than usual to get through the day. I am just curious, so you certainly don't have to answer if you don't want to. Um, curiosity is my biggest failing..... LOL
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Yes I agree about the drinking and hot flashes and because I'm ER+
I was told not to drink more than a glass of wine a week also the American doctor blamed the wine for my Cancer.
The hot flashes are better if I don't drink but I still get them in bed. Also my youngest daughter who took the cancer news very bad told me not to drink. She was very upset and said she was frightened that it would make my cancer come back.
So I have decided not to drink for my little girl also I can't stand being ill.
Also I think if I don't drink and my cancer came back then I can't blame the drink and it's not my fault. I have always thought maybe it was the wine but I will ever know.0 -
ali..I NEVER drink wine, and still I got it! There is no rhyme or reason! Don't beat yourself up!!!
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Thank you Anne Hathaway for sporting the cute pixie cut!!!
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yeah, doctors and scientists don't really know what causes cancer. there some things we do that can be risk factors in cancer such as drinking, obesity, etc. i don't drink and i got cancer. i am overweight and i got cancer. and then i look at all the woman who are my size and bigger and think, they didn't get breast cancer. wtf? it's a crap shoot and sh*t happens. now we just have to deal with it.
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My MO said the same thing, no one really knows what causes cancer. They can speculate on lifestyle, obesity etc. but its not an exact science. If it was there would be a vaccine. We can do the best that we can do by eating healthy, being active etc. which is good for our overall health. Personally I'm not giving up an occassional glass of wine or piece of cake worry about it.
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A friend of mine whose husband has stage IV prostate cancer, told me that he is observing a strictly sugar free diet. I told my friend that I'm already miserable enough, so I'm still eating sugar.
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amen...and potato chips...my vice!!
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i'm finding that my food allergies are worse!
before my dx i was drinking quite a bit of wine and eating soy protein bars (i was working and going to school full time) ----i don't eat lotsof sugar becuz of my gastric bypass but i will not give up my sweets and carbs....
btw; i'm also noticing some tingly feelings like neuropathy starting-not making me smile!
and now 11 weeks into the second round of chemo i find that i am just plain TIRED......
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i love the anne hathaway pixie! my own hair was always curly/wavy so i am curious as to what i will have now-once it ever grows back!!!!
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Dltnhm--Yay! What a wonderful story, and very happy to hear that you are finished. It's amazing the different treatment paths being trod just in this little group.
I did fnish rads on Tuesday--I never thought I'd be so happy to sit at my desk and work all day, but boy did it feel good yesterday! (and yes, Christina, I suspect I'll just throw caution a bit to the winds regarding that concert. However, my nephews will also be there (not sitting with me thank goodness) so I can't misbehave too badly. )
Firstcall, very good to hear from you--may I ask what you are doing as far as treating the lymphedema? I was making good progress in my running rehab until the my forearm swelled up a bit. They thought it was inflammation from rads and had me put on a preventive sleeve and gauntlet. Not a good idea, as that caused my hand to swell up. Bah. It could subside as I get farther from radiation, but nonetheless I am annoyed b/c now I'm scared to exercise.
Faith and Lumpy, funny you should mention the Anne Hathawayy cut--I was just looking at her pics and thinking how cute she was!
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Hildy
I'm glad to hear that you are back on a normal work schedule. Enjoy the concert, Bruce is one of my fav's yet I've never seen a live show. Are you now to start Tamoxifen? Sorry to hear about the LE.
I've been on it for 9 weeks now and nothing to report other than some night sweats thank God.
firstcall
Always a pleasure to hear from you!
Re the Anne Hathaway cut. You know, having longish hair forever I would have never had the guts to try a short cut like hers is now. Well, now I dream of having hair long enough to pull it off LOL!
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firstcall - nice to "see" you
Ali - this is just my two cents but if drinking caused cancer there'd be a lot more people with cancer. I never have drank very much and I don't personally plan on not drinking ever again. Anyway I am just saying this because I don't think you should feel that getting cancer was "your fault." It was definitely not your fault. I don't know exactly what causes cancer but I don't think it's any one simple thing. I hope someday they do know, and it would be great if it were as simple as eliminating certain things from our lives. I'm with Susan in my thinking - it's a crapshoot.
lumpy - I hope you are not getting neuropathy!
Every once in a blue moon I'll get sharp pains in my foot, but it is rare. I'm pretty sure that if I ignore it, it will go away. Hildy - I know the feeling, how good it feels to work a full day. After each chemo treatment, I knew I was really feeling better when I could work a full day. Sometimes I worked late simply because I physically could, and the very fact made me so happy. lol So glad you are done with rads!
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Good Morning All
Just changed my avatar to what I really look like LOL! Off to the hospital for my Herceptin TX. Tomorrow's the big move for my Mom into an assisted living residence. Its hard but its going to give us alot of peice of mind for her health and safety. We've all been run a bit ragged for the last while making sure someone is there all the time and of course the middle of the night calls from Med Alert when she has a fall. This is a great service BTW but it doesn't beat 24/7 care.
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MLB - sorry you are going through that with your mom. That is such a tough decision to have to make, but it sounds like she will be much safer in her new home. Love the new avatar! I am not far behind you with the hair growth...watch out, here I come!
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MLB-yay you for the pic! mine is still so sparse!still lotsof scalp showing.... i have worn my own hair so many lengths that i really thought i would not go short again however,i'm with you wishing that i had enuff to do the pixie!
as for moving your mom--wow--the whole concept is frighteneing and ppl do not understand til they have btdt...i know with my michael i am afraid that day may come sooner than he will accept.
ali...i guess i just really do not understand the logic of the drs you are dealing with...i hate that everything seems so negative for you! and the cancer is NOT your fault!!!!!!!!!!!!
yesterday i was whipped- just exhausted and i do NOT know why....
tonite is our relay for life- the survivor walk is at 5 pm and i will be walking proudly! then i walk again at 5 am.....my labwork after 7 am then i think slugville!
personal milestone- today my health ins kicks in at work!!yay me!!! i have not been insured (other than the medicaid for my cancer) since february of 2007 so i am excited beyond words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ok- i'm at work and i'm hungry already-lunchtime not for another hour!
sending hugs and positive vibes to all this weekend- still have been too lazy to hook up comp at home!
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Thanks Ladies
I picked up a box of semi perm hair dye and I'm going to give it a go. I figure I might look like I have a bit more coverage if some of the gray has colour.
Yeah it's tough having to see my Mom go into residence but its time. I was just with her taking her to her hairdresser the bank and had lunch after TX. I know I'll for one sleep better at night knowing for sure she's eating and that there's round the clock assistance.
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Hildy910- Is teh inflammation of your forearm on the side where your nodes were removed? I spoke to the bs today and she said to exercise the arm on the side where nodes were removed and its ok to use weights but light. Start with 5lbs. Tha main thing she said was not to overstress the arm and to avoid infections. I may sign up at the gym. She said to avoid manicures. Thank goodness I can have pedicures!. That link on wine breast cancer was great. I knew there was a link to wine and cancer but didnt know it was that high.
Ali- I agree with you. Who knows what triggers cancer and reoccurence but I dont want to feel that I didnt do everything I could to prevent it.
Its hard because we dont want to wear cancer on our sleeve always worrying, but I guess we need to increase our odds. I do enjoy that glass of wine at the end of the week!
dltnhm-Congrats on finishing chemo
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mlb - please post how the hair coloring goes. that sounds like a good idea, to color for more coverage. much of my kiwi hair is really light and maybe if i colored it, it will look like more. someone somewhere on here mentioned using henna too.
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I updated my Avatar again after the dye job LOL! Its a little red but hey the gray is covered. Next time I'll try a light brown. I bought a proper dye applicater brush at Beauty Supply. One of the gals suggested that from the Hair thread so that it would look like I had painted by scalp.
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BTW my family moved my Mom today. It's kind of sad but at the same time I can rest a bit easier knowing that she's now under 24/7 care. My sister bought her a lovely new 32 inch flat screen and the rest of us chipped in on a new recliner and walker. She was pretty bushed after all the hub bub so she was going to have a nap and then down for dinner. She said she's hoping to meet a man LOL!
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lol @ your mom - maybe she will meet a man...maybe you'll end up with a new stepfather!
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MLB, it obvious where you got your sense of humor. And I like your hair. Christina, you will have to post yours when you get it done. Much live.
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I was thinking about the question of how my BC has changed my practice of medicine. There are changes, the most obvious one is that it has changed how my patients respond to me. For example, before this happened, I would hear all kinds of bellyaching when I would talk about screening tests, like mammograms. (It hurts...etc) Now if I tell a patient they need a mammogram they usually just say ok, and they go get it. One patient who did not know of my diagnosis said to me 'I'll get my mammogram when you get yours' to which I responded...."Then you better make your appointment because I had mine yesterday". The other response I get all the time is just shock. My patients know that I don't ask them to do anything I wouldnt do myself. I try to lead by example. I exercise a lot, I am very careful with my diet, have never used alcohol or tobacco or anything else, and I still have cancer. We have no guarantees, but I am convinced that going into this in good health otherwise was a great blessing.
mlb - placing my parents in assisted living was a great help to them and to family. We all visited them a lot, but we had a lot more help from the excellent staff. Its an adjustment, but it was a very good thing, and they were much safer.
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