Starting chemo July 2014
Comments
-
Hooray! I found an acupuncturist in my area. I'm looking into the insurance stuff now. Does anyone know if there is a more desirable time to schedule this between treatments?
0 -
Mags, my friend, look around to be sure you are alone and no one can hear you. Throw yourself on the floor. Kick and scream. Cry and wail. Let every cell express the disgust and unfairness of this. Do this until there in nothing left to express or feel. Lay there until you become calm....you might even fall asleep. When your body is calm again, you can find peace and move forward into the battle with new strength. When the weak moments try to slither in, remember that moment when you rose up from the floor. It will renew you.
0 -
good day girls!!
hearing about all this not eating antioxidants during treatment. Limited fruits and veggies?. Sounds counterproductive??
I bought this book about juices from Candace kumai. I don't much like eating veggies and fruit, so this I find is a way of getting it in easier and it takes good. I've had kale, spinach, pineapple and orange all mixed together and it's great!
Tomorrow I start AC 1st round.....doc has given me Emend, dexadron and metacloprAmide for afterwards. Oh!! I'm with Chaos bout taking more drugs but wtf...I want too feel better.
Hope all goes well.
0 -
what did you gals eat during treatment? I understand no supplements of antioxidants, and no grapefruit or pomegranate. I just started eating better! But seriously, what's not the menu??
0 -
I missed the no pomegranate session. I have a pome orchard. I have frozen juice to my ears. I'm NOT suppose to drink it?
0 -
No pomegranates or graperuit if on Tamoxifen. Both of these fruits interact with the Tamoxifen and inhibit the absorption of the Tamoxifen. You may want to check on line with drugs.com to see if those two fruits interact with any other meds you may be taking.
0 -
You gals are incredible. Just look at how you've all pulled together, and supporting each other, and even encouraging – and chastising – me. You rock.
I am better today, not exactly up but better. I love the thought of a warm Epsom salts bath with lavender, and a walk after – but my arthritis makes that unlikely. You see, I have no cartilage in my knees any more. When I have to walk more than a few steps I use a cane, and have a lot of pain, so I don't walk farther than one room to another unless it's to the doctor. DH bought me a recumbent bike but I can't balance on it so it sits in the garage. So basically my days are spent in my recliner, on my laptop, that's where my friends and family are. It does make me sad, as the two people I live with are very active and I can't be. And I wasn't always like this. I ran my own business for 18 years, sometimes working round the clock, sometimes 12 hour days 7 days a week for months, and traveling when I took time off. I packed a lot of living in my first 55 years before my body quit working. At 63 I'm ready to stop. But DH is 9 years younger than I and he's not. He keeps talking about when I'm well as if the chemo will take the cancer and all the other issues and give me back my knees and shoulders and back. And it's not going to happen. I would need surgery – knees and shoulders replaced – but my back is inoperable. And I'm not interested in more surgery anyway.
Oh I didn't mean this to be a pity party, I don't want that. But just to clarify the rest of my physical challenges and why I get down. I look at you younger ladies and trying to do this while running a household, being a mom, and working even part time much less full time, and my heart goes out to you. You have so much more on your plate. You are my heroes!
Blownaway, you are right. We will all get through this together. Thank you.
(BTW, if I have missed updating your info on the list above while I was in the Slough of Despond, please feel free to poke me with the cattle prod and I'll get right on it.)
0 -
Got my oncotype test results back. My score was an 18, on the low side of the grey area. My hubby and I decided against chemo. He doesn't think I'm strong enough for it, and I think he's probably right. And for just a 1% improvement in the recurrence rate, it didn't seem worth it.
Magdalene, I'm loving this yarn you sent me! I've already made 2 purple chemo caps and I'm offering them to any lady in the July group who needs them. Also check page 1 of this thread; I still have most of those hats to offer too. PM me with your address and what color hat you want. First come, first served!
Shirley
0 -
This one is purple cotton. You can wash it in the washer on the delicate cycle, but don't throw it in the dryer, it will shrink. I have two of these to share! Thanks again for the yarn Magdalene!!
0 -
This one is easy care acrylic baby yarn.
0 -
This one is the same acrylic soft baby yarn. Shirley
0 -
This one is cotton yarn. Shirley
0 -
another all cotton hat. Shirley
0 -
Slappy Squirrel - Is the brown rolled brim still not taken? I love it and would send a self addressed envelope if I can have it.
0 -
I would love the purple one if it's not taken (still haven't done anything about head coverings - getting my hair cut short tomorrow).....you are very talented! (I can just about fix a torn hem myself!).
So glad to hear that your oncatype score was low - yipeeeeeeee!! Yes - chemo is not for the faint hearted. Good decision.
Deb
0 -
BTW - please all don't quote me on this - but my BC surgeon (who goes to all the conferences and is well respected) told me before I got my oncatype score that there is some indication that 25 is the magic "cut off" number for the middle range folks.
Deb
0 -
blownaway, the brown one with the rolled hem is yours!
Send me your address!
Shirley
0 -
Mag - I'm so sorry that you have all the knee, shoulder and back issues. There is nothing worse than being confined at such a young age.
One thing that I've learned is to take it one day at a time. You never know - you may feel up to surgery on your knees at some point - and you might find relief for your back pain. Never say never - and never give up hope! (it's good to be realistic - but sounds like you have given up on surgery, which may change when you are feeling better).
I love to travel - so I think I would get in a wheelchair if I had to to see more of the world! (we lived in Australia, London and Scotland in the past - loved every minute of it!).
One thing that has become clear to me from this board is that I need to lose weight - thank you so much everyone for making me take a look at that and take action.
BTW - I just called my MO office (it was 5pm and they were already closed) to talk about still feeling like crap a week later. I hope this isn't too much info. but I had terrible diarrhea last night to the point that I was moaning. My poor husband is completely freaked out. I thought I would feel better today but very quesy still.
Deb
0 -
MomtoIrishQ,
Ok, which purple one, the one on the first page one or the cotton one on this page? let me know which one you want and pm me your address and it's yours!
Shirley
0 -
Just talked to the MO on-call. She said she's a bit concerned because of the diarrhea. She said that most patients feel worse in Week 2 (seriously???) because their counts go down. I really hope that's not true. She told me to start taking my temperature and if it's over 100 for more than an hour to go to the ER. (time to get a thermometer!).
The weird thing is that I feel better - and then I feel worse. It's definitely an up and down thing. Just so tired of being in bed and feeling this way. (I think I got depressed today until my son came home and showed me his dancing....he was a competitive gymnast but recently took up dance and he is so passionate about it. Maybe we'll watch Billy Elliott the movie tonight and get some "feel good" hormones. I need a kitty about now.
Deb
0 -
MomtoIrishQuads,
Thanks so much for telling me that. That 25 number does make me feel better!
Shirley
0 -
Shirley - the cotton one....I'm in SC and I home to get out of this stinkin bedroom sooner or later. I assume the cotton one will be cooler?
I can send you a SASE if that's easier.
BTW Chaos - it dawned on me last night that you might want to try a Epsom Bath. I was in the bathtub several times during the night and your port site would have been safe. I never went through childbirth (had 2 c-sections) but it also dawned on me that this is right up there with a really long labor. How does this compare to those that went through labor? Just curious.
Deb
0 -
Shirley - I'm curious - how did you know that it would only decrease reoccurence rate by 1%? My oncologist didn't tell me anything like that - and just wondering if it was on the Oncatype form?
Deb
0 -
Slappy-Squirrel I would love the pink one if it is still available. Yours hats are so
0 -
Deb,
I wen through childbirth naturally, twice, no pain meds... anything... and one of those times was in labor 18 hours... to me they do not compare at all!
Ive also had terrible diarrhea the last few days.
gas pains, ugh! I have 6 more AC chemo treatments, followed by 14 taxol treatments and after that radiation as well... onco said it would amount to a year of treatment most likely. Scary thing for me is the high mitotic rate and proliferation rate... onco cant guarantee it wont come back within three years after treatment... he stresses that everytime i see him.
I found the lump the month before i turned 39... when they did the mammo and biopsy that determined it was cancerous in April it was 2cm. My last mammo done earlier this month it was already 6cm... I know this is my only choice and even it could fail. It is scary.
Hubby told me last night chemo is not my enemy... on one hand i know he is right... its the only shot i have at this... on the other hand it seems like it is my enemy- it damn sure is not my friend! But, what other choice do i have? Ive never been a quitter, didnt raise my kids that way either... so...
0 -
ladytdf the pink one is yours. Pm me your address!
Shirley
0 -
MomtoIrishQuads,
my oncologist's assistant gave me that number yesterday.
And my hubby helped me make sense of the chart on page 2 of the Oncotype test results. It's still very confusing to me. I'm still studying it.
Shirley
0 -
Slapppy-squirrel do you have any more hats with a brim? I would love to have one. You do beautiful work.
0 -
MomtoirishQ, I have been more tired the second week but overall I have felt better. I have infusion #3 tomorrow and I'm dreading it. I'm so tired of being sick and just want to get back to my life. Wishing everyone few side effect.
0 -
Dixie,
I have another pink hat with a brim. If that's ok pm your address.
Shirley
0
