Starting chemo July 2014
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Congrats knmtwins and pinkninja !!
I have a question my online friends.... I have a recliner, a leather one in my master bedroom. I see a few posts about the recliners.
What is good about using them? Like I said I have one, though one side is messed up and leans a tiny bit to the right, though it is working ( left here from the person I got the house from last year ! ) and I sit in it often. Feet up!
Is it good to sit in the recliner to prop up my arm for when I have my mastectomy? I know I am to keep my left arm elevated.
Just thought I would ask as I was thinking about this seeing those few posts about the recliner.
Thanks everyone!
HAPPY HALLOWEENIE TODAY!!
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Hi AJ, we bought a pit group with recliners just before my mx (we needed new furniture for family room) and I actually slept in this for a few weeks. Highly recommended. Now it's my basic hangout. I have my coffee, snacks, fan, tissue, laptop, iPad, and phone. I am a hermit by nature.
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Yesterday I finished chemo!!!! Six rounds of Taxotere and Cytoxan. I had an MRI after my fourth round and my tumor is completely gone. I know I still have a long way to go, and I hope that surgery brings me the results I am looking for. It feels so good to be done this first, very hard, step! That is all, HAPPY HALLOWEEN.
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Yay, MeToo! Congratulations! Team July crossing the finish line!
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It's about time all you gals caught up.....I'm really proud of us! Are we the biggest group ever?????0 -
I don't know if we're the biggest, but I'm thinking we may be the tightest-knit. Look what we've been through together! Look at all the tmi we've shared! You know things about me my own family doesn't. We've cried together, prayed for each other, worried about each other, even celebrated new life together. You all are the awesomest bunch of women I've had the honor to know. I celebrate each of you. We aren't just survivors – we are victors!
Can I get an amen?
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Amen! And congrats to knmtwins, pinkninja, RamblingRose and MeToo on being DONE!
And thank you all for your sweet, kind thoughts for Zack. He had quite a cheering squad by the end.0 -
Amen! Congrats to RamblingRose and MeToo on being done! Also, great news about your tumor, MeToo! And kmntwins and pinkninja -- those are awesome pictures -- I love the "beginning" and the "end" theme.
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Amen! Congrats toRamblingRose and MeToo on finishing chemo. Today I rang my bell for finishing radiation - rang it loud, did you hear it? So Halloween will be my anniversary date. On to Arimidex next week.
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Hi All,
It's been several weeks since I've signed in to here....wow I've missed so much!!!!
Boxofrockstar- congratulations!!! Zachary is beautiful and sooo happy to see he is a healthy baby!!
So much had happened so hard to address everyone.
Those not feeling well - I'm sorry and I hope you all feel better soon!
Those that finished chemo - congrats!!! On to next phase!!!
Some have questions about Mastectomies - message me and I'll be happy to tell you my experience. I will say it is mostly positive. I have tissue expanders (BMX) so can't speak to the Diep surgery. And yes to soft button up pajamas for after surgery.
As for me - I finished my last chemo yesterday!!!! After that whole infected port ordeal and spending 2 weeks in the hospital...I am seeing light at the end of a tunnel. I was switched to weekly taxol after I did 3 Taxotere/Carbo/Herceptin. I ended up doing 6 weekly taxol and 2 Herceptins so according to my Onc that is equivalent to 2 TCH. All I know it's 1/2 the protocol for both...so hopefully enough chemo. Considering I had only 1mm more than the cutoff of not getting chemo I think 5 equivalent TCH's is enough. I know Weekly Taxol is a relatively new protocol but I highly recommend it. It was soooooo easy for me. I honestly didn't feel any different than normal. Any pain I felt was from the holes left in my chest from the surgeries to remove the port and necrotic muscle. I did lose most of my eyelashes, but my eyebrows starting growing back. I did cold caps so I still have 90% of my hair. I lost most of the 10% from the TCH, not taxol....I think my eyelashes are also from the TCH.
I have also scheduled my reconstruction for 11/25! I can't wait so swap these babies out for something less hard. So hoping to go into 2015 with much of the invasive procedures finished. I will still have Herceptin infusions till July and I start Tamoxifen at the end of November....so the fight continues....but hopefully to never have cancer return!
Happy Halloween!!!
-Jennifer
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So, I have two Oncologist. 1) MO- Medical Oncologist who performed my BMX and who I see every three months. He is like the main Oncologist I see. Here is his credentials: DO, Breast Surgical Oncologist. 2) ONC- Chemo Oncologist who handled everything that had to do with the chemo. I see him every six months. Here is his credentials: MD, Oncology.
So, this is the breakdown I have. Not sure why I have two doctors. When I developed pneumonia the ER doc and nurse automically referred me to my ONC for follow up, meds, scans etc.
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Jennliza, so good to hear from you, and congratulations on finishing chemo! You have been in our thoughts and prayers and it's good to hear that your ordeal with the infected port is now in the rear view mirror. I hope you will continue to check in from time to time.
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It's pretty exciting that so many are finishing up with Big Chemo and moving on to the next steps toward a healthy life.Puffin has her final rads today too. Congrats to you, Puffin.
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Jennliza: Thanks for the update, so good to hear you're doing well and congrats on finishing your chemo.
thanks Coyote, yes, today was last day of rads. Had some trouble breathing deep enough yesterday, but today went fine and I'm done. Start Arimidex next week.
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This is my first post using my computer since I had #6. I just couldn't sit in the office chair.... I needed to semi recline or I got sick. It really is great to see us get through all the heavy duty chemo. Congrats to all new enders. I hope you have an easy round of se's. Yeah team July!
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congratulations to everyone who has finished chemo. I am very happy for you. I am feeling a bit sorry for myself as I will be in chemo until the end of December. Boo - I so want to be done. Oh well - I am on weekly taxol right now and it's not bad. Stupid cancer
You are all amazing survivors ladies
Nancy
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Jennliza -- Great to hear that you're all done with chemo! And you have your surgery scheduled, too. Movin' on.
Puffin -- Glad to hear you've finished up rads!
Nancy -- You're still ahead of me -- I might be through more Taxol than you, but you've already had your lumpectomy. Plus, once I've had surgery, I still have rads, more herceptin, and hormonal therapy in my future! The joys of being a Grade 3, Triple Positive are endless.
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Elaine are you having a lumpectomy or masectomy? Sorry if you've already mentioned it. I too have rads which won't start until February for me. I also will be doing hormonal therapy and onc mentioned 10 years. I guess you and I are in the same boat except for the herceptin, but at least your hair will grow back right? My sister in law was her2 positive and she is 5 years out and doing great. Oh well you and I will be done soon
Nancy
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Nancy -- still not sure about the surgery. My lump was 5 cm, but appears to have shrunk significantly since I began chemo. (I can't feel it; MO thinks she feels something but it's much smaller.) It's all about what the scans say and whether the surgeon thinks that I can get clear margins with just a lumpectomy.
Herceptin's not so bad, but yep, we'll be done someday......
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count me in too, I won't be done taxol till dec, then BMX, then rads. I think I'm the furthest out. Don't want to think about it or I will need happy pills! My MO seems to think that waiting 2 months after chemo is done to get BMX is ok. I'm still uneasy about it, but apparently chemo effects will still running through body. So tired, dodo time.
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Congrats to everyone who finished chemo! And for those of you who aren't done yet, I'll keep praying for you!
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Congrats to all who are crossing the finish line and finishing chemo and extra shout out to those that are also finishing radiation. YaY!
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Congrats to those whom have finished Chemo!!
I have 4 more ( Monday's ) to go of Taxol left. Last one is Nov. 24th, then my mastectomy in December, then 6 weeks of rads, every day...Monday-Friday. Give or take a few days in January!
A bit nervous about the surgery but hoping/praying all goes well.
It will feel odd not having to go to chemo every week, that's for sure. I have a Thank You card for the infusion center staff to give them tomorrow as everyone has made me less nervous about chemo and so caring... I will miss each of them !!
I am sure you each have many emotions you are going through... I am SO happy for those of you whom have finished chemo.... proud of each of you for staying in touch here on the boards so we can celebrate this journey with you. And each other !!
Hugs !
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Mine was Wednesday, too. From now on it's just Herceptin, tamoxifen, and one last surgery. Can't wait to start feeling like myself again!
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Yey for you JenKay, congrats on your last chemo.
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I am done with chemo! Got the official word from the MO this morning! Now I make an appt with the radiation guys and see how that's going to go.
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that's great boxofrockstar. You have a lot to celebrate. Congrats!
Congratulations to you too JenKay
Nancy
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JenKay -- congrats on finishing! Hopefully Tamoxifen won't be too much of a bear -- I will probably get it, too, and have been hearing that it sometimes has its own unpleasant SEs.
Congrats, boxofrockstar! Hope rads goes OK for you and that Zachary is letting you get some zzzzzzs.....
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Wow! The chemo (and even radiation) ordeal is coming to an end for most. What a ride. What brave, wonderful women you all are (I know there wasn't a choice). Some of you even growing humans during this. Congratulations Rockstar! A wonderful gift in the midst of such difficulty. To all of you who have suffered so much, it only gets better and better. It is so easy for patience to wear thin as you come out of the heavy treatment phase, but remain patient...
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This is really getting exciting! It's like finishing a marathon! Congratuations, boxofrockstar and JenKay. Quick ride to far side of the nastiest sides and the banner is in sight.
Day 14 post final infusion, and I am finally getting to that better spot. Even my mouth sores are healing up. This weekend was a big relief as my son and his father-in-law came up from Tucson to help harvest pomegranates. We sent them back with a truck bed full of boxes of some of the most beautiful pomegranates ever - many bigger than large grapefruit. It was a beautiful harvest this year. I hated being just a spectator, but at least I felt like being there!
Tomorrow is a big change of direction for me. I am going to the radiation clinic to begin that process with the simulation. I won't begin actual radiation treatments until next Monday. We went to the grocery store this morning after sending our orchard labor on their way south. I ran into another recent chemo/rads gal who just finished an accelerated rads schedule. She told me that she had 3rd degree "burns" over her radiation area. Scary thought. I keep reading that it doesn't always happen, but the idea does give me the shakes. You know that saying, "The devil you know is better than the devil you don't." ? That sort of sums me up on this matter.
Take care. Prayers, hugs, and good thoughts are sent to all.
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