Starting chemo August 2014
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Enjoy your new adventure, Bippy. Come back every now and then and say hi. I will miss you.
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Bippy, NOOOOO. I will miss you tremendously -- especially your quick wit. Enjoy and please come back and visit this thread.
Gatomal, I am hanging in there with you and others that will be around until August timeframe. I also have the same question, a mammo soon? Will be thinking of you tomorrow and praying for you. So glad you have reached the end of chemo.
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Gatomol - Last chemo, YES! Hope you are able to finish up tmrw and SEs are at a minimum.
LadyB - Truly hope you are feeling better and mouth rinse helps thru Rads.
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Gatmol -good luck last chemo day!
Ladyb -I hope you're feeling better with the mouth rinse.
Bippy I am too sorry to see you go. But good for you for moving on past this. Good luck with our new endeavors.
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Gatomal, congrats on getting to the last chemo. Finally!!!
Bippy, I hope you'll check back in.
I'm halfway through regular rads - 14 to go, and then 7 boosts. This Friday I have Herceptin plus rads - so much fun.
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awww, I cannot quit you. Already in withdrawals from my peeps! I shant stray far or long.
Gatomal, happy dance about chemo and dayamit to mammo so soon. You are a badass!
My rads burns are healin up nice now. First day not in pain! Off to do labs for herceptin Friday, then to source for Ebay. That chit ends in July. Crap, what will we all do once all our tx is "done"?
My sailors potty mouth is back....must be Bipster is feelin better
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Yay, Bippy's still here!
We don't have school today, so I have some extra time to go online. It's nice to get caught up. I dreamed I was caught in a tidal wave last night. Doesn't take a dream interpreter to guess that might mean I'm feeling overwhelmed by something... gee, what could that be?
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CassieCat, it is interesting that you mentioned dreams. After months and months of dreams I don't remember, I am having some very interesting ones now. Reliving experiences from decades ago, people from my teens appearing in dreams, clients from the late 80's, etc. It feels like my brain is re-cataloging itself. It's weird and a bit overwhelming. Anyone else?
In the meantime, I am loving my new eyelashes! They are very small, but I can manage to get a tiny bit of mascara on them. Yay!
I am having a super emotional, grumpy week. I am not sure if it is my old ovaries cranking back up (if that's even possible..?) or realizing I still have quite a way to go with treatment. Either one, I am trying to be kind to myself and allow the pity parties without judgement. I am allowed to feel this way. It's only a problem if I get stuck.
Amy
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Thanks for all the well wishes! I haven't had surg yet, so this mammo and ultrasound are the first. Surg should be in a few weeks. We did a bunch of mam views already, in waiting room now to see if we need more. My blood work looks good though, so I'm pretty confident chemo is a go today. On the way here I got pulled over for not wearing my seatbelt! I haven't ever been pulled over in SF. Like 20 yrs! So I immeasuately started crying. Saying I'm going to my last chemo, that I cant wear a seatbelt because it hurts my left breast, that I'm going to a mammogram beforesurg now. The cop says" why are you driving if you are so upset?" I said " I wasn't upset until I got pulled over. I've been through hell in the past few months, pregant with twins and chemo and my twins are just eight weeks old. " He told my husband to drive and buzzed away. I'm so sick of crying all the time, but hey it sure works. I feel like i have a target on my back from the universe. How do I get rid of it? I sure got my "elevator pitch" of tragedy down though. Lol
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Alrighty, Bippy is back! You must have heard my NOOOO all the way in Florida. LoL.
Gatomal, came on today to say congrats with last chemo treatment. No more cold caps, icing, etc. i am with you I have my elevator speech down and one that I have had to pull out but didn't want to with the tears. Glad you didn't get a ticket.
Cassie and Daisy, interesting about the dreams. I have been cataloging my dreams for the last 4/5 weeks since finishing chemo. They have been very vivid, in color and action packed. Is it because I don't remember dreaming during chemo? Is it because my brain is not so "foggy"? My hubby and I talk about my "most" of my dreams. There are a few I can't tell him about as they are going back into my highschool years and about a particular boy I had a major crush on. LoL.
Good news, I am really really seeing eyebrows and eyelashes. I am so so excited. I made my hubby and daughter look. They were as excited as I was. LoL. I am going to try to put on mascara today. Hair is beginning to sprout up every where -- even in the nether region and under the arm that is not being radiated. Not so excited about the mustache I am beginning to see (I didn't have one before lol).
I am more than halfway through RADs -- no boosts for me. My underarm, neck area and nipple are very tender. I religiously slathery on aloe vera, calendula cream and aquaphor. The mouthwash is a wonder. It actually numbs my throat and mouth. I had my weekly RO appt. I love my RO. She actually brings up things I forgot we discussed last session, in email or with the advice line. She says the skin seems to be holding up but expects more tenderness in the areas that are already tender. She is giving me a cream to help reduce pain (forgot the name). She also refilled my Ativan as I am still having sleep issues but not as often.
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Yay for final chemo Gatomal! Now that you've been through this, surgery will be easy! I say that as I've had a lot of trouble in the last month after my surgery. Its still nothing compared to chchemo!
Bippy, I'm glad you're going to hang around. I don't post often any more, but I read every post to keep up with my peeps. We've all been through hell together... I truly care about every person on here.
Dreams... I've been having in color and very vivid. I've also been dreaming every night. I didn't even relate it to Chemo ending until I saw you guys posting... Hope all of you are doing well on your journey. Hugs Amy
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Gatomal= Pull the cancer card whenever you can.The only perk of having cancer. Hope your day went well.XOXO
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daisyq, thanks for the dream post. Me too, with the vivid, detailed, loooong ones. Mostly they are fun and a bit confused. Mostly mine too involve decades old people and places. They center around the 80's alot, prime years for party and play. Also the prime of physical beauty.
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My dreams last night were sort of a "quest" in nature, and along the way I kept losing things that I thought I needed. Again, not real tough to figure out the meaning behind that one when I describe it like that as opposed to what was actually happening. Aren't dreams interesting? I like when I remember them, as I feel it gives me a glimpse into my own mind.
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Thanks for the well wishes. I love you guys! So after ticket drama, go to my mammogram and ultrasound...
The radiologist said she could really find the tumor, and it would make it hard to do wire localization since they don't know where it is, as there was no clip put in during the bx. Then she said mastectomy. And I say, you are telling me that because the chemo was so effective, And you can't find the tumor borders, that you'll just lop off the whole Breast? She said, I'll talk to your surgeon and see what strategy we'll come up with, i just want you to have your eyes wide open. Um they have been, but that seems like a pretty weak argument for changing the plan from lumpectomy to mastectomy. So infuriating! So today I read the actual report, which says...no Cancer seen in right breast ( hurrah...worried that it could have been bilateral) difficult to discern tumor in left breast upon mammon and ultrasound. Consulted with surgeon and we will not do a wire localization at all, surgeon says there is a small palpable mass and she can find the site. Since we r doing a reduction and lift too, I'm confident that we'll get lots of tissue and let path sort out what's what. Some suspiciou nodes, maybe 1-4? Let's cut those out too and see what's up.
Did finish my last chemo, it's emotional. Such a long road so far. I cried hard when we took that last cap off. Today I'm starting to pack them up. Had to take the babies for their two month shots and check up today. They are both doing great. Around 10 pounds at 2 months, from under six at birth.
Getting ready for a well deserved nap now. Surgery still on the 31st. Goals for that: Cut this Cancer out, get small perky boobs whose nipples point toward the horizon at least, if not a bit toward the sky! Now they almost tuck into my waistband! Haha!
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got my last neupogen shot at the infusion center today. Talked to a woman just starting her chemo, and another just having her last one. It was my last time there, afterwards, I got a coffee at Starbucks and started walking home. I said to myself, I'll just walk until I want to get a cab. It was such a beautiful day here in SF, and I haven't had any time alone. I just walked and cried off and on. I walked the whole way home, two miles! Met my husband downtown at the jewelry store to get a gold band for finishing chemo. It's my plan to get one for each phase...chemo, surgery, rads, when done. We ordered them and I cried some more. Lit a candle in church on the way home, and cried some more. It was great to have time alone, and to process being done with chemo, and start facing the next step. This is my worst day post chemo, and I'm really proud that I walked so far. Haven't done that much physical activity in almost a year. It's the first time I really felt like a "warrior" in this whole thing.
Hope you all are having a good day, or a few good moments at least. Hugs
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Gatomal, congrats on finishing chemo.
Glad you got that good walk in.I'm in the chair, getting my third Herceptin infusion. I have rads after this. So far, so good on both counts. I'm supposed to drive out and meet up with a friend who's been housebound for over a month. Need to find some energy soon!
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Wow gatimal, I'm very impressed. I don't know if I could crawl 2 miles right now. Will have to work at building up strength. Love, Jean
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Congratulations, Gatomal!
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Yeah gatomal= You are my girl. Love you and congratulations!!!!!
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gatomal, you are THE woman! Shows your fighting, sassy spirit. I am so very happy your chemo is done. BTW, I was a crying person alot near end of chemo, over nothing and everything. It is very healthy to do, and I am now a crying advocate. Never did before BC, swallowed alot of emotions......now I am allowing them to be expressed and it is much better!
We are planning our belated due to BC vacation to Maine. Cannot wait to see the cabin and friends. It is very dear to DH, he spent all his summers there. So, he will be happy and have a much deserved siesta. September in Maine is like nothing else! Thinkin of staying 3 full weeks-- we are very boring amd relaxed there--we hike, walk, sit and look at the lake, antique shop, cook, sit around fires and chit chat.
Had my Herceptin yesterday, had fav nurse. What a difference it makes to have a good one
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Bippy, three weeks there sounds like paradise.
We were both getting Herceptin yesterday. Seems so much easier compared to the full chemo regimen.I've done 17 of 28 regular rads so far, and I'm tanning/pink and still itchy near my clavicle, but doing ok overall. After seeing my MO, getting Herceptin and then rads, I still felt good to drive out and visit a friend who's temporarily housebound. It was a nice visit and I miss her a lot.
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yes Bippy that Maine cabin sounds like heaven. I enjoyed my slow walk so much yesterday, I was thinking how nice it would be to hike around the Irish countryside, going to pubs for stick to your rib dinners after a long day of cold, moist foggy walks. And scotch in front of the fire.
Maine in september must be beautiful. The leaves! The leaves!
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Congrats Gatomal! Glad you were able to get a let it go walk in! I like the way you just let it go as Bippy said shows your sassy fighting spirit. Remember to relax as you prep for surgery.
Bippy, I am just jealous. Would love that type of vacation! I know you are going to enjoy!
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Gatamol, good for you. What kind of gold band are you getting? Is it like a ring...or a bangle bracelet?
I actually had the two best days I have had since August. Hoping for a third today. Helping daughter put together her just moved into house.
I had terrible leg cramps and now frequently having muscle spasms under my rib cage after my H&P infusion. Very weird. I'm going to have 4 weeks between tx this time. Onco on spring break next week! Good for him....I'm sure he needs a break from cancer.
My Taxotere nail saga continues. Big toenail infection gone after bactrim dS, certainly going to lose it and probabley 3 fingernails and 1 thumbnail.
Love to all and pray for all every night
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Bearmon, I thought I'd lose my big toenails and possibly 4 fingernails. All are lifting and one finger had a severe cuticle infection for months. Now it looks like they may just grow out. A slow process,to be sure but am hoping they survive. Love, Jean
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hi Jean, so glad you had some good days. They make such a difference, don't they? Even though I have really pushed it the past two days (and am paying for it dearly) it was worth it. I have some little infection on the edge of my big toe, not helped by the walk I did, and am doing peroxide soaks, and neosporin to try ad clear it without systemic antibiotics. What a pain! Also last nig was the Chinese new year parade in San francisco so we took the girls into Chinatown, played with some fireworks! And saw the parade. We live just two blocks away from Union square, so it was fun to see and easy, but wow...it took a lot out of me to have a kid on my shoulders. I'm just focusing on having memories created way more than I have in the past.
Yes I'm getting gold rings, really like plain wedding bands that I canstack together. I had some years ago that were lost when we were broken into a few years ago. I'm not sure how to engrave them, but I like the idea of getting something to memorialize the experience. Something prettier than scars and tattoos
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gatomal= Engrave them with a wonderful saying. Maybe your childs names or I'm done with cancer !!!!
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Go figure I lost two toe nails 7 weeks Taxol PFC. Sort of surprised me. But nails are starting to look healthy (or at least 1/2 way).
Beatmon, glad you are feeling better and get a bit of a break. Glad you are having good days and praying for many more.
How many have started hormonal therapy while on RADs? Or did your MO wait untl after RADs? I have my appt next week 3/17 to discuss hormonal treatment. MO was always talking about Tamoxifen the last time I saw her but that was before my ovary test came back at 98% still active -- she couldn't believe -- LoL. I am starting my list of questions and will begin to email her tomorrow. I see most here are on Femara or Aromasin.
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ladyb=Us triple negative gals just have to live on a prayer this does not return. UGH!
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