Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!
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Alright Lisa - treatment sisters it is. I'm seriously going to have to push myself to the appointment tomorrow. I just really do not want to go!
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I agree that it takes a lot more courage to go to the second and third infusions than the first. The first one , I had no expectations, but knowing what is ahead and to still do it is a lot harder. I am on an every 3 weeks cycle , so I still have 2 more weeks to go. My last infusion should be mid-January. Christmas will probably suck since I am scheduled for dose #5 on 12/22.
I think my headache is a smidge better . The preschool teacher at our girls' school suggested rubbing some frankincense essential oil on my head, and I think it has helped some.
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Wee story for those who are losing their hair now, struggling with having and have daughters. I was post round 2 when my daughter went back to school Sept 8th. The weather hear was quite warm in September about 30C (86) during the first week of school. Feeling quite crappy I wasn't wearing any thing on my head to stay cool while working at home and I'd completely forgotten about it. Doesn't the door bell ring around 4pm and there is a very cute young boy standing there. He takes a couple steps back, stammers a little and asks for my daughter. I tell she's not home but will be soon, and he starts taking off down the stairs. I tell him it's ok to come back anytime. He's at the bottom of the stairs asking if there is any restrictions and I'm like...nooooooooooo?
Only when I closed the door and walked past the mirror did I realize I'd answered the door with my head bare, but for my dark patchy stubble.... The kid has never been back. :-) Boyfriend repellant???
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Mollie...lol...now you tell me? My daughter is 20 years old and had the boyfriend from (my) hell at 15. Wish I knew then...lol. I went bare head today at home but I was alone. I still don't want my now adult children to see me like this. I don't know, I guess its my way of staying as close to normal as Mom as I can.
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LOL mollie. I think it might have been boyfriend repellant for sure!
I was hot in the car and took off my hat. A few cars that passed us kept giving me odd looks and 1 woman smiled hugely. Note to everyone. The car feels private, but there are windows all around. It's the same posture you have to take if you need to pick your nose...just saying
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Hi,
Joining on the sad band wagon. Going for number two on Tuesday and totally agree with all of you dreading it. We can do this! Good luck to everyone!
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anmie is right. I've been feeling really crabby and I think it's because I have #2 on Thursday. Dreading it.
Took my son to a classmate's birthday party today...in my wig. Super self conscious the whole time. Ugh.
Here's me in the wig....
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That's a cute wig! You can't even tell.
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Edwsmom, no can tell that's a wig but you. You look fabulous.
Welcome, Lisa and Summerfun! I'm also going for Round 2 on Tuesday. I spent today doing laundry and cleaning the house. Now, I'm trying to finish some work before Tuesday morning. I worked some in the days following Chemo 1, but couldn't get as much done as I wanted to with my foggy brain.
I went to our neighborhood farmers market this morning to have my first foray into my world with the super short hair. Tomorrow, I brave the office. Many people there know, but not everyone. I don't mind the short hair as much as I thought I would, but my neck is cold.
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Thanks Annie, you always make me laugh with your funny posts.
I'm not doing too bad so far, better than I thought it might be. Though it's only day 6 of 1st round.
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Ok. Did the dinner in a hat--no wig. I forgot mostly. Somehow my wig and I are having trouble bonding. I know I'd get less looks in a wig but I feel funny. Hubby said go with how I felt not others. So I put on my new makeup and my hat and braved the world. And...it was really ok. Tomorrow--kiddo's school and work. Deep breaths. And itchy head. Lint roller here I come!!
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does anyone else have watery eyes and the watery part is a bit burning? I keep washing with cool water but it's sticky watery burny.
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I am so happy to read that so many others are having the same feelings I am about round two! (OK, not happy that you feel that way, but happy I'm not alone!) Ever since I finally started feeling mostly normal this weekend, I feel like my "good" days are being ruined by knowing that I have to just do it all over again 7 more times. I'm obsessing about it, ugh!
Cajun - You said you are eating calorie-dense foods; have you tried avocado? Not sure if you like it or not (I can't stand it), but when my son was having trouble putting on weight at one point as a baby, I fed him avocado mashed with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Totally random, but worth a shot maybe? Hope you can stop the losing!
This thread seriously moves so fast, and I'm typically reading it while laid up in the recliner, on my phone, and I hate typing on my phone, so my replies are typically super short, selfish, and not the type of post that I like to make! I want to address everyone, but it's tough! Obviously I'm on a computer right now, so I'm typing a novel!
I'm glad to see so many about a week or two ahead of me. Southern, Annie, and several others, it is so helpful to see you going through the hair loss, and being so angry and scared, and then so darn confident! It makes me feel like maybe I can do this after all! It is so funny the things that we let ourselves get so hung up on! Like Annie's meme, one of the only things I could focus on was the fact that I will so not be a cute bald chick. Um, hi, I have CANCER. Being bald is kinda no big deal at this point. Except it is, lol. I make myself laugh every time I start crying about the inevitable hair loss. It's such a silly thing to obsess about. But again....glad I'm not alone!
I found out on Friday that my BRCA came back all negative, so I am super happy to finally have gotten some good news! I just knew it was going to be positive, based on my recent luck.
Random question, since there are SO MANY of us in our 30's on this thread. Has chemo affected anyone's cycle yet? I am having the lightest cycle of my life right now. But also, my face looks like a freaking war zone. I am one of those super lucky girls that has only ever had 1-2 pimples a month, and usually just when my cycle starts. I counted this morning, and I currently have 26 painful zits on my face. This is nuts. I don't know how to handle it. Again, a small thing, but it's driving me crazy!!!! Anyone else have these issues?
OK, I guess I've typed enough now....see ya again in 5 pages or so, lol. Oh wait, here's a super cute picture of my boys....we went to pick pumpkins yesterday because Mommy felt GREAT!
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aggiemegs....I have an almost 3 year old. I'm in my early 40s though....
My period always lasted exactly 4 days in the past. This time it lasted 6 days. Much longer for me.
I too had a big face breakout. It sucks!
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Aggiemegs I'm 43. I had terrible breakout on week 2 post chemo 1. The only time I've ever been late with my period I was pregnant. I am now 3 days late. I guess the chemopause has set in cuz there is no way NO WAY I'm pregnant. Lol.
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Annie, I've had watery eyes for a couple of weeks now. Not necessarily burning so much as annoying. the doc said Claritin would help but it didn't.
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Edwsmom - Did the breakout go away after your period? I'm freaking out that it's going to last forever, lol. I know it's probably my body trying to kick out whatever remaining poison is still lingering from chemo, but holy moly Batman!
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Edswmom you look gorgeous. Don't be doubting yourself you cannot tell at all. I think we're starting to come to terms with the hair thing. I had the second round dreads last week and have come through that. Come on girls we can do this. Lots of love to all of you xxx
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Annie - I was super curious about how soon chemopause would occur, since I knew I was due to start exactly 1 week after my first treatment, and sure enough, I was right on time! Glad (seriously not the right word, but whatever) the breakout seems to be the norm. I'll file this under "SE's nobody tells you about."
Oh, I forgot to post anything about it, but Friday (exactly 1 week from when I got my Neulasta injection) I was in SO much pain, I could hardly walk. By bedtime, I was literally writhing in pain. I took 2 Advil and 2mg Ativan and prayed for sleep. Thankfully, it arrived, and when I woke up yesterday, I was totally fine. But, between that pain, and the initial bone pain on days 3-5, and the never-ending headache on days 3-8, I'm definitely planning to ask for SOMETHING to take for pain on the second round. I don't want to deal with all that nonsense again. My list of stuff to discuss at my appointment Wednesday keeps growing!
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Thanks ladies!
The breakout started several days before my period started and lasted a full week. Just clearing up now...right in time for round 2.
Annie...I'm 43 too
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the breakout lasted a normal amount of time. I spent extra time with facial care. I'm hoping the period is gone for good. Oopherectomy is on my plate moving forward but if I go permanent chemopause then I get to skip the knife.
I have 3 boys. 21, 6 and 4. And a new grandson that's less than a month old!
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So many new amazing women! Welcome and sorry you have joined this club, though we are happy you found each other. The photos are great to see, of you and your loved ones in your lives.
We'll be following your progress!
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Thanks so much for the quick replies. I've been spending lots of extra time on skincare, but still waking up with 4-5 new breakouts each day. Hopefully they start going away soon! OK, I'm leaving the computer for the night, but will try to be better at keeping up!
Annie - I never had issues with watery eyes; my problem is the exact opposite - in the middle of the night I wake up to go potty and my eyes are so insanely dry they BURN and I can hardly blink!
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I don't plan on getting a wig. I run hot and get hot very easy, esp in CA winters where it's not near as bad as where you all are at. I have barrets and if anyone stares, I'll say don't worry, it's not contagious. Being in the Bay Area where we do have a large diversity population I don't think I'll be stared at except maybe kids. I mean if you've ever seen the gay pride parade in SF, being bald is nothing to stare at in comparison. When I first moved to the Bay Area and went to the SF Halloween party in the Castro District (the gay bars area) I was shocked because I came from more conservative WA state. Some people were stark naked. Family thought it was going to be a regular parade so brought grandparents and kids along only to find it was rated X! lol. So I"m thinking people won't be staring at me because in comparison to what you can see, bald is nothing to see.
When I had my drains, and I had mine for 5 weeks, I found housecoats on national's site. Being it was hot weather time, I was thrilled to find sleeveless, very soft cotton ones with large pockets on each side. I just bought pink pockets and safety pinned them inside to keep the drains inside. I had a small checkered red/white longish dress and one small checkered blue/white checkered one. Totally 1950s looking with the lacing around the pockets. That and walking like I was 80 instead of 80 mph before all this and I fit right in to the elder early am crowd at Safeway grocery shopping. Even then I don't recall anyone staring. I've seen women, not older ones, in the store in rollers with the hair net thingy. You've seen so many things "out of the norm" that nothing phases you. I mean how many of you still stare at someone who has dyed their hair 1/2 green and 1/2 purple. So I really think that you aren't getting stared at as much as you think as you are so self conscious yourself that you are feeling like you are. Strangers have no idea of the before look. All you who have posted pics of yourselves in wigs look great. But because you know, it's this is too much like this and isn't right.. Otherwise strangers won't have a clue. Wigs aren't like they were years ago where you could pic out someone wearing a wig a mile away. Even the cheaper ones aren't as bad as those were. As for those who know you but don't know your situation, you're sporting a new look. Nothing wrong with that. Changing it up without doing the hair color/ cut thing.
So I plan on sporting my bald look with just a barret and to wear my granny looking outfits because I want/need to be comfy. Who cares about others. Plus bc is so common, well cancer as a whole unfortunately, that really there's nothing to stare at. If someone does, feel sorry for them that they are so uneducated.
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I did it! Not a tear shed.I actually feel quite free. Hugs to all the ladies having a tough night.
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Wow cajun, you're beautiful both ways.
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great smile and facial expression!
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Cajun..just gorgeous. We're all just sporting a different look these days but we are still US!
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Gorgeous!
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