Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!
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Carolina Amy I have fuzzy hair left too. It comes out but not as fast. There are a couple smooth spots but mostly it's stubble fuzz. It's annoying
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Prayers for everyone having big issues. Tessu I hope you start feeling better. Soccerchick wherever you are I hope you're doing well. And all our friends that stopped coming in. I hope everyone is ok.
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I would also like to put out there that if anyone needs any help for any reason...rides, food, anything...call your local Catholic church. Even if you aren't Catholic your local Parish will help you without hesitation.
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Aga - Constant headache was my biggest complaint last weekend and earlier this week. My MO approved sparingly using ibuprofen, so I have been taking a pill about every 6 hours and it keeps the worst of it away.
I am not thrilled with my haircut. I really just want it gone and hate the waiting. But it's a good transition step for my older two, so that's pretty much the only silver lining. My toddler had no reaction to it. I am just momma same as I always have been.
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Hello girls lots of suffering going on at the moment for so many of us. Chemo, treatment and cancer sucks but bit by bit inch by inch we are getting closer to finishing treatment. It seems so far away especially when you feel like crap but there is a light. I cried so much Wednesday night and come Thursday I felt better. We are allowed to feel sad but there are brighter days to come.
Goodnight In my prayers tonight all of you.
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Round #3 last Thursday. Felt well enough to attend the Blue Jays games that day and Friday as well. Sadly they lost but hey, it ain't over yet.
Feeling skittish today. Jumpy and irritable (yes, more than usual). So here is my rant.
Our thanksgiving is this monday and as usual, if Mom is up walking around, then she's fine, right? I've asked hubby to order turkey (nope, not done), his words "why don't you" and my response is that he drives by the place every day to go to work..duh..so I don't care. I expect to crash on monday and not eat anything like I did last time so they can eat pasta with butter sauce. Seriously, though, I just don't give a rats ass.
End of rant.
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I cancelled thanksgiving and Christmas this year. I told everyone to just forget it. It's just 1 year.
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day 4--Bleh. Really want to go to my daughters basketball game. My husband coaches so I asked a friend to come with me as I'm a pile of SEs. She said yes last week. Now She's all about bringing her 3 year old and meeting me there. Umm...me driving and dealing with her 3 year old. I feel like a horrible person but Noooo!!!! How to express this to her...sigh
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Annie..if it doesn't get done today, I'm announcing the cancellation of both myself. My last infusion is 7 days before Christmas. Don't count on me this year too.
Funny how they all cheerfully volunteered to "take care of everything" when I started treatment. Guess I'm not pathetic and weak enough..maybe I should change that.
Jabe..tell your friend that close contact with kids may get you sick. They are always carrying some virus even if they appear healthy. Apologize but tell her you're following doctors orders and you can't take chances.
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Anyone else get paranoid? I have yet to have echo/bone/CT scan of my chest down to my pelvis but I've been feeling slight discomfort on I think, my outer pelvis area. But I've had this since long before the cancer dx. On the table there were micromets found in a sentinel node. The other 3 out were clear. Now I'm thinking mets to the bone. I hope not and hope it's something else. It's not bursitis as I looked that up. It's not arthritis cuz that would be in the groin area (worked that field so know that). Now I'm scared. Weird, wasn't until now that I think about this..
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thanks Lindy. I just told her I needed "full service" if she is going to help me. She's good with it. Now to make it through the game. Ugh
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Arista..that was me. I was fortunate to get my bone scan and abdominal ultrasound/echo done early so I didn't have that long a wait. I had terrible hip, neck, shoulder and back pain off and on for quite awhile before my diagnosis. Of course, i convinced myself I had mets to the bone. I also had the same lymph node results as you..good news for me is that there was no sign of mets anywhere. No reason to think yours will be different. But the waiting is awful.
One more thing..since removing my DD's, no more pain in my back, neck, shoulder. Coincidence? I think not.
Jabe..good for you. Enjoy the game, you'll be fine. It's not like your playing, right?
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Skittlegirl,
My 6 yr old boys cry and say the same thing. It breaks my heart. When I told them my hair will hall out one of the twins started to cry. Ugh
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Thanks LindyC. Glad to hear your scans are clear. They put the call in for authorization for insurance on Wed. Yesterday it was still in process. When I was a surgery coordinator I called the info to the insurance and they'd give me an auth # right there. I mean unless this has gone for medical review of which had someone called it in instead of sending it in writing, they would have told them that and they could have told me to pass on to the pt. So wait until get the dates, wait to do it, wait to get results (which will be a tougher one). grrrr. Give me the codes and I'll call it in myself.
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Went through the insurance waiting game myself for med coverage. I'm self employed and give better benefits to my staff than I had for myself, go figure. Insurance company knows I'm their cash cow for group benefits of 100 employess so they finally extended my drug cap but I had to pay for first round. They still didn't have it in place 2 weeks later for my 2nd round and I had them on the phone with pharmacy working it out...and they finally did. They will reimburse me for my first round but it is a pain waiting for them. Insurance woes ...ugh. Fortunately, in Canada all scans in hospital are covered. Its just scheduling may take some time but I didn't have any issues. Cancer takes priority over any elective type investigations.
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Good morning all:
Sorry about the Jays yesterday, Lindy, but as you point out, it ain't over yet...Rooting for your team, I really *don't* want to have to root for St Louis, Houston or the Dodgers in the Series, and Kansas City or the Mets don't do much for me one way or the other, so unless the Cubbies make it, I want to get to know the Jays better! Sort of glad the Giants aren't in it this year in a weird way: I'd be too into it and really need to reduce the stress in my life, not add to it. Ok, clearly I am baseball obsessed.
Artista, I couldn't tell from your post if you have a scan scheduled, or just are wondering if you need one, but the waiting for results is the hardest part, so try not to worry (easy to say, I know) but let your doc know if it lasts more than two weeks. We will be there for you, and HUGS.
tshire, glad to hear you are doing well so far, I think the exercise really does help.
hugs to Tessu and everyone else who is struggling. We will get through this. Thinking of all of you today.
Southern Charm, how are you doing? .
Yeah, Thanksgiving is pretty much off the table. Certainly not hosting at my place! I may go to my daughter's if I have the energy, as I will be done by chemo by then, but it would be a several day trip (she lives a four hour drive away from me). Hoping to try and convince the RO to wait until the Monday after Thanksgiving to start rads.
My low grade fever stuck around pretty much all week, and spiked again yesterday. I did put in a full day at work yesterday but just hid in my office. It was actually surprisingly productive. Today I feel almost normal, hoping the fever doesn't come back. Regardless, I have no plans this weekend more ambitious than sitting around, taking a few walks, and watching playoff games on TV...
Octogirl
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Me and two of my boys at the Blue Jays game made it onto the big screen. That's my girlfriends hubby photo bombing us behind the boys. How about that wig. My boys swear its exactly like my real hair. Oh, and its day 2 after my 3rd infusion. Have hope, we can still have normal days. Just don't know when they'll be and hope its when we want it most.
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Octogirl. waiting to be scheduled for echo/CT/bone scans. Mild hip discomfort started probably a year ago. I know in Feb it was there because I was diagnosed with bilateral knee osteoarthritis and was thinking to myself maybe check the hip too but decided to bag it. I chalked it up to maybe putting pressure with the way I walk although I don't sense doing it, I walk pretty straight up.
I don't know how fast for a bone met to go from slight discomfort but no big deal at all to increase in pain. If' it's a quick process then I can relax but if it can be a long time, oh.
I was going to pose the question to the stage IV ladies in the thread where you are allowed to ask ques without being stage IV but then I'll feel bad because they have it some bad and I am not confirmed. My mind is trying to confirm it.
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Lindy-love the pic! We need the Jays to do this. It sucks that your family has forgotten to take care of Thanksgiving. We are headed to my Mother-in laws for dinner. Glad I don't have to worry about it. You are probably right that you will be out of commission anyway. I know when I have my infusions on Thursday, Tues & Wed are a write off for me. Hope your SE are minimal.
Has anyone had any contact with Grey? Worried about her.0 -
I think someone should get grey's phone #. I"m on another board where one thread is devoted to people who have thought/considered suicide giving advice and info and a few of us have phone #s of those concerned. Or a very close friend/fam member.
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Grey, I hope you're getting some well-deserved rest. How are you doing today?
I stopped taking the steroids a day early. Still woke up at 4:00am, but went back to sleep for a couple of hours at 6:00 and feel almost normal. Round 2 has treated me pretty gently thus far.
Shedding is proceeding rapidly. Probably 80% of my hair has gone in a bit more than 24 hours. My 15 year old treats me like an eclipse: I cannot be directly looked upon. The 12 year old actually giggled when she saw me after my shower today. The hair is definitely at that awkward stage.
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That moment when you can't tell if you are nauseous or hungry....
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ikr? Nauseous or hungry? I feel like that too!
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SouthernCharm..that wig is a real hair masterpiece from a local salon that specializes in wigs. She had it dyed it to my natural (sort of) haircolour and hairstyle. It was not cheap($800) but my insurance covered it. The others I picked up were much less but are my convenience accessories. I wear this one when I'm around people that don't know about my cancer and I want to look like myself. This baseball game was a business thing (perk from a supplier) so we were with work colleagues as well as family/friends. But it holds up well in the wind, thank goodness..lol
That hungry or nausea thing? I think its both. The food settles the stomach, at least temporarily. Thats why we crave the carbs. Its soothing to scarf back and entire fresh baguette..at least for me.
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ohhhh fresh baguette. ....now I want one
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Hubby brought me a burger and fries that totally hit the spot. Carbs and protein, Nom Nom
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Southern: me too on the salsa and chips!!! It tastes good even when most things don't. I am craving protein, however. Eating LOTS of beef and chicken and beef seems to taste particularly good, second only to salsa and chips...I think my body needs it right now.
While I have had minimal nausea, I do know that 'hungry or sick?' thing...and I get morning sickness, just like I did with each kid. Solution is the same: crackers or a piece of toast in bed before I get out of bed (helps to have hubby to bring it to me...) and I really do feel better and more able to face the day...I think it does help to get bland, easy to digest food in the stomach...
What a great big screen photo Lindy! You look wonderful!
Octogirl
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Hi everyone,
A quick intro - I'm a 39 year old wife, mother of four (ages 16, 16, 14, and 11), middle school teacher (currently on medical leave), and needless to say very busy. I was diagnosed in June and spent my summer vacation seeking first and second opinions from doctors and recovering from two surgeries. This breast cancer bs is interfering with my life.
Had my first round of Taxotere & Cytoxan on Sept 26th, going in for my second round on Oct 16th. Side effects after the first treatment lasted about a week: nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, bone pain from Neupogen shots. Still suffering from fatigue, but I guess that's normal. My hair is shedding by the fistful today and I can't decide whether to shave it or let it go on it's own.
So far, the most annoying/difficult thing for me to deal with is the constant poking with needles and blown veins. My veins are weak so my doctor had a port put in my upper arm to help with chemo, IVs and blood draws. Of course, my insurance requires that I go to a lab for blood draws and the lab is staffed by technicians - no nurses or doctors. Only nurses and doctors can access my port, so a couple times a week I have another blown vein and more pain that just feels and seems unnecessary. It is so frustrating that something that should be routine and simple causes so much pain.
So sorry for the complaining, I am just tired of cancer.
A HUGE thank you to those who started and are moderating this discussion. It is so helpful.
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rok1- Can you have your labs done at the infusion center? I too was going to face this as lab techs can't deal with ports or picc lines but RNs in the infusion center can. I'm having mine done there- or call around to see if they have an RN who does this if infusion center won't. Mine is more than happy to help me, and I would think many are.
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Love the baseball game picture, LindyC - what a great moment! You look awesome.
I am tickled I am not the only one deeply craving chips & salsa. You guys are now my "See, this is totally normal!" excuse. Nomnomnom
It's encouraging to be going through hair loss at the same time as many of you. Mine continues to fall out quickly today and I expect it will be 90+% gone by Monday.
rok1 - I have my labs done at the infusion center so they can access the port. Agree with Artista - it's a great way to have them done.
Hang in there, ladies - you are BRAVE AND BEAUTIFUL, everyone of you.
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