Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!
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I am not working. My job responsibilities would have to shift due to being immunocompromised. I don't have the option to work from home. It's cold and flu season and stuff just goes around like crazy there. My STD has a 7 day waiting period before it kicks in each time I go out. So it's just easier to have the time off and focus on resting.
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Hi,
I am working full time through chemo. My side effects have been minimal (knock on wood). I do work from home on the Mondays that follow AC because I do not like to be fog headed at work, due to the anti-nausea meds. I do have noise sensitivity as well on those Mondays from coming off the IV drugs they administer. I do have th eoption to work from home more but I'll save those days for cold & flu season
Artista928/tessu - when going through the CT scan we had a scare on my liver. They found 2 spots that looked like cancer and the surgeon who informed us was in tears when she had to tell us. The liver biopsy, as painful as it was, came up clean. I never thought I'd start out stage IV but for 2 weeks we had to wait that was my reality. Stage III is not so bad
Happy Wendesday!
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I'm working full time through chemo too.
My cycle is every 3 weeks so I've been taking 2 days off each cycle - though I basically work from home during those two days.
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El Tigre: My BC surgery and thus also chemo was delayed two weeks, because radiology lost the request for better imaging to investigate the over 1 cm lesion that showed on a technically inadequate MRI done looking for a possible primary, because my initial breast biopsy came back "cannot id tissue of origin, may be met from somewhere else, tissue too anaplastic (aggressively wild) to identify". The only thing I knew for those two weeks was that the lesion was not a benign cyst (because it didn't show on ultrasound). So I had a brief naive moment of "joy" learning the liver lesion was benign and the tumor was "only" breast cancer --- until I found out it was the rarer bad prognosis type. But at least that's better than "cancer of unknown origin", I think. So I "get" the horror of waiting for results, and all women here waiting have my deepest sympathy.
(if I've poaste about that earlier, sorry, my brain never fully bounces back from the Taxotere between doses -- but tomorrow is my last of that nefore the switch to CEF.)
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tessu - I'm sorry you had to go through that period of not knowing if it was mets from somewhere else or breast cancer. Even rare they have target chemo Herceptin that attacks it
. Great news that it was not found in the nodes, maybe avoid Radiation. Congrats on your last dose of Taxotere being tomorrow as well!My process was delayed as well for an MRI that proved nothing and the hospital facility "team" approach proved to be delaying as well. I feel your pain when you found out they lost your request for better imaging. It's amazing how incompetent some hospital staff can be, so we switched. Hugs to who has to wait for scan results. That's something that I am not looking forward to in the future after the treatments (wait and see game).
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SuperMe, I am working more or less full time, but I do have a job that I can either choose to do from home most of the time, or with lots of scheduling flexibility when I do work. I am also blessed to have a very understanding and supportive boss and a very short commute (ten minutes door to door and most of that is walking from the parking lot to my office). Last week I was finding that I hit a wall at about 3:30 pm: I had the flexibility to just come home early. Since I put in time answering email between five and six am (especially on steroid days, though I do have to be careful what I say! :-)) that is no big deal in my line of work. (I am working with people in time zones all over the country so used to early am emails and sometimes calls with folks on the east coast).
I take the day of chemo as sick day and sometimes work from home a day or two after. All together maybe five sick days since I started chemo (I just finished Round Three of Four). But I will say that the one factor that has made it easy is that I haven't had any significant GI track issues. Stayed home one day with a touch of little D (and just worked from home). Getting the big D as some have had to endure would make going to the office a deal breaker.
Truthfully, because I am fairly visible at work, I hate being there without the hair. Probably should have gotten a wig but I am not at all convinced that would have helped my self consciousness, and I can't stand even the feel of my halo. Gotten more used to hats and scarves.....
I agree that we all are different and both the extent and type of SEs will make a big difference in whether and how much you go back to work.
Hugs and I hope this helps.
Octogirl
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I am working but they are allowing me to be flexible. I get chemo every 3 weeks so thus far (2 rounds) it's been about a week or so off and then a week and a little back with work from home on the "off" days.
Btw, I asked someone "in the know" about the reference to some bcs "disappearing". Apparently some stage 0 in situ cancers (they are debating about calling them cancers) are re absorbed.
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Hi Supreme,
I am working through so far. I have had to miss 2-3 days each cycle but as a project engineer this is necessary because the fog would not allow me to be very effective if I tried to work through that. I get the infusions on Fridays and I have been back by the following Thursday at the latest so far. So M-W was my longest time off and that was after my last round. My next (and last) AC is tomorrow - so hopefully I will do better with the taxol and miss even less. It's been very nice to have the distraction although truthfully it is challenging the first week after each chemo. If you try to work my advice is to be well stocked with meds at the office as well. I've had a few days where they were a lifesaver.
Most importantly though don't try to push through and miss no work I did attempt that after the first round... not good. Everyone reacts differently, listen to your body and do what you are comfortable with. A good friend gave me the best advise: Remember you have to take good care of yourself at the beginning to make it to the finish line.
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Artista, glad the scans were promising thus far and (((((hugs)))) for the uncertainty! Also glad that the PT helped you tessu and (((((hugs)))) for you too.
And big hugs to those we haven't heard from in a while. Hope all of you are doing better today than yesterday!
Octogirl
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Tessu - What a nasty scare. I'm so glad you massage therapy was effective and that you're back to "only" fighting BC.
Lisa 0 -
Back from the MO. My lab results were very good and I'm ready for my last AC infusion tomorrow. I see it as my "hump" day. Talked a little about the Taxol I will be on for the next 4 infusions after tomorrow. I've muddled through the AC without the big SE's that alot of you have endured. The nausea has been debilitating and I've been assured that the Taxol won't be tough on my stomach. Apparently, there are no standing orders for anti-nausea drugs with Taxol. There will be heavy duty pain killers available for the expected joint pain. Will have to wait and see how I fare.
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LindyC - That's surprising on the no anti-nausea drugs & Taxol. I've heard from others next to me during infusion it's not as bad at all in regards to Nausea. Nice thing to look forward to.
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I just got back from my primary and I have bronchitis. Antibiotics and an inhaler and hopefully I'll be ok for chemo Monday.
I take my hat off to all you ladies who are working outside the home during this. I know I'd have a hard time. There's so many tough chicks in here!
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Jabe - thanks for asking about that!
Annie - I'm sick too. Blech!
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edwsmom and Annie, get well soon!
On the always pertinent topic of hair: I SWEAR mine grew back a bit on top between chemo two and chemo three. I've never shaved my head because I just couldn't bring myself to do it, and I have continuously had little wisps on the side (which I like, because they peek out from under my hats. But believe me when I say they are just little wisps, since I am not brave enough for photos...) but now I have real hairs on top. Just a few, but it was totally bald last week.
I presume they will go away after this round takes hold. But, it does give me hope that the hair will grow back fairly quickly. I expect it to come back a LOT grayer than it was...
Octogirl
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Octogirl..I buzzed my head but not shaved it. I've kept most of the bristles, expecting them to be gone by now. The tingling is gone and I can't say if any hair has come back as I can't bear to look in the mirror long enough to check. The shower shows no sign of hair loss, even as short as it is, so lets see how I fare after the next round of hell...er..chemo
Surprisingly, I didn't lose the last bit of hair by pulling it out, one at a time, after last nights atrocious loss by my beloved Blue Jays. One home game left today and I'm going in with a heavy heart. Still hopeful they can prolong the post season for purely selfish reasons as going to these games has made me get out and make the effort to have a normal life during this time.
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TFoxy, hoping both of us get to hold another little bundle someday. I woke up in tears last night because I still miss nursing my baby (emergency weening before chemo). I'm glad I was at a cancer center (SCCA) where they saw 2-3 nursing moms each year and knew a little bit about the changes breasts go through during nursing. They still had to do 2 biopsies to understand the extent of my tumor. The surgeon was still in a mindset of "just stop" though (as if we can turn them off like a faucet.)
Tessu - AGGH! Have you had a hot bath lately? That seems to be my cure-all when I'm in pain.
Hi SuperMe - I'm am working through Chemo. I'm an engineer & most of what I do is sit at a computer desk. I'm definitely not as fast as I was or trying to work on 3 projects concurrently. My infusions are Wednesday afternoons after work and I take maybe an hour or 2 off work per cycle to get to my appointment or because SEs are too distracting. After round three, there have been a couple days where I wanted to just stay in bed and mope, but had a baby kicking my butt out. Work isn't too concerned with when I show up as long as I put in my 40 hours a week. After infusion, I'm on 3 days of Dexamethasone and use my Ativan/Lorazapam to help me sleep. Zofran is for generic nausea. I'm eating lots of prunes/prune juice to keep the constipation under control and heal my fissure. I have Moroccan Mint tea that gives me caffeine (Peppermint tea without) & helps with nausea without the heartburn (I think). Lots of tums for the heartburn. I'm trying to eat egg scrambles, oatmeal, whole foods and generally avoid carbs/sugar/caffeine/alcohol (OH GOD I MISS DIET COKE! BUT IT BURNS LIKE THE FIRE OF A THOUSAND SUNS.) to help with the heartburn. For the gastrointestinal pyrotechnics - I'm already under orders to drink at least 3 Liters of water per day anyway, so I just accept that I'm just going to be visiting the bathroom on an hourly basis. This is generally not a big deal when you're sitting most of the day; the gas is probably the most worrisome for me as I can't avoid my cubicle-mates. It's ok though, because getting up and exercising is important. Getting a 10-20 minute walk helps when I'm foggy. Finding a quiet corner to perform the yoga child's pose & work out the gas can provide some relief. Never trust a fart. Wear pads (It's not like we need them for our periods right now). I highly recommend doing something to make your heart pound within a couple days of infusion to help burn out the chemo (I hike to waterfalls or up/down steep hills the Sat/Sun after). General mouth ickyness and sores - water + salt + baking soda; swish and spit; swallow a smidge for extreme heartburn. Sour cream or Yogurt to restore gut bacteria and coat throat (can lead to heartburn, though). Hot flashes - thank goodness I shaved my head; I'm surrounded by older men at work so I fit right in anyway. Burning while urinating - probably dehydrated and the uric acid has formed crystals; more water/soup etc. Recently, phantom pain in lower back (Kidney? Ovaries?) - ibprofen & hot shower.
TLDR - Take your meds; hydrate+; high fiber/protein diet; manage heartburn; keep moving; wash hands like crazy.0 -
octogirl my hair sounds about the same. I never buzzed it and I swear what is left is growing. Some of the back s ticks out when I wear hats and scarves and I have yet to wear the wig or even bangs, it's been too hot here. I want to try the bangs tomorrow, I'm touring my daughter's old school with my son tomorrow and I don't want the stares or questions. I'll probably get them anyway, I was close to a couple of the teachers. I want tomorrow to be about DS.
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@Southern - let me know if you want me to ask my Mom, she's a Lactation Consultant and would probably have some history on this. Meanwhile, wikipedia seems to have the top 2 crazy drugs that mention cancer (DES being the most likely).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactation_suppressio...0 -
In other news...
The vice president pledged to devote his last 15 months in office trying to rally Democrats and Republicans behind "a moon shot in this country to cure cancer" - the kind of full-government mobilization that made Neil Armstrong's fabled "giant leap for mankind" possible.
"If I could be anything, I would have wanted to have been the president that ended cancer, because it's possible," Biden said.
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Thanks for the well wishes on the holding at stage III. I agree, much rather be a III than a IV and hopefully it'll remain a III at the end and the spot on my lung will still be there at the next CT scan!
I feel for you gals esp as I draw closer to the dreaded chair myself, on Mon. I can't believe how hard it was for me to make the friggin phone call to make an appt to get my hair cut very short. It was easier to make the appts for the scans! Being I have genetic hairloss going on too, I know it won't come back anywhere near what I have now, and this makes me sadder. I've got my caps ready and will be going over the to do/get list before Mon arrives in anticipation that I won't want to be going out for at least the first week. So stocking up will be the motto at least for the first week. I've got all my meds I need lined up as living alone and having no one to send out to stand in Walgreens always long lines, I made sure of that.
The mods moved the article I posted on the new ACS mammo screening guidelines to the research area. So far I'm not reading anyone is thinking it's a great idea to change the age to 45. How many people would be stage IV now instead of lower stage if they went soley by the guidelines? I hope women are not going to take this as the golden rule with this age crap and go get screened esp if they have dense breasts or are in a high risk group.
Wishing you all a good bump over the hump today and down to the finish line that's called the week end! xo
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oh wow, I was hit with serious chemo brain yesterday....I'm not kidding.
There was a croissant on our dinner table and I asked the same question of who's it is like 4x. Question was the same, within minutes apart.
Goodness, I hope that brain lapse doesn't happen at work. Imagine I'm in a meeting and asking the same question 4x in a row.
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I hate chemo. My friggin period came...15 days late. WTH?
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I spent a good part of the morning at my first lymphadema therapist appointment. I'm now measured and wrapped. With the left arm now 2-3 times its normal size, I have very little to wear without destroying the sleeve (I love my sweaters!). They want to see me five days a week for an hour and a half per session. If I didn't have a flexible, part-time job, there's no way I could do this without FMLA. Unpaid. They think I'll be done by Thanksgiving because the lymphadema isn't severe yet. With radiation looming in February, trying to get it resolved as much as possible now seems important. I had just enough time to grab lunch at my favorite falaffel shop before my Neulasta shot.
DLcygnet, Diet Coke doesn't make me burn. It looks like Diet Coke, it smells like Diet Coke, but it tastes like nothing I recognize or like. I miss it. Like wine and coffee. Now I must learn the joys of prune juice. Not exactly a fair trade.
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AnnieB43 - I do monthly Lupron shots to minimize my hormones from my ovaries to help chemo annihilate the bad cells better, and it helps keep those pesky period s away
(spotting but not full blown)Scotland - I feel for your longing for wine, I'm a homebrewer and I luv beer but now it's nothing but NA beer. I may dabble in making NA beer in the future. I have enjoyed Kombucha on tap. Our local taprooms have started putting kombucha (Brew Dr. )on tap so my hubby has a beer and I can can either NA beer or kombucha
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SuperMe- I've been able to work full-time as my side effects have been pretty mild. I take infusion day and the day after off.
octogirl- My hair has been growing back between chemo 2 and 3 as well! I hope it stays, I was pretty excited when my husband confirmed that it is indeed longer than when he cut it a couple of weeks ago.
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I'm on Lupron too. Meanwhile, I keep expecting my period to start up anyway (It did last month). Weird.
*sigh* Now I'm having fantasies about a hot bath with a glass of wine, some crackers and brie. Stupid Heartburn.
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Brie--oh Brie. I know you would taste like dirt if I ate you anyway but Brie...
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DLcygnet - well they "say" spotting but I just started on Lupron 9/25/15 so we'll see. It better do something cause it hurts getting a shot in the Bum. lol
Wine and a hot bath sounds awesome.
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Artista - Great attitude on your stage and sensible steps to get ready. I didn't anticipate it, but my buzzcut really helped me transition to my (nearly bald) current state.
Hang in there - we're going to make it - lisa
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