Starting Chemo June 2017
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Taxol number 8 is in the books. I can definitely feel the accumulation effects as last week kicked my butt. A lot more fatigue, aches and pains etc. Out if 16 chemo treatments I've taken though only 4 more to go. I see the finish line finally. I cannot wait t ring that bell loud and proud. Some days I feel like a beast like nothing stands in my way and other days very vulnerable like I want to take a break from treatment but I know I once I'm done with chemo I will get a few weeks break before surgery. Also my head hair and armpit hair are growing back. It feels like the softest baby hair ever. My eyebrows ad all fallen out but new hairs were growing at the same time. Just sort of looks like I shaved them real short. All in all though I'm doing pretty good. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. My youngest son turns 7 today so we will be having a party tomorrow for him.
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Paulette, That's interesting about your thyroid, and makes me feel better about things. Please let us know how that goes. Get that blood built up. I know that liver will help, but I can't eat that. The smell would probably gag me right now, but my first DH loved it when he was on chemo. His mother had to make it for him.
I just walked 2.1 miles before the heat arrived. First time in 13 days. DH motivated me. I had 4 hours sleep. Mind you it was good sleep, but even reducing the steroid didn't get me what I wanted. Oh well. I feel fine for now.
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Kim, I didn't sleep much last night due to the steroid, it is Love and hate meds, I love it so I can eat but can't sleep. Will take my nap this afternoon if I can. I was thinking with all the chemo we did, I think these nodules were so small they might not be here anymore. Mine was 1 mm small I believed. My sister in law told me to eat liver also, ok I might give it a try this weekend. She told me to make liver water with ginger so I drink the water instead of eating the liver. I'm going give it a try.
Hhuey- after several taxol, our red and white blood cells went down so our bodies have a tough time to take taxol. I was comparing my blood test reports I can understand why we feel fatigue. Four more to go !!! Woot woot!! So proud of you
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Hi Ladies,
I thought I’d check in. I’ve been reading, but haven’t had much to contribute lately. Today marks 3 weeks PFC. I can say it is a nice, but surreal feeling. I had my port removed on the 14th. I keep feeling my chest to remind myself that I don’t have it anymore. The removal was much easier that having it put in. After it was done my family carted me around Pike Place Market. My husband’s cousin and her husband were visiting from Kansas at the time.
I still have a bit of fatigue. This week I actually worked all 5 days. Between this school year and last I’ve only done that one other time since January. I was exhausted last night. I went to bed at 8:30 last night. Part of that is because I have a wee bit of a cold. The teenaged carrier monkeys decided to share with me.
I met with my RO and it looks like 28 rounds for me. No boosts. She did a mini chest CT for planning purposes. It took over a week to get the results back and to be honest I was a little nervous. To this point no one had looked at interior nodes, my sternum or lungs. Good news is the scans came back clear. I have the radiation simulation on the 28th and should start treatments shortly thereafter.
I’m 2/3 of the way done with this journey (except reconstruction). My hair is slowly growing back. I’ve lost all of my lower eye lashes and about 1/2 of each eyebrow. I have to say, all of your companionship and support has been tremendous. I truly believe we need a community of those traveling the same path. Soon we will all be able to say we made it to the other side.
Wishing you all few SEs and good health
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Ms Lin - so happy you finished the hard part of this journey, normal life is on the way. 🙌🙌🙌yay!!!
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hhuey, 4 more! 5 more for me! We've got this! I hope your son's birthday party was wonderful for the entire family!
MsLin, Hooray for clear scans, port removal and working all week! I SO pray they will remove mine when they take more lymph nodes. Glad to know it was easier than putting it in. Did they still sedate you to remove?
Someone at church (who has been down this road) pointed out yesterday I still had my brows and lashes. So far...
Fuzzy, wuzzy, baby bird hair is coming in, too. I used to use that term for my first DH about his hair. Now, I have it myself.
I look forward to it's full return in months to come. Hopefully, by spring I can have a nice short 'do. Is that "do"able?Oddly, but so thankfully, I feel better this Monday than any Monday post Taxol. I pray it continues. It truly is the little things, and we all get that having been what we've been through.
All the best this week!
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Kim - my second taxol is better than the first one, I do weekly so it is mild. I'm hoping this will be like this down the road. I'm off to do my thyroid US wish me luck
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Off to see my breast surgeon today at 2. I’m super nervous, have no idea what to expect. I finished my 6th TCHP neoadjuvent chemo 10 days ago, SE have been pretty bad, very tired and nausea is the worst. At least for the first time little to no diarrhea because they gave me some shot and it seems to be working. Wish me luck :
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LTWJ - prayers for you and hope things turn out fine. So you are going to have surgery after chemo?? Prayers and hugs !!
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Paulette and LTWJ, Check in with us when you can and let us know how things went. Prayers that you both get great news and SEs will subside for you, LTWJ.
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Just got back, sonagram was clean nothing visible. Now I’m getting a breast MRI next week and I can decide between a lumpectomy with radiation or single mastectomy/ reconstruction without radiation. Made me happy and I’m working on eating some dinner :
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LTWJ .... happy for you, enjoy your dinner and you are on the better path now
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Hi everyone, I've been offline for awhile (not by choice - my phone crashed and I was out of town) and missed checking in here. It was nice to be disconnected but it also made me realize how much comfort I get just reading through your posts. Sending strength to all of you!
On another note, I was up in the mountains this past week and Colorado has hit a chilly spell. WOW do I get cold without hair on my head! I was really pretty shocked. I couldn't even sleep without my beanie. And my NOSE! Will it ever stop running? This is going to be a long winter!!!
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Sending good vibes to all and celebrating your successes and praying for your struggles but just too busy to reply individually right now. Got to get caught up on all the things I neglected when I wasn't feeling top notch. LOL.
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Kim - they did it with conscious sedation like when they inserted it. I’m pretty sure I fell asleep this time though
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MsLin, Thanks. I thought I was awake during port placement, but the nurse assured me I wasn't.
LTWJ, Good news! I know your decision is a difficult one. My tumor was 3.6 cm. I have done very well from my LX. I know you will make the right decision based on the best advice of your doctors.
T-Sue, Mine constantly runs now (and bleeds when I blow). I don't have random bleeds, but they assured me it was just irritation from the Taxol. I cannot be anywhere without Kleenex at this point. I have my sleep beanie on still.
Haven't been up too long. Was quite the restless night, after a decent Monday for a change. Today is our last unusually hot day. Stay warm!0 -
T-Sue - I'm not looking forward for this winter, since I started chemo I afraid of cold, without hair will be tough. I have been sleeping with my beanie also, I'm having few more warm days then it will turn cold.
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hello girls i am in he hospital i just finished my last chemo i am going to ring the bell literally. I hope i can leave this behind. I am glad to get over after all this sad journey. I did the cold caps so i keep some hair, enough hair to maintain my privacy and continue working all this time.
The next radiation is in November. Thank you very much for your support and for your experiences.i hope all of you finish with this very soon. Keep going. God Bless you!
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Congratulations Vivianlu8
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Can you ladies believe that it is almost October....and many of us are already finishing chemo or close to it? 4 months since June....so hard to believe. It's been some of the longest months of our lives but we're getting there.
As for me, 6 Taxols down, 6 Taxols to go. As annoying as it is to go every single week, Taxol is so much more tolerable. I'm actually able to take weekend trips and go to the parks with my 2 year old. I've started wearing my Fitbit again - I took it off during AC because my step counts were so low it was depressing. Well they're still a little low but I'm getting there! Trying to help combat some of this chemo/Lupron weight gain. Can't wait until I can get back to more exercise!
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Vivianlu8 congratulations!!! ding, ding, ding!!!!
Tomorrow morning I will go for my last DD Taxol infusion. I don't think there is a bell where I go. I'll ring the virtual bell.
CurlyN when this all started, I couldn't believe it would take me from Spring to Fall. And here we are.
I follow up with the surgeon Oct 17 to discuss surgery and next steps. So that will be my winter.
Keep on keeping on ladies!!!
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Good luck with those next steps, Peachy. You and your surgeon will make the decisions that are right for you. You will do great.
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Vivian, Hooray! That's awesome, too, that you kept enough of your hair to maintain your privacy.
I asked last week, and my center doesn't have a bell. I may bring my own and ring it...lol I know I will jump for joy!
Peachy, I will jump for joy for you tomorrow. So glad the last chemo is here for you. WOOT!!
Curly, In some ways the time has gone quickly, and in other ways it has been the longest year of my life. I can see the light, though. I know what you mean about the Fitbit, but I've kept mine on throughout. Some days were depressing at the steps (or lack thereof). Glad you are getting out more with the Taxol. It is definitely more tolerable than AC, though sometimes I am just tired from all the accumulation.
Great news today for y'all!!
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Congratulations Vivianlu8!!! Rest up! You will start to feel better each week!
So exciting to see everyone getting through their treatments. I am now 5 weeks PFC and it is just glorious to have the chemo portion behind me. So grateful to have completed the taxol and facing "only" herceptin, tamoxofin, and TE surgery. Piece of cake. Stay tough everyone!!!
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Vivian, Hooray! 🎊🎊🎊🎊
Curly - I'm in July group and I still have 10 more taxol to do so I keep your company.
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Curly and Paulette, I'll be sticking around for awhile. My next Taxol has been delayed a week due to low WBC counts. I'm hoping a week's rest will improve the numbers, even a wee bit.
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Ring that bell girl!!! Congrat's Vivianlu8 !!! Happy you saved a good bit of your hair.
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Ding! I am done with chemo! I do have to go in tomorrow for a Neulasta shot, but I'm still considering myself done!
After 2 weeks, I'll go for a mammo (don't know why..it never picked up anything) and a breast MRI. Then, a meeting with the surgeon.
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Ding Ding Ding Peachy !!!! 🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊
Good luck on your surgery, if you have question you know we all here for you!!
Kiss - I will be here for many weeks ......
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