Starting Chemo in July 2017
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Hair porn....hahaha! Love it! Everyone's hair looks great!! I am obsessed with mine. Its coming in thick and grey...seriously its silver at age 47! Ugh! I look like Anderson Cooper!!! But I guess I am just happy to have it again and soon will be able to color!! This pic was yesterday....10 wks PFC. Getting eyebrows and lip waxed this weekend and finally enough eyelashes to wear mascara again!!
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Runnermum wow silver fox isn’t it? How’s your eyebrows color? I found myself have more Grey than before.
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paulette...haha yes silver fox!! Love it!! My eyebrows are dark! I had grey before BC but not this much!!!
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Love the hair porn, and the Ron Jeremy allusion, too funny 😂.
Runnermum, so sorry you have the elevated PSA to worry over. Even though it's most likely nothing, these things take on a whole new meaning for us. Prayers said in earnest for good results for your DH.
Jen you're looking gorgeous, it will be a huge step forward when we look more like ourselves too.
Paulette your hair is so dark, this time next month I bet your getting a trim. You have 5 boosts then done, woot!
Leatherette, nice and thick, no scalp showing. So looking forward to that stage. Almost there.
Proud, woot, I remember you mentioning a little while back you weren't sure it was going to grow back. The new drug doesn't have hair loss as a SE, so glad!
LoJo, I just love NYC, enjoy! Will you be catching a show? I just love Broadway, we're heading there for a couple nights in the fall before we catch a cruise to NE and Canada. I really need to start researching what we'll see.
So this Thursday I see a GYN at the center where my BS will do my prophylactic mastectomy so I can have my ovaries removed at the same time. I'm getting this done in March after I return from Hilton Head. Surgery back in May was the easiest part of this journey and I expect this to be easy too. Then I can say it's finally over. I see my MO a week from Monday and will be starting my AI and a new clinical trial. Hopefully I'll be randomized into the trial drug group and not the placebo.
Have a great weekend. Prayers and hugs
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no pics of hair but mine looks much like the ones posted, course i have this lump on my head from the surgery for hydrocephelus so not a nicely sohaped head.
Dealing with head cold so dosing with tea and crackers!
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runnermum, I love the color!
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I haven’t made any travel plans, my girlfriend is going to 10 days Alaska cruisesin May, I don’t think I’m ready for that, my husband agreed also. I guess maybe I could do a short road trip around summer time.
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Love seeing & reading about everyone's progress here!
Runnermum, keeping your husband & your family in my prayers. My father had an elevated PSA a few years ago, so I know the feeling... Great to see your hair coming in nicely! I have heard that some people start with gray growth, and eventually gets the color back. So maybe the gray is temporary.
LoJo, have fun in NYC! It's one of my favorite places to visit. I was there in January several years ago for my hubby's 40th birthday, and despite the cold weather we had a blast!
Proud, hope you feel better soon! I had a head cold around the holidays, but thank God it was just a normal cold. I keep hearing these stories about the current flu that everyone's getting so I'm trying to stay out of public places. Praying that yours doesn't get worse!
Teese, sounds like things are moving right along for you. How is post-rads going? Hope your skin is doing well.
Paulette, are you finishing up rads this week? Time has flown by... Now that you're seeing hair growth, it will start to grow faster. One day you will wake up and be surprised at how much has grown. Re: neuropathy, I still feel a little on the balls of my feet and toes, but I only notice when I've been on my feet all day.
I met with my MO last week and he started me on tamoxifen. So far, no major SEs. Since I've "done so well with my treatments" (his words), I just need to see my gyno regularly and keep up with my regular screenings. I'll see him in 6 weeks, then quarterly going forward unless I have any major issues. I meet with my RO next week for my 4 week post-rads follow up. Since I don't have any skin issues currently, this should be a short appointment. I requested a referral to an Oncology nutritionist, so I have an appointment next week.
Since my appointments seem to be wrapping up this month, I have to figure out what my new normal will be. Other than diet and exercise, I need to watch out for activities that affect lymphedema. My LE is keeping me from doing any heavy lifting but PT was ok with light weights. I bought some resistance bands a few months ago so I guess I should start using them. Last week, my friends came by with their 9-month old baby and I awkwardly tried to carry him on my non-affected side but that was weird, so I stood him up and held his hands as we went for a little waddle around the office. It was so cute!
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Hi all back from our Carribean cruise to the ABC islands. Started radiation number one today. Picked up some high-end aloe cream from Aruba called Alhyderm? Any how was supposed to be good for people getting radiation. I figure I'll use it if my skin gets really bad otherwise I'll just use the glaxal base.
congratulations to all of those who are now finished radiation! Another milestone in this journey.
My eyebrows and eyelashes are almost 100% back to normal. Had to have them waxed and my upper lip wax before I went on the trip also had to do a bikini shave! Didn't wear my wig on the boat very much only to dinner. So I had to wear my hat most of the time. But what a relief no one looked at me as if I was anything different. Really looking forward to having some more hair grow in.! Here's to hair!
I love reading everybody's posts and catching up with everyone. We've come a long way from way back June July when we first started her chemo and when we were on the first end of this journey. Now we're nearing the end of active treatment and it's so great that Paulette has created a Facebook page where we can all continue to stay friends share milestones and share what's happening in our lives. So again, thanks for that Paulette.
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Hi all back from our Carribean cruise to the ABC islands. Started radiation number one today. Picked up some high-end aloe cream from Aruba called Alhyderm? Any how was supposed to be good for people getting radiation. I figure I'll use it if my skin gets really bad otherwise I'll just use the glaxal base.
congratulations to all of those who are now finished radiation! Another milestone in this journey.
My eyebrows and eyelashes are almost 100% back to normal. Had to have them waxed and my upper lip wax before I went on the trip also had to do a bikini shave! Didn't wear my wig on the boat very much only to dinner. So I had to wear my hat most of the time. But what a relief no one looked at me as if I was anything different. Really looking forward to having some more hair grow in.! Here's to hair!
I love reading everybody's posts and catching up with everyone. We've come a long way from way back June July when we first started her chemo and when we were on the first end of this journey. Now we're nearing the end of active treatment and it's so great that Paulette has created a Facebook page where we can all continue to stay friends share milestones and share what's happening in our lives. So again, thanks for that Paulette.
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So glad to hear from Sunny, I know we are trying to go back to our normal life. LE is not fun and it’s a life time concern we have to watch.
Today the radiation clinic closed so I have 5 sessions, so I last one will be next Monday. Skin is holding up, little uncomfortable around armpit and nipple. Around my breast red turned into tanned now. My collarbone area turned all red up to half way on my neck. Fatigue is big time so I nap al most every afternoon.
Tpralph, I saw your vacation picture, so happy you had a nice trip. I haven’t made any plans because I still have so many appointments to follow up. I worried about my teeth since I haven’t had a good cleaning for almost a year. Good luck on your radiation, load up your lotion, I actually put lotion on 4 times a day.
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morning all, rumor has us getting snow again but i am in denial,!
So had my full spine mri yesterday, such fun. It is like if complain to mo about something, in this case a back ache, well then i end up with another scan. Had the brain scan last week, have not gotten results yet
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Iris ..l. Will pray for you, need a good report !!!
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Iris...I was thinking about you last week and wondering how you were! Saying prayers for good results this week.
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good to hear folks were thinking of me, makes it easier to handle. So i am thinking it will be next week till i hear results, they should be posted on the website by then. Conversation meeting with onc i am not sure when, i just keep popping my 8 chemo pills a day till told else
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you will be on my mind...please let us know results
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Iris .... keep you in my pray.
My hair is growing so slow, and I’m getting so tired of my beanie.... grrrrrr when can I take that thing off?
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the fact that i have hair......big to me, taxol took the hair but this med currently kinder to hair! Including facial hair it seems
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Iris, my hair grow so slow, I am hoping to can dump my beanie soon but I don’t think so.
I walked more than 2 miles this morning and took some pictures while I walked. I feel good and need to do more thinking what I want to do after treatment.
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i guess i am just startled to sudenly see hair again! Not ready to stop with the hats and such but we are getting somewhere
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Paulette,
The flower picture is gorgeous...the only thing growing here in Ohio is the amount of snow on the ground! Enjoy your walks and let the warm sunshine boost your morale 😎
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Paulette, have you considered amateur photography? You seem to have the eye for it... I like the composition of your flower pic! You just reminded me of a lady in my Look Good Feel Better class. She grows orchids and does amateur photography as side jobs. Since you're looking to do something meaningful once this is all over, think about your passions and go from there!
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Just found out my MO requested Bone CT instead of Bone Density Test before AI, I just wonder why? I thought we only need bone density test, if I have bone mets would it shows up on my PET scan? I know I might be worry too much!
Jay, I’m not sure what am I going to do, one of my friend is starting a photography group and he wants to make plan to go different area to take pictures, My husband and I are going to join him to have some fun. Some of the people had stole my photos before, i just want to have some fun for now.
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Paulette, is the photography group open to the public? I live in the south bay and have been thinking about finding a photography group to join, so I may be interested if your friend's group accepts anyone.
I don't know too much about the bone scan, but maybe your MO wants to have a baseline to start with before starting you on the AI since the AI can affect the bones long term.
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sunny, my friend lives in San Francisco and he is my old church friend. That’s his suggestion and we haven’t done anything yet. When we have things confirmed then I let you know.
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Hi all, saw my PS today, and am getting tissue expander on Valentines day. DIEP will be in June or so.
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Hi Everyone!
Iris - sending lots of good thoughts your way. Glad that your hair is coming back on the new drugs.
Paulette - I love that picture. I love Bottle Brush (I know that's not the scientific name! :-) blooms!
Tpralph - Glad you had a good trip... so great you were able to go before radiation.
I'm back from my week in NYC (my DH and I are weird Californians who love to go to NYC in the dead of winter!). Ladies, I must tell you, this is an annual trip that we take, and this year it was so, so, so good! We walked... and I mean, we walked (no day was under 6 miles, had an 8 mile day in there somewhere). Do you know how thankful I was to be able to walk like this? So thankful I almost cried a few times!
We ate, we drank (yes, I imbibed on this trip, but back on the wagon of 1-2 drinks a week, max). I enjoyed every bite of bagel with cream cheese and lox, every sip of a beautiful cocktail (if you're ever in NYC, and you're letting yourself splurge on a drink... I can't recommend The Up&Up in NoHo/Greenwich Village highly enough!), and every day walking around the city!
One thing I've been realizing through this, especially as I am more on the other side of active treatment is... my style is changing. I feel a bit more edge, a bit more, "I don't give a sh*t what people think" (which I already had a little bit of!) and a bit more... "Buy the damn shoes if you love them!" Let me tell you, NYC is the perfect place to be if a style change is occurring! Of course, my pocketbook felt it a bit, but I mostly window shopped, and looked at all the interesting outfits around me and got very inspired!
I feel like this trip was a big life marker. Like, it kicked off my 'new normal' in such a lovely way!
I have my new Dr. Martens on and am ready to kick some ass this year!
Think of all of you often (I call you my online BC friends when I talk about you!) and look forward to staying in touch as we all move into this next phase. (Paulette - I will respond to your FB request!).
I will continue to check-in over here to see what everyone is up to!
-LoJo
Some pictures from the trip...
Fancy Drinks!
Amazing spread!
I'm always intrigued by the workings of a city (like garbage management, street repairs, snow plowing, salt throwing, etc.)... this pile was taller than me (I'm 6' tall, so!), and I found it strangely beautiful in B&W.
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Hi She1212 - how did the chemo go. I had port placement friday morning and start first chemo(ac) on thursday followed by 12 weeks t.
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lojo, sounds like a fantastic trip! Getting to a new normal is such an important thing... sounds like you’re well on your way
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lojo, glad you enjoyed your nyc visit. I lived there during college and surely did like the experience. I used to hit the Public Theatre after work and got cheap tickets for plays, saw Hair when it was previewing before it wentmon to Broadway, great time
But i enjoy my nj life now
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