My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
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Candy, as far as the last brain MRI, I have had bloodwork done every 3 months when I see MO. So far with addition of the black beans and spinach when I remember it to meals, I am no longer anemic, red blood cells and white blood cells are good as well. My MRI was delayed by a couple months, having in october now.
Mel, the dog pictures of Theo are super cute, thank you for sharing your furry family member.
Not sure what I am doing today, may take a walk or take bus to the community center to walk the free track and then come home. No work vehicles over the weekend. We will see, doing some laundry, removing a tea stain that is on a towel. Goodness knows I cannot have that. Also PT etc as well, we will see how the day shapes up. I am going to suspend peanut butter, I cannot stop eating is as lunch and supper sometimes, unacceptable, will eat through what I have and put the kibosh on it. Had to do that with chocolate bars, can do it this way.
Breakfast is just going to be some beans, corn and mixed veggies with some spinach, chop up with bran, add small amount of rice as well. Use an egg and fry in a pan. All meals including eggs as well. Not sure seasoning yet. Sure it will be good. Thanksgiving is also coming up for canada. I may make some sort of stuffing and turkey stuffed pancakes. Sounds good to me, we will see.
I hope everyone has a good day and still in pockets for my family here.
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candy,
I have always asked for monthly routine labs, and my MO has not refused, even when she thought it not necessary. I like to follow my labs, in part for learning. When I was on Verzenio, my Vit B12 and Vit D fell below normal and no one was monitoring these. I asked for these tests from my Primary and was able to reverse these levels with supplements. My point being that the usual labs ordered by your oncologist, to follow cancer meds and the disease, may miss some lab abnormalities. I'd suggest consulting with your Primary about your hair loss and possible dietary deficiencies.
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Micmel, love the new pics, Theo is just adorable. For mouth sores, have you tried Colgate Peroxyl? It’s OTC and fixed me up in just a couple days.
Candy, before moving out to west Texas, I was getting lab’s every 3 weeks when I had Herceptin/chemo and TM’s every 3 months, when I had scans. My local onc orders all the labs including TM’s, liver function, etc before each infusion.
Not much to report, all is well here.
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Good Morning beautiful Ladies. It’s going to be a. Stormy weekend here for the Jersey Girl. I felt the storm coming all week in my bones. Also have been extra bone sensitive after my 3 shots last Monday. Speaking of that, my butt hips have these hug knots under the skin and are really itchy and sore,that’s the long needle Fasoldex injection, hate them. Also it never fails after these injections I get really annoying neuropathy in my feet 🦶. Other than that I’ve been reading everyone’s posts.
@mkestrel that picture looks so soothing and inviting. Thankyou for posting it.
@weninwi i always love the advice you share. I appreciate it very much.
@micmel the pictures of Theo are absolutely precious. I know Puppies are a lot of work and expense but they are a joy and I know your fatigue in caring for him but you love of this pup will give you the endurance to care for him with your cancer. I’m so glad you have him during this time in your life🐾💗
@candy-678 I too have been struggling with hair thinning. I know in my younger years I used to take the supplement Inositol and it really works good. I always had a thick mane fast hair regrowth. So I’ve started taking it again and notice the hair in my brush is not accumulating into big clumps anymore. DH is also using it. We also added biotin, and I notice with both these supplements my scalp isn’t hurting any more. So hopefully 🤞
To everyone else here try to stay dry this weekend during Tropical Storm Ophelia, depending on where you are on the eastern seaboard. In your pockets….Love all you Ladies of the living room.
Oh before I sign Off, Hey @moderators ,thank you all for your caring comments to everyone here, you are also appreciated for your support.🩵💙😉
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Candy, My MO wants labs every month before my Faslodex shots. I have been getting monthly labs the whole seven years of treatment. I get complete CBC, comprehensive metabolic panel, and cancer antigen. I thought that was routine for everyone.
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I have to do bloods every month and always have, in order for the prescription to go through. I guess I assumed everyone else did too?! I do have known issues with D and B12, and MO has requested those next time as I was complaining about fatigue (pretty sure its still due to clot recovery and pain but hey). Last December my B12 was flagged as too low and the injections perked me back up, so I was pretty thankful for someone keeping an eye on the shop.
As for bone mets pain management - ibuprofen is about the only thing that keeps me functional and reduces the inflammation right now. I know its dicey to be taking it with Eliquis, but the alternative is debilitating fatigue and pain. I balance it out with tylenol and keep the ibuprofen to 400mg (2 pills) max per day. Morphine has only ever helped to take some of the edge off pain. Actually, the Xgeva injections have provided the most pain relief (after the first 72 hours, dear lord is that painful with active mets) so far and Ive been able to drop out quite a few pain doses especially in the last two days. Im really curious to see what my 5 Oct scan looks like compared to early August because there is definitely healing going on in there for sure. My markers are also slowly coming down.
Such a nice fall day here today and feeling so much better, so I made cinnamon rolls from scratch as a project to keep me up and about. Hubs went out for the morning and is now at the football match, so Ive had space to putter around and do crafting. Need to go do an arm weights workout here in a moment, and Ill pick up dinner from the bao shop on the corner as he wont be home until late. A pretty ok day all around, even if Im still mostly stuck at home (not much longer!)
Threetree - how are you doing with your recovery? What a scary event!
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Good morning, all.
Just catching up with all the posts. I'm on my laptop, so it's hard to scroll back. Know that I read them, and care. I'm sorry for those who are suffering and rejoicing with those who have received good news. We're in the desert visiting with my dad this weekend.
I'm learning how to crochet with a little (a LOT) of help from a friend. It's been fun and time flies when I'm doing it.
Love to all,
Carol
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Thanks all for your comments on how you do your labs. I know I probably need to talk with my PCP about the hair thinning, since it could be nutritional and not cancer-related, per se. I just have not told him yet.
Also, I will ask my new MO, for going forward, if he thinks I need monthly labs or just every 4 months. See what his protocol is.
Also, I don't get doing tumor markers at the same time as scans. I thought the reason for tumor markers was to watch for a trend in them going up, and then possibly scan early to see if something is going on. So why draw tumor markers the day of scans?! We are already doing the scans. I would understand doing monthly TM's, and if rising then scan. I will ask MO about this too.
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@candy-678 I get regular labs done every 4 week when I pick up my Verzenio. Tumor markers every 8 weeks.
In everyone’s pockets for a good weekend. I’ve been troll hunting. Trolls are appearing in public spaces around here. It makes me happy.
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i had only gotten labs every six months. Scan every year I don’t want to go back to anything else. I took all those hits already.
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I get a complete panel every month before starting another round of Ibrance. My kidney values are down and I'm quite worried about that. My hair is also thinning which I assumed was from the Ibrance since it's a listed side effect. I'll ask about the inositol and see what they think.
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I get scanned every 3 months, and I get Labs bloodwork every 4 weeks and see my oncologist and then get my injections of Fasoldex and Xgeva. My Onc has always had me do labs bloodwork and folowups every 6 months since treatment ended in 2009. And my last Bloodwork cancer Antigen at a 6 month follow up alerted him to the stage IV diagnosis. Now he sees me every 4 weeks blood work to follow up to check if treatment is working correctly. He watches my platelets, hemoglobin, in CBC, and Metabolic blood tests.
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Theo says hello ladies. Kisses are free In The living room!!!
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I just read on the in Memorium thread that nicolerod has passed away. Beesy, the Other One, posted the news and said she has contact info for Nicole's husband. I know she posted here in the past.
Deepest condolences to her family and loved ones.
Trish
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Oh god. Losing someone never gets easier. May she rest in peace. I’m sending thoughts to her sweet husband and family. I hate this disease so very much. What a sweet sweet woman she always was. Another beautiful soul taken way too early. Thank you for letting us know. I’m so sad.
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Good evening all. Watching youtube Meterologist Andy Hill. He's focusing on OK and MO with severe weather and tornado warnings at the moment. Hope all in that area are safe. Talked to DS in Charlotte, no rain. Most of the storm stayed east of I-95 I'm guessing? Shanagirl, guess it's coming your way. We had a beautiful fall day, 70 overnight and only 83 for a high.
I can't say much about NSAID's personally. Only passed on what a commentator had stated in the Wash Post (or was it NY Times) article. I use Tylenol in a.m. and Aleve in p.m. Gabapentin at bedtime. Nothing works great in my personal experience.
In pockets for all scans and other needs. Theo is so adorable but growing up too fast, lol.
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AJ~ love the trolls they look so cool. I’d like to see one up close they look huge !
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@shanagirl - Your kind words are much appreciated, thank you! 💖
The Mods
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Ah, Ive been thinking of nicolerod quite often the last week or two, hoping she achieved her final goals of all the family being together. Thanks for letting us know trishyla, Ill go check the In Memoriam thread.
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mae, happy that everything is going well for you of course.
Carol, my SIL and youtube tried to teach me. I can do the initial row but cannot for the life of me figure out the second row. Glad you are enjoying it, SIL used to bring it with her when she was coming with me to chemo early on.
AJ, those kind of trolls are welcome. Pretty creative.
Irishlove, when I fractured my feet from walking around the halls at the hospital post brain surgery, I was dumb and did not wear shoes. I gave myself stress fractures and could barely walk for the other checkups. I broke the Advil rule because Tylenol would not touch the pain, within 4 days, I could walk properly again. I did not take Advil again unless it was an emergency. In future, if stuck in hospital and itching to walk, will wear sneakers. I take Advil now as needed too, Tylenol is used for mostly cold symptons for me.
Not sure what I want to do, mostly want to do money making stuff to help take the cost off kitty litter, man that stuff is expensive for the good stuff, next paypal redemption is going toward paying that off. I have two internet billls to pay so no meals delivered. If I want something, could get a cheese burger or happy meal myself picking it up since paratransit is free. Have to remember to get paratransit to take to and from cancer clinic on wednesday for herceptin, feel bad I am not using it enough. The woman I spoke to on the phone when booking said she knows my street is under heavy construction as she lives the next street over, she thinks they will get through, we will see. If they cannot get through, I will get through to a bus, can't afford all the UBER.
Not sure about breakfast, had a pancake bread yesterday that hid choc milk, egg, corn and blackbeans with cheese. Made it savoury so added garlic powder and chicken, mixed up and cooked in sandwich maker, cut up and added some mayo and salt to top. It was good, might make a sweet version today as that was pretty good. Pancake mix can make a lot of different things for me, just need to see what it can do. Might add sausage today as well, make a sort of inside out sort of pizza riff with olives sausage or hotdog bits and cheese and garlic. I think that is what I want to try.
Not going to give up peanut totally, mind over matter in this case, have a tsp every meal if need be, we will see.
Mel, cannot forget to say that Theo is still very handsome and glad you are enjoying him so much.
Hope everyone has a good day, pockets for anyone who needs me.
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Good morning all. It’s still overcast and rainy form the tropical storm Ophelia today. I’m going to try and paint 🎨 and clean out my closet. Yesterday was a washout, and so was I. Lot’s of neuropathy, bone pain, and very tired. I’m feeling the blahs from my Fasoldex and Xgeva injections and the storm.
I am so saddened to learn of the passing of @nicolerod. I hope she was able to reach her goal of being all together with her family. I am sending my condolences to her husband and her family. Thank you @trishyla1 for letting us al know…😢💙
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Saddened to read about nicolerod. Will pray for her family.
I have another UTI…ugh! I have a virtual appointment at 10:40 this morning so I can get some antibiotics. I am so thankful for virtual!
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Sondraf - Thanks very much for asking about my hard fall ordeal. I am recovering, but it is slow and sometimes the old 2 steps forward, 1 step back sort of thing. Only my shoulder broke, but all my other main joints; knees, wrists, elbows, and even other shoulder got rammed/jammed/strained/sprained/badly bruised, etc., so those areas can be more sore, painful, and debilitating than the actual fractured upper arm. Again, it is all getting better slowly. I think I just need time. Thanks too for giving me an opportunity to rant and complain about it a little more to anyone who will listen (wink). It's therapeutic for me, but probably bugs and annoys others.
AJ - Love the trolls - not just under the Fremont Bridge apparently. Those are great!
Mel - Many kisses back to Theo - too cute!
Also, I did was not familiar with nicolerod, but am of course very sad to read about her having died. My sincere sympathies to her family and all who did know her. This disease knows no mercy or compassion!
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Oh I am so very sad to learn Nicolerod passed away. She was so young, just wanted her family together. I know we were all praying she had the chance to try the TIL clinical trial. I first "met" her back in 2019 when we were both diagnosed first time with b.c. If I recall, we were both Stage 0! I just ache for her family and the missed opportunities she would have enjoyed with her grandchild. sigh……..
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This disease truly does ruin everything. You fight your hardest, suffer in between, loose pieces of yourself, I just hope somehow her family knows she’s no longer suffering. Losing someone is so difficult, I am thinking of her family and friends. She had many here. On BCO. She was loved.
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Very sad to read of Nicole. She always sounded so scared. May she rest in peace.
About the low energy. I too have none. It started when I I started a new med last fall and my dr is fed up with me complaining of side effects. So my new doctor promptly changed it just this week. It was for blood pressure! I believe there were 3 other side effects I have from it. Idiot that I am I waited almost a year before I finally found a new PCP.
About bone pain. I thought I read here on BCO that Claritin helped ease the pain. I'll be searching for that though I can't say I needed it after radiation AND most of my other pain ended when I started experimenting with antidepressants. My PA says they prescribe that often now for pain instead of opiates. And it's well known that antidepressants can drain your energy.
What is everyone's experience with either Claritin or antidepressants?
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I pray that nicolerod is at peace, and that her family will be comforted. It's always hard to hear of another one of ours gone too soon. 💔
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@gailmary , I started antidepressants when I was diagnosed. They took away the debilitating anxiety I was feeling. But I’ve gotten really fatigued and the palliative care doctor prescribed Ritalin. Just started and I haven’t needed my afternoon nap! I plan to take it sparingly when I have to be awake in the afternoons
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