Chemo starting April 2018
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Urdrago, Praying the surgery went well and your recovery is easy and pain-free. We're all here if you need us.
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urdrago, sending get well, and heal quick wishes your way. I'm hoping the pain level is not bad, and you can look back on this step soon.
Hugs girlfriend.
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NoteRed—my skin has held up pretty well. Just last weekend I noticed my nipple (which is included in the boost area) was getting a little oozy, but not too bad. I also really only had one period of what I’d call fatigue—this past Tuesday when I had to get off my feet for a few hours. Other than that my chest was a little itchy but everywhere but the boost area is already looking much better.
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Hold on, Urdrago! Hope you feel better soon and get online. We miss you and wish you speedy recovery
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Hi all. ..I'm home long story I could of stayed but it was the cloth pull around rooms in overflow bcuz hospital was packed.So I figure I might as well sleep in a less noisy room, my own..Everything went really well. The wire localization doctor numbed me up with needle super well no issues. Then nurses rolled me to surgery and my doc, and a plastic surgeon in training where at my bed iwithin 10 minutes. hooked IV up nurses took notes, and I was in surgery by 1:13pm. I woke up, actually puked and than ate a little to get medicine down. Doctor came in said everything went well. Took level 1 and 2 nodes and a couple from level 3. Now we wait for pathology..doctor found one of my node actual had ink in it, from my tattoo. She is going to use in reasearch.
Pain is doable with pain medication. Trio from medication at walgreens in middle of night. You know when you want to be asleep but havent made it home yet.
pharmacy,"mama we need the doctor to call insurance to approval medication so ur insurance will pay the bill."
Me, " what the heck are u telling me I cannot get my meds?"
Pharmacy," well insurance company is closed and it usually takes three days for these medications to go thru."
Me,"are u serious. I just got out of surgery"
Pharmacy,"well let's see what these cost u could just pay cash."
Me, "yes, will pay cash before the pain kicks in"
It was less than 20 dollars, what where those crazy ppl thinking. I wasnt leaving with meds but leaving hospital in late evenings is drama..
I surely need help to milk the tube. Cannot even see where at they placed it, ugh. Doctors said take off gauze in 48 hours. No left over 5 lbs. And cover drain site when I shower. Which should be interesting since i dont even know where it starts..lol
Thanks everyone for the well wishes and prayers.
Sending good vibes to everyone . Have a wonderful weekend!!
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Hey urdrago,
I'm glad the surgery went well, but am sorry you had to contend with the late night drama afterwards. I'm surprised the hospital didn't send you home with the meds in the first place. I kinda thought they would, so now I'm thinking that DH will be doing a pharmacy run when I have my surgery. For $20, I wouldn't have worried about an insurance copay either. Interesting about the ink from your tattoo being in the node... Re a shower: maybe a sponge bath for the first couple of days until you can figure out the drain, etc? I read something that says the more active you are, the more fluid will drain, If you want the drain out ASAP, just lay around on the couch, I guess (not that you are going to want to do anything else, lol).
Netflix binge, rest up, and feel better. Thanks for keeping us updated. Big hugs and healing vibes going out to you!
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Thanks for checking in urdrago. Sounds like a good start to this not fun part of your journey.
Just re: pain meds, I always get them several days or a week before surgery. In fact I’ve told friends who were going to have surgery who have not gotten them to go ahead and ask for the scrip(s). No reason to deal with what you did.
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Ingerp,with all the new Opioid laws they cannot give us drugs early. Also I didnt get out of recovery til after 5pm and doctor had to see that I was okay to go home. which meant I had to walk and keep food down. So everything at hospital was closed by eleven pm. It all worked out..
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Oh wow, urdrago, I didn’t know. Maybe it varies by state? I know I got them early before my lx last spring. Sending you lots of speedy healing vibes.
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Urdrago, good to hear you are home and resting. When are you going to know the surgical pathology? Hoping to hear good news. Re: good shows. I started watching Orange is the New Black on Netflix, and can vouch for this show. It’s hilarious. Perfect for binge watching.
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Inna I started on OITNB a while ago but found it a little rough. I'll go give it another try!
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Ingerp, I also remember starting it a few years ago and stopping after a couple of episodes. But this time it just clicked. Give it another chance.
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Will do! I could say the same thing about Kimmie Schmidt (sp?) after one of my kids said he liked it. Didn’t love the first few episodes but it turns into a very 30 Rock vibe. I just finished Bojack Horseman—interesting show. I’m always looking for good streaming recommendations—I watch an episode or two of something every night in bed.
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Can someone please explain if chemo sickness that comes on for a few days after each infusion is like having the flu or is it worse?
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Oy, Robyn—it varies so much. I was probably half-way through before I noticed much. The way I described it to people was that I felt heavy—like if I was sitting down I didn’t feel like getting up. At least for me I wouldn’t say I felt sick. I was lower energy, and the last few weeks I let my husband do most of the cooking. Other than that, I didn’t miss any work other than half a day for infusions. Never had any nausea, although took some anti-nausea meds for a few days each time just because I had them. I ate a *lot* of protein throughout, which really helped my blood counts, and I think that helped me feel not too bad
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Robyn, for me it was nausea and achy body with extra sleeping. But taking claritin, drinking lots of fluids. Eating little bits more often and getting thru the first of AC I knew what to expect. If u fill in ur signature to include chemo u will be taking it helps others answer as well. We can give u suggestions as we all react differently through each step.
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Hi Robyn,
Not knowing what chemo you'll be getting, I'll just tell you my experience. I had AC every other week x 4, followed by 12 weekly Taxols. The Taxols were a breeze, but dose dense people would tell you differently.
For me, AC felt like I was coming down with the flu, but not like I had it, if that makes sense. I felt worn out and tired, not much energy, and I had the nausea. It really helped me to take the nausea meds on time. If I waited until I felt sick to take the meds, then they took awhile to catch up. I took nausea meds every 8 hours and would feel queasy at about six hours, so I kept food in my stomach around the 6 hour mark (ginger cookies, dry cereal like mini-wheats, crackers, etc). I never actually got sick and threw up. Also, you need to know that the flu-like feeling and nausea only lasted for about 24 hours. I could feel it kicking in around 3:00 pm on Thursday (after my infusion on Tues) and could feel it leaving around 3:00 pm on Friday. I also worked all through chemo and only missed time when I had my infusions. My oncologist and I worked out my infusion schedule so I had the worst symptoms over the weekend.
Keep a chemo diary when you start - note your symptoms and when they came on and what helped them. Each infusion afterward will be nearly identical, so the diary helps you know what to expect.
Good luck!
Robin
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I had 4 AC's and 4 DD Taxols. AC felt like bad hangover. I second GAWarrior about nausea meds. Take them on time and you will be fine. Use a mix of baking soda and salt for mouth sores. I hated Taxol. It was worse than AC for me.Had an allergy to the solvent and was switched to Abraxane half-way, which wasn't a picnic either. Had joint pain, itchiness and fainting spells due to low blood pressure (I think). Acupuncture helped.
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Gawarrior, I'm trying the laying around to get drain out but still have 50ml and it's just day 3. Btw: with all this stuff on the right side now. I almost forgot I had a port til I ran my hand over it .lol
Hope everyone is doing well.
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Urdrago, it's good to hear that you're "laying around". For these first few days, that's probably best. My PS removed my port at the implant exchange surgery. I was as excited at getting the port removed as having the expanders removed. Wishing you good news on your path report!
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Robyn, I see that you've posted your question on the TCHP site. Hopefully, those ladies can answer your question with more details for that chemo regimen, or maybe if any of our April group had that mix, they could help you. I had 4 rounds of Taxotere-Cytoxan so I don't know how helpful I'd be. As I've learned from these groups, the side effects vary so much.
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hi everyone, as soon as I would write "April" in the sand it would wash away! Thinking of all of you. We are in the middle of the hurricane path. Will ride it out unless mandatory evacuation and should have a plan in the morning. I hope everyone is feeling well. Looking forward to reading back a bit to catch up. Sending good vibes to each of you!
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DebAl stay safe. Looks beautiful!! I thought some places have mandatory evacuation as I had seen on tv?
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DebAL, the waves are already looking quite rough. As Urdrago said, stay safe.
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Urdrago, good for you just "laying around". I have no idea how much fluid to expect, so I'm hoping 50 ml is low. I think I read somewhere that they take the drains out after 3 days of less than 25ml/day, so you're getting there. Hugs!
Maggie, no one said anything about taking my port out during my BMX next week and I forgot to ask. Taking it during the exchange surgery sounds like the way to go in case there is residual left after surgery and I need more chemo (God forbid!!!!).
DebAL, I've been thinking of you in the hurricane path. If you haven't already, go get some bottled water (enough for a few days) and bread, lunchmeat or whatever food you can eat without heating in case of a few days of no power. They beach looks beautiful right now, though - I'm jealous. Have fun!
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Sorry I've been so MI ladies. I have been struggling with having anxiety and over exhaustion from radiation. I just don't get it. I have 9 more treatments to go and I'm struggling with anxiety?! Ugh
I have also noticed that I am still a little foggy headed in the mind. My boyfriend get so frustrated trying to have a conversation with me where I am like, What? Really hoping that starts going away as I start getting back into a normal routine. I'm not wondering if the fogginess isn't just the exhaustion and anxiety.
I absolutely love all the face shots and headshots of everybody's hair and ending treatments! Even got to see what are handsome gent looks like along with his lovely wife Janice. You are all such beautiful ladies and handsome gent and you inspire me everyday! Even when I'm not chatting away with you I'm still thinking about you all. I noticed today at my radiation Clinic that they do have a little bell that you can ring when you're all done. Not really sure what I'm going to do yet.
DebAl I just told my boyfriend I would love to just go lay by the Ocean after I was done as well. Course that's not going to happen, but boy would that be cool. You be careful out there!
Well I just wanted to drop a quick line out there to tell everyone I'm thinking of you all. Looking forward to seeing more smiling faces as time is going on when hair is growing back and treatments are ending.
Welcome to any of the newcomers on our board. You have found an awesome support group being on here. All these peeps have so much information and such big hearts!
Hugs to you all!
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Hi Life1963,
Thanks so much.
One way or the other, we're all members of a club we'd rather not have joined, but it is good to have this wonderful community. I'm so sorry you are dealing with anxiety. I too suffer from that and have for a long time. I pray that you are feeling better soon. Both Janice and I have colds right now. It seems like the entire college is sick.
Aside from being right by the beach in Malibu, we love going to Duke's for this....
Their famous Hula Pie
If any of you guys ever make it out to California, we'll be glad to take you there. 0 -
Engine, that's a recovery Pie ! Recover from anything on one's mind and focus on the amazing Hula pie..I need one of those..😛
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They are good, Urdrago. In fact, sometimes I'll go there and order a salad for dinner and have the hula pie
I just wrote our Public Safety Department on campus to see if they would like to join the Pink Patch Project. https://www.cityofhope.org/pink-patch-project
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Engine, I just clicked on the link and love all the details and information provide to individuals. I want to get one of the patches. "Together we fight". Thanks for sharing!! I'm sure we have something here locally but I havent seen it thru the local cancer society.
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