Chemo Starting August 2018
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wanderweg, "I'm gradually getting myself used to Sineading all over town" was a LOL for me. I am doing the same! I think of myself as Emma Gonzalez. No more hats except when it's cold!!
MGJ: Yes, I am actually at the airport right now, getting ready to red-eye to NJ for an intake appointment tomorrow and a set up for rads appointment on Friday. Then I go home Fri eve, and return in two weeks to begin treatment.
It was REALLY HARD leaving my kitties even though it is only two days! I am in love with them, and i do not want them to worry! There is nothing like waking up to two patient kittens, purring their guts out. A friend is going to go feed them and play with them a little, and it's only 48 hours.... I will be bringing them with me to NJ. There are several residence hotels near the Proton center, and they take pets. :-)
A funny kitten story: a good song came on the radio yesterday, and I started to dance. I guess my eyes were closed. When I opened them both kittens were staring at me in shock and concern. I must have looked like I was seizing or convulsing or something.
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PS Actually my kids exhibit shock and concern when I dance too....
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I can’t wait until I can go sineading. Now if I didn’t have cover I would be mini-meting. LOL
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Sineading all over town! I love it! I wish I could do it but I’m not there yet with my hairline. It’s still freaking cold here so in my hat I stay.
Santabarbarian—safe travels! Tell me everything when you get home. I’m so curious about the proton rads. The rads are so fast it’s crazy. I didn’t even get through Bob Marleys ‘Don’t Worry About a Thing . . . .’ Before I was done. I love my cats, they continue to violate my personal space daily. Nothing like horrific night sweats while kicking off blankets and a 17 pound boy cat who has posted up on my chest 😸 the struggle is real.
It is 4 weeks out from my last Taxol, I ran 4 miles this morning, and just had radiation #4. I looked it up on a numerology chart since I always notice numbers in series— ‘The universe and spirit guides are protecting you. . . ‘. I will take it! I treated myself to a decaf latte with coconut milk this morning from Starbucks after rads. I’m such a wild woman, in my former life I would have gone day drinking.
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Way to go for the 4-miler! You are a stud!
Procure has been fantastic. They have excellent organization and staff. The facility is new and gorgeous. People extremely nice and professional. I feel like I made a great choice. They made a foam mold for me to lie in so my positioning will be easy and exact. I got my tattoos (tiny, lost in a sea of freckles). It takes some time to come up w treatment formulae and then I will begin apx 2/11. It will be 5.5 weeks of treatment.
I already enjoyed a night in NYC last night! Had a car so went to Manhattan and stayed w friends, instead of hotel, then came back out today for my other appt. I am about to head to airport and go home.
There is zippo to do in Somerset NJ... I take it back; there's an ice rink.... It's a corporate HQ/ industrial park area not far from Rutgers. Only 45-55 min drive to NY at non-commute direction/time. Or, ~1 hr train.
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MGJ - wow on the 4 miles! I went for a 2 mile walk today, as I’m gradually rehabbing myself after the ankle surgery. It feels good to be moving again.
Santabarbarian - I’ll be interested to hear how the proton therapy goes.
So here’s me at 12 weeks PFC. of course I want more hair than this, but I’m grateful to have even this much.
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MGJ, you ARE a stud! (I liked that, SB)!
Wanderweg; you’re a babe! Check out your luscious mane. Loving it.
MACTAZ: thinking of you as you are heading into surgery, love and light.
I hope the rest of us are just plugging along.... xO
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Wanderweg, I’m so envious of your dark hair!!! I had been coloring my hair for so long, I had my fingers crossed. So far at 14 weeks PFC I’m 50/50. Of course I am 54!
LOL I got brave and took off my hat to show my best friend. Her husband said I looked “bad ass”. Ha ha. I’m still wearing my wig and hats outside of the home otherwise. It’s too cold anyway in Kansas. Are you still wearing a sleep cap to bed? Weirdly I find it comforting still (and warm!).
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Thanks, KWilli!
Cefinkc - I had a lot more gray pre-chemo and am assuming it will return (I’m 56). My hair first came in super pale but then suddenly turned dark. A good friend of mine said the same thing - that I look bad ass now.
MACTAZ - I hope you are able to enjoy this weekend before your surgery.
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Hi my beautiful ladies! Irina is here! Wanderweg- ypu Rock!!! Other girls , I miss you and wish you finish, I hope you finished with treatments!!
Sunshine89, I hope you feel good although I did read some posts about you - hope your skin gets better!!
I m on tamoxifen for 3 months , have bad plantar vasiitis , whatever don’t know how to write it, it’s a pain in a heel , inflammation have to go and see podiatrist.
I wish all good luck and recovery!!
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You guys don't just look badass-- you ARE badass. Everyone on this forum is badass. We DEFINE the word.
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wanderweg, you look great. I hope mine comes in a good as yours. I’m only 6 weeks out so have some time yet before I start to fret.
All take care, hope everyone’s treatments go well
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Bostonian - Any issues with the tamoxifen? So far so good with me, after 8 weeks.
MACTAZ - I was essentially completely bald 8 weeks out, and then things started changing a little the next week. It helped that the fuzz mysteriously morphed at that point from pale to dark. So, yeah no point in worrying yet for you it’s still early. You’ll be getting hair as you heal from your surgery.
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Re hair, I am sure that the ice caps I did for chemos 2-6 helped me get a head start-- because I never lost all my hair, and I first saw "five o'clock shadow" regrowth a few weeks before my final chemo.
I am now 7.5 weeks PFC, but it has been about 11-12 weeks since my hair was about where wanderweg's is right now. My hair has now crossed the line from "shaved" to "cut." It's very short like a crew cut but nice and thick now. Still filling in gradually in the front & widow's peak area (which got the most bald initially).
PS my hair got darker too. The tips of the hairs are very thin and wispy so initially it felt more like fur than hair... but the new growth is thicker and more hair like.
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Good to know! Mine is 50/50 but in a way that it has a unique hue because it is so blended together. Very hard to explain. I’ll get the nerve to snap a photo soon. I sure do hope the darker hair wins out in the end though! H
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Hey girls, sorry I have not been to good about writing. Have been having some shoulder issues, probably from laying on it to much. Took aleve for a few days and feel much better today. Mactaz, I did want to get on computer today to see if anyone has talked to you yet. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, it will go well. xoxoxo
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Anyone have information regarding safety concerns of having MRI one day after taxol #12
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Thinking of you, MACTAZ, and sending hugs
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Santabarbarian—thank you for the update on proton rads. I was so curious. I’m glad you like the facility and staff. That’s a huge bonus. Just started my second week of rads. At the end of the week I was dragging my ass. Tired! But, it’s ok. I can literally visualize being done with this. I popped back after chemo and felt great so I know I can pop back after rads and feel great.
Wanderweg—You are looking fierce! Gorgeous! I’m glad the tamoxifen is going well, I’m dreading meds at this point. I think I hear too many horror stories.
Benji—I wouldn’t worry about the MRI after Taxol. I had a CT scan with contrast 3 days after my last Taxol. No problems at all but I’m sure your onc wouldn’t set you up for problems. Are you done this week?
Hughope—hope your shoulder feels better soon.
MACTAZ—sending you positive vibes. Big hug.
Bostoniangal—nice to hear from you again! Sorry about the foot. Ouch.
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January 31st is 12th and final taxol! I knew the MRI was in February, I just hadn’t turned the page to notice while it may have been the next month it was also the next day. I know taxol hangs around a while, I was thinking more about the premeds plus taxol plus the contrast. I was told it won’t affect the scan, I was questioning whether it would effect ME. No one seems concerned so I won’t be either. Lots going on in February
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Thanks all for well wishes.
My hubby says I’m getting really fine fuzzy stuff on my head but hard to see, so it sounds like 12 weeks will be about the timing for me also wanderweg. Hope you are doing well on tomoxifen.
SB, goodluck with your proton rads and thanks for info.
MGJ, sorry you are starting g to feel the treatment, but you are right, we got through chemo, you can make it through this.
Benji69, I looked on drug interaction checker but gadolinium doesn’t show up, sorry.
Hughope1, hope you get well soon.
Things went well yesterday, surgery at 7AM and back to my room by 1230. Had two sentinel nodes taken and TE put in. Docs said went as expected. BS did put blue dye in arm to map out lymphatic channel to ensure none of those nodeswere disturbed, this helps chances of not getting lymph edema. Apparently had good update of the isotope to identify sentinels.
They have been giving me herparin shots to thin blood so better chances of no bloodclots. Also had to take oxycodone 2x, but then went to xtra strength Tylenol early this AM. I will probably take another oxy before going home, long ride and getting a little sore now. But all, in, all not bad. Getting up out of bed is probably the worst part but tolerable. Also had to take zofran after dinner for nausea, but it helped and feel fine now. They gave me colace and I started taking stool softener before I checked in. Plan and taking senna when I get home, hopefully will work and keep me from stoving up. 😁. Haven't had much drainage, I think that is good. Have follow up with PS Friday and BS following Friday. Hopefully will get path results before that.
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Mactaz, you make it sound so easy. Tough lady. Best wishes for continued recovery. You’ve helped many of us
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thanks Benji69, I go home in a couple of hours. YEAH.
I will be thinking of you on the 31st and ring that bell, we all deserve the feeling of making it.
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Side effect of taxol stuffy nose? I put ammonia in pasta salad thinking it was white vinegar. Didn’t smell it until I tasted it. Maybe a new cure for tongue sores. Good thing my husband does 99% of the cooking
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MACTAZ - So glad to hear the surgery went well. Maybe the low drainage will mean you get your tubes out quicker I hope so. Go easy on yourself and heal up!
Benji, whoa! And now I’m wondering why you have ammonia in your kitchen with cooking stuff? You’re almost to the chemo finish line
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benji—you sound like me in he kitchen. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. 🙂 you are right around the corner with the finish line in sight. Almost done with chemo! Whoooo! I thought the same thing too when you mentioned the scan with contrast—is it ok so close to chemo? Are you going to kill my kidneys? Anyhoo, I lived.
MACTAZ—take those oxys for the ride home! Down the hatch. I wouldn't have been so eloquent writing as you are right after surgery. I'm glad you are handling post-op so well. Total badass rockstar!
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Sorry MGJ, Badass went out the door when I got home. Pain has kicked in and Oxy went down my throat. I’m hoping that day two is the worst of it but I guess ill make through, but will take pain meds
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MACTAZ—Absolutely, please take those pain meds. You need to rest/sleep to heal. I think I took pain pills for 3ish days post-mastectomy. But I don't remember, really. The whole 'having cancer' stress messed with a lot of my memory of that recovery. I also had to sleep on my back for weeks with my arm propped up. I just held my elbow at 90 degrees when I moved around. I also had to grip the steering wheel at the bottom as I couldn't lift my arm up in the 10 and 2 position. It's weird the things I remember but completely have forgotten so much else. I can finally haul heavy dog food bags and huge flats of bottled water but that took months to achieve. You rest and enjoy your oxys with a colace chaser.
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Thanks MGJ, I was wondering how long it might take to taper down but that sounds reasonable. You make me laugh, colace chaser, your sense of humor is infectious, that’s the kind of infections I don’t mind getting. Take care.
Benji69, definitely let your hubby do the cooking.
and you are soooooooo close to your last chemo, you go girl.Wanderweg, I’m hoping at least one drain out, but will see. It seems most have in for at least a week, 4 days might be pushing it but I like being am overachiever.
Hughope1, are you feeling better?
All take care, don’t know what I would do without you. Hugs.
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MACTAZ—From being a nurse forever I learned to laugh and make jokes about some fairly serious stuff. I think it's a coping mechanism. Freud would have a field day with me. I told my BS a couple weeks ago, that after chemo I not only developed panic attacks but Tourette's Syndrome as well, as everyother word is a four letter masterpiece.
Well, (drumroll please) I just had my first Tamoxifen. Met with the new onc yesterday and I got gabapentin for the hot flashes (I only took 1 last night and slept fairly well just 2 little hot flashes and I slept hard until 0630.) My lady bits dried up and disappeared so she also prescribed my an estrogen cream for my very uncomfortable vagina. Just a small dab and once a week or so. She isn't concerned about the systemic effects. And lastly the tamoxifen, she said it was fine to start with rads so I thought might as well. She also recommended an aspirin 81mg a few times a week to help prevent DVTs. I ran this by the RO today and she was down with everything. So yeah! Its Tamoxifen for 10 years for me. The Oncotype wasn't run (I wasn't surprised about that, I just had a feeling it wasn't) so I will get that next month. The Oncotype will help me figure out if I should get my ovaries out. My first MO said get them out no doubt, but now I will have some better info rather than just having an ooph for the sake of it.
What would I do without you, beauties?
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